The principle that accurate naming in historical records and cultural memory constitutes a form of justice for those marginalized or misnamed by dominant narratives.
Sor Juana's name appears differently across historical documents—sometimes erased, sometimes diminished, sometimes contested. Getting her name right in records, preserving her actual works, and centering her intellectual contributions represents a basic form of historical justice. This concept extends to all identity across cultures: who gets named, how they're named, and what their names are attached to in cultural memory matters profoundly. Dominant cultures often erase, distort, or simplify the names and identities of those from marginalized communities. Naming justice involves rigorous historical work to restore accurate names, correct misattributions, preserve original language forms, and give people authority over how their names and identities appear in records. For people navigating multiple cultures, this means insisting on correct spelling of names, resisting anglicization or assimilation, and demanding recognition in the historical and institutional records that shape social identity. Naming justice is foundational to all other identity rights.
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