Hattiesburg : an American city in black and white

Introduction: People of spirit -- Visionaries -- The bottom rail -- The noble spirit -- A little colony of Mississippians -- Broken promises -- Those who stayed -- Reliance -- Community children -- Salvation -- A rising -- Crying in the wilderness -- When the movement came -- Conclusion: Changes.;In this rich multigenerational saga of race and family in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, William Sturkey reveals the personal stories behind the men and women who struggled to uphold their southern "way of life" against the threat of desegregation, and those who fought to tear it down in the name of justice and racial equality.-- Winner of the 2020 Zcalo Public Square Book Prize A rich, multigenerational saga of race and family in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, that tells the story of how Jim Crow was built, how it changed, and how the most powerful social movement in American history came together to tear it down. If you really want to understand Jim Crow--what it was and how African Americans rose up to defeat it--you should start by visiting Mobile Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the heart of the historic black downtown. There you can see remnants of the shops and churches where, amid the violence and humiliation of segregation, men and women gathered to build a remarkable community. William Sturkey introduces us to both old-timers and newcomers who arrived in search of economic opportunities promised by the railroads, sawmills, and factories of the New South. He also takes us across town and inside the homes of white Hattiesburgers to show how their lives were shaped by the changing fortunes of the Jim Crow South. Sturkey reveals the stories behind those who struggled to uphold their southern "way of life" and those who fought to tear it down--from William Faulkner's great-grandfather, a Confederate veteran who was the inspiration for the enigmatic character John Sartoris, to black leader Vernon Dahmer, whose killers were the first white men ever convicted of murdering a civil rights activist in Mississippi. Through it all, Hattiesburg traces the story of the Smith family across multiple generations, from Turner and Mamie Smith, who fled a life of sharecropping to find opportunity in town, to Hammond and Charles Smith, in whose family pharmacy Medgar Evers and his colleagues planned their strategy to give blacks the vote. "A rich, multigenerational saga of race and family in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, that tells the story of how Jim Crow was built, how it changed, and how the most powerful social movement in American history came together to tear it down. If you really want to understand Jim Crow--what it was and how African Americans rose up to defeat it--you should start by visiting Mobile Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the heart of the historic black downtown. There you can see remnants of the shops and churches where, amid the violence and humiliation of segregation, men and women gathered to build a remarkable community. William Sturkey introduces us to both old-timers and newcomers who arrived in search of economic opportunities promised by the railroads, sawmills, and factories of the New South. He also takes us across town and inside the homes of white Hattiesburgers to show how their lives were shaped by the changing fortunes of the Jim Crow South. Sturkey reveals the stories behind those who struggled to uphold their southern "way of life" and those who fought to tear it down--from William Faulkner's great-grandfather, a Confederate veteran who was the inspiration for the enigmatic character John Sartoris, to black leader Vernon Dahmer, whose killers were the first white men ever convicted of murdering a civil rights activist in Mississippi. Through it all, Hattiesburg traces the story of the Smith family across multiple generations, from Turner and Mamie Smith, who fled a life of sharecropping to find opportunity in town, to Hammond and Charles Smith, in whose family pharmacy Medgar Evers and his colleagues planned their strategy to give blacks the vote."