Career Timeline of Audre Lorde: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Audre Lorde, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Audre Lorde was a pivotal American figure as a writer, professor, and activist. Identifying as a "Black, lesbian, feminist, socialist, mother, warrior, poet," she dedicated her life to challenging injustices. Her work explored intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, advocating against any hierarchy of oppressions. Lorde's powerful voice and insightful poetry continue to inspire movements for social change and equality, emphasizing the importance of unity in the pursuit of liberation and a better future.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1961: Master's Degree from Columbia University

In 1961, Audre Lorde earned a master's degree in library science from Columbia University.

1962: Publication in New Negro Poets, USA

In 1962, Audre Lorde's poetry was published in Langston Hughes' New Negro Poets, USA.

New Negro Poets: USA. Foreword by Gwendolyn Brooks.

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1966: Head Librarian at Town School Library

In 1966, Lorde became the head librarian at Town School Library in New York City, a position she held until 1968.

1968: Departure from Town School Library

In 1968, Audre Lorde left her position as head librarian at Town School Library in New York City after holding the position since 1966.

1968: Publication of The First Cities

In 1968, Audre Lorde published her first volume of poems, The First Cities, edited by Diane di Prima.

1968: Writer-in-residence at Tougaloo College

In 1968, Audre Lorde served as writer-in-residence at Tougaloo College in Mississippi, which profoundly influenced her artistic development and led to the creation of her book of poems, Cables to Rage.

1969: Teaching at Lehman College

In 1969, Audre Lorde began teaching in the Education Department at Lehman College.

1970: Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

In 1970, Audre Lorde became a professor of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she advocated for the creation of a black studies department.

1970: Publication of Cables to Rage

In 1970, Audre Lorde published her second volume, Cables to Rage, addressing themes of love, betrayal, childbirth, and the complexities of raising children, and openly confirmed her homosexuality.

1972: Residence on Staten Island

In 1972, Audre Lorde began residing on Staten Island where she continued writing and teaching, and also co-founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press.

1974: Nomination for the National Book Award for poetry

In 1974, From a Land Where Other People Live by Broadside Press, was nominated for the National Book Award for poetry, showing Lorde's personal struggles with identity and anger at social injustice.

From a Land Where Other People Live

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1974: Release of New York Head Shop and Museum

In 1974, New York Head Shop and Museum was released, portraying Lorde's New York through the lenses of the civil rights movement and her own restricted childhood.

1976: Release of Between Our Selves

In 1976, Audre Lorde released Between Our Selves

1976: Release of Coal

In 1976, Audre Lorde released Coal, establishing herself as an influential voice in the Black Arts Movement and introducing her work to a wider audience through Norton.

Coal

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1977: Associate of the Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press

In 1977, Audre Lorde became an associate of the Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press (WIFP).

1978: Release of Hanging Fire

In 1978, Audre Lorde released Hanging Fire.

1978: The Black Unicorn Publication

In 1978, Lorde published "The Black Unicorn", where she explores her identity within African female deities, challenging Black Arts ideas about pan-Africanism by transferring the warrior ethos to a female vanguard.

The Black Unicorn: Poems (Norton Paperback)

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1978: Essay "The Erotic as Power" Written

In 1978, Lorde wrote her essay "The Erotic as Power", theorizing the Erotic as a site of power for women when they learn to embrace it, distinct from its sexualized meaning in mainstream society, dismissing the suppression of the erotic as a male-driven model of power.

October 13, 1979: Keynote Speech at National Third-World Gay and Lesbian Conference

On October 13, 1979, Audre Lorde delivered a keynote speech titled "When will the ignorance end?" at the National Third-World Gay and Lesbian Conference, reminding attendees to embrace diversity as a generative force and avoid being torn apart by it.

October 14, 1979: March on Washington

On October 14, 1979, audio recordings related to the March on Washington, which addressed civil rights for the gay and lesbian community, as well as poetry readings and speeches were recorded. These recordings are held at the Lesbian Herstory Archives in New York.

1979: Essay "Sexism: An American Disease in Blackface" Published

In 1979, Lorde published her essay "Sexism: An American Disease in Blackface", a rallying cry to confront sexism in the black community in order to eradicate the violence within it. She urged black women and men to end their fight to end racist politics.

1980: Publication of The Cancer Journals

In 1980, Audre Lorde published "The Cancer Journals", a non-fiction prose work exploring her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from breast cancer. The book delves into Western notions of illness, disability, sexuality, and themes of death and survival.

The Cancer Journals

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1980: Co-founding Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press

In 1980, Audre Lorde, along with Barbara Smith and Cherríe Moraga, co-founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, the first U.S. publisher for women of color.

1981: Teaching at Hunter College

In 1981, Audre Lorde began teaching at her alma mater, Hunter College, as the distinguished Thomas Hunter chair, influencing her work and inspiring her to write essays and articles about queer, feminist, and African American studies.

1981: Co-founding the Women's Coalition of St. Croix

In 1981, Audre Lorde was among the founders of the Women's Coalition of St. Croix, an organization dedicated to assisting women who have survived sexual abuse and intimate partner violence.

