Dreams of Africa in Alabama: The Slave Ship Clotilda and the Story of the Last Africans Brought to America

Book Description

In the summer of 1860, more than fifty years after the United States legally abolished the international slave trade, 110 men, women, and children from Benin and Nigeria were brought ashore in Alabama under cover of night. They were the last recorded group of Africans deported to the United States as slaves. Timothy Meaher, an established Mobile businessman, sent the slave ship, the Clotilda , to Africa, on a bet that he could "bring a shipful of niggers right into Mobile Bay under the officers' noses." He won the bet. This book reconstructs the lives of the people in West Africa, recounts their capture and passage in the slave pen in Ouidah, and describes their experience of slavery alongside American-born enslaved men and women. After emancipation, the group reunited from various plantations, bought land, and founded their own settlement, known as African Town. They ruled it according to customary African laws, spoke their own regional language and, when giving interviews, insisted that writers use their African names so that their families would know that they were still alive. The last survivor of the Clotilda died in 1935, but African Town is still home to a community of Clotilda descendants. The publication of Dreams of Africa in Alabama marks the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Read .......2007-08-21

This book is wonderful, excellent. This book is so educational and knowledge filled, without being an academic bore. I don't even know where to start. I will say buy your hard back copy now. This author deserves financial support through the purchase of this book. The story of the Clotilda Africans should be known.

Dreams tell us about the lives and the journey of 110 Africans who were brought from Dahomey, known today as Benin in West Africa. A schooner by the name of Clotilda was built and dispatched from Mobile Bay to the Kingdom. A newspaper article had appeared in the Mobile Press Register that the King of Dahomey was doing a brisk sale in Africans.

Timothy Meaher, a wealthy businessman in Mobile, had commissioned the building of the Clotilda for the journey to Dahomey, even though the transportation of Africans was abolished in 1808. However, Africans were still being brought into the country.

The Africans were primarily spoils of warfare and the raids of villages. They came from various ethnic groups and cultures. However, the core group, were Yorubas. The Yorubas live in what is now Benin and southwest Nigeria. They had names like "Kossola,, Abache, Abile, Omolabi, Kupollee, Kehounco, and Arzuma."

Ms. Slyviane tells us their story primarily through the eyes of the last survivor of the Clotilda Africans, Cudjo Lewis aka Kossola, a Yoruba. He survived all of his children, wife, and shipmates.

This is a fascinating story of African American history, American history, and African history. Cudjo and his shipmates had dreamed and planned to get back to their homeland, but it never happened.

What makes this book so fascinating is that we actually know the slaver, the captain, the ship, and where they came from. Not only that, about 30 of the Africans lived on Meaher's land. So there is first hand information and resources from the slavers, the Africans, and their descendents

A reference book, a novel, a history book - highly educative, encompassingly tender.......2007-08-10

I cannot recommend this book any more feverishly. It is incredibly well researched and written. The author lays down the historical facts in a clear manner and then leaves the characters to entice you into their lives and speak to you. The stories are never sensationalized, if anything, it is this lack of dramatization that enables the stories to unfold naturally.

The book clearly shows how within a relatively short space of time certain aspects of a culture may vanish, but other aspects which form the core of a community's make-up are improvised regardless of the circumstances and continued down the line (the communal spirit of the Africans, reverence to authority, conflict resolution etc). Cudjo's life was the one delved into in the greatest detail and it evolved to be as remarkable as it was melancholic.

After the last of the African deportees dies, I can only imagine the loneliness that would have haunted him - being alone in America, a land that he had lived in for three quarters of his life, but one that was still alien to him, one where no other local born Africans were in his immediate vicinity would surely have quelled his tenacious will and defiant spirit. For him to have lived the rest of his years, not being able to converse in his native tongue or to express his innermost feelings in a manner capable of being immediately understood by his neighbors would surely have been unbearably painful. There is an African proverb that states that "you know who a person really is by the language they cry in". When all he had ever known was gone and he lamented for them in his native tongue, I wonder, did the people around him understand the depth of his despair? After all his personal losses and tragedies in America, he finally relents of his desire to go back to Africa and surmises that he was indeed alone on earth - his family in America was no more and he figured that his family in Africa would also be no more - an unbearable set of circumstances to accept. The author should be commended for unearthing and bringing to life such a great story, but even more importantly, for doing so in as lucid a manner as is possible. My only question is how on earth do we let a story as remarkable as this just dawdle with no attempt to publicise it more. It would be great if we could have a children's book on the story.
A trip to AficaTown in Alabama is in the offing for my family.

Wonderfully researched personal stories.......2007-07-17

Dreams of Africa in Alabama is a beautifully written and meticulous book. It's evident that Ms. Diouf spent a considerable amount of time and detail with her research. The author describes the Alabama slave trade and the events that lead to the maiden voyage of the modified schooner, Clotilda. She devotes two chapters to the lives of the "shipmates" - one prior to their capture and the other chronicling their imprisonment in the barracoons (slave pens) and their subsequent Middle Passage voyage. The remaining chapters recount the lives of the deported Africans during their enslavement and post emancipation.

In 1808 the United States abolished the international slave trade. In order to circumvent the law, many Southerners modified existing ships to camouflage their true intent and evade naval officials. The Clotilda was one such ship. Seeking to make a profit on the sale of Africans, the Meaher brothers and their associates went about the business of arranging a slaving run. Many of the captured Africans were placed into slavery as a result of lost tribal wars and/or suspect alliances between African Kings and European and American merchants.

When the humiliation and brutality of slavery was over, the shipmates endured Jim Crow, disenfranchisement and other forms of maltreatment. In spite of those obstacles, the Africans purchased land just outside of Mobile, Alabama, and became a self-sufficient community with a bank, farms, schools and churches. The shipmates limited their interaction with non-African people. Other than their contact with Americans and African Americans in the workplace, the Africans made little effort to interact anyone who wasn't from the continent in their personal lives. Intermarriages between Africans and African Americans occurred in small numbers. There were attempts to return to their families and homes in Africa; run-ins with the law; and a desire to dispel the rumors of their savagery and cannibalism.

This book is a sobering and painful account of some of the atrocities Africans endured. Ms. Diouf interviewed the descendants of the Mobile, Alabama slaves, and poured over mountains of archives in libraries and private collections to give the reader an up close and personal view of the lives of the shipmates of the Clotilda. There are many more stories and details to be discovered when you read Dreams of Africa in Alabama.

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In the wild...
Alabama Moon
Everyone That Reads "Alabama Moon" Loves It!!!
Alabama Moon
A fine story of survival both psychological and physical evolves.

Alabama Moon
Watt Key
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0374301840
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Book Description

I could trap my own food and make my own clothes. I could find my way by the stars and make fire in the rain. Pap said he even figured I could whip somebody three times my size. He wasn’t worried about me.

For as long as ten-year-old Moon can remember, he has lived out in the forest in a shelter with his father. They keep to themselves, their only contact with other human beings an occasional trip to the nearest general store. When Moon’s father dies, Moon follows his father’s last instructions: to travel to Alaska to find others like themselves. But Moon is soon caught and entangled in a world he doesn’t know or understand, apparent property of the government he has been avoiding all his life. As the spirited and resourceful Moon encounters constables, jails, institutions, lawyers, true friends, and true enemies, he adapts his wilderness survival skills and learns to survive in the outside world, and even, perhaps, make his home there.

