ABHM Book Club: Without Fear by Keisha N. Blain
We are pleased to announce ABHM’s March's Book of the Month: Without Fear: Black Women and the Making of Human Rights by Keisha N. Blain. We invite you to join us on March 28 at 1:30 p.m. for a discussion of the book at America’s Black Holocaust Museum or virtually via Zoom.
History Toward Tomorrow: Why This Matters
In the year 2026 the United States is celebrating its semiquincentennial. At ABHM, we are using this as an opportunity to create programs where we can collectively reflect on our country’s history honestly to build a better, more equitable future. The selections for the ABHM Book Club in 2026 will emphasize historical truth-telling, compelling storytelling, and diverse perspectives on our collective past. We invite participants to consider what they want the country to look like over the next 250 years. What can we learn from visionaries, historians, and thought leaders from the past in how we envision the United States of the future? In the spirit of Dr. Cameron, we invite you to join us on this journey of reflection, healing, and dreaming.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Without Fear explores the vital yet often overlooked role Black women have played in shaping the global human rights movement. Historian Keisha N. Blain traces a powerful narrative that spans from the early 20th century to the present, revealing how Black women activists, intellectuals, and organizers transformed human rights discourse by centering the fight against racial, gender, and economic injustices. Through detailed stories of trailblazers such as Anna Julia Cooper, Pauli Murray, and Audre Lorde, Blain highlights how Black women challenged both the limitations of national civil rights frameworks and the international human rights agenda, pushing for a more inclusive and expansive vision of justice.
The book also examines the intersections of race, gender, and colonialism in human rights struggles, emphasizing the global reach of Black women’s activism—from the United States to Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond. Without Fear argues that understanding the human rights movement without acknowledging the leadership and contributions of Black women offers an incomplete and insufficient history. By recovering these narratives, Blain reclaims Black women’s central place in the ongoing fight for dignity, equality, and freedom worldwide, inspiring readers to recognize the enduring power of their legacy in contemporary social justice movements.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Keisha N. Blain is a distinguished historian, author, and scholar specializing in African American history, Black internationalism, and the global Black freedom struggle. She is the author of several acclaimed works, including Without Fear: Black Women and the Making of Human Rights, which highlights the pivotal role of Black women in shaping human rights discourse worldwide. Blain’s scholarship bridges the intersections of race, gender, and politics, bringing to light underrepresented stories that challenge traditional historical narratives.
In addition to her writing, Blain is a respected professor and public intellectual who actively contributes to conversations about social justice, activism, and history in both academic and popular forums. She serves as a passionate advocate for amplifying marginalized voices and has received numerous awards and fellowships recognizing her contributions to the field. Through her work, Blain inspires a new generation to engage deeply with history as a tool for understanding and transforming the present.