Photo: Oregon State University / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Public records list Angela Davis as a writer, human rights defender and philosopher. Born on January 26, 1944, Angela Davis is from Birmingham, Alabama, United States. That works out to 82 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School and University of California, San Diego. Listed accolades include Order of Playa Girón (1972), Lenin Peace Prize (1979), Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" (1972) and 5 more.
My Take
Angela Davis is less a celebrity to me than a living chapter of history. Born in segregated Birmingham, Alabama, she became a philosopher and professor who turned scholarship into activism, and her books, from Women, Race and Class to Are Prisons Obsolete?, still force readers to think rather than merely agree. Honors as varied as the Lenin Peace Prize and an American Book Award reflect how far her ideas have traveled. Her positions are debated, and they should be, but I respect the rare nerve of someone who has spoken uncomfortably and consistently for decades. People who refuse silence are why the world inches forward.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Angela Davis
- Name (Japanese)
- アンジェラ・デイヴィス
- Reading
- あんじぇら・でいゔぃす
- Born
- January 26, 1944 (age 82)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Monkey
- Origin
- Birmingham, Alabama, United States
- Occupation
- writer / human rights defender / philosopher / autobiographer / university teacher
2. Background
- High school
- Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School
- University
- University of California, San Diego
Awards & achievements
- 1972 Order of Playa Girón
- 1979 Lenin Peace Prize
- 1972 Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin"
- 2006 Thomas Merton Award
- 1998 American Book Awards
- 1972 Star of People's Friendship
- 2011 Blue Planet Award
- 1972 honorary citizen of Magdeburg
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Women, Race and Class | — | |
| Notable work | Are Prisons Obsolete? | — | |
| Notable work | Angela Davis: An Autobiography | — |
4. Links
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Angela Davis born?
Born January 26, 1944 (age 82).
Where is Angela Davis from?
Angela Davis is from Birmingham, Alabama, United States.
What does Angela Davis do?
Angela Davis works as writer, human rights defender, philosopher, autobiographer, university teacher.
What is Angela Davis known for?
Notable works include Women, Race and Class, Are Prisons Obsolete?, Angela Davis: An Autobiography.
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