Quote by Saidiya Hartman: “Freedom wasn't a given; it was an invention, a daily practice.”

This quote highlights that freedom is not something automatically granted. Instead, it's something people actively create and continuously work to achieve every single day, especially for marginalized communities. It encourages us to see liberation as an ongoing process.

Published in a time of intense cultural conversation around racial justice and historical narratives, Hartman's work reshapes understanding of Black life. This statement challenges static notions of freedom, advocating for a dynamic, ever-evolving struggle.

American scholar and author whose work on slavery, freedom, and Black life has reshaped literary studies and critical theory. Her books Lose Your Mother and Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments are celebrated for their lyrical and rigorous examination of Black women's history.