In her study of the African American freedom struggle in Wilcox County, Alabama, Cynthia Griggs Fleming uncovers the 'hidden' history of black activism in the rural South. . . . In the Shadow of Selma: The Continuing Struggle for Civil Rights in the Rural South, as the title suggests, is a community-based study that traces the ongoing efforts on the part of rural black Alabamians to achieve equality with their white neighbors. . . . The author skillfully recounts the continuity of black protests from the late nineteenth century to the present day with compelling personal histories. Fleming is also adept at demonstrating that violence played an important role in black protests (even during the so-called 'non-violent' period of civil rights activism). Perhaps the most successful aspect of In the Shadow of Selma is Fleming's discussion of the divisions within Wilcox County's black communities. Class, ethnic, generational, and political differences are especially prevalent in the final two chapters of the book where Fleming focuses on the 'post-movement' period. These chapters and the stories revealed in them are perhaps the most important in the book.
H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online
Fleming (history, Univ. of Tennessee) here chronicles the civil rights struggles of Wilcox County, a rural community in Alabama's "black belt," where the majority of residents are African American. Wilcox County is adjacent to Dallas County, where the widely publicized civil rights events of Selma occurred. Besides the struggles, Fleming attempts to show the poverty and powerlessness that remain there nearly 40 years later. Unfortunately, she does not maintain her focus: half the text covers Wilcox's history, beginning in the early 1800s, prior to the major movement years of the 1950s and 1960s, and only a tiny portion is dedicated to Wilcox in the aftermath of the movement. The details, most taken from interviews, are lengthy accounts of white supremacy and black subordination surrounding everyday activities not directly related to the movement. Disappointingly, Fleming does not place Wilcox's history in a national context; nor does she analyze how the experience of Wilcox's sharecroppers differed from that of African Americans in larger Southern communities. Suitable for Southern history collections only.-Sherri L. Barnes, Univ. of California Libs., Santa Barbara Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
The well-known march in Selma, Alabama in 1965 may have brought black voting rights and some political power. Fleming’s book, however, graphically shows the plight of black rural dwellers today—right down the road in Wilcox County—where exploitation and degradation will continue until a national policy and political will brings sweeping changes. This holds true for rural areas throughout the south as well as in urban ghettos.
In her study of the African American freedom struggle in Wilcox County, Alabama, Cynthia Griggs Fleming uncovers the 'hidden' history of black activism in the rural South.. .. In the Shadow of Selma: The Continuing Struggle for Civil Rights in the Rural South, as the title suggests, is a community-based study that traces the ongoing efforts on the part of rural black Alabamians to achieve equality with their white neighbors.. .. The author skillfully recounts the continuity of black protests from the late nineteenth century to the present day with compelling personal histories. Fleming is also adept at demonstrating that violence played an important role in black protests (even during the so-called 'non-violent' period of civil rights activism). Perhaps the most successful aspect of In the Shadow of Selma is Fleming's discussion of the divisions within Wilcox County's black communities. Class, ethnic, generational, and political differences are especially prevalent in the final two chapters of the book where Fleming focuses on the 'post-movement' period. These chapters and the stories revealed in them are perhaps the most important in the book.
H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online - John White
Cynthia Griggs Fleming has performed a remarkable feat. She has made the black freedom struggle in Wilcox County Alabama as compelling to read about as that in the better known, neighboring town of Selma in Dallas County. For all those interested in untold stories of the civil rights movement, this is the place to start. Simply put, this book is one of the finest we have in bringing together local and national, social and political histories of the civil rights struggle not just from 1954–1965, but throughout the entire twentieth century.
The author skillfully uses the fruits of her oral history research to portray the people, the policies, and the progression of the struggle for political and educational equality. This is a valuable study for students, scholars, and general readers. Recommended.
The author skillfully uses the fruits of her oral history research to portray the people, the policies, and the progression of the struggle for political and educational equality. This is a valuable study for students, scholars, and general readers. Recommended.
In her study of the African American freedom struggle in Wilcox County, Alabama, Cynthia Griggs Fleming uncovers the 'hidden' history of black activism in the rural South. . . . In the Shadow of Selma: The Continuing Struggle for Civil Rights in the Rural South, as the title suggests, is a community-based study that traces the ongoing efforts on the part of rural black Alabamians to achieve equality with their white neighbors. . . . The author skillfully recounts the continuity of black protests from the late nineteenth century to the present day with compelling personal histories. Fleming is also adept at demonstrating that violence played an important role in black protests (even during the so-called 'non-violent' period of civil rights activism). Perhaps the most successful aspect of In the Shadow of Selma is Fleming's discussion of the divisions within Wilcox County's black communities. Class, ethnic, generational, and political differences are especially prevalent in the final two chapters of the book where Fleming focuses on the 'post-movement' period. These chapters and the stories revealed in them are perhaps the most important in the book.--John White, College of Charleston Library "H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online "
The author skillfully uses the fruits of her oral history research to portray the people, the policies, and the progression of the struggle for political and educational equality. This is a valuable study for students, scholars, and general readers. Recommended.
