Kimberlé Crenshaw

Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw is the co-founder and Executive Director of the African American Policy Forum, a gender and racial justice legal think tank, and the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies at Columbia Law School. She is a trailblazing scholar, advocate, and professor whose ideas have reshaped the landscape of critical race theory and Black feminist legal theory.

As the architect of the groundbreaking concept of intersectionality, Crenshaw has worked tirelessly to unravel the complexities of overlapping social identities in the pursuit of a more equitable and inclusive world. Through her studies and activism, Crenshaw draws attention to the perpetuation of racism in society, and in 2014 launched the #SayHerNamecampaign, which brings awareness to police violence against Black women, femmes, and girls.

Crenshaw is a sought-after speaker and leading voice in the continued struggle for civil rights. She is the Isidor and Seville Sulzbacher Professor at Columbia Law School and the Promise Institute Professor at UCLA Law School, where she continues to inspire and mentor the next generation of scholars and activists.

Year Honored: 2024
Birth: 1959 -
Born In: Ohio
Achievements: Education, Humanities
Schools Attended: Cornell University, Harvard University, University of Wisconsin, Madison