Campus News
bell hooks’s legacy turns a new page
For her remarkable legacy and lifelong contributions in the fields of literature and feminist studies, bell hooks posthumously received the Alumni Achievement Award on Oct. 27, 2023. Her family accepted the award on her behalf.
The Alumni Association at UC Santa Cruz is proud to present this year’s honorees of the UCSC Alumni Awards. These awards recognize and honor alumni who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievements, made distinct contributions to society, provided impactful contributions to UCSC, and who have embodied the values and spirit of the university.
For her remarkable legacy and lifelong contributions in the fields of literature and feminist studies, bell hooks posthumously received the Alumni Achievement Award on Oct. 27, 2023. Her family accepted the award on her behalf.
bell hooks fit many achievements into her 69 years of life.
The author—born Gloria Jean Watkins but best known by her pen name, dating back to the 1970s—published dozens of novels and books of poetry, including renowned classics Ain’t I a Woman? (1981) and All About Love (2000). She shared her texts with her ever-rising number of fans, speaking at post-secondary institutions around the world and teaching at Yale, UC Santa Cruz, Oberlin, and the City College of New York before taking a tenured position at Berea College in her childhood state of Kentucky in 2014.
In December 2021, the author passed away in Berea, which led to an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, friends, and dignitaries, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
Prior to her successes and global recognition, hooks completed her doctorate in literature at UC Santa Cruz in 1983—and, on October 27, 40 years later, her family received an Alumni Achievement Award in her place.
“bell hooks was a luminary whose profound contributions to the fields of race, feminism, and class transformed our understanding of intersectionality and systemic oppression,” said UCSC Humanities Dean Jasmine Alinder. “Her incisive writings and impassioned advocacy resonated far and wide, challenging us to confront and dismantle the structures of inequality that persist in our society. Her work continues to inspire and guide generations of scholars and activists. We are honored to posthumously recognize her with the UCSC Alumni Achievement Award, as her legacy will forever shape the discourse in the humanities and beyond.”