In this compelling, action-packed book, Watt Key gives us the thrilling coming-of-age story of the unique and extremely appealing Moon.

Customer Reviews:

In the wild..........2007-06-28

This book tells the journey of Moon Blake, who have always lived with his father. But when his father died, he must find a way to escape the outside civilziation and find his home. This novel has an exciting plot, wonderful research, and is a great read. By reading this book, one could also learn the meaning of friendship.

Alabama Moon.......2007-03-26

Alabama Moon by Watt Key is an exciting adventure story especially for boys - the dialog is crisp and revealing and the main character Moon is very well drawn, In a great opening sentence, "just before pap died, he told me that I'd be fine as long as I never depended on anybody but myself, the author quickly captures the reader's interest. Moon who is only ten has been raised to be a survivalist by his dad. He knows how to make a shelter, hunt and forage for food, and sew his own clothing from animal hides. As his dad is dying, he tells Moon that he needs to get to Alaska and join other survivalists. His father is delusional enough that he believes Moon can travel from Alabama to Alaska on his own without money or knowledge of a world beyond his forest home. He also does not account for the fact that Moon distressingly and immediately experiences loneliness for the first time, "loneliness was something I'd have to wait on to pass, like pap said it would".
In writing that is both descriptive and poignant, Key includes a lot of survivalist detail that in no way slows the pace of the story while at the same time it makes subsequent events all the more dramatic and realistic. When Moon is finally captured and incarcerated in a home for abandoned boys, Moon discovers some new truths like companionship can be enjoyable, new foods can be delicious and plentiful, and that soft beds and warm rooms can be very comfortable; nevertheless Moon can escape the home and return confidently to the forest to take care of himself - something two friends who escaped with him can't do. I could go on and on but this book is special and all readers should have the opportunity to experience the delights of this story for themselves.

Everyone That Reads "Alabama Moon" Loves It!!!.......2007-01-19

One of the best read in awhile. Adults and Children enjoy this book so much it is hard to put down. All of us in our household have read it and believe it will become a Movie. If you enjoyed Forest Gump you will enjoy Alabama Moon. The book gets better the further you get into the story. Well written and an especially exceptional story for a first novel. I believe this short novel will become a classic.

Alabama Moon.......2006-12-21

This is a great book written by Watt Key about a young boy named Moon Blake. He is living is with his father in a small house in the Alabama wilderness. Moon and his father are hiding from the government. But then his father dies and suddenly Moon is alone. Before his dad dies he tells Moon to head for Alaska, which he does, but he meets two other boys and they stay with him in the wild. I don't think I should tell you any more or you won't need to read the book. Thanks for reading

A fine story of survival both psychological and physical evolves........2006-12-10

Watt Key's ALABAMA MOON tells of a ten-year-old whose father dies: unlike other kids in such a situation, he and his father have been in hiding from the government in the forest in Alabama all his life, and he knows how to survive in the wilderness. Only problem is - his father's final request is that he journey to Alaska to find others living off the land - and avoid being a ward of the state. A fine story of survival both psychological and physical evolves.

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Rosa Parks
An autobiography that should be required reading in American schools
Rosa Parks: My Story
Truth v. Myth
Rosa Parks, African American Hero

Rosa Parks: My Story
Rosa Parks , and Jim Haskins
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141301201

Book Description

Rosa Parks is best known for the day she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, sparking the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott. Yet there is much more to her story than this one act of defiance. In this straightforward, compelling autobiography, Rosa Parks talks candidly about the civil rights movement and her active role in it. Her dedication is inspiring; her story is unforgettable. "The simplicity and candor of this courageous woman's voice makes these compelling events even more moving and dramatic." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

Customer Reviews:

Rosa Parks.......2006-12-15

As the bus driver asked the blacks in the front of the colored section to stand up most of them stood, Rosa Parks just scooted to a new seat and made an available seat. She said, "No." The driver looked straight at her and said, "Well, I'm going to have you arrested." Then, she calmly said, "You may do that." Rosa Parks was arrested that day of December 1, 1955 and maintained her dignity going through the process of getting arrested and going to jail. She didn't give up her seat because she was tired, she didn't give up her seat because she was tired of giving in. Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. She died on October 24, 2005, in Detroit, Michigan. Her book, Rosa Parks: My Story, is very interesting it explained her importance in Civil Rights and other movements. It talks about how there were killings and white people being ostracized of being part of the Civil Rights Movement. She is inspirational and has a very clear mind. This book is for anyone who likes reading about the Civil Rights Movement and the view of black people in the early 1900s.

This book recognizes a lot of the Civil Rights Movement being that she was a part of the mistreatment of African-Americans. As said in the first paragraph she didn't give up her bus seat because she was tired of giving in to white people intimidating her and other African-Americans. That and other arrestments started the Montgomery bus boycott.

She recognizes the fact a lot that everyone's the same and shouldn't be treated any differently than others. She also says that Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. made a point about not fighting back with violence. When Rosa was young she didn't know what nonviolence really was. All her and her brother knew were to say if someone did something to them they would go right back and do something to them. After Dr. King's speeches' she realized that he believed strongly in nonviolence and listened to Mohandas Gandhi on liberating India from Great Britain.

Rosa is and inspiration. She will maintain her dignity in bad times, protest for what she believes in, and is very caring to her family, friends, and society. Rosa has helped a race maintain their dignity and has helped the youth to grow up and try to make a difference in their lives and other's.

Rosa has been a national icon when you think of the Civil Rights Movement. Her nickname is the Mother of Civil Rights just for her accomplishments. It wasn't because she didn't give up her seat. It was because she is a strong woman and cares about her friends and family. Rosa Parks died a great person. Even if she got arrested she is still a great person.

T. Shepard

An autobiography that should be required reading in American schools.......2006-06-27

If there is a single autobiography that should be read by all American children as they go through school, it is this one. Rosa Parks was the person who lit the spark that ignited the civil rights movement in the United States that led to so much positive change. Tired after a long day at work, she was riding the bus home. According to law, if a white person wanted her seat, she was forced to give it up. A white man wanted to sit, but she refused to yield. The white driver then ordered her to relinquish the seat and when she again refused, the police were called, which led to her arrest. This action sparked the famous Montgomery bus boycott, which led to a change in the law. Once the civil rights movement started, it could not be stopped, despite ferocious and violent opposition by southern whites.
This story is one of an otherwise unassuming but proud woman who possessed great courage. Her life is one of hardship, trials and eventually great triumph. Young children of today do not understand what life was like in the segregated, racist society of the first half of the twentieth century. This book will help them understand the debt we all owe to the people who sparked, nurtured and led the civil rights movement to the success that it was. It is a very moving and inspiring book.

