Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
6-2026
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program
Women's and Gender Studies
Advisor
Red Washburn
Subject Categories
African American Studies | Civic and Community Engagement | Gender and Sexuality | Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | Publishing | Queer Studies | Race and Ethnicity | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Social Justice | Women's History | Women's Studies | Work, Economy and Organizations
Keywords
Audre Lorde, Kitchen Table Press, June Jordan, Barbara Smith, neoliberalism
Abstract
This thesis examines the idealistic founding of Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press in 1980 and its slow downfall, culminating in the cession of ownership of the Press to a university in 1992. It traces the ideological development of Kitchen Table Press’s key founders, Barbara Smith and Audre Lorde, and their respective relationships to the ideologies of other renowned feminist figures of the era, specifically June Jordan and Adrienne Rich. It examines the history of the Press through historical, intersectional, affective, and socialist lenses. This thesis argues that neoliberal pressures can bend even the most radical organizations away from their goals, and that the progression of Kitchen Table Press demonstrates this trend. Also shown in the history of the Press is the historically-demonstrated pressure to act with “civility,” enforced most severely on women and people of color, discouraging them from pursuing radical and non-institutional action. As shown in the 1982 conflict between the Press founders and feminist June Jordan, infighting and self-censorship are crucial tools of the oppressor class in silencing coalitions. The need for individual recognition and economic security pressures all activists to abandon their radical ideologies, but this thesis argues that these goals are attainable without compromising. Contemporary activists can learn from the failings of Kitchen Table Press, and from the successes of later organizations, and build more effective coalitions to push for radical change in the future.
Recommended Citation
DiSalvo, Alaina, "Kitchen Table Press: A Case Study of Regression to the Neoliberal Mean" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6619
Included in
African American Studies Commons, Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, Publishing Commons, Queer Studies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Social Justice Commons, Women's History Commons, Women's Studies Commons, Work, Economy and Organizations Commons
