Backtalker: An American Memoir

by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw

A Simon & Schuster book. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Feminism, Race, Social Justice, Biography, Audiobook

400 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

She almost went to Mount Holyoke College. How amazing would it have been if she had been there at the same time as Shirley Chisholm was teaching? Ok, Chisholm taught after Crenshaw went to Cornell, but regardless and clearly, Cornell and Harvard were great paths for her. I'm so grateful for her and her work. I'm also very sorry for all her grief.

[Tram · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Being a backtalker is like being lactose intolerant. There are things that I cannot digest.”

I got to see *the* Kimberlé Crenshaw on her book tour of her memoir and am so grateful to have gotten to witness her in person in this lifetime.

Kimberlé Crenshaw is a Black legal feminist scholar who coined the ideas of intersectionality and critical race theory.

The book is well-written and expansive, covering her childhood in Canton, Ohio through Harvard Law School to her career as a civil rights advocate to her relationships with other radical activists.

Topics covered:
-Her close and complex bonds with family and the early and inexplicable losses of her father and brother
-Her experience with an abusive and controlling college ex (BFH) and her subsequent characterization as a loud and vindictive woman as well as the fragmentation of her community
-Her mother’s experience with “urban renewal,” blight, and Lorraine Hansberry
-Her time at Harvard Law right after the departure of Prof. Derrick Bell and his “Con Law and Minority Issues” course
-Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas, and how his 1991 appointment contributed to the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act today
-Her criticisms on Obama’s failures to name racial biases within the court systems after Trayvon Martin’s death and the t, pervasive failures of the current admin on race, gender, and civil rights
-At the book tour stop, she also gave her opinions on how the US Supreme Court denied VA’s redistricting appeal on Friday and the race politics of The Roast of Kevin Hart

Can’t recommend this book enough and she narrates her own audiobook and also Angela Rye as a moderator was fantastic

[Kaelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Simon and Schuster for providing me a digital ARC of this book. I am an intersectional criminologist whose research has been greatly influenced by Kimberlé Crenshaw's work on critical race theory and intersectionality. So, it was an honor to get an advanced copy. There's so much that I could say about this book. It was amazing, Crenshaw is amazing, and I recommend that everyone pick up this book ASAP. I don't want to give spoilers; so, I will highlight the three key things that I loved about it.

1) Her writing in the book is phenomenal (as usual). I wouldn’t say the book was fast paced, but it was easy to get caught up in the stories being told in each chapter. You were also able to tell from her stories from kindergarten to post law school how and why she came up with CRT and intersectionality. The through line was clear, and the path to how she got their was beautiful to read about.

- I also loved how she blended the personal with the political and vice versa. This is 100% a memoir where I learned so much more about her, but I also learned so much about other topics that I was familiar with but didn’t necessarily know a lot about from an intersectional perspective. Some of the topics she hits on are Anita Hill and her involvement in the hearing, the OJ Simpson trial, the My Brother's Keeper, Black women and IPV. Also, she’s a fair critique. She critiques the Trump and Obama administrations. And, I really appreciated her duality and ability to say “both/and." There's not nearly enough of that nowadays.

- In line with that last part, I loved her vulnerability. In this book, she discussed the grief of losing her closest family members, her experience with IPV, and her struggles as a black woman in the academy. The book made me feel heard, seen, and valued. I’d recommend everyone read the book, but I think it’s an especially great book for Black women.

- Something else I loved was the stories about her spending time with Angela Davis and Toni Morrison. How amazing is that?


All in all, preorder this book ASAP or purchase it once it's out. You will not regret it. I may even reread it via audio if there's an audiobook version narrated by Kimberlé Crenshaw. I also want this to be adapted into a biopic sooooo bad!

