"How did Little garner such widespread support during a movement known for its male bravado and sexism? Activists found that Little’s case epitomized black power ideals. Not only did her experience explain the systemic effect of intersecting systems of oppression like racism, sexism, and the prison-industrial complex; it was also another poignant example of ongoing extreme police brutality. Little’s case amplified black power activists’ claim that respectability politics undermined black liberation. It was also a way for them to champion their calls for African Americans’ right to self-defense and self-determination."
— Ashley Farmer, "Free Joan Little: Anti-rape Activism, Black Power, and the Black Freedom Movement." https://www.aaihs.org/free-joan-little/
"During the trial, prosecutors relied on the tried and true practice of stereotyping and sexualizing Black women, with Prosecutor William Griffin alleging that Little had seduced Alligood with the promise of sex and once inside, she killed him so she could escape. Griffin’s claim reflects the belief of many townspeople in Beaufort and Pitt counties, that Black women were more vulgar than White women, and Black people more violent than White. Furthermore, utilizing this argument highlights how the continued sexualization of Black women is rooted in racism that began when Europeans first traveled to Africa. In their interactions with Africans, they were both engrossed and horrified by how they dressed, the minimal amount of clothing they wore, their practice of polygamy, and their “suggestive” tribal dances. This led Europeans to proclaim that they were sexually lewd, solely based on their incomprehension of traditional African culture. From these initial exchanges and the writings of William Smith, who wrote that “African women were “hot constitution' d Ladies” who “are continually contriving stratagems how to gain a lover”, grew the stereotype of Black women being inherently deviant and sexually promiscuous."
— Karla Méndez, "In Defense of Black Women: The Case of Joan Little." https://www.blackwomenradicals.com/blog-feed/in-defense-of-black-women-the-case-of-joan-little