Book review: Freedoms Daughters, heroines of the civil rights movement

I finished John Lewis book on the civil rights movement and am now reading freedoms daughters. This is hugely inspiring stuff. I consider myself an education person, but I’ve never heard of most of these stories. I never knew of the relationship between the abolishionist and womens suffrage movements. History is not just about what the powerful do, its also about what the people are agitating for. Leaders are very often created and led by the activism and demands of people seeking change. That has just as big an impact on history and provides the stories of courage and perserverance that can motivate us today.

This book covers the role of women in the fight for human freedon from abolishionist days through the end of the 1960s civil rights movement. It tells not only the women’s stories, but places it in context within the movement and the issues that were important at that time. The book moves largely cronologically, so one can follow how the movement slowly built and then achieved a flash point and expanded. It also goes into the internal conflicts that arouse between the males and females and blacks and whites who were working together.

Women played an important role in the civil rights movement, rarely as out front leaders, but often as critical organizers that carried the water and got the job done. Some of the important figures and events covered include:

• Grimke sisters, abolishionists from the 1830, organized antislavery conferences for women, they were attacked simply for being an activist while at the same time a woman.
• The post civil war struggles over including women in the 15th amendment that gave on paper citizenship rights to black men. Sufferage for women would have to wait another 50 years. Blacks receive the right to vote on paper, but had to wait another 100 years for the right to be granted in practice (1965 voting rights act). In 1875 congress passed a civil rights bill the outlawed discrimination in public places, but the supreme court declared it unconstitutional, in the 1890s the court gave its infamous Plessy decision with enshrined the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine into law (Jim Crows laws). Talk about an activist court. It wasnt until the 1963 civil rights act, that these laws were overturned.
• Ida B Wells, newspaper editor, conducted investigations on lynchings throughout the south.
• Pauli Murray, Lillian Smith writer of ‘Killers of the Dream’.
• Ella Baker, pivot organizer in getting both LM Kings group. the SCLC, off the ground and the student led SNCC started. The two most prominate and effect groups of the 1960s civil rights movement.
• Jo Ann Robinson, pivotal organizer behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott that started the civil rights movement. And of course, Rosa Parks, the spark that lit the flame. Virginia Durr.
• Diane Nash, leader of the Nashville student sit in movement and reorganized the Freedom Rides into an important success after brutal violence almost broke it apart.
• Fanny Lou Hamer, leader of the Freedom Summers Mississippi Freedom Democratic party, which tried to replace the regular whites only Mississippi delegation at the 1964 democratic convension.

Its hard to understand the level of fear and intimidation that existed in the deep south in the 1960s. People had to fear all sorts of economic reprisals, from loss of job to mortgages, physical abuse and even death. The hatred that existed is hard to understand today. Equally strange to todays ears is the role that sex played. The fear of black men mixing with white women and the need to protect these women from this imagined threat. The tolerance of white men sexually assulting black women.

In the end, the three main succeses of the civil rights movement were:

• 1964 Civil rights act, ending segregation
• 1965 Voting right act, finally gave large numbers of blacks the right to vote in the south.
• Dramatic reduction in terror. Fear, violence, terror attacks declined by the end of the 1960s.

The civil right movement was not able to handle the broad economic issue of opportunity and public investment in human capital. These are issues that we struggle with to this day. Today we face a grave threat in the pull back of public human capital investment, this is chocking off opportunity and dramatically widening the income gap. Beating back this threat is the struggle of our time.

Book Review : Walking with the Wind, John Lewis story of the civil rights movement

John Lewis is a current congressman from Georgia, but he was a major leader in the civil rights movement back in the 60s. This book is his story of the civil rights movement. It is a great historic account written by someone who is a true American hero. Nothing else can describe his perserverance and what he went through.

The civil rights struggle is one of the great American stories of the last century. A time when America was made to live up to its creed and highest ideals. The ending of segregation and the expansion of voting rights were victories won from the bottom up. This book and the history of the civil rights struggle should be required reading and understood by all Americans. The civil rights movement made us what we are today.

He starts the book describing his life as a child growing up in a poor share croper family. How hard it was to keep your head above water. It reflects the stories of so many who struggle on the edge of poverty.

