Professor J Finley: Sass: Black Women's Humor and Humanity

J Finley, Associate Professor of Africana Studies at Pomona College, will be discussing her exciting new book, Sass: Black Women’s Humor and Humanity (UNC, 2024). Dr. Finley will offer an overview of the book and the methodologies of studying the genre of stand-up comedy. Professor Finley was formerly a member of the American Studies Program at Middlebury College and critical in founding Black Studies at the College. 

An official description of the book from Google: Black women comedians are more visible than ever, performing around the world in physical venues like comedy clubs and festivals, along with appearing in films, streaming specials, and online videos. Across these mediums, humor—and particularly sass—functions as a tool for Black women to articulate and redress cultural, social, and political marginalization.