Legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw has released a new memoir titled "Backtalker: An American Memoir" [2].
The work provides a personal and legal framework for understanding intersectionality and critical race theory during a period of intense political contestation. As a professor of law at UCLA and Columbia University, Crenshaw uses the text to advocate for collective action and voting rights.
Crenshaw has spent the last few weeks promoting the 2026 publication through a series of public appearances [2]. This included a promotional event at UCLA on April 19 [4] and a book-signing event in her hometown of Canton, Ohio, on May 1 [1].
In recent interviews, Crenshaw discussed the origins of the concepts she introduced to the American legal landscape. "I helped name two contested ideas in U.S. politics — intersectionality and critical race theory," Crenshaw said [2].
The memoir also addresses the influence of Justice Clarence Thomas and the current state of U.S. voting rights. Crenshaw describes intersectionality not merely as a theoretical concept but as a practical tool for analyzing systemic inequality. "Intersectionality is a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects," Crenshaw said.
Crenshaw linked the necessity of this framework to the current political climate, suggesting that the complexity of modern power structures requires a more nuanced approach to justice. She noted that the current era is not a time for passivity. "This moment requires active engagement," Crenshaw said [3].
The promotion of "Backtalker" serves as both a professional retrospective and a call to action. By grounding her academic theories in her own life story, Crenshaw aims to make the concepts of power and collective action more accessible to a broader audience beyond legal circles.
“"Intersectionality is a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides."”
The release of this memoir marks a transition of intersectionality and critical race theory from academic legal frameworks into the public consciousness. By connecting these theories to current judicial figures like Justice Clarence Thomas and specific political battles over voting rights, Crenshaw is attempting to provide a toolkit for grassroots collective action in a polarized U.S. political environment.