In college as a young kid, he was one of the leaders of the Nashville sit-ins aimed at ending segregation within local businesses. They took inspiration from the Montgomery Bus Boycott which introduced Martin Luther King Jr to the world stage. Lewis’ group devoted themselves to learning the principles of non-violent struggle which had such a direct impact on their success.

One of the interesting people he introduces here is Diane Nash, she was the leader of the Nashville sit-ins and is one of the un-sung heros of the movement. I have daughters and I was especially inspired by hearing her story. For all its high aims of freedom, the civil rights movement did struggle with issues of gender equality. Many of the female leaders had to struggle within the struggle to develop and exert their leadership.

So much of the direct action was lead by young people. He talks about the struggles within the movement between generation, the older more established groups taking a more gradualist approach, while the younger groups wanting so much to get it done now. The time was right for the direct action groups and the discipline of the non-violent approach was key. Young people with energy, impatience, and optimism did so much. Older people with families to provide for and protect in many cases were the followers.

He next describes the freedom rides to Mississippi (to desegregate bus terminals), the founding of SNCC (pronounced snick – Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), and the summer voting registration project in Mississippi. He was arrested and beat up numerous times by angry gangs of whites. 3 civil rights workers (2 of them white) were killed that summer. In many ways it was like being in a war.

He was one of the leaders (as head of SNCC) in planning the March on Washington where King gave his famous I have a Dream speach. Many Americans, I believe, think of the civil rights movement as mainly a big march, which got some laws passed, then it was over. The march on Washington was largely just another step of many in the struggle.

Its eye opening to see his real world account of the the civil rights movement and SNCC (which was youth based and more action based than the other civil rights organizations) with the factions and conflicts over strategy and goals that developd within the movement. In some ways they were like any other human grouping with egos, preconceived notions, great fears, and great dedication.

One interesting issue in particular is the discussion within SNCC of white participation. As much as 20% of their workers were whites who got inspired by the work they were doing and wanted to help. Some thought this should be a black organization, that we need to develop our own leaders, but others were glad to have the help, eager for help from all corners.

Another struggle was between the founding concepts of non-violence and those who werent trained in it and believed in a more self defense and radicalized approach. This conflict ultimately led to his removal as head of SNCC, and the eventual disintegration of the organization.

Racism is a very emotional, even primative attitude. It is based on fear, anger and violence. Going against this took huge courage. The non-violent philosophy of loving your enemy and not striking back, is so unintuative in a way, but it was also very successful. The media footage of water cannons being used on children in Birmingham or the police riots of Selma stirred the conscience of Americans and showed the system of segregation as the hateful and unamerican thing that it was. This was the key in winning the legislative victories of the civil rights act which eventually ended segregation, and the voting rights act which finally gave large numbers of blacks in the south the right to vote.

We forget what it took to do this or maybe we never really considered what it took. But its something that we as Americans must never forget. Just as our veterans fight for our freedom and we remember them, we should remember these people who fought non-violently for their freedom at home and at the same time freed the larger society (all of us) from hate and ignorance.

He describes Selma as the final great victory of the civil rights movement. It was a non violent campaign about trying to register blacks to vote. John Lewis was one of the leaders in a march that culminated in Bloody Sunday, where the marchers were visously attacked in what was basically a police riot. This campaign led to the passing of the voting rights act.

After Selma the movement tried to switch to the difficult issues of economic opportunity and justice. Others started advocating violence, riots were starting to break out. The war on poverty was begun, but the vietnam war soon began to dominate everything. The murders of King and Kennedy in 1968, just weeks from one another, was a huge demoralizing blow which took out much of the remaining steam.

People moved on to other things, many continued the work of building a more just economy with greater opportunity for all. This fight continues to this day, and those who do this work are in a sense the descendents of this great American movement.

The last chapter is worth the read just by itself. He talks about his unchanged moral political philosophy, non violent direct action and a biracial democracy. He worries that the movement is being forgotten. So many forget the state of fear that existed and the courage it took to overcome it. He worries of an increasingly defacto resegregation of society, and the barriers to opportunity that are becoming more class based rather than merely racial, and the increased inequality in America.