1981: American Library Association Gay Caucus Book of the Year Award

In 1981, Audre Lorde's "The Cancer Journals" won the American Library Association Gay Caucus Book of the Year Award.

The Cancer Journals

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1981: Keynote Speech at the National Women's Studies Association

In 1981, Lorde actively strove for the change of culture within the feminist community by implementing womanist ideology. Her speech contributed to communication with scholars' understanding of human biases and aimed to shift subjectivities of the "white feminist" audience.

1981: Founding of Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press

In 1981, Lorde and Barbara Smith founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, dedicated to supporting black feminist writers through resources, guidance, and encouragement, promoting the celebration of differences.

1982: Publication of Zami: A New Spelling of My Name

In 1982, Lorde published "Zami: A New Spelling of My Name", a "biomythography" chronicling her childhood and adulthood and dealing with the evolution of her sexuality and self-awareness.

Zami: A New Spelling of My Name - A Biomythography (Crossing Press Feminist Series)

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August 27, 1983: Address at March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

On August 27, 1983, Audre Lorde addressed the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom as part of the "Litany of Commitment," emphasizing the importance of solidarity among diverse groups and celebrating differences for collective strength.

1984: Teaching at Free University of Berlin

Beginning in 1984, Audre Lorde taught and visited Freie University of Berlin. Correspondence and teaching materials related to this period are held at the John F. Kennedy Institute of North American Studies at the university.

1984: Beginnings of "The Berlin Years"

From 1984 Audre Lorde began a period in Berlin that would later be covered in the documentary "Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years 1984–1992".

1984: Visiting Professorship in West Berlin

In 1984, Audre Lorde began a visiting professorship in West Berlin at the Free University of Berlin, becoming an influential figure in the Afro-German movement and coining the term "Afro-German".

1984: Lorde's Time in Berlin Begins

In 1984, Audre Lorde began her time in Berlin, where she led Afro-Germans in a movement to establish identities outside of stereotypes and discrimination. She introduced a new sense of empowerment for minorities, inspiring them to take charge of their identities.

1984: Publication of Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches

In 1984, Lorde published "Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches", asserting the necessity of communicating the experience of marginalized groups. She emphasizes the need for different groups to find common ground, face difference directly, and constructively channel anger incited by oppression.

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches

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1984: Publication of "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House"

In 1984, Lorde's essay "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House" attacked underlying racism within feminism, arguing that white feminists furthered old systems of oppression by denying difference in the category of women.

1985: Invitation to Cuba

In 1985, Audre Lorde was part of a delegation of black women writers invited to Cuba, sponsored by The Black Scholar and the Union of Cuban Writers.

1986: Interview with Dr. Marion Kraft

In 1986, Audre Lorde was interviewed by Dr. Marion Kraft, where she discussed her literary works and articulated hope for the next wave of feminist scholarship and discourse.

1986: Move to St. Croix with Gloria Joseph

In 1986, after her liver cancer diagnosis, Audre Lorde officially left Clayton for Gloria Joseph, moving to St. Croix. Together they founded organizations such as the Che Lumumba School for Truth and the Women's Coalition of St. Croix.

1988: Publication of A Burst of Light

In 1988, Audre Lorde released "A Burst of Light", a non-fiction prose work reflecting on her breast cancer recurrence with liver metastases. The book delves into themes of death, fear of mortality, survival, emotional healing, and inner power.

A Burst of Light: and Other Essays

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December 1989: Writing "East Berlin 1989"

In December 1989, Audre Lorde wrote her poem "East Berlin 1989", expressing her views on the fall of the Berlin Wall and her concerns about the rise of racism and the triumph of capitalist democratic freedoms.

1991: State Poet of New York

In 1991, Audre Lorde became the State Poet of New York.

1991: New York State Poet Laureate

In 1991, Audre Lorde was designated as the New York State Poet Laureate. Governor Mario Cuomo praised her powerful voice against racial injustice and prejudice.

1992: Endings of "The Berlin Years"

Audre Lorde's time in Berlin, later covered in the documentary "Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years 1984–1992" ended in 1992.

1992: End of Teaching at Free University of Berlin

In 1992, Audre Lorde ended her teaching and visits to Freie University of Berlin. Correspondence and teaching materials related to this period are held at the John F. Kennedy Institute of North American Studies at the university.

1992: State Poet of New York

In 1992, Audre Lorde served as the State Poet of New York.

1992: Lorde's Time in Berlin Ends

In 1992, Audre Lorde's time in Berlin ended, after she led Afro-Germans in a movement to establish identities outside of stereotypes and discrimination, introducing a new sense of empowerment for minorities.

1994: Founding of the Audre Lorde Project

In 1994, the Audre Lorde Project, a Brooklyn-based organization for LGBT people of color, was founded. It focuses on community organizing and activism related to LGBT communities, AIDS and HIV activism, pro-immigrant activism, prison reform, and youth organizing in New York City.

2012: Release of "Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years 1984–1992"

In 2012, the documentary "Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years 1984–1992" by Dagmar Schultz was released, premiering at the Berlin Film Festival and highlighting Lorde's impact on the Afro-German movement.