Womanpower Unlimited and the Black Freedom Struggle in Mississippi (Politics and Culture in the Twentieth Century South): 20

In __Womanpower Unlimited and the Black Freedom Struggle in Mississippi__, Tiyi M. Morris provides the first comprehensive examination of the Jackson, Mississippi–based women’s organization Womanpower Unlimited. Founded in 1961 by Clarie Collins Harvey, the organization was created initially to provide aid to the Freedom Riders who were unjustly arrested and then tortured in Mississippi jails. Womanpower Unlimited expanded its activism to include programs such as voter registration drives, youth education, and participation in Women Strike for Peace. Womanpower Unlimited proved to be not only a significant organization with regard to civil rights activism in Mississippi but also a spearhead movement for revitalizing black women’s social and political activism in the state. __Womanpower Unlimited__ elucidates the role that the group played in sustaining the civil rights movement in Mississippi. Consistent with the recent scholarship that emphasizes the necessity of a bottom-up analysis for attaining a more comprehensive narrative of the civil rights movement, this work broadens our understanding of movement history in general by examining the roles of “local people” as well as the leadership women provided. Additionally, it contributes to a better understanding of how the movement developed in Mississippi by examining some of the lesser known women upon whom activists, both inside and outside of the state, relied. Black women, and Womanpower specifically, were central to movement successes in Mississippi; and Womanpower’s humanist agenda resulted in its having the most diverse agenda of a Mississippi-based civil rights organization. Provides The First Comprehensive Examination Of The Jackson, Mississippi-based Women's Organization Womanpower Unlimited. Founded In 1961 By Clarie Collins Harvey, The Organization Was Created Initially To Provide Aid To The Freedom Riders, Who Were Unjustly Arrested And Tortured In The Mississippi Jails, Womanpower Unlimited Expanded Its Activism To Include Programs Such As Voter Registration Drives, Youth Education, And Participation In Women Strike For Peace. Womanpower Unlimited Proved To Be Not Only A Significant Organization With Regard To Civil Rights Activism In Mississippi, But Also A Spearhead Movement For Revitalizing Black Women's Social And Political Activism In The State. This Study Contributes To Our Understanding Of How The Civil Rights Movement Was Sustained In Mississippi Through Grassroots Activism, And Also Foregrounds Women's Activism As An Integral Component Of This Leadership. In This Process, Morris Engages Contemporary Theoretical Questions About Leadership, Support Work, And Gendered Activism Within The Movement While Demonstrating A Broad Human Rights Agenda--provided By Publisher. Introduction: Women Are The Humanizers Of The Struggle : Black Women's Legacy Of Activism -- It Was Just Women Who Dared To Dream : The Emergence Of Womanpower Unlimited -- You Could Just See Things Being Accomplished : The Women Who Built The Movement -- 'cause I Love My People : Sustaining The People And The Movement -- We Who Believe In Freedom : Interracial Cooperation And Peace Activism -- Welcome, Ladies, To Magnolialand : Womanpower And Wednesdays Women -- When There Was A Need : Ministering To The People -- Conclusion: Women's Power Transformed : Joining Forces With The National Council Of Negro Women -- Epilogue: This Woman's Work : Activism In The Post-civil Rights Years. Tiyi M. Morris. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

In Womanpower Unlimited and the Black Freedom Struggle in Mississippi, Tiyi M. Morris provides the first comprehensive examination of the Jackson, Mississippi–based women's organization Womanpower Unlimited. Founded in 1961 by Clarie Collins Harvey, the organization was created initially to provide aid to the Freedom Riders who were unjustly arrested and then tortured in Mississippi jails. Womanpower Unlimited expanded its activism to include programs such as voter registration drives, youth education, and participation in Women Strike for Peace. Womanpower Unlimited proved to be not only a significant organization with regard to civil rights activism in Mississippi but also a spearhead movement for revitalizing black women's social and political activism in the state.

Womanpower Unlimited elucidates the role that the group played in sustaining the civil rights movement in Mississippi. Consistent with the recent scholarship that emphasizes the necessity of a bottom-up analysis for attaining a more comprehensive narrative of the civil rights movement, this work broadens our understanding of movement history in general by examining the roles of "local people" as well as the leadership women provided. Additionally, it contributes to a better understanding of how the movement developed in Mississippi by examining some of the lesserknown women upon whom activists, both inside and outside of the state, relied. Black women, and Womanpower specifically, were central to movement successes in Mississippi; and Womanpower's humanist agenda resulted in its having the most diverse agenda of a Mississippi-based civil rights organization.

"Provides the first comprehensive examination of the Jackson, Mississippi-based women's organization Womanpower Unlimited. Founded in 1961 by Clarie Collins Harvey, the organization was created initially to provide aid to the Freedom Riders, who were unjustly arrested and tortured in the Mississippi jails. Womanpower Unlimited expanded its activism to include programs such as voter registration drives, youth education, and participation in Women Strike for Peace. Womanpower Unlimited proved to be significant not only with regard to civil rights activism in Mississippi, but also as a spearhead movement for revitalizing Black women's social and political activism in the state. This study contributes to our understanding of how the civil rights movement was sustained in Mississippi through grassroots activism, and also foregrounds women's activism as an integral component of this leadership. In this process, Morris engages contemporary theoretical questions about leadership, support work, and gendered activism within the movement while demonstrating a broad human rights agenda"--Provided by publisher Cover Contents Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction. “Women Are the Humanizers of the Struggle”: Black Women’s Legacy of Activism One. “It Was Just Women Who Dared to Dream”: The Emergence of Womanpower Unlimited Two. “You Could Just See Things Being Accomplished”: The Women Who Built the Movement Three. “’Cause I Love My People”: Sustaining the People and the Movement Four. “We Who Believe in Freedom”: Interracial Cooperation and Peace Activism Five. “Welcome, Ladies, to Magnolialand”: Womanpower and Wednesdays Women Six. “When There Was a Need”: Ministering to the People Conclusion. Women’s Power Transformed: Joining Forces with the National Council of Negro Women Epilogue. “This Woman’s Work”: Activism in the Post– Civil Rights Years Notes Bibliography Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z