This Thread of Gold

For centuries, Black women have been written out of the dominant narrative, their stories untold, their art appropriated. Many of them found ways to resist. Some of these acts of resistance happened in secret, in kitchens, churches, through trusted networks. Others were projected onto a global stage through art, politics and activism.

Cat White's book is an attempt to correct the historical record and to inspire a generation of readers. From Malinda Russell, the author of the earliest known cookbook by a Black woman to Negritude - a literary, cultural and intellectual movement aimed at raising Black consciousness across Africa and its diaspora, Cat features women from across time and space, liberating them from stereotypes ('strong Black woman') allowing them emotional nuance, individual motivation and richness of expression.

For centuries, black women have been written out of the dominant narrative, their stories untold, their art appropriated. This Thread of Gold ... attempts to correct the record and inspire the next generation of readers. -- Lucy Popescu Camden New Journal
profiles a series of remarkable black women in order to restore their place in the "dominant narrative" -- Tom Gatti New Statesman
An extraordinary writer, the kind who turns non-fiction into poetry . . . This Thread of Gold reveals beautifully how the legacy of Black women's writing across generations has woven itself into her heart and soul, and the power of their legacies. It's a stunning debut from a young author, and yet feels, and reads, like it has been decades in the making. -- Afua Hirsch The Soho House Book Club
A much needed voice in our current cultural landscape. This Thread of Gold shines a spotlight on previously untold stories with grace and nuance - I couldn't put it down. -- Ione Gamble
I could not put [This Thread of Gold] down. The passion of White's words is infectious. I was constantly fascinated . . . I know this book will find many loving readers and I am very excited for them all. -- Okechukwu Nzelu
An essential and overdue meditation on Black womanhood . . . Part memoir, part paean, part call to arms . . . manages to be poetic yet punchy, enraging yet uplifting, and it transforms our mechanisms for survival and resistance into high art. -- Sara Collins
Monumental. A refusal to back down to an oppressive, reductive version of history . . . with a tone of pure unadulterated joy . . . What a fly kick in the face! Kill your masters one symphony at a time. -- Nima Taleghani
This book is a poetic journey through Black Womanhood. It is beautiful. And fragile. And worth its weight in gold. More, actually. -- Parker Sawyers
Vividly unleashes the stories of little-known, remarkable Black women . . . Reading this book makes you want to be a part of a future which lengthens the Thread of Gold, making it last forever. -- Angus Imrie
A blending of the personal with the political, the magical with reality, and contemporary thinking with ancient stories. It has the spirit of hope and change but with a grounding in what we can learn from those who have walked the Earth before us. -- Rhea Norwood
The stories Catherine weaves are enchanting and inspiring. To be held by her words is an absolute pleasure. -- Ruby Rare
Utterly captivating from the first sentence, this celebration of Black womanhood, joy and resistance celebrates revolutionary women from across time and space. -- Laura Bates
By turns fascinating, inspiring and movingly written, this is an essential new book. -- Anna Bonet iNews

Catherine Joy White is a gender advisor for the United Nations, writer, actor and filmmaker. Her debut screenplay, Fifty-Four Days, was released in Autumn 2022, and her first book, This Thread of Gold, was published by Dialogue Books in June 2023. She has been honoured as a member of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, long-listed for AllBright's 'Innovative Trailblazer Award' and heralded as one of 'Five Activists Who Should Be On Your Radar' by the Trouble Club (previous speakers including Gloria Steinem and Margaret Atwood).

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