Dear Justice Thomas,

I am not writing you today to gain the justice that I was denied by the judicial system and the American public. I am writing you this letter to make you aware of the immense effect your actions have on racial and gender issues in our country. By using the ugly past of African American oppression as a tool of distraction, you have actually worked to oppress the women of your race. You have reinforced the idea that black women cannot be sexually abused because we are “the initiators in all sexual contacts- abusive or otherwise”. Justice Thomas, I do not write in order to seek your apology or regret, for I’m sure you have neither, but I hope that you realize how your actions and words have supported the appalling historical view of black women’s sexuality.

In the days when our ancestors were bound by the physical and mental shackles of slavery, black women were also experiencing the ultimate defilement of sexual abuse. Female slaves were commonly raped by their masters and oftentimes bore children as a result of their lustful masters. Women slaves were not given the rights of “women” and were therefore not able to escape the constant violation they experienced.

As a black woman in the 20th century, I have led a life that was unimaginable in those times. Not only have I been able to receive an education, I have graduated from one of the most prestigious law schools in our nation. And yet, my education and hard-work have not protected me from the injustice of sexual harassment faced by so many women in the workplace. Justice Thomas, how can you use the ugly past of lynching to distract from the reality of sexual abuse in black women’s lives? Does the intersectionality of gender and race make it impossible for us to fight for racial justice together? Can black women question the actions of black men without being viewed as weakening race unity? In seeking justice for the treatment I have endured, I have been discredited by my inferior class status and sexualized stereotype, leaving the facts unexamined and unimportant. I hope that you realize how your words and actions have affected issues far outside the scope of your trial. May you become aware of the responsibilities of the prominence you have attained.

Sincerely,
Anita Hill