Culture

Negotiations of Black and Activist Identity Through Dress on the College Campus

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Abstract

Historically, Black people have used dress to express their Black and activist identities. In our research, we analyzed how Black women college students attending predominately white institutions in Iowa express their Black and activist identities through everyday dress during the Black Lives Matter movement. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured wardrobe interviews with 15 current Black women college students. Critical race theory and Black feminist thought informed our research, as we examined relationships between dress, power, and Black women. We identified three themes: experiences on predominantly white campuses; negotiating Black identity through dress and appearance; and negotiating activist identity through dress and appearance. We found the participants used everyday dress to combat systems of inequitable power structures embedded throughout the college campus. The participants continued the long history of Black people using dress to negotiate their Black and activist identities as Black people continue to face systemic oppression on the college campus.

Keywords: fashion, Black Lives Matter, urban wear, college campus, critical race theory, Black women

How to Cite:

Matthews, D. & Reddy Best, K. L., (2020) “Negotiations of Black and Activist Identity Through Dress on the College Campus”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 77(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.12096