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a raw and emotional memoir by the woman behind critical race theory. And no wonder. The author paints a evocative and clear picture of her life and the defining moments that made racism and issues of race and gender clearer and clearer. This was so obviously a labour of love

[Mia Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sensational read. Everyone needs to read it. I'm SERIOUS. Every single person on the Earth, ever. This author is not only a master of craft, incredibly well-spoken and personable, but also a prestigious and sophisticated social justice icon. She has done so much for this country and pushed the marginalized out of the shadow. Not only that, but she is hilarious and warm. Her stories are poignant and universal. She has so many things to say that are vital toeveryone's well-being and pivotal to fostering compassion and unity. It's thought-provoking and insightful but also just a really incredibly-written book. I wish I could be in Crenshaw's presence, just to be blessed by her amazingness! This book came at exactly the moment that we need it most. Please, PLEASE, give it a read. It deserves to be seen and spread to everyone! An absolutely jaw-dropping, timely read.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend that EVERYONE reads BACKTALKER. Crenshaw inspires, educates and informs readers. I enjoyed learning about her childhood, parents and her brother. This family and their love is what shaped Crenshaw and the legacy she has brought us with exploring the collective whole and community. This memoir leaves me wanting to know more about critical race theory and intersectionality. We need to keep talking about gender and race. We need to keep moving forward. Crenshaw’s memoir has given me hope and I want to keep learning.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Stars playing “We Didn’t Start the Fire”*

But seriously, what a memoir that recounts the author’s life and personal experiences through the Civil Rights Era, the assassinations that rocked America in the late 60s, America’s bicentennial, disco, the Reagan years, Anita Hill’s testimony, OJ mania, the Obama era, Black Lives Matter, all the way into 2025.

And throughout this span of history, Crenshaw weaves in her personal tragedy and triumphs that cement one of her overarching arguments: the personal is political. While the concepts she has put a name to (intersectionality, critical race theory) might be controversial, she lays out her arguments and personal experiences that show how she had no choice but to put a name to what she was experiencing as a black woman that widespread media/thought didn’t acknowledge:

“I am a backtalker. I don’t know if I am this way by choice, or was made this way by the circumstance of the family I was raised in, the body I live in, the century I was born in, or the nation I was made in.”

This memoir meant even more to me being from and still living in Canton and having a parent who also taught in the Canton City School District.

*Length of time it took me to read doesn’t reflect quality of book, it just takes me a hot minute to read sometimes*

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Kimberlé Crenshaw will be a familiar name if you are passionate about social justice. And this acclaimed legal scholar, who coined and popularized the terms “intersectionality” and “critical race theory,” has now written a memoir that is a wonderfully engaging and accessible introduction to her person and ideas.

Move over, Laura Ingalls: young Kimberlé has the spunk and gumption of a classic young American protagonist. Part 1 of BACKTALKER is the most “familiar” in terms of its memoir format, and was a delight. Crenshaw’s spirit shines through as she recounts episodes from her childhood that formed the basis of her later thoughts on the ways in which racism and patriarchy overlap to particularly harm Black women and girls. A couple chapters made me cry; you’ll know when you get to them.

Parts 2 and 3 were a bit more challenging to read, as Crenshaw steps away from the typical memoir structure and dives more into key life events in which her theories on intersectionality and CRT come to the forefront. She writes about historical events such as Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court nomination and Anita Hill’s public hearing; the OJ Simpson murder trial and what it revealed about the US’ unwillingness to see how structural racism played a role; and Obama’s tepid response to Trayvon Martin’s murder and the way in which it overlooked Black girls. I did wish for a bit less reporting and more personal story in these sections, as that would have been more engaging. Still, I appreciated reading about these events through Crenshaw’s perspective, as clear examples of how our failure to understand and address intersectionality harms all, and does not create the progress that we truly need.

BACKTALKER was my introduction to Crenshaw’s writing, and I am definitely eager to read more from her. She is a strong and engaging writer, whose theories form an important backbone to contemporary activist work.

[Mark Robison · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a brief scene in this often marvelous memoir that someone needs to make into fan fiction, a comic book series or a Netflix show. The author is in the backseat of a Jaguar, Toni Morrison is riding shotgun and driving is ... Angela Y. Davis!

Listening to the audiobook of the author narrating her amazing life, I thought this was 5 stars all the way as she told vignettes about things that'd happened to her — complete with a musical soundtrack of what she was listening to at the time — and how she developed the idea of intersectionality and coined the phrase critical race theory. I couldn't wait to buy my own copy to highlight ideas, recommendations and passages I wanted to revisit. If it weren't for the epilogue, I would've rated it 5 stars. But this formidable public intellectual ends by undercutting her legacy.