The book is 10 years old but this last chapter applies very much to today. The drive to cut the deficit on the backs of the poor while making sure the rich bare no sacrafices. This very much applies to today. He even mentions Newt Gingrich, possibly the most polarizing politician of the last 100 years, and who is remarkably making a political come back now.

The struggle does continue, its far from over. This book teaches lessons that we can never forget, both the ups and downs of a struggle who made us what we are and what we can never forget moving forward.

Nice writeup from my friend and fellow Bread activist in NM

1. Honoring Bread Activist Mike Hiland: A Pilot Light in Portland

Mike Hiland & Matt Newell-Ching

Mike Hiland and I served together on the Bread for the World board for a couple of years back in the 1990s.  But beyond the board service, I came to know Mike as an activist extraordinaire, a kindred spirit. (We Bread grassroots kindred spirits tend to hang out!)

Read the rest

http://breadnm.blogspot.com/2011/11/honoring-bread-activist-mike-hiland.html?spref=fb&mid=52

Walking with the Wind – A pilot light instead of a fire cracker

A friend of mine, Matt Newell-Ching quoted from the book ‘Walking with the Wind’ by John Lewis, a leader of SNCC during the civil rights movement and current congressman from Georgia. He used this passage to introduce me when I received the Harvest of Hope award (yes I’m going on about that again – give me a break here, this doesnt happen to me often ). Its quite an honor to be described with this passage. Its a great passage that describes anyone fighting over the long haul on an important issue that helps others……

From John Lewis..

— I am prepared to take the long, hard road, knowing it may not happen today or tomorrow, but ultimately, eventually, it will happen. Thats what faith is all about. Thats the definition of committment – patience and persistence.  people who are like fireworks, popping off right and left with lots of sound and sizzle, can capture a crowd, capture alot of attention for a time, but I always have to ask, where will they be in the end? Some battles are long and hard, and you have to have staying power. Firecrackers go off in a flash, then leave nothing but ashes. I prefer a pilot light – the flame is nothing flashy, but once it is lit, it doesnt go out. It burns steadily, and it burns forever.

Thanks Matt (and John). What a nice comment and something to always continue to try to live up to in our own way.

Havest of Hope Award

A friend of mine asked me to write up a quick blurp on an award I had the honor of receiving recently. Its kinda fun writing about yourself in the third person, I’m including it here with some appropriate comments in (), so I dont get too big a head….

Long time Bread Activist Mike Hiland, was a corecipient of the Harvest of Hope award, given annually by the Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger. He received the award for his decades of advocacy work (because he is really old) with Bread and for being the lead organizer for a recent Circle of Protection conference, held in Portland, which brought together many different groups around the issue of protecting the most vulnerable from deep budget cuts.

Mike was introduced by Matt Newell-Ching, Bread’s western regional organizer, who compared his work and the work of Bread activists to a pilot light, which stands steady and ready to serve (and doesnt know how to shut his big mouth), igniting a larger response, and does not flash bright then fade like a firework. The work to end hunger is something that continues over the long run. It combines the work of advocates for public policy with that of direct action, to do more than either can do alone.

The Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger seeks to engage diverse religious communities throughout the state, including direct service agencies, in order to develop solutions to the root causes of hunger through education and public policy advocacy

Harvest of Hope Award

I actually won an award for my activism work, what a thrill! I had to publish it here as well!

All are invited to attend The Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger

9th Annual
HARVEST OF HOPE  BREAKFAST
and presentation of the
2011 Harvest of Hope Awards

Keynote Speaker – Congressman Kurt Schrader

Tuesday, November 8 from 7:30 – 9:30  AM
(doors open at 7:15)
Congregation Beth Israel, 1972 NW Flanders

How to Register:
Tickets for the breakfast are $12
Registration Deadline – November 4

Mail your check to :
OFRAH c/o Oregon Area Jewish Committee
7410 SW Oleson Rd., PMB #190
Portland, OR 97223
Call –  503-295-6761
Email  – info@oajconline.org

2011 Harvest of Hope Award Winners

Mike Hiland (Bread for the World)
Over the years, Mike Hiland has dedicated thousands of volunteer hours to Bread for the World. (Frankly, we all thought he worked for Bread!) He has organized countless offerings of letters in churches throughout the region. Most recently, Mike spearheaded the event “Hunger and the Budget Crisis: A Faith-based Call to Action’” which was attended by nearly 100 people from a wide variety of religious groups.

