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Born on this day…Fannie Lou Hamer: Civil Rights Leader

(October 6, 1917-March 14, 1977)

The Speeches of Fannie Lou Hamer: To Tell It Like It Is

Most people who have heard of Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) are aware of the impassioned testimony that this Mississippi sharecropper and civil rights activist delivered at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Far fewer people are familiar with the speeches Hamer delivered at the 1968 and 1972 conventions, to say nothing of addresses she gave closer to home, or with Malcolm X in Harlem, or even at the founding of the National Women’s Political Caucus. Until now, dozens of Hamer’s speeches have been buried in archival collections and in the basements of movement veterans. After years of combing library archives, government documents, and private collections across the country, Maegan Parker Brooks and Davis W. Houck have selected twenty-one of Hamer’s most important speeches and testimonies.

As the first volume to exclusively showcase Hamer’s talents as an orator, this book includes speeches from the better part of her fifteen-year activist career delivered in response to occasions as distinct as a Vietnam War Moratorium Rally in Berkeley, California, and a summons to testify in a Mississippi courtroom.

Brooks and Houck have coupled these heretofore unpublished speeches and testimonies with brief critical descriptions that place Hamer’s words in context. The editors also include the last full-length oral history interview Hamer granted, a recent oral history interview Brooks conducted with Hamer’s daughter, as well as a bibliography of additional primary and secondary sources. The Speeches of Fannie Lou Hamer demonstrates that there is still much to learn about and from this valiant black freedom movement activist.

Quotes:

“You don’t run away from problems—you just face them.”

"We didn’t come all the way up here to compromise for no more than we’d gotten here. We didn’t come all this way for no two seats when all of us is tired."

"All my life I’ve been sick and tired. Now I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired."

"Nobody’s free until everybody’s free."

“If the white man gives you anything—just remember, when he get ready, he will take it right back. We have to take for ourselves.”

bookdrunkinlove
bookdrunkinlove: How did it happen? How are there so many of you? I’m in complete awe over it! So as a thank you, I will be hosting another giveaway! There will be three winners this time around! I just really love giving away books, because books are the best gifts. Since I have reached another large follower milestone, it’s time to give back to you guys! So here are the rules: You must be following me, as this is a thank you to my followers. Especially lately with all my personal posts and lack of ask replies. You have all been so understanding about my being busy, so thank you! There will be three winners! I will be choosing the three winners through a number generator. Each winner will get their choice of book through the book depository! There is no set list of books to choose from! This also means it’s open to everyone! In my last giveaway, both winners were not from the US and it was kind of awesome. Likes and reblogs count. Just be advised that if you reblog the post from the same location, it will only show up as once. So if you want to reblog multiple times reblog from difference sources. Also don’t clog your dash!  No giveaway blogs. This is very firm. If you are reblogging this post onto a secondary tumblr, let me know. Since your main tumblr will be the one that is following me.  Make sure your ask box is open on the 10th of November so I can notify you of winning, if you are chosen. You will have 24 hours to respond, if I do not get a response, I will choose another winner in your place. Good luck everyone! Thank you for liking my little book space, and for sticking out all the recent changes going on!

bookdrunkinlove:

How did it happen? How are there so many of you? I’m in complete awe over it! So as a thank you, I will be hosting another giveaway! There will be three winners this time around! I just really love giving away books, because books are the best gifts. Since I have reached another large follower milestone, it’s time to give back to you guys!

So here are the rules:

  • You must be following me, as this is a thank you to my followers. Especially lately with all my personal posts and lack of ask replies. You have all been so understanding about my being busy, so thank you!
  • There will be three winners! I will be choosing the three winners through a number generator. Each winner will get their choice of book through the book depository! There is no set list of books to choose from! This also means it’s open to everyone! In my last giveaway, both winners were not from the US and it was kind of awesome.
  • Likes and reblogs count. Just be advised that if you reblog the post from the same location, it will only show up as once. So if you want to reblog multiple times reblog from difference sources. Also don’t clog your dash! 
  • No giveaway blogs. This is very firm.
  • If you are reblogging this post onto a secondary tumblr, let me know. Since your main tumblr will be the one that is following me. 
  • Make sure your ask box is open on the 10th of November so I can notify you of winning, if you are chosen. You will have 24 hours to respond, if I do not get a response, I will choose another winner in your place.

Good luck everyone! Thank you for liking my little book space, and for sticking out all the recent changes going on!