Her story is amazing. She grew up in the '60s as a reluctant backtalker who simply wasn't willing to stay quiet when someone needed to speak up, like at her church after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination when no one else was saying anything. She was 8 years old.

Her brother, a Vietnam vet, is shot to death at university and the police don't do anything to investigate who did it because it was "just" a bunch of black kids involved. In her own university days, she won't back down to an abusive boyfriend; he punches her in the face and tries to throw her out a 10th floor window; and her friends side with the guy because they don't want to make the black movement look bad and she does have a mouth on her.

She invents the concept of intersectionality while at law school (if I'm remembering the chronology right) while reviewing the case of a black woman who sues a Detroit automaker for discrimination. The automaker says it couldn't have discriminated against her because it hires lots of black men (as factory workers) and lots of women (all white, as secretaries and clerks). The author is, like, no, there's this intersection of race and sex where this black woman was uniquely discriminated against.

The author sits behind Anita Hill for support during the Clarence Thomas hearings. She's tapped as an expert commentator during the OJ Simpson trial. She becomes an advocate highlighting black women killed by police because their names seldom get anywhere near the attention of black men killed by police. See aapf.org.

A favorite scene is where she takes on the failures of the Obama administration to advocate for black women and Obama's advisor Valerie Jarrett tries to mansplain "intersectionality" to her.

Again, 5-star stuff. Just brilliant.

And then in the epilogue, oh boy. This person, who up to this point has spoken truth to power and seen through the smoke and noise to see the ways race and sex combine to create unique problems, goes on autopilot. She contends Kamala Harris lost because of sexism and racism. As a political reporter who has ridden in Harris' motorcade more than once and been to Trump rallies where "Joe and the Ho" merch was widely sold, I know she faced a lot of misogynoir. But racism and sexism weren't Harris' biggest problems. This isn't the place to detail them. (Really, though, she couldn't think of a single thing she would've done differently than Biden?)

The author did an eloquent job defending the foundations of Wokeness throughout the book — until the end, where she trots out its laziest, weakest arguments as if it's still 2019 and fails to engage any of the well-discussed reasons Trump made gains with black voters in the 2024.

She criticizes those who caricature affirmative action as reverse racism but then, as a law professor, decides not to look at any of the interesting arguments around how the Supreme Court recently addressed it or how other black public intellectuals like Coleman Hughes approach it. It felt like she's either in a bubble now (likely) or she's afraid of backtalking for fear of being cancelled, something that would happen at UCLA, where she's a law school professor (also likely but I suspect the first).

So disappointing. I would've knocked off only 1 star for the epilogue because I loved the rest so much, but since it undercuts her whole premise of being a backtalker, it's 2 stars off. She now seems incapable of backtalking the people who misinterpret intersectionality everywhere you look or the Woke scolds who turned off enough of the nation that millions of voters preferred Trump chaos to what the Democrats were offering. The left needs more backtalkers if it wants power back, but I'm not seeing that this author will help it going forward.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was unbelievably good and it needs to get much, much more attention. If you want something inspiring and backtalking to celebrate America's 250th, this is it.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved getting a peek into the life and history of the iconic Kimberlé Crenshaw, whose name and work I was first familiar with as a Women and Gender Studies major in undergrad. Crenshaw's work (including readings like "Mapping the Margins," and of course her concept of intersectionality) was foundational to my studies. As soon as I heard she had a memoir coming out, I placed a hold at my local library (shout out to San Francisco Public Library!).

I enjoyed learning about Crenshaw's early life as well as her beginnings as the civil rights advocate and scholar we know her to be today. It was especially fun to read about her overlaps with other iconic figures such as Toni Morrison, Angela Davis, Bryan Stevenson (a tiny mention, but I fan-girled super hard when I read that part), Anita Hill, etc. There was a bit of the book (shortly after the halfway point) that slowed down somewhat for me, but other than that, I was thoroughly engaged throughout the book and would highly recommend it.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this audiobook. Hearing from Ms Crenshaw herself was very moving. Her story, history, civil justice and the fight for equality. So much wrapped up in this memoir. Highly recommend for anyone, any race, any gender.

