Whitney Battle-Baptiste
Whitney Battle-Baptiste, an American historical archaeologist of African and Cherokee descent, combines archaeology, academics and activism, and her research examines the intersection of race, gender, class and sexuality as seen "through an archaeological lens," Battle-Baptiste wrote on her website. She is an important pioneer in reconstructing and interpreting life for African Americans through exploration of African American family homesteads and domestic spaces of enslaved Africans. In her book "Black Feminist Archaeology" (Left Coast Press, 2011), Battle-Baptiste proposed improving modern practices of historical archaeology through principles of Black feminism, and challenges the field of archaeology to develop greater sensitivity toward questions of gender and race.
Recommended reading
Can't get enough of the amazing achievements of women in archaeology, past and present?
This list represents just a fraction of the women who revolutionized the field, and who continue to make their mark today. But if you want to dig even deeper, you can find many more examples at the websites Trowelblazers and the Society of Black Archaeologists — pay them a visit to learn more.
