Feminist to Know: Nina Simone

Nina Simone (born in 1933 as Eunice Kathleen Waymon), was a prolific songwriter, singer, pianist, and civil rights activist. As a musician, she was known for her distinctive, remarkable voice and immense prowess as a pianist.Her renowned oeuvre spanned genres from R&B to classical to folk. Raised in the Jim Crow South, Simone developed an early political consciousness that only grew as she rose to notoriety. She was an outspoken part activist both in her music and personal life, at significant risk to her person and career. “Mississippi Goddam,” which Simone wrote in response to the assassination of Medgar Evers and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, became an anthem of the Civil Rights movement, as did “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black.” Simone’s music also covered topics such as the emotional and physical abuse she faced in her marriage to Andrew Stroud. In her personal live, Simone was open about her sexuality and mental health status, both of which (being bisexual and diagnosed with bipolar disorder) were, and are, highly stigmatized. Simone’s legacy is cemented not only in her iconic, transformative music, but also in the profound influence she had as an activist willing to risk her own livelihood for what she knew was right.