I recently took a day trip to Birmingham as part of my goal to visit as many Southern cities as possible while living in Atlanta. I was attracted to visiting the city by its role in the history of the Civil Rights Movement and also the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute was founded in 1992 and is located in Birmingham’s historic Civil Rights District.
Tag: <span>civil rights movement</span>
“Black Against Empire” by Joshua Bloom and Waldo E. Martin, Jr is the definitive history of The Black Panthers. The book not only charts the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party but also provides detailed backgrounds of its most prominent members. It gives a fair and balanced account of both of both the good points and failings of the Black Panthers.
![Before the Mayflower [Feature Image]](https://noirehistoir.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Before-the-Mayflower-Feature.png)
“Before the Mayflower” by Lerone Bennett Jr is the ultimate book to read if you’re interested in Black History, especially American Black History. Originally published in 1962, the book covers the history of Black America from 1619 to 1962.
The details may differ but the story of Fred Hampton is unfortunately not uncommon. Fred Hampton is one in a long list of Black activists murdered during the turbulent 1960’s. His death stands apart from most others as it was proven to have been the result of a concerted effort by the FBI and Chicago police. I won’t go into the details of the murder here as “The Assassination of Fred Hampton” by Jeffrey Haas does an excellent job of explaining the raid on Hampton’s apartment, shootout, and trials.
Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody is the story of a young Black woman coming of age in rural Mississippi during the 40’s and 50’s. The book begins with Anne Moody’s early life as the eldest child of sharecroppers on a large plantation. Her father, Daddy, is a womanizer and gambler. While her mother, Mama, struggles to maintain stable committed relationships with her husbands/lovers.