Coming of Age in Mississippi
Author:
Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, History, Nonfiction
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, History, Nonfiction
Book Type: Paperback
Anne Moody in her memoir recounts growing up in the Jim Crow law south, as well as her involvement in the Civil Rights movement as a young adult. She was one of the women at the famous Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in. Here we get to see her first-hand thoughts and memories of the struggle growing up surrounded by institutionalized racism, as well as the difficulties in fighting it.
Here we get to see real-life, personal anecdotes that back up the studies into black history published in the 1990s and early 2000s. Anne's mother and father break up early in her life at least partly due to stress from poverty and racism. Anne's mother only takes three weeks off to give birth to her baby. Anne's first taste of good food is the leftovers her mother brings home from the white family she works for, and much much more.
Anne from approximately the age of 10 through highschool works as a domestic servant in white people's homes. She's saving up money for college as well as helping to support her family. The stress from the KKK's violent activities in her hometown take a toll on her physically and emotionally, but also inspire her early activism.
This memoir was published in 1968 and at times Moody's youthfulness is abundantly clear. She is frustrated with every black person not actively involved in The Movement. She seems to be incapable of seeing things from other perspectives. Yes, it is her youthfulness that gives her courage, but it also sometimes blinds her. She can be very judgmental of the other black youth around her, but that is a common fault in the young. Her passion and courage are still incredibly admirable. The fact that she kept fighting and trying in the face of so much failure early on in The Movement is inspiring. It takes people like her, leaders like her, to enact social change. We could use more of them.
Check out my full review (Link will be live on October 22nd).
Here we get to see real-life, personal anecdotes that back up the studies into black history published in the 1990s and early 2000s. Anne's mother and father break up early in her life at least partly due to stress from poverty and racism. Anne's mother only takes three weeks off to give birth to her baby. Anne's first taste of good food is the leftovers her mother brings home from the white family she works for, and much much more.
Anne from approximately the age of 10 through highschool works as a domestic servant in white people's homes. She's saving up money for college as well as helping to support her family. The stress from the KKK's violent activities in her hometown take a toll on her physically and emotionally, but also inspire her early activism.
This memoir was published in 1968 and at times Moody's youthfulness is abundantly clear. She is frustrated with every black person not actively involved in The Movement. She seems to be incapable of seeing things from other perspectives. Yes, it is her youthfulness that gives her courage, but it also sometimes blinds her. She can be very judgmental of the other black youth around her, but that is a common fault in the young. Her passion and courage are still incredibly admirable. The fact that she kept fighting and trying in the face of so much failure early on in The Movement is inspiring. It takes people like her, leaders like her, to enact social change. We could use more of them.
Check out my full review (Link will be live on October 22nd).
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