Christian, Barbara

▪ 2001

      Caribbean American educator and critic (b. Dec. 12, 1943, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands—d. June 25, 2000, Berkeley, Calif.), was a noted professor of African American studies and a leading figure in the field of modern literary feminism. Educated at Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wis. (B.A., 1963), and Columbia University, New York City (M.A., 1964; Ph.D., 1970), Christian taught at the City College of the City University of New York from 1965 to 1970. From 1971 until her death she was a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she helped found the university's department of African American studies. A prolific author and editor, Christian first attracted widespread attention with her 1980 book, Black Women Novelists: The Development of a Tradition, 1892–1976, in which she discussed such important writers as Nella Larsen and Zora Neale Hurston. Among Christian's other published works were Teaching Guide to Accompany Black Foremothers (1980); Black Feminist Criticism: Perspectives on Black Women Writers (1985), a work emphasizing literary, textual analysis of fiction by black women; From the Inside Out: Afro-American Women's Literary Tradition and the State (1987); and Alice Walker's “The Color Purple” and Other Works: A Critical Commentary (1987). In addition, Christian contributed to Black Expression (1969; edited by Addison Gayle) and to the journals The Black Scholar and Journal of Ethnic Studies, and she coedited works such as Female Subjects in Black and White: Race, Psychoanalysis, Feminism (1997).

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▪ Caribbean-American educator and critic

born Dec. 12, 1943, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

died June 25, 2000, Berkeley, Calif., U.S.

      Caribbean American educator and feminist critic who attempted to define an African American feminist philosophy of criticism.

      Educated at Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (B.A., 1963), and Columbia University, New York City (M.A., 1964; Ph.D., 1970), Christian taught at the City College of the City University of New York (1965–72) and at the University of California, Berkeley (from 1971), where she played a key role in the creation of the school's department of African American studies in 1972. She served as its chairwoman (1978–83) and taught in the department until her death.

      Christian's published works include the seminal Black Women Novelists: The Development of a Tradition, 1892–1976 (1980); Teaching Guide to Accompany Black Foremothers (1980); Black Feminist Criticism: Perspectives on Black Women Writers (1985), a work emphasizing literary, textual analysis of fiction by black women; From the Inside Out: Afro-American Women's Literary Tradition and the State (1987); and Alice Walker's “The Color Purple” and Other Works: A Critical Commentary (1987). In addition, she contributed to Black Expression (1969; edited by Addison Gayle) and to the journals The Black Scholar and The Journal of Ethnic Studies, and she coedited works such as Female Subjects in Black and White: Race, Psychoanalysis, Feminism (1997).

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