With an interdisciplinary approach that looks at literature, cinema and cultural studies, Women Activists and Civil Rights Leaders in Auto/Biographical Literature and Cinema argues that life writing is a key source of artistic creativity and activism which enables us to take a fresh look at history.

1. Introduction, Delphine Letort and Benaouda Lebdai.- Section 1: The Lives of Women Activists.- 2. Winnie Madikizela Mandela: the Construction of a South African Political Icon, Benaouda Lebdai.- 3. ‘Revoluting’ or writing? Ahdaf Soueif and the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, Jacqueline Jondot.- 4. Autobiography of an Activist: Sophonisba Breckinridge, “Champion of the Championless”, Anya Jabour.- 5. 'Lean In and Tell Me a (True) Story': Sheryl Sandberg’s Revision of Feminist History.- Section 2: Black History in Auto/biographical Texts.- 6. The Many Lives of Ida B. Wells: Autobiography, Historical Biography, and Documentary, Delphine Letort.- 7. Malcolm X: From the Autobiography to Spike Lee’s Film, Two Complementary Perspectives on the Man and the Militant Black Leader, Dominique Dubois.- 8. Michelle Obama: the Voice and Embodiment of (African) American History, Pierre-Marie Loizeau.- 9. Ghost Writing and Filming Biography in Twelve/12 Years a Slave, Sylvie Charron.- Section 3: The Leaders' (Hi)stories in Biographical Films.- 10. Biographical Motion Pictures and the Resuscitation of “Real Lives”, Taïna Tuhkunen.- 11. “Negro Girl (Meager)”: Black Women’s In/visibility in Contemporary Films about Slavery, Lisa Botshon and Melinda Plastas.- 12. Queering the Biopic? Milk (2008) and the Biographic Real, Isabelle Van Peteghem-Tréard.- 13. In Search of Purcell’s Legacy: Tony Palmer’s England, My England (1995), Nicole Cloarec.- 14. Does one Need to be a Man in order to be a Great Man?, Nathalie Prince.

This collective book offers new insight on the genres of biography and autobiography by examining the singular path of those deemed to be ‘outsiders’, such as Winnie Mandela, Ida B. Wells, Malcolm X and Harvey Milk. Its specific focus on these female leaders and civil rights activists, who refused to be constrained by gender, race and class, shifts attention away from the great men of history and places it solely on those who have transformed their personal lives into a fight for collective goals. With an interdisciplinary approach that looks at literature, cinema and cultural studies, Women Activists and Civil Rights Leaders in Auto/Biographical Literature and Cinema argues that life writing is a key source of artistic creativity and activism which enables us to take a fresh look at history. 

“This book shows, on the basis of a number of striking women, that history and its perception is a construction that can still be cultivated. The authors of this volume demonstrate that the history of women is not automatically 'women's history', but an inextricable and often misunderstood part of our history.”  (Hans Renders, University of Groningen, The Netherlands)

Promotes women activists and minority figures in a unique way Provides an original spin on the notions of autobiography and biography Offers a comprehensive study that is both interdisciplinary and wide-ranging, including an extensive list of international icons