Recommended by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Book Riot and Autostraddle Nominated for a 2019 NAACP Image Award, a groundbreaking collection of profiles of African American women leaders in the twentieth-century fight for civil rights During the Civil Rights Movement, African American women did not stand on ceremony; they simply did the work that needed to be done. Yet despite their significant contributions at all levels of the movement, they remain mostly invisible to the larger public. Beyond Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, most Americans would be hard-pressed to name other leaders at the community, local, and national levels. In Lighting the Fires of Freedom Janet Dewart Bell shines a light on women's all-too-often overlooked achievements in the Movement. Through wide-ranging conversations with nine women, several now in their nineties with decades of untold stories, we hear what ignited and fueled their activism, as Bell vividly captures their inspiring voices. Lighting the Fires of Freedom offers these deeply personal and intimate accounts of extraordinary struggles for justice that resulted in profound social change, stories that are vital and relevant today. A vital document for understanding the Civil Rights Movement, Lighting the Fires of Freedom is an enduring testament to the vitality of women's leadership during one of the most dramatic periods of American history.

The Civil Rights Movement is a milestone in American history that can help us think more clearly about today's movement for social and political change, which can sometimes be influenced or misguided by the media. We all must seize the opportunity to shape our own post-civil rights era and redefine what “civil rights” means to us today and in the future. Inspiring African-American Women of the Civil Rights Movement – 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries is just one glimpse into the lives of twenty very brave and courageous African-American women, who fought to protect the civil rights of African-Americans and ultimately changed the course of history. As you read this book, I will: ? Give a more in-depth understanding about the true meaning of the freedom and equality in America. ? Provide an awareness of the struggles of the civil rights movement to the racial injustices of the Jim Crow laws. ? Bring attention to important relationships that developed along the way of each woman’s journey based on the civil rights cause. ? Depict a timeline of events of each crusader’s journey. Above all: ? Highlight the incredible accomplishments of African-American women, who have contributed to our nation’s greatness even in the face of certain danger and personal tragedy – in the name of freedom and equality. Be inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and embrace all that African-American history has to offer because it truly is an important part of American history. The Civil Rights Movement challenged racism in America and because of civil rights crusaders like Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman, the country is a more just and humane society for us all.

Tells the stories and documents the contributions of African American women involved in the struggle for racial and gender equality through the civil rights and black power movements in the United States.

Examines the struggle for civil rights by African American women during the twentieth century

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • CBC KIDS’ BOOK CHOICE AWARD WINNER Civil rights icon Ruby Bridges—who, at the age of six, was the first black child to integrate into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans—inspires readers and calls for action in this moving letter. Her elegant, memorable gift book is especially uplifting in the wake of Kamala Harris making US history as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president–elect. Written as a letter from civil rights activist and icon Ruby Bridges to the reader, This Is Your Time is both a recounting of Ruby’s experience as a child who had to be escorted to class by federal marshals when she was chosen to be one of the first black students to integrate into New Orleans’ all-white public school system and an appeal to generations to come to effect change. This beautifully designed volume features photographs from the 1960s and from today, as well as stunning jacket art from The Problem We All Live With, the 1964 painting by Norman Rockwell depicting Ruby’s walk to school. Ruby’s honest and impassioned words, imbued with love and grace, serve as a moving reminder that “what can inspire tomorrow often lies in our past.” This Is Your Time will electrify people of all ages as the struggle for liberty and justice for all continues and the powerful legacy of Ruby Bridges endures.

A compelling and readable narrative history, How Long? How Long? presents both a rethinking of social movement theory and a controversial thesis: that chroniclers have egregiously neglected the most important leaders of the Civil Rights movement, African-American women, in favor of higher-profile African-American men and white women. Author Belinda Robnett argues that the diversity of experiences of the African-American women organizers has been underemphasized in favor of monolithic treatments of their femaleness and blackness. Drawing heavily on interviews with actual participants in the American Civil Rights movement, this work retells the movement as seen through the eyes and spoken through the voices of African-American women participants. It is the first book to provide an analysis of race, class, gender, and culture as substructures that shaped the organization and outcome of the movement. Robnett examines the differences among women participants in the movement and offers the first cohesive analysis of the gendered relations and interactions among its black activists, thus demonstrating that femaleness and blackness cannot be viewed as sufficient signifiers for movement experience and individual identity. Finally, this book makes a significant contribution to social movement theory by providing a crucial understanding of the continuity and complexity of social movements, clarifying the need for different layers of leadership that come to satisfy different movement needs. An engaging narrative history as well as a major contribution to social movement and feminist theory, How Long? How Long? will appeal to students and scholars of social activism, women's studies, American history, and African-American studies, and to general readers interested in the perennially fascinating story of the American Civil Rights movement.

An irresistible timely lift-the-flap board book featuring lush illustrations of your favorite feminist icons as adorable babies! Before Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mae Jemison, Frida Kahlo, and others were change-making feminists, they were . . . babies! In this board book that's perfect for budding feminists, discover what these iconic figures might have looked like as adorable babies and toddlers. With its inspiring message that any baby can grow up to make the world a better place for all genders, this board book makes the perfect baby gift for any family that wants to raise children who can recognize Gloria Steinem on sight.