[Maggie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book absolutely everyone should read. I felt so much walking through her life, especially those early years. What a phenomenal woman Kimberlé Crenshaw is !

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read this year.

[Darien Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to Crenshaw’s work, especially related to intersectionality, during my undergrad. I frequently revisited (and often applied it) to my own studies in both Political Science, a more likely home given its origins in legal studies, and Critical Studies. It, in conjunction with Patricia Hill Collins’ matrix of domination, provided a lens through which to understand systems of power and oppression as they intersect in the mixed identities and lived experiences of diverse peoples. These theories allowed for a contemporary critique rooted in the sociohistorical origins of those systems.

To revisit her work a half-decade later through this autobiographical format reminded me of that feeling of discovery. In Backtalker, Crenshaw allows us into her own lived experiences and understanding of the world around her that would birth intersectionality. It’s rooted in her upbringing amidst the Civil Rights Movement and the particularities of that moment in American history, but she so authoritatively connects that moment to the racial dynamics of the 80s and 90s (Rodney King, Anita Hill, OJ Simpson) to Obama and, ultimately, to the racial backlash resulting in Trump. Through all these moments the absolute criticality for intersectionality is maintained.

I was worried that the autobiographical style of this work would limit its applicability; that it would feel more tributary or nostalgic. Instead, it frames intersectionality as both personal and political (the adage largely attributed to Simone de Beauvoir used inversely in the epilogue) allowing the reader (or, in my case listener—and a great audiobook it is) to consider their own identities and dream of, and work toward, a future where, again borrowing Hill Collins’ words, they no longer exist, or more probably exist consciously and reparatively, on a matrix of domination.

[Violet Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tension and contradiction abound throughout my life, reflecting a complex dance with the notion of “we”—of race, of gender, of nation, of humanity—that can never be complete, nor ever fully abandoned."

Kimberlé Crenshaw has lived through so much since her childhood in the Civil Rights era as part of a politically active Black family, to now, and refused to be silent or accept things the way they are when there is inequality and injustice involved. In her career as a noted legal educator and advocate, she coined the terms and developed the theories of intersectionality and critical race theory, to see those terms twisted and turned caricatures of fear by the reactionary establishment.

But it's the ways Ms Crenshaw has experienced the intersections of sexism and racism as a black woman that I found most fascinating, and am reminded again that as white feminists we need to shut up, stand down, and make space for Black women.

Backtalker is educational without being pontificating, heartbreaking without being depressing, and inspiring that if Ms Crenshaw is still fighting, more of us need to keep speaking up instead of saying "I'm exhausted - I'll sit this one out"

"I am a backtalker. I don’t know if I am this way by choice, or was made this way by circumstance of the family I was raised in, the body I live in, the century I was born in, or the nation I was made in."

[jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

An expansive and moving depiction of her life, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw’s memoir “Backtalker” covers a lot of ground. The title introduces itself early on as a central theme to tie these individual stories together, and we see how early childhood moments lay the groundwork for the legal and theoretical work that would come later.

My absolute favorite parts of this book—and when I felt most connected to the writing—were in the depictions of Kimberlé’s family. The complex bonds between herself and her mother, father, and brother catapulted me through the first of the three sections. It truly felt like reading a love letter to her family and the pivotal moments in her childhood that led her to become the person who created the concepts of critical race theory and intersectionality (where I first learned about her, during my social work grad program). I did find that the momentum slowed down in the latter half of the book, as we follow Kimberlé through law school and into her professional career, but it was still very informative and engaging to read.

Overall, a solid 4 star read that I would absolutely recommend.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Karen Ashmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Crenshaw takes her readers through childhood, undergrad years at Cornell, and Harvard Law School to become one of the leading scholars on anti-racism and anti-sexism legal theory, especially how it impacts Black Women. In fact, she is the one who coined the terms “intersectionality” and “critical race theory”, which we all know makes tRump rabid.

As a longtime activist on these very issues, I have followed her for years. I was there in the chapters about Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill, Treyvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, domestic violence law, systemic reform, police brutality and more.

