A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History by Jeanne TheoharisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
History teacher? Librarian? Human who cares about facts? Read this book.
In this well-documented book, Theoharis debunks the fable of the Civil Rights movement as a completed act led by a few, heroic men (oh and one or two women) that has left us complacent in post-racial society where everyone succeeds on merit. As she notes in the afterword: "'Be more like King,' commentators tell protestors today. Be careful what you wish for, this history reminds: disruption; civil disobedience; an analysis that interweaves race, poverty, and US war making; steadfast moral witