Excellent choice for our Takoma Park Mobilization Book Group! A deep look into the unbreakable love between Medgar Evers and his wife Myrlie that fueled and supported their struggle for civil rights for African Americans in Mississippi in the 1950s-‘60s. Medgar’s murder inspires an escalation in the movement, pushing other leaders to take stronger stands, including organizing the March on Washington of August 1963 and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A powerful book, deeply researched, about a critical time in US history that is useful for today’s continuing fight against white supremacy.
Just finished discussing the book with my co-leader Carol F. I think we were moved by some of the same themes of the book and came up with questions:
1)How did the role of women in the CR Movement change and what were some of the effects that direct action had on Myrlie and on families?
2) What effects did Medgar Evers death (and those of Emmett Till, MLK, Malcolm X, JFK, RFK) have on other actions and changes in society?
3) The conflict between violence and non-violence in the CR movement…within Medgar? In your experience?
4) How were these conflicts and others manifested within the CR organizations (NAACP, CORE, SNCC, SCLC, etc), especially in Mississippi?
Great interview of Myrlie by Joy-Ann Reid on the 60th anniversary of Medgar’s death in June, (12), 2023. As far as I know, she just passed her 91st birthday on 3/17/24. She was born 3/17/1933.
4) How were these conflicts and others manifested within the CR organizations (NAACP, CORE, SNCC, SCLC, etc), especially in Mississippi?
Power of Love 