I was so excited while reading this book, I thought to myself, “I have to learn more about what shaped her incisive mind.” I was amazed to read that some of the same books that influenced me were the same authors that formed her foundation. Namely “This Bridge Called My Back”, which changed my life but also described intersectionality before it was a word. Highly recommend to those who follow critical race theory, and how much further we need to go to attain diversity, inclusivity, and equity.

[Cheryl Petrone]

I love memoirs. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw grew up in the 1970’s. Her Mom was a music teacher in a public school in Akron, Ohio. I liked the parts of the book when she was a high school student, as well as when she attended Cornell as an undergraduate, and Harvard for law school. Williams survived two very difficult deaths in her family, and she went through a very difficult time in 1991. The book introduced me to the theory of intersectionality and the ways that gender, race and class overlap. I recommend this non-fiction book that reads like a fiction book.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who is fascinating by theories and wants to learn more about intersectionality and critical race theory, this book was an obvious yes for me. Kimberlee Crenshaw has long been someone I’ve admired and sought out for learning. Her book was a great balance between memoir and theoretical frameworks. A must read for anyone who want to understand the original of CRT and intersectionality.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storytelling | She’s an Ohio native | But she’s so much more

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed hearing from Crenshaw's perspective and hearing more about her upbringing/life. I think the book was slightly too long but overall very well done.

[Ibiwunmi Balogun · Rating 5 out of 5]

i chose to study criminology at the age of 17 in 2019/2020 with hopes of bringing justice to victims within the detective role.

shortly after my choice, George Floyd was murdered in the US and as my course started some months after that, i realised more and more that to bring justice to the victims i had in mind were more at the hands of miscarriages of justice rather than my “traditional” sense of crime.

i learned more about the prison systems in this country (UK) and particularly how it overlooks black women. i quickly found Kimberlé Crenshaw’s work in my studies (because the UK lacks information about women of colour in prisons despite their glaring disproportionate representation within prison populations)

Crenshaw’s work was very inspirational but sadly my time at the university of manchester lead me to abandon any future work within the field of criminology. they were leading me down a path so irrelevant to the issues i noticed in the systems i studied.

i mourn my academic endeavours and through reading this book and attending her talk at the SouthBank centre i learn that the “traditional” ways to bring about change (ex: policy and legislation) are not the only ways to organise, and bring justice to victims

all this to say that while this book was hard to read emotionally, i am grateful for the language it reminds that i possess. hopefully i can learn to be more of a backtalker in all areas of life that matter

[Fariza Hassan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure any memoir can top this one. Thank you, forever and always, Ms. Crenshaw

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could rate this like a 4.75, it was funny and emotional and real and informative all at once. My only slight gripe is that part three was a lot more dense and academic which I struggled to get through a bit more than part one and two. Overall so well written, throughly enjoyed!

[Joyce Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

While we are all products of our own experience, few can lay claim to the synthesis and conversion of those stories into work so meaningful that it changes a collective view and shines a spotlight on an injustice never fully recognized. Crenshaw does just that. In her memoir, Backtalker, Crenshaw shares a collection of astounding stories and her first-hand accounts of racism and sexism from childhood, through to college and into adulthood. A processor of experiences and keen observer of life, Crenshaw coins two terms-- 'intersectionality' and 'critical race theory'. Thanks to this memoir, I learned quite a few things such as-- the intersection of multiple 'isms', the politics of change, and how important it is to assign a title to injustice.

[Luca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and empowering

[Marianne Kaplan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0. Excellent read. Author is developer of two theories/studies pertaining to discrimination: intersectionality and critical race theory. In this provocative memoir, the author describes the life experiences which led her to develop these two important theories. I found her work engaging, and I learned a lot. I highly recommend the book.

[Johnisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a 3.5 stars. I became very interested in later chapters, especially the ones about Anita Hill, Obama and #sayhername. But for some reason the part of the first half of the book that covered her childhood did not engage me nearly as much.

[Ell, Ess Jaeva · Rating 4 out of 5]

The intellectual and emotional life bringer of critical race theory and intersectionality. Crenshaw gives a tour of her full life of family, community, education, the law and politics as catalysts of her groubd-breaking theories...

ie: how race/gender impacted black community leaders supporting clarence thomas and white men supporting OJ....