Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham

Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham is a prominent American historian and professor at Harvard University, where she serves as the Victor S. Thomas Professor of History and African American Studies. She has made significant contributions to the fields of African American religious history, women's history, and civil rights. Higginbotham's most influential work is her book "Righteous Discontent: The Women's Movement in the Black Baptist Church, 1880-1920," published in 1993. This groundbreaking study introduced the concept of the "politics of respectability" and examined how Black Baptist women used religious institutions to advance social and political goals. Her scholarship has earned numerous accolades, including the Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Book Prize and the Distinguished Career Award from the Association of Black Women Historians. She served as president of the Organization of American Historians from 2006 to 2007, becoming the first African American woman to hold this position. Higginbotham continues to shape historical scholarship through her role as editor-in-chief of The Harvard Guide to African-American History and her work as national director of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Her research and writing focus on African American religious history, politics, and the intersection of race and gender in American society.

Readers appreciate Higginbotham's thorough research and academic rigor, particularly in "Righteous Discontent: The Women's Movement in the Black Baptist Church." Students and scholars cite her clear presentation of complex historical concepts about race, gender, and religion. On Goodreads, readers note her skill at documenting Black women's political activism and leadership roles in Baptist churches. Multiple reviewers mention the book's value as both a scholarly work and an accessible historical account. Some readers find her academic writing style dense and challenging for casual reading. A few reviews mention wanting more personal stories and narratives to balance the theoretical framework. Goodreads Ratings: Righteous Discontent: 4.3/5 (89 ratings) African American Lives: 3.9/5 (17 ratings) Amazon Ratings: Righteous Discontent: 4.7/5 (22 reviews) The One Who Got Away: 4.2/5 (12 reviews) The majority of negative reviews focus on textbook pricing rather than content.

Righteous Discontent: The Women's Movement in the Black Baptist Church, 1880-1920 (1993) Examines how Black women in the Baptist church used their positions to advance racial and gender equality while building educational and social programs for their communities.

Freedom's Promise: An Introduction to African American History (2001) A comprehensive textbook covering African American history from colonial times through the late 20th century, with emphasis on social movements and cultural developments.

The Harvard Guide to African-American History (2001) A reference work co-edited with Higginbotham that provides bibliographic essays and resources for studying African American history across various time periods and topics.

Race and the Meaning of Freedom: Setting an African American Agenda (1992) Analyzes how African Americans have historically defined and pursued freedom, focusing on religious, political, and social movements.

African American Women's History and the Metalanguage of Race (1992) Explores how racial and gender categories have shaped historical understanding of African American women's experiences and contributions.