Professor Paula Giddings is the author of three books on the social and political history of African
American women: When and Where I Enter: The Impact on Black Women on Race and Sex in America; In
Search of Sisterhood: Delta Sigma Theta and the Challenge of the Black Sorority Movement; and, most
recently, the critically acclaimed biography of anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells, Ida: A Sword among
Lions. She is also the editor of Burning All Illusions, an anthology of articles on race published by The
Nation magazine from 1867 to 2000. She is also a former book editor and journalist who has written
extensively on international and national issues.
Professor Giddings joined Smith College in 2001. She serves as the senior editor of Meridians, a peerreviewed feminist, interdisciplinary journal, which goal is to provide a forum for the finest scholarship
and creative work by and about women of color in U.S. and international contexts. The journal is a
collaborative venture of Smith College and Wesleyan University. She has served as the AAS department
chair and honors thesis adviser.