Copley Connects Spring Summer 2024

Copley Library and San Diego Public Library Team up to Celebrate Black History Month and Women’s History Month For the 7th year, the annual collaboration between Copley Library and the San Diego Public Library to celebrate Black History Month and Women’s History Month was a great success. Our featured author this year was Dr. Sabrina Strings, Professor and North Hall Chair of Black Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Strings is the author of the books The End of Love: Racism, Sexism, & the Death of Romance and Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia , which was the topic of her talks in San Diego February 25 and 26, 2024.

We asked a few of our librarian colleagues to share their reflections on Dr. Strings’ work and presentation: “As a historian and because of my research interest in critical librarianship, I was pleased to attend Dr. Sabrina Strings’ talk on her book, Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia . Dr. Strings provided an interesting and undeniable framing of the racial origins of fat phobia by highlighting how European and American societies have shaped feminine beauty and promoted white supremacy based on aesthetics and racism. In the process of learning, I found a connection with other participants as we discussed the realities of body shaming and fat phobia that are still pervasive in American society today.” – Jennifer Bidwell Assistant Professor and Business Librarian “As one of the event’s planning committee members, I always enjoy the day-of events as a celebratory culmination of our months-long efforts. I enjoy watching how speakers and audiences interact even more. Dr. Sabrina Strings’ research exposes and expands the complex relationship amongst shifting beauty standards, white supremacy, and the exploitation of Black bodies for White entertainment. Dr. Strings has a particularly dynamic, personable style that

FEARING THE BLACK BODY

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