Rosa Parks: My Story .......2006-04-01

the rosa parks: my story book is about a real story. rosa Parks is a wonderful preson that changes people how they are with black peolpe.The front book is not hard hard cover; it has pictures of her and on the bus, and another one with Martin Luther King. The story Rosa Parks is black and white and by the front it title is Rosa Parks: My Story.
One day it was December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks just came out of work tires and weary from a long day, she got on a bus and saw a white 40 year old man saw Rosa Parks. Then Rosa Parks just sat and did not refuse to not give her seat for him......
Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Truth v. Myth.......2006-03-31

When Nikki Giovanni came out with her picture book biography of Rosa Parks ("Rosa") not too long ago, I was incensed by a tribute that I felt fell rather short of a rather admirable person. So when I reviewed that book I pulled out every biography, children's and otherwise, that I could find on Rosa Parks herself. Some of these were misleading, some simplistic, but one was a fine and hearty tribute. Is it any wonder then that that same book, "Rosa Parks: My Story" should have been written by Ms. Parks herself? With some aid from Jim Haskins, this book serves beautifully as the quintessential Rosa Parks story. It crushes myths beneath its heel, gives a great deal of factual information about the time in which she lived, brings to life the danger she faced, and is just about one of the most engaging books ever written by an average citizen. It is heroic without boasting or bragging a jot.

Okay, children. We all know the tale of Rosa Parks, yes? We know that one day she was asked to give up her seat on a bus for a white man and she refused. We know that she was arrested and jailed for this supposed "crime". And we know that this was really the impetus that began the Civil Rights Movement and that Rosa would remain a symbol of the times forevermore. Some of may even think that she was tired and that that was the reason why she didn't move. This little detail is not true in the least, of course. But what else do you know about Ms. Parks? Did you know that at the time that she was arrested, Ms. Parks was a secretary for the NAACP and that her husband was a longtime Civil Right activist? Did you know that she grew up without a father and that she remembered clearly the nights she'd spend next to her grandfather's gun, listening for the Klan? Or that the bus driver that pulled her off and got her arrested was the same man that had thrown her off a bus several years before? Before we start making out heroes out to be superhuman symbols, let's just step back and take a moment to hear what Rosa Parks really felt about her life and times. It turns out that when you remove all the mythos and glamour, what you get is a women who was even more admirable in real life than any story could conjure up.

What I particularly liked about this book were the unexpected details At one point Rosa talks about attending the Montgomery Industrial School when she turned eleven. It was a school run by a faculty of white women. Rosa notes, "That meant that when they came south to educate black girls, they were ostracized by the white community in Montgomery. Any social life they had, had to be with blacks, and therefore they went to black churches and so on". I think you could probably write a pretty interesting work of non-fiction with that as your story right there! Parks, quite rightly, has nothing but great respect for Mr. E.D. Nixon, but she doesn't fail to mention some of his stupider thoughts when it came to women. "Women don't need to be nowhere but in the kitchen", he would say to Rosa (his secretary at the time). Rosa later explains that, "Nowadays, women wouldn't stand for being kept so much in the background, but back then women's rights hadn't become a popular cause yet". I guess that all depends on how you want to categorize "women's rights". But that's what I enjoyed about the book. Not only does Ms. Parks set the record straight about the history and the times she grew up in, she's just as willing to show that Civil Rights activists, for all their heroism, were not flawless saints. And that doesn't make them any less admirable.

When kids come up to my Reference Desk and ask me to recommend a good autobiography, I'll be in a difficult position. On the one hand, I'm not overly familiar with a lot of children's biographies. On the other hand, now that I know this one, it will certainly be the first to come to mind anytime someone asks. Should I feel guilty about always falling back onto "Rosa Parks: My Story"? Probably not. A great autobiography, a singular tale, and rousing bit of myth debunking. You want to get the story straight? Come to the source.

Rosa Parks, African American Hero.......2006-03-09

Rosa Parks
My Story
Adam Foga
Hour 7

Rosa was raised mostly by her Grandmother, and Grandfather. Her grandfather despised white people, he did not want Rosa anywhere near other white kids. She did not do what white people told her she always refused to give in to them bullying her around. Many times in her childhood and her adulthood, she refused to give in to white people. However, the most famous time was when she was sitting In the front seat of a bus and a white person told her to move, and she refused so she was arrested, but because of this segregation on busses ended soon after that, witch was a big help in the civil rights movement. Rosas husband was a man very involved in black rights. He did many things that could have gotten him severely injured, or killed. For example, he was a member of a secret black organization that raised money to buy a lawyer for the Scottsboro boys. The Scottsboro boys where a group of teenagers who where charged with many crimes they did not commit.
I did not like this book very much because it had no exiting words or anything to get you hooked on the book and want to keep reading it.

Scottsboro, Alabama: A Story in Linoleum Cuts

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Scottsboro, Alabama: A Story in Linoleum Cuts
Lin Shi Khan , and Tony Perez
Manufacturer: NYU Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0814751768
Release Date: 2002-06-01

Book Description

Explore this titile online!

"Scotsboro, Alabama still has the power to inspire anger and outrage—and to remind us of a political legacy that still has relevance for the 21st century."
— Against the Current

"This extraordinary graphic book from 1935 reproduces 118 linocuts illustrating the history of African Americans up to and including the Scottsboro trials…. A highly charged political indictment and work of art.… highly recommended."
—Library Journal, starred review

“A unique, visually stunning work…. Using a simple and striking visual style to link the struggles of black America and the working class, the book preserves the Scottsboro trial as a powerful symbol of oppression, and a stark reminder of the central and horrifying struggles of American history.”
—Ruminator Review

"The prints have tremendous visual power...they constitute a progenitor of the contemporary graphic novel that artistically outclasses most current examples of the genre."
—Booklist

“A disturbing if visually stunning record of an episode that should not be forgotten. To document history, it suggests, is to bear witness, however painfully, to the evil within some human souls—and to the redemptive power that being aware of that ominous energy it can bring.”
—Black Issues Book Review

"Visually powerful… a great historical find—and a provocative way to think about the episode."
—Chicago Tribune (Editor's Choice)

"An unusual cultural treasure that deserves a wide public audience. Highly recommended."
—MultiCultural Review

"Wow! This is political art at its most powerful. These evocative images outrage and provoke, leaving an indelible impression of an unjust world at an unjust time. Scottsboro, Alabama will incite you to join the struggle for racial equality and justice."
—Alan Dershowitz, author of Supreme Injustice

"A stunning artifact, Scottsboro, Alabama's narrative and images capture the tragedy of race in the American South. I haven't seen anything this tersely powerful in years."
— Nell Irvin Painter, author of Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol

"Lee's careful introduction gives readers a special understanding of the symbolism and subtlety of these powerful and evocative graphics."
— VOYA

In 1931, nine black youths were falsely accused of raping two white women on a freight train traveling through northern Alabama. They were arrested and tried in four days, convicted of rape, and eight of them were sentenced to death. The ensuing legal battle spanned six years and involved two landmark decisions by the Supreme Court. One of the most well known and controversial legal decisions of our time, the Scottsboro case ignited the collective emotions of the country, which was still struggling to come to terms with fundamental issues of racial equality.

Scottsboro, Alabama, which consists of 118 exceptionally powerful linoleum prints, provides a unique graphic history of one of the most infamous, racially-charged episodes in the annals of the American judicial system, and of the racial and class struggle of the time. Originally printed in Seattle in 1935, this hitherto unknown document, of which no other known copies exist, is presented here for the first time. It includes a foreword by Robin D.G. Kelley and an introduction by Andrew H. Lee. Mr. Lee discovered the book as part of a gift to the Tamiment Library by the family of Joe North, an important figure in the Communist Party-USA, and an editor at the seminal left-wing journal, the New Masses.

