In the very start preface, bell hooks sets the tone of her entire work: ''Despite all the advances in civil rights in our nation, feminist movement, sexual liberation, when the spotlight is on black males the message is usually that they have managed to stay stuck, that as a group they have not evolved with the times.''

As the academic piece develops, the author delves into the legacy of Malcolm X and WEB DuBois, deciphering their actual legacy on the contemporary Afro-American community.

Bell hooks 

For Bell hooks feminism is not just about gender equality but about challenging all forms of domination, especially including race, class, and patriarchy. She emphasizes that feminism must be intersectional and that men, particularly black men, need to be included in the feminist movement for it to be fully liberatory.

'Our team of expert facilitators embody an alternative to the narrow masculine stereotypes.'

In 'We Real Cool', bell hooks praises Malcolm X for his invaluable contribution to encouraging the black community, especially males, to stand up against the racial injustice: ''More than any other black male who has come to power in our nation, Malcolm X embodied black male refusal to allow his identity to be defined by a system of race, gender, and class domination. His was the example that young black folks in the sixties followed as we struggled to educate ourselves for critical consciousness. We studied Malcolm’s words, accepting that he gave us permission to liberate ourselves, to liberate the black male by any means necessary.''

W.E.B. Du Bois, as understood by bell hooks, represented the intellectual side of black masculinity—a man whose strength came from his mind and his capacity to articulate the complexities of race and identity. He was a model for black men striving for dignity, emphasising education, cultural consciousness, and a nuanced critique of systemic oppression.

Du Bois was active primarily during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, notably with the publication of The Souls of Black Folk in 1903.

Ultimately, the work advocates for a world where men and women can coexist and grow together, transforming both masculinity and feminism.

Despite differing philosophies, both leaders sought freedom and equality for African Americans. King's focus was on peaceful coexistence and integration, while Malcolm X initially pushed for racial separation and empowerment, though his views shifted toward greater inclusivity later in life.

bell hooks' work, as it is, focused primarily on issues like intersectionality, gender, patriarchy, and the ways capitalism interrelates with systems of oppression, which does not significantly overlap with MLK. While King was instrumental in the fight for racial equality, hooks was often more concerned with the intersecting impacts of race, gender, and class, especially in the context of feminism and critical pedagogy. Her emphasis was on critiquing both mainstream feminism and traditional civil rights discourse for failing to fully address the complexities of these intersections.

King's focus on racial justice through nonviolent protest was crucial, but hooks often highlighted the limitations of such approaches when they did not address broader systemic and structural inequalities, including those linked to patriarchy and capitalism. Instead of King, she frequently engaged with thinkers like Malcolm X, Paulo Freire, and others who more explicitly connected race with other forms of oppression, aligning more directly with her intersectional analysis.

Jaja said.”

“Because Papa-Nnukwu is a pagan.” Papa would be proud that I had said that.”    

Page 81 GI: Authoritarianism and Beliefs 

This quote from Chapter 6 of the book Purple Hibiscus is the ideal example of the father's beliefs and values impact on the family. Even though Papa is not there with Jaja and Kambili, they still follow his ways of thinking, hence trying to make him proud.

Eugene’s behavior illustrates the interconnectedness of race, gender, and power, mirroring hooks' exploration of how intersecting systems create various forms of suffering.