--Publisher's description Winner of the Zócalo Public Square Book Prize Benjamin L. Hooks Award Finalist "An insightful, powerful, and moving book." —Kevin Boyle, author of Arc of Justice "Sturkey's clear-eyed and meticulous book pulls off a delicate balancing act. While depicting the terrors of Jim Crow, he also shows how Hattiesburg's black residents, forced to forge their own communal institutions, laid the organizational groundwork for the civil rights movement." — New York Times If you really want to understand Jim Crow—what it was and how African Americans rose up to defeat it—you should start by visiting Mobile Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the heart of the historic black downtown. There you can still see remnants of the shops and churches where, amid the violence and humiliation of segregation, men and women gathered to build a remarkable community. Hattiesburg takes us into the heart of this divided town and deep into the lives of families on both sides of the racial divide to show how the fabric of their existence was shaped by the changing fortunes of the Jim Crow South. "Sturkey's magnificent portrait reminds us that Mississippi is no anachronism. It is the dark heart of American modernity." —Robin D. G. Kelley, author of Thelonious Monk "When they are at their best, historians craft powerful, compelling, often genre-changing pieces of history...William Sturkey is one of those historians...A brilliant, poignant work." —Charles W. McKinney, Jr., Journal of African American History Winner of the 2020 Zócalo Public Square BookPrize "Clear-eyed and meticulous...While depicting theterrors of Jim Crow, [Sturkey] also shows how Hattiesburg's blackresidents, forced to forge their own communal institutions, laidthe organizational groundwork for the civil rights movement of the'50s and '60s." -New York Times "Sturkey's magnificentportrait reminds us that Mississippi is no anachronism. It is thedark heart of American modernity." -Robin D. G. Kelley, author ofThelonious Monk If you really want to understand JimCrow-what it was and how African Americans rose up to defeat it-youshould start by visiting Mobile Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi,the heart of the historic black downtown. There you can seeremnants of the shops and churches where, amid the violence andhumiliation of segregation, men and women gathered to build aremarkable community. William Sturkey introduces us to bothold-timers and newcomers who arrived in search of economicopportunities promised by the railroads, sawmills, and factories ofthe New South. And he takes us across town into the homes of whiteHattiesburgers to show how their lives were shaped by the changingfortunes of the Jim Crow South Winner of the 2020 Zócalo Public Square Book Prize “Clear-eyed and meticulous...While depicting the terrors of Jim Crow, [Sturkey] also shows how Hattiesburg’s black residents, forced to forge their own communal institutions, laid the organizational groundwork for the civil rights movement of the ’50s and ’60s.” —New York Times “Sturkey’s magnificent portrait reminds us that Mississippi is no anachronism. It is the dark heart of American modernity.” —Robin D. G. Kelley, author of Thelonious Monk If you really want to understand Jim Crow—what it was and how African Americans rose up to defeat it—you should start by visiting Mobile Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the heart of the historic black downtown. There you can see remnants of the shops and churches where, amid the violence and humiliation of segregation, men and women gathered to build a remarkable community. William Sturkey introduces us to both old-timers and newcomers who arrived in search of economic opportunities promised by the railroads, sawmills, and factories of the New South. And he takes us across town into the homes of white Hattiesburgers to show how their lives were shaped by the changing fortunes of the Jim Crow South. In This Rich Multigenerational Saga Of Race And Family In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, William Sturkey Reveals The Personal Stories Behind The Men And Women Who Struggled To Uphold Their Southern Way Of Life Against The Threat Of Desegregation, And Those Who Fought To Tear It Down In The Name Of Justice And Racial Equality.-- Introduction: People Of Spirit -- Visionaries -- The Bottom Rail -- The Noble Spirit -- A Little Colony Of Mississippians -- Broken Promises -- Those Who Stayed -- Reliance -- Community Children -- Salvation -- A Rising -- Crying In The Wilderness -- When The Movement Came -- Conclusion: Changes. William Sturkey. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents Introduction: People of Spirit CHAPTER ONE. Visionaries CHAPTER TWO. The Bottom Rail CHAPTER THREE. The Noble Spirit CHAPTER FOUR. A Little Colony of Mississippians CHAPTER FIVE. Broken Promises CHAPTER SIX. Those Who Stayed CHAPTER SEVEN. Reliance CHAPTER EIGHT. Community Children CHAPTER NINE. Salvation CHAPTER TEN. A Rising CHAPTER ELEVEN. Crying in the Wilderness CHAPTER TWELVE. When the Movement Came Conclusion: Changes Archival Abbreviations Notes Acknowledgments Index In this rich multigenerational saga of race and family in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, William Sturkey reveals the personal stories behind the men and women who struggled to uphold their southern "way of life" against the threat of desegregation, and those who fought to tear it down in the name of justice and racial equality.-- Provided by publisher