A true historical find and an excellent tool for teaching the case itself and the period which it so indelibly marked, this book allows us to see the Scottsboro case through a unique and highly provocative lens.

Alex Haley's Queen: The Story of an American Family

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Interesting story of a peculier situation
Excellent!
The parts written by Alex Haley are good.
A triumphant story of hope and glory.
Come Up With Serene Responses to Today's Suttle Racism

Alex Haley's Queen: The Story of an American Family
Alex Haley , and David Stevens
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0688063314

Customer Reviews:

Interesting story of a peculier situation.......2006-05-05

Ethnic novels really are not my thing. But this one had me interested after seeing pictures in a book on the civil war titled 'Slave Children of New Orleans' featuring mostly mixed race children of near caucasion appearence I became curious about them. Having read a great deal of the civil war there really isn't that much. So when I found this book I quickly took to reading it.

The main character is what is called 'A child of the plantation', the offspring of a slave owner and a slave woman the product not of love but of exploitation who are so casually discarded as to be a disgrace. In the beginning, she is very naive and optimistic. Regrettably, life doesn't treat her that well.

An interesting story. Admittedly I would have done things different but since this one is based on fact I can't rightly complain. I liked reading about the main character and how she was treated by all parties. Certainly I do not like that she was mistreated by many. Her ability to move among white circles was interesting only when her heritage is revealed do things get bad which disgusts me.

Overall, I take people at face value and wish everyone else would do the same. People should be judged by their behavior rather than by pseudo scientific nonsence.

Excellent!.......2005-01-26

This is one of the best books I've read in my life. Alex Haley was such a skilled writer. "Queen" deals with many harsh facts of the antebellum South without becoming vulgar. It is also an inspiring tale of an American family.

One of my complaint with "Queen" is the blatant misuse and fabrication of facts by David Stephens, who finished Alex Haley's posthumus masterpiece. The writing of Mr. Stephens also doesn't measure up to that of Haley. While it is a great book as it stands, I wish I could see what this book would be if Haley had been alive to complete it.

The parts written by Alex Haley are good........2004-03-11

This book is a travesty. The guy who wrote it isn't even American. He plays fast and loose with historical facts. The potato famine is in the wrong century. Napoleon invades Ireland before he even rose to power. There are at least two chapters that are totallly irrelevant. Why does he feel the need to give us a history lesson on Andrew Jackson and the Indian removal? Does he think the Indian removal and slavery are the same issue?
On the other hand, the parts written by Alex Haley are exceptional. It is very easy to pick out which parts Alex Haley wrote. They are well-written and historically based. It is just such a shame that Mr. Stevens was allowed to add to Alex's work. Mr. Stevens cannot not write anything but cheap, historical romance. He should be writing for Harlequin, instead of, ruining the work of a great American writer.

A triumphant story of hope and glory........2001-12-12

Alex Haley & Dave Stevens' QUEEN is a rare gem---the story of an american family that touches many lives. Queen is the main focus of the book but her story spans past & future generations from Ireland to America. Some of the characters are tragic but all have hope for a better tomorrow. The heartbreak of Easter's love for her "master", Queen being taught to read by her grandpa and the Haley family's quest to get a better education for their youngest son are just some of the heartbreaking stories in this novel. I enjoyed the book very much and I now hope to finally read ROOTS.

Come Up With Serene Responses to Today's Suttle Racism.......2001-03-15

I just finished reading this book, this morning. And, I read "Roots," 2 weeks ago. In both of these books, I was able to vicariously be there, and emotionally travel with each person in these stories.

And it gave me a sense of peace that I had not had before about being African-American. It helped me to come up with the most empowering responses to not only suttle racism from Euro-Americans, but also suttle responses to African-Americans who seem to be bound by expecting to just get by (who also believe that empowered African-Americans somehow owe them endless worthiness).

To me, even though this book is titled "Queen," it has many stories: politics; narcissism; racism; boys growing into manhood; belonging; the price of not having someone to verbalize your pains to; and, how whites turned their outrage over their motherland into what drove them to do the same to blacks, in this country.

During the entire time that I was reading these 2 books, as I conducted my day to day responsibilities, I felt like I had a secret weapon against being held back. And I saw things that I might not have seen before in what I could do to turn suttle racism into my opportunity to expect mutual respect between myself and my interlocutor.

I recommend this book, and "Roots" to any who is looking for a means to grow beyond your wildest expectations. You will cry with these stories, laugh, and feel every possible emotion, knowing that you are breathing new life into your life.

Black Knights: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen

Average customer rating:

Black KnightsI
review for my class, part 2
review written for my class, part 1 of 2
Depth of research: 5 stars. Quality of editing: 3 stars.
Good job, could have been better......

Black Knights: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen
Lynn M. Homan , and Thomas Reilly
Manufacturer: Pelican Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Aviation | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1565548280

Customer Reviews:

Black KnightsI.......2007-09-26

I have only read half of the book to date. My review based on what I read so far is that the book seems to be accurate, according to my understanding of the History I've read on the subject.

review for my class, part 2.......2002-03-31

The middle of the book is a detailed record of significant air battles in which the Tuskegee Airmen were involved. At this point, the reader becomes less compelled to read every sentence of every page as the book makes a transition from being a presentation of the Tuskegee Experience's fight for existence to more of a day-by-day record of many of the missions the airmen flew. Certain phrases become cliché in the telling of each story, and the reader gets somewhat lost in the seemingly endless listings of names and how many kills were becoming associated with each. While the special care taken to preserve detailed historical accuracy is impressive, the book could greatly benefit from including more personal accounts by the airmen themselves. The preface tells of the many interviews that the authors conducted to gather information for their project; the reader is disappointed to find out that virtually none of these interviews are described in detail, let alone even directly quoted. Including detailed firsthand accounts of the pilots' individual experiences would certainly have helped to break the monotony of this part of the book, and unquestionably would have made it more interesting.
One thing that the book does very well is to give credit not just to the pilots who saw combat action in the war, but also to all of the people that made it possible for them to get there. It should be noted that, although initially it was not the case, the Tuskegee Army Air Field was staffed almost entirely by black soldiers at every level. Everyone from mess hall workers, to entertainers, to mechanics, to weather observers was black. White soldiers only held assignments there temporarily while black soldiers were being rotated into their positions. Chapter XVII, titled "The Unsung Warriors," is dedicated entirely to presenting the foundation of the Tuskegee Experience. This is a very important piece of the Tuskegee puzzle because, for example, if there were no ground crews, the planes would never have flown. Other works tend to give all of the glory to the combat-seasoned pilots, while this book does a very complete job of evenly distributing the credit. Another example of the completeness of Black Knights is Chapter XIII, which deals with the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium). Although these bomber crews never saw combat, they were another part of the on-going story of blacks' struggle for equality. Lastly, the roster of Tuskegee graduates in the appendix of the book further supports the authors' mission to create a concise historical record of the Tuskegee Experience.
Black Knights also gives a clear view of the original intent of the Tuskegee Experiment. For the most part, the higher powers responsible for the creation of a black training facility approved the program with the intent of proving its failure. The book does a good job of showing how certain people at the slightly-lower levels were the saviors of the whole program. Besides the efforts of Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. to promote the program, certain other benefactors are given appropriate mention as well. Colonel Noel F. Parrish is one such example, who, after taking over command of Tuskegee Army Air Field, did so much to boost morale at the base that he is given almost as much recognition as Colonel Davis for helping to save the program.
The book's timeline seems to break up in the last chapter of the book. In Chapter XIX, entitled "Black Birds," a brief overview of the history of black fliers is given. While one can appreciate the contribution those pilots made to aviation, it did not have a direct effect on the creation of the Tuskegee Experience. The authors would have done well to simply omit the last chapter; placed at the end of the book, it seems out of place and its spotty detail is a bit awkward to follow simply because it seems out of sequence. This material would carry more meaning if it was instead placed at the beginning of the book, and also perhaps if it was simply integrated into the first chapter.
All in all the authors did a fine job of recounting the story of the brave men who came to be known as the Tuskegee Airmen. As the title suggests, Black Knights: the Story of the Tuskegee Airmen accurately illustrates the fierce crusade that was fought against racism and segregation. While certainly a very complete work, Black Knights is not about drama. It presents the facts for what they were; for that, it deserves appreciation, but it has little to offer as far as gripping tales of fast-paced dogfights and personal experiences.

