Coming of Age in Mississippi: The Classic Autobiography of a Young Black Girl in the Rural South
'Coming of Age in Mississippi' by Anne Moody is an autobiography that provides a raw and honest account of growing up as a young black girl in the rural south during the 1950s and 1960s. The author's narrative delves into her experiences with racism, poverty, and segregation, as well as her involvement in the civil rights movement. Moody's writing style is described as personal, insightful, and eye-opening, offering readers a firsthand look at the challenges faced by African Americans during this pivotal period in American history.
The book follows Anne Moody's journey from her childhood in poverty in rural Mississippi to her active participation in civil rights activities, including sit-ins and voter registration efforts. Moody's storytelling is filled with pain, anger, and frustration as she navigates through a society rife with racism and injustice. Her strong sense of identity, bravery, and determination shine through as she confronts systemic racism, police corruption, and the struggles faced by the black community. Through Moody's narrative, readers gain a deeper understanding of the hardships endured by African Americans and the courage displayed by those who fought for equality.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include descriptions of systemic racism, physical violence, and emotional distress related to the civil rights struggle, as well as mild profanity.
From The Publisher:
The unforgettable memoir of a woman at the front lines of the civil rights movement-a harrowing account of black life in the rural South and a powerful affirmation of one person's ability to affect change.
"Anne Moody's autobiography is an eloquent, moving testimonial to her courage."-Chicago Tribune
Born to a poor couple who were tenant farmers on a plantation in Mississippi, Anne Moody lived through some of the most dangerous days of the pre-civil rights era in the South. The week before she began high school came the news of Emmet Till's lynching. Before then, she had "known the fear of hunger, hell, and the Devil. But now there was . . . the fear of being killed just because I was black." In that moment was born the passion for freedom and justice that would change her life.
A straight-A student who realized her dream of going to college when she won a basketball scholarship, she finally dared to join the NAACP in her junior year. Through the NAACP and later through CORE and SNCC, she experienced firsthand the demonstrations and sit-ins that were the mainstay of the civil rights movement-and the arrests and jailings, the shotguns, fire hoses, police dogs, billy clubs, and deadly force that were used to destroy it.
A deeply personal story but also a portrait of a turning point in our nation's destiny, this autobiography lets us see history in the making, through the eyes of one of the footsoldiers in the civil rights movement.
Praise for Coming of Age in Mississippi
"A history of our time, seen from the bottom up, through the eyes of someone who decided for herself that things had to be changed . . . a timely reminder that we cannot now relax."-Senator Edward Kennedy, The New York Times Book Review
"Something is new here . . . rural southern black life begins to speak. It hits the page like a natural force, crude and undeniable and, against all principles of beauty, beautiful."-The Nation
"Engrossing, sensitive, beautiful . . . so candid, so honest, and so touching, as to make it virtually impossible to put down."-San Francisco Sun-Reporter
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About the Author:
In addition to her autobiography, Coming of Age in Mississippi, Anne Moody was the author of Mr. Death: Four Stories. She died in 2015.
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