La Donna L. Forsgren

As a Black cultural historian, I recover and celebrate the artistry, activism, and critical thought of Black women intellectuals of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. My work speaks directly to the pioneering efforts of Black feminist scholars such as Barbara Christian, Patricia Hill Collins, bell hooks, and Alice Walker; all of whom have issued calls to create in-depth studies of Black women’s history, culture, and literary traditions. In remembering the galvanizing strategies and struggles of the previous generation, Black women intellectuals of today can gain further insight and strength needed to continue to lead the movement for Black lives.

The relevancy of my research has received national recognition. In 2016, I was awarded the Robert A. Schanke Theatre Research Award (Mid-America Theatre Conference) for my comparative study of the 1968 black student protest at Northwestern University and the 2015 student unrest at the University of Missouri. I received the 2020 Oscar G. Brockett Essay Prize (American Society for Theatre Research) for my article, “The Wiz Redux; or Why Queer Black Feminist Spectatorship and Politically Engaged Popular Entertainment Continue to Matter.” My monograph, Sistuhs in the Struggle: An Oral History of Black Arts Movement Theatre and Performance (2020) was recognized as a finalist for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education's 2021 Outstanding Book Award.