review written for my class, part 1 of 2.......2002-03-31

Well, I had to review it for my class so I thought I'd put it up here too(broken in half to stay in the 1K word limit).

Black Knights: the Story of the Tuskegee Airmen is a concisely written historical account of the struggles faced by young black men during World War II to establish themselves as pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps, though it leaves something to be desired. The concise details and statistics show an obvious effort to preserve the accuracy of the records kept of the events surrounding the Tuskegee Experience. With that in mind, it should also be noted that when describing certain controversial issues, the authors offer a mostly unbiased perspective. However, certain areas of the book are somewhat lacking. Some elements seem slightly out of place, almost as if they were thrown in solely for the purpose of increasing the bulk of the book. It can be appreciated that the authors took considerable effort to give credit not just to the fliers that saw combat, but also to the entire support structure that gave them that chance. On the other hand, this may have been slightly overdone. Overall, Black Knights is good source of factual history, but is not an overly compelling piece of literature.
The authors, Lynn Homan and Thomas Reilly, wrote this book as a sort of rewrite of a previous work of theirs, The Tuskegee Airmen, with the intention of creating a more complete historical account. Out of respect for the airmen, the Tuskegee Experience is a term used throughout the book in reference to the social experiment that was formulated by the United States War Department to prove that black men could not fly advanced warplanes. Having previously been referred to as the Tuskegee Experiment, the term Tuskegee Experience has been requested by the airmen themselves as an alternative to the former term which has been confused with an unrelated government medical research project, as explained in the preface. This is the ninth book that Homan and Reilly have written together during their time together in which they have traveled across the country giving lectures and organizing museum exhibits on the Tuskegee Experience. Black Knights is simply an extension of their work, intended to present the Experience as a whole.
The first part of the book is a chronological account of how the Tuskegee Airmen came to be. Two distinct views are presented; while blacks were finally being given the chance to fly, there were some who were against the idea of an all-black flight training facility. Besides the obvious racist opponents, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was among those who did not want to see a segregated airfield. The supporters of the idea believed that the young black soldiers would thrive in an environment of their own, kept isolated from the hardships that would be imposed upon them in an integrated military. If segregated, they would not have to be subject to cruelties dealt them by fellow soldiers that would have been detrimental to their morale. Others argued that it only added to the problem of ending segregation and opposed the creation of an all-black airfield on the grounds that separate training facilities and unit organizations would be more costly than an integrated military.
The authors seem to express a slight leaning towards being in agreement with the NAACP's standpoint on the issue, that is, anti-segregation. What they fail to point out, however, is that while segregation is inherently evil, the effect it had actually benefited the outcome of what was to become the Tuskegee Experience. An analogy can be made to illustrate this point. A wall representing racial segregation had to be taken down to make integration possible. If the military integrated black fliers into the white ranks, they would have been subject to unknown cruelties by racist whites and would have had nowhere to turn. One could compare this to attempting to disassemble the aforementioned wall piece-by-piece. On the other hand, as one united, all-black unit, all obstacles in their way were faced by the group as a whole. By having been given the chance to prove themselves in war, they acted as a battering ram to demolish the barrier of segregation. The authors seem to present the arrangement as a failure as far as the battle for integration was concerned; rather, the Tuskegee Experience provided unmistakable proof that black pilots could perform admirably, and effectively paved the way for future desegregation.

Depth of research: 5 stars. Quality of editing: 3 stars........2001-10-18

You have to appreciate the amount of effort that went into assembling this book. Even the casually interested reader will finish "Black Knights" with a greater appreciation for the young men who completed the Tuskeegee Experience and went on to serve their country in WWII and beyond. Archival detail is impressive, down to an appendix that offers a roster of all Tuskeegee graduates. Can a future reprint offer the service history of each individual as well?

The book itself presents exhaustive research into the the origins of the program, testimony for and against its development, and records of Tuskeegee-trained airmen in combat and in the post-war USAF. But two-thirds of the way into the book, once the title material is exhausted, it begins a survey of pre-WWII black aviation pioneers. This material is also well-researched, but a bit awkward in its sequence and given the title. Should this have been published as two separate books?

Voluminous research presented the authors with a great challenge: how could all the information be made readable? The authors often succeeded at this task. Note the story of the 99th squadron's first air-to-air kill, and how that is woven back into the discussion of the Army Air Corps' resistance to establishing the squadron in the first place.

This is a good read, if not always compelling. Youth in search of heros need to look beyond the sports and recording industries to discover the Tuskeegee Airmen. Excerpts from this book may provide that introduction.

Good job, could have been better.............2001-08-29

A mixed bag to me, this book was an ordinary book about an extraordinary subject, those brave black men whose more subtle enemy was the pervasive racism back home. When he authors stick to the stories told about the racial obstacles placed in the "Black Knights" paths in such AAF bases as Alabama, Michigan, and Indiana, a compelling story is told. The Army wanted and expected black fliers to fail, and they not only didn't fail, they were superb soldiers and pilots. But, when the book moves into their combat experiences, the pace of the book slows down, instead using a day-to-day litany of the various units, culled directly from daily unit reports. This section of the book could have used more personal reminiscences from the many old fliers interviewed for the book. It's just page after page of mundane, "flip through" stuff. And the book suffers from spotty editing(Thurgood Marshall never was Chief Justice; the famous and versatile German flak gun was the 88, not the 188, for example). For a better look at combat conditions in the Italian Theater in '44-'45, read Stephen Ambrose's new book "The Wild Blue", about the men who flew the B-24s. Feel the absolute admiration that young B-24 pilot(and future Presidental candidate) George McGovern felt towards the Tuskegee Airmen, who got his crew home safe and sound every time. The excellent last chapter is curiously a history of early black aviation. I would have opened the book with it, rather than closed. The best chapter to me was about the 1945 Freeman Field Mutiny, when over 100 officers risked court martial because they were denied entry to the segregated base Officer's Club; early civil disobedience. The Army, faced with an uncertain outcome to the Japan Theater, backed down eventually. The hero of the book? Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr, a superb officer and a great leader.

Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott (Bank Street College of Education Flora Stieglitz Straus Award (Awards))

Average customer rating:

A must-read for teens as well as adults
Richie's Picks: FREEDOM WALKERS
On the march

Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott (Bank Street College of Education Flora Stieglitz Straus Award (Awards))
Russell Freedman
Manufacturer: Holiday House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0823420310

Book Description

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus and give up her seat to a white man. This refusal to give up her dignity sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, a yearlong struggle, and a major victory in the civil rights movement. Source notes, map, bibliography, index.

Customer Reviews:

A must-read for teens as well as adults.......2007-02-25

One might think that they've heard the story about the early days of the civil rights movement, and specifically the roles of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks as far as standing up (or sitting down, as the case may be) for what is right. However, Russell Freedman tells this story as a collective experience, from the points of view of the teenagers, men, women, leaders and followers who sacrificed for over a year in this boycott in order to bring about change. Yes, it lasted for over a year. How many of you knew that? I did not. It was the length of time and the full sacrifice that was made that really spoke to me from the pages of this book. A great wrong was being legislated in the city of Montgomery, Alabama, and all across the South, and a dedicated group of African Americans, led by Martin Luther King, Jr., finally decided not to be victims any longer.

As I read, the sense of the injustice settled over me heavily. It is hard for me to believe that this world existed only ten years before my birth. Hearing the quotes and seeing the pictures that were carefully selected proves that this story is not just a kind of legend or myth. It's not a pretty story, but this is a fair telling of these events. There are a few sympathetic Whites mentioned, but in general, there were not many who were willing to defend the rights of the minorities. I continue to live in hope that times have changed and will continue to change so that a time will come when color or nationality or creed truly doesn't make a difference. It was lack of knowledge, ignorance, that created the attitude of superiority and hatred of that time, and so I feel that it is my responsibility not to forget, and to learn about this time and those individuals and groups who have brought change, and to teach my daughter as well.

Is this book a downer? Not really. I was left with a slight feeling of incredulity at the actions and justification of the White leaders and the lengths that they went to in order to try to keep the Black citizens "in their place." However, it is the conviction and peaceful actions of the African American citizens, day after day, month after month, after living with a lifetime of unfair treatment, that left me with a feeling of hope. One person, or a group of single individuals, can make a difference. They have made a difference throughout history and each of us can continue to do so. Around the time I began reading this book, I came across a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. in my day planner. I also happened to be grappling with my response to a difficult situation. This quote inspired me to do what I knew was right, even though it would have been much easier to ignore the situation or try to forget it: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

Richie's Picks: FREEDOM WALKERS.......2006-11-11

It has always confused me how someone managed to take that excellent photograph of Rosa Parks being fingerprinted after her arrest for failing to give up her seat on the bus. After all, nobody knew that she, on that particular day, would be on a crowded bus, would be commanded to give up her seat by a bus driver who wanted to make room for an oncoming white passenger, and would be arrested and fingerprinted. But I've certainly seen that particular photograph in plenty of places, both in print and online.

Among the whole range of new things I learned about the Montgomery Bus Boycott from reading FREEDOM WALKERS was that the photo to which I am referring was actually taken when, months later, Ms. Parks gave herself up for arrest the second time, in this case for breaking "an obscure 1921 state law prohibiting boycotts 'without just cause or legal excuse.' " (A mass series of arrests on this charge, including Rosa's and Martin's, was one of the tactics employed by the city government that, in cahoots with the bus company, was trying to break the Boycott.)

So, for me, another history mystery was solved thanks to the meticulous work of Russell Freedman, a guy whose name has long been synonymous both with top quality research and with an ability to consistently craft children's informational books that read as compelling stories rather than compilations of facts.

I often worry about how the current trend of teaching to tests and NCLB mandates results in teachers needing to "cover" so many things that students are growing up oblivious to, or know only superficially of many important issues. As is said, "Where is the learning in coverage?"

It was just in the past couple of weeks that I was astounded to encounter an entire classroom full of eighth graders where not a single kid knew anything about Linda Brown and the historic court case to which she was central. How are students to learn to get along with each other and grow up to forge world peace if they don't even know the relatively recent history of intolerance in America?

Of course, most kids have at least heard of Rosa Parks -- whether or not they are fans of Andre 3000 and Big Boi -- as there have long been a selection of kid-friendly picture books that focus on this American icon.

FREEDOM WALKERS goes far beyond the basic knowledge contained in those picture books to provide an accurate and articulate look at the people, the times, the politics, and the constitutional law issues that surrounded the Montgomery Bus Boycott. We learn, in fact, that Rosa Parks was not the first woman of color to be arrested for failing to give up a bus seat and then considered for a test case. That's another fact most kids don't know. Not even I understood how ugly it got immediately in Montgomery after the Supreme Court ruled that Alabama's bus segregation laws were unconstitutional and the boycott ended victoriously. Talk about terrorism:

"The White Citizens Council had predicted violence, and sure enough, violence erupted before Christmas. Early on the morning of December 23, two days after the boycott ended, a shotgun blast was fired into King's home, scaring everyone but causing no injuries. On Christmas Eve, a car pulled up to a bus stop where a fifteen year-old black girl was standing alone. Four or five men jumped out, beat her, and drove away. Then shotgun snipers began to fire at integrated buses, sending a pregnant woman to the hospital with bullet wounds in both legs...
"In January, bombs were set off at four black churches in Montgomery and at the homes of three ministers -- Ralph Abernathy, Robert Graetz, and Martin Luther King. The Bell Street and Mount Olive Baptist Churches were almost completely destroyed, and all three houses were severely damaged. Miraculously, no one was hurt."

Some of the photos included in the book will be familiar to many. Others I have never laid eyes on before. An engaging read filled with intriguing facts and photos, FREEDOM WALKERS is the latest outstanding book by a true master of informational writing for young people.

On the march.......2006-10-16

Sometimes I wonder about the process that your average author of non-fiction titles for children goes through. What, for example, makes an author, such as well-respected and brilliant Russell Freedman, decide to write about the Montgomery Bus Boycott? The man could really write about anything he wanted. He could do a book about The Black Panthers (since not a single non-fiction children's title exists on the subject) or the life of Boss Tweed or how Kalamazoo, Michigan became the Celery City, if he so desired. Instead he concentrates on the honestly inspiring boycott that sparked the Civil Rights Movement. When I heard this I felt at first that this particular subject had been "done". There are oodles of books on the topic. Why would Freedman feel he needed to add his two cents as well? Then I thought it through. Sure, there are lots of books on the boycott, but who do they praise? Nine times out of ten the real focus of the story is Rosa Parks. Once in a while it'll mention the other Civil Rights leaders here and there. The true heroes of the movement who've never really had their due, however, were the average joes. The black maids, elderly, children, and working folk who gave up their comfort, jobs, and who knows what all to support a cause that had never been won before. With "Freedom Walk", Freeman is giving credit where credit is due, to both the leaders and the people who made it happen.

