One Book One Bronx: The Sisterhood by Courtney Thorsson

The Sisterhood: How a Network of Black Women Writers Changed American Culture by Courtney Thorsson

One Sunday afternoon in February 1977, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Ntozake Shange, and several other Black women writers met at June Jordan’s Brooklyn apartment to eat gumbo, drink champagne, and talk about their work. Calling themselves “The Sisterhood,” the group—which also came to include Audre Lorde, Paule Marshall, Margo Jefferson, and others—would get together once a month over the next two years, creating a vital space for Black women to discuss literature and liberation.

The Sisterhood chronicles how a groundbreaking community reshaped American writing and cultural institutions. Drawing on interviews, correspondence, and archival materials, Courtney Thorsson reveals how the group championed Black women writers at publishers, magazines, and in academia, often facing racist, sexist, and homophobic resistance. She examines their rise in the 1980s, the challenges of Black feminism’s integration into academia, and the legacy carried forward by younger writers. The book celebrates the organizing, networking, and community building that made The Sisterhood a lasting model for Black feminist collaboration.

Saturdays, 12-130pm: 11/29, 12/7*, 12/13, 12/20, & 12/27
The Bronx Museum, 1040 Grand Concourse

11/29: Free book giveaways
12/7 (Sunday): Introduction & Ch 1, pgs 1-42
12/13: Ch 2 & 3, pgs 43-104
12/20: Ch 4-6, pgs 105-171
12/27: Ch 7-Appendix 2, pgs 172-end
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Tuesdays, 7-130pm on Zoom: 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, & 12/23

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One Book One Bronx is a weekly community book club that brings people together to explore a wide range of books. The discussions reflect the borough’s diversity, fostering connection, reflection, and meaningful dialogue.

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Host or Publisher Literary Freedom Project