Farmers Ending Hunger
Farmers Ending Hunger begins with Oregon farmers and ranchers who raise hundreds of acres of produce, grain and cattle. With a little extra effort, each farmer donates an acre or two to feed the hungry and suddenly their network had thousands of tons of fresh food!

HomePlate Youth Services
HomePlate supports the positive development of young people experiencing homelessness or housing instability through community building, education, access to services and resources, and youth empowerment.  They do this primarily through a drop-in every Monday and Thursday, which includes a free weekly meal and access to a variety of resources.

Portland First United Methodist Church—Special Award
For as long as any of those involved in serving the hungry, the poor or the vulnerable can remember,  Portland First United Methodist has reached out and served other faith communities and not for profits with the same compassion and dedication as it has in its direct service. If the interfaith community needs a place to celebrate, to mourn, or to learn together, they welcome us. Their welcoming community extends beyond bricks. Their pastors, their staff, and their community make space in their building and space in their hearts.

A real supply side economics

Very good article on the budget debate. We have a long way to go in building a movement that can move the country to really make the public investments that are required for us to achieve long term economic growth. We must turn back the conservative view that government is the enemy into a demand for government to reinvest in its own people.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-sachs/grim-realities-in-the-oba_b_973487.html

Grim Realities in the Obama Budget Plan

www.huffingtonpost.com

Obama may be leaning against the right-wing juggernaut, but he is not changing its direction, only slightly blunting its force. He has already given in where it counts by agreeing with the Republicans in August to slash the core of the discretionary civilian budget.

Text of President’s Job Speech

Its now our job to call congress and make them pass the jobs bill or face us next november. The Republicans have managed to kill the recovery since winning the house in 2010. They have threatened to throw us back into recession twice this year with a government shutdown and debt default. They seem to believe that any job creation will help Obama’s reelection and they are willing to kill the recovery in hopes of winning in 2012. I think the American people will see through this rouse, the GOP war on jobs will not succeed. Their response to the president’s speech will make things crystal clear.

Text of President’s Job Speech

 

 

Hunger and the Budget Crisis – a faith based call to action

(This is an upcoming event that I am working on)

Saturday, September 17th, 9am – 1pm

Free event

Mercy Corps Global Headquarters

45 SW Ankeny St.
Portland, OR
View Larger Map ›

The current budget crisis threatens devastating cuts in programs that help the
poor and hungry, both within our country and overseas. The benefits of decades
of advocacy work to reduce poverty can be erased with the decisions made this
year and next. This conference will detail the impact of these cuts and
formulate an advocacy action plan which can combine our voices to create a
circle of protection around these programs, and reaffirm the idea that a budget
is a moral document that represents the values of our nation – of opportunity
for all.

Keynote Speaker: Chuck Sheketoff, Oregon Center for Public Policy

Panelists:

Joe Hastings – Catholic Relief Services

Jeff Kleen – Oregon Food Bank

Tom Head – Economic Professor at George Fox University

Robin Stephenson – Bread for the World

Sponsors:

Bread for the World Oregon Team

Oregon Food Bank

Portland Archdiocese Office of Life, Peace and Justice

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon

Jubilee Oregon

Catholic Relief Services

Oregon Area Jewish Committee

George Fox University Centers on Global Studies, Peace and Justice

Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger

For more information or to register, please contact: Mike Hiland, Oregon Bread Team
(breador@frontier.com,
www.breador.org)

 

Down with extremism

Good article on the role of government and why extreme positions like communism (too much government) and conservativism (too little government) are both bad.

Ayn Rand’s Influence on the Tea Party

www.theatlantic.com

The celebration of the individual is seeing a resurgence in American politics. But is freedom to earn one’s living the same as the freedom to emasculate government?