It's a story of heroism on a local level. An understandable tale that doesn't lose any of its power over time. This is the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott as it occurred from start to finish. But rather than concentrate on a single person or persons, Freeman gives credit and voice to some people you may not have heard from before. There was Jo Ann Robinson who lent her support. And there was Claudette Colvin, a young woman who refused to give up her seat on a bus before Rosa Parks did. And finally there were the people who participated in the boycott and their single-minded heroism. Freeman recounts all of this with an even hand and a great deal of intelligent editing.

Part of what I loved so much about this book was the sheer number of photographs and background information I found I'd never encountered elsewhere. I don't know where Freedman was able to find so many remarkable pictures (the Acknowledgements may offer some clues) but they are, quite frankly, part of the book's real lure. There's an image of a Coca-Cola machine where the "only" part of the words, "White Customers Only!" is written in the same font as the Coke logo above. Did Coke itself write these words on their machines? There were also mug shots of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. that I've never seen in a book before.

The title also debunked "facts" that I'd heard and believed incorrectly in the past. When I read Rosa Parks's autobiography, "I Am Rosa Parks", she mentions in the story that she was not the first black woman to refuse to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. One Ms. Claudette Colvin was a potential case for challenging the segregation laws, but in the end was passed over because her out-of-wedlock pregnancy might have caused problems. As it turns out, Ms. Colvin wasn't used because she was "too young", had fought with the police. Her bun in the oven? "...it was later rumored that she was pregnant". Rumored! Russell Freedman: Rumor Debunker.

Freedman knows how to bring out details that kids might miss in other books about the boycott. He concentrates a bit more on Martin Luther King Jr. than I expected him to, but that just makes good sense. He mentions how risky it was for drivers to allow people to volunteer their cars, especially when it might be "driven by strangers". He talks about the mass meetings that would booster morale during the boycott (I always wondered how people kept their spirits up). And once bus integration was legalized, there were twice-weekly mass meetings training sessions on dealing non-violently with potential bus situations. It's funny that he never mentions that moment when the Montgomery city leaders met with some church leaders not associated with the leaders of the boycott who then declared that it was "over". But then, I'm sure a lot of details like this one had to be judiciously pruned.

Which brings me to Freedman's talent with brevity. I've been having a real problem lately with non-fiction books for kids that are so thick and packed to the gills with excess information that few children but the truly dedicated will ever be able to slog through them front to finish. This is part of the reason I love Freedman's books. Somehow or other, he knows exactly the length to make his titles. "Freedom March", covers all the pertinent information, is interesting and informative, and never comes across as a tome. It's so engaging that kids who might otherwise not be the least bit interested in this period of history may find themselves truly engaged.

To sum up, a moment in history with a happy ending is a rare and wonderful thing. And though I was incredulous that anyone, even Russell Freedman, could present the Montgomery Bus Boycott in such a way that it would be both interesting and new to young readers, somehow the author has managed beautifully. A fine piece of non-fiction and a bit of necessary reading.

Guests Behind the Barbed Wire: German POWs in America: A True Story of Hope and Friendship

Average customer rating:

relevant story told with great accuracy and skill
More Than Factual Lessons...

Guests Behind the Barbed Wire: German POWs in America: A True Story of Hope and Friendship
Ruth Beaumont Cook
Manufacturer: Crane Hill Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1575872609

Book Description

A significant and unique contribution to World War II literature, this book chronicles in meticulous detail the building and operation of the largest German prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in the United States in Aliceville, Alabama. This history discusses how the residents of Aliceville helped build, operate, and supply the camp, as well as become inextricably intertwined with camp life and the 6,000 German POWs held there. Focusing on the relations between the captured Germans and local Americans, this title investigates the nature of war, peace, and the principles of human dignity.

Customer Reviews:

relevant story told with great accuracy and skill.......2007-07-11

I grew up in Aliceville in the 1950's and 60's; I also spent a lot of time in Germany in the 1980's. I swam in the POW pool, I played baseball and football on the fields at "the camp", I went to VFW meetings with my father in the old officer's club and I know almost every local person mentioned. I did not find a detail incorrect. It is an astonishing job of research.

The books tells a great story and is expertly written. It manages to keep the reader's attention from start to finish. There were so many interesting and enlightening details that I was never aware of until I read the book. It's only shortcoming is that it does not have enough photographs of the actual camp and even the town at that time. I wanted to see more muddy "streets", pullman cars, tarpaper baracks, jeeps, jazz bands, and violins made from popcicle sticks!

But I guess I will just have to wait for the movie which will be made. It's just too good a story and too relevant for our times not to be communicated more widely!

Thank you, Ruth. You really did a great job.

More Than Factual Lessons..........2007-05-09

Thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating book! 'Guests Behind the Barbed Wire' is an important story not just for history's sake, but for it's ability to perfectly capture a unique snapshot in time when adversaries were able to co-exist with dignity during the violence and turmoil of WWII. Ruth Beaumont Cook meticulously details and reconstructs the story of Aliceville, taking the reader through the despair and confusion of the time, and ultimately arrives at a place of hope. A must-read for history buffs!

Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story

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Where Do We Go From Here?
Stride Toward Freedom
Exciting, uplifting description of the bus boycott

Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story
Martin Luther King Jr.
Manufacturer: Harpercollins Childrens Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Civil Rights & Liberties | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Human Rights | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0062504908

Customer Reviews:

Where Do We Go From Here?.......2007-01-19

This is an awesome autobiography of the charismatic, Bible-cadenced Doctor Martin Luther King Jr ,written at the young age of 29, as well as a gripping account of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in December, 1955. The first chapter is King's autobiograpy of growing up in a segregated Atlanta, but managing to get educated up to a full doctorate.

The second chapter is subtitled "Montgomery Before the Protest". King describes segregation and its effect on 50,000 second-class citizens - the offspring of uprooted African victims of slavery. Although the Supreme Court ruled 3 years prior that "in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place", six southern states including Alabama had not even one African-American child attending school with Anglos by 1956.

Then on December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat so an Anglo could sit in it. In response to her unAmerican, Nazi-like arrest by officials who were servants of hatred rather than justice, African-American community leaders met in a Baptist church and organized the Montgomery bus boycott. It worked in a wonderful show of solidarity, but the haters's hatred was not extinguished. King and his compatriot R. David Abernathy had their houses bombed by local KKK terrorists. So the Supreme Court stepped in like they did with the public schools and said "the separate but equal" buffalo pucky was incorrect, thereby giving Jim Crow a black eye. (Jim Crow is a metaphor for the anti-African American laws that got started in 1890 by Southern Anglos to deny the African-American his right to vote - this after Mississippi had already put 2 African-Americans into the Senate in our nation's capitol).

The last chapter is "Where Do We Go From Here?" Dr. King noticed that the judiciary could do only so much - somebody had to implement the law that the judiciary laid down. No doubt, King was thinking back to the early 1800s when the Cherokee-Americans won their Supreme Court case to keep their land in Georgia, but President Andy Jackson (the state terrorist on the $20 dollar bill) sent the Yankee army to illegally force them to walk to Oklahoma (called the Trail of Tears because 10,000 died).

