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Angela Davis was born on January 26, 1944 in Birmingham Alabama. At the time it was one of the most racially segregated cities and was referred to as "dynamite hill" due to black owned homes being bombed. -
Davis was part of a program that placed her with a white family in New York City for her high school years. The school she attended shared a lot of values that were important to both Davis and her parents. Here she also joined the school communist group. -
Davis earned a scholarship to study French Literature at Brandeis University along with studying philosophy in Germany. -
Davis returned back to the states and earned her PhD in philosophy at The University of California San Diego. -
Davis joined the Che Lumumba Club which was an African American branch of the US communist party. -
In the same year Davis became involved in the civil rights movement, she joined the Black Panther Party but did not fully agree with their policies. -
Davis became a professor of philosophy at the University of California Los Angeles. But was later fired due to her race and political views. -
The guns used in the Soledad brothers courtroom attack were traced to Davis. because of this she was placed on the 10 most wanted list by the FBI and went into hiding. -
The FBI caught up with Davis in a hotel in Manhattan and charged her with murder, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy. Davis was placed in prison for 18 months and was mostly held in solitary confinement. -
A brother of one of the Soledad brothers entered the courtroom armed taking many hostage. Four were killed including the judge. -
While in prison, Davis was named a political prisoner and a "Free Angela" campaign began. This campaign gained lots of recognition and Davis became a symbol for the social justice movement. -
Davis was found not guilty on all charges by an all white jury. -
After being released from prison Davis founded the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. -
After releasing her first book, Davis takes another step in her career and returns to teaching. -
Davis's career continues as she publishes her first book, Angela Davis: An Autobiography. -
During an interview Davis comes out as lesbian. She has since continued to fight oppression for many different communities. -
Davis then became a professor at San Francisco State University continuing her teaching journey. -
Davis ran for Vice President of the communist party but did not receive enough votes. -
Davis publishes her next book called Women, Race, and Class. -
Davis publishes her next book called Women, Culture, and Politics. -
Davis publishes her next book called the Angela Y. Davis Reader. -
Davis publishes her next book, Blues Legacies and Black Feminism. -
Davis publishes a bestseller, Are Prisons Obsolete? -
Davis publishes her next book Abolition Democracy. -
Davis eventually retired from the University of Santa Cruz as a distinguished professor emerita. -
Davis publishes her next book The Meaning of Freedom. -
Davis publishes one of her last books Freedom is a Constant Struggle.