King advocated direct action, not the militant direct action embraced by the Black Panther Party and other African-American groups in defense of their civil rights, but the Gandhi-type of nonviolent direct action that the Indians had used against their British oppressors in India to get their civil rights back. "We must use the weapon of love", King said. King was out to wear down the hatred of the haters with love and kindness, fortified by an endless capacity to suffer whatever it took to take the kryptonite to hatred.

May God Bless this man of peace with His Mercy and Grace and forgive him his manly shortcomings.

Stride Toward Freedom.......2002-10-28

Stride Toward Freedom is an excellent book that should become a part of any school curriculum when learning about the Civil Rights Movement. Moving and deeply enlightening, the struggles and triumphs of a man so many of us see as super-human, makes this book one I would recommend to anyone. It is amazing to see how despite incredible odds, people still managed to emerge as remarkable leaders to be remembered for centuries to come.

Exciting, uplifting description of the bus boycott.......1999-01-24

A classic true story. Details the story of the Montgomery bus boycott organized by King. Discusses the fact that Rosa Parks was not the first black woman to refuse to give up her seat to a white person. Details the logistics of the boycott and the violence and threats committed against King, sometimes dozens of threats per day. Discusses his reading of Gandhi and discusses King's worldview, including, of course, the nonviolent philosophy. You must know this story if you want to know about Martin Luther King Jr. or the history of race relations in the USA.

Average customer rating:

Ok, but not as convincing as others.
A forgotten embarassment
Amazing book!!
Wow.
Best Of The Studies Of This Tragic Case

Stories of Scottsboro
James E. Goodman
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Civil Procedure | Procedures & Litigation | Law | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0679761594
Release Date: 1995-03-28

Book Description

"A rich and compelling narrative, as taut and suspenseful as good fiction. In places, Stories of Scottsboro is almost heartbreaking, not least because Goodman shows what people felt as well as what they thought." -- Washington Post Book World

To white Southerners, it was "a heinous and unspeakable crime" that flouted a taboo as old as slavery. To the Communist Party, which mounted the defense, the Scottsboro case was an ideal opportunity to unite issues of race and class. To jury after jury, the idea that nine black men had raped two white women on a train traveling through northern Alabama in 1931 was so self-evident that they found the Scottsboro boys guilty even after the U.S. Supreme Court had twice struck down the verdict and one of the "victims" had recanted.

This innovative and grippingly narrated work of history tells the story of a case that marked a watershed in American racial justice. Or, rather, it tells several stories. For out of dozens of period sources, Stories of Scottsboro re-creates not only what happened at Scottsboro, but the dissonant chords it struck in the hearts and minds of an entire nation.

"Extraordinary.... To do justice to the Scottsboro story a book would have to combine edge-of-the-seat reportage and epic narrative sweep. And it is just such a book that James Goodman has given us, a beautifully realized history...written with complete authority, tight emotional control, and brilliant use of archival material." -- Chicago Tribune

Customer Reviews:

Ok, but not as convincing as others........2004-04-22

Having already read Dan T. Carter's masterful Scottsboro: A Tragedy of the American South, I already knew the story of the Scottsboro boys and the miscarriage of justice that happened to them. I hoped to get more insight with this book. Unfortunately, its unclear style got in the way. I would guess that someone who was unaware of this case might love this book--but if you are looking for more than narrative, get Carter's book instead.

A forgotten embarassment.......2002-10-27

One of the more controversial events of the 1930's took place near Paint Rock, Alabama when nine Negro youths were arrested for the rape of two white women on a freight train. The nine were quickly tried and found guilty. Before the death penalty could be administered, appeals were filed with the aid of the US Communist Party. Thence ensued a lengthy series of trials and appeals that lasted from 1931 until well into the forties. It was a legal battle between White and Black as well as North and South with the battlefield always under the control of the White Southerners. Today it is an incident lergely forgotten by succeeding generations. Yet it is an excellent example of the the state of race relations in the South (not that there are too many surprises there), the role of moderate judges in reconciling racial injustice, the influence of the Communist/Socialist Parties in the 1930's as well as a number of other splinter stories. Therein lies the excellence of this book.

The author attempts to relate the story of the "Scottsboro Boys" through various perspectives without really indicating a particular bias. As the story goes on these perspectives seem to roll into one but even that one perspective takes a middle road approach to the story. For example, we are told of all the difficulties that the main characters suffer while imprisoned. Simultaneously we are made to understand that these same characters have serious flaws of their own.

The book follows the story of all the principals from their entry into the story until their death. There were few successes to come out of this event and the author lets us see the failures of the "Scottsboro Boys" as they each eventually realized their freedom.

This is an extremely readable work of non-fiction. It may seem occasionally that the story is stuck at one particular point but it generally moves along, giving the reader a rare insight into a very American event in history.

Amazing book!!.......2002-05-10

I started reading this book with very little knowledge about the Scottsboro incident. This book does an amazing job of portraying the different sides to this tragic story. The chapters are short enough for those of us with short attention spans. However, each chapter grips you with why those particular people feel and think the way they do.
A must read if you want to know what really happened, and more importantly why it happened.

Wow........2001-07-20

I had to read this for a school assignment and wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but I am so glad I did. This book is amazing. It chronicles the famous Scottsboro trial, from the initial incident all the way through to many years after the trial. The book is written very convincingly in that it tries to present the different perspectives of relevant parties/persons. This made me feel like Goodman wasn't trying to push his own agenda but was instead simply presenting as best he could an accurate historical account of the facts surrounding Scottsboro. The book itself is written like a story, but you can tell from its presentation that the "story" was very historically driven and all facts mentioned were well-documented. A fascinating account of Scottsboro. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about it. I'm not sure a better resource exists on this topic.

Best Of The Studies Of This Tragic Case.......2000-12-27

This is far and away the best, most exhaustively researched and detailed study of the infamous Scottsboro Boys case of the 1930's. Goodman manages to incorporate a multitude of details in a style that is highly readable and engrossing, whether the reader be an historian or merely one interested in the tragedy of the case. Unlike other authors who have hastily attempted to take up this case in order to garner a quick buck, Goodman renders a well-annotated and authoritative account, one which approaches the boundaries of an epic. For, the case of the Scottsboro Boys extends well beyond the mendacious accusations and the cowardly jury verdicts attendant to the trials. The true tragedy of the tribulations of these young men is the aftermath. The horrible consequences of this episode in Alabama history is the sheer permanence of the seering brand of conviction that was only removed after the lives of each of the Scottsboro Boys had been irreparably destroyed. The decades of confinement at the old Kilby Prison in Montgomery, as well as other penal institutions, are frankly explored by Goodman, and the book asserts its superiority to all others on this subject due to Goodman's determination to take the reader through those decades, marked as they were by brutality, bitter frustration and abject hopelessness. This reviewer discovered only one error in Goodman's research, that concerning the relationship of the Carmichaels - an error of some substance, yet one which can easily be corrected and assimilated in future editions. And, it is the profound hope of this reviewer that such future editions will be forthcoming. Goodman has provided students of Alabama history, as well as those who study American jurisprudence, with a solid, definitive work which will serve to educate countless readers for many years to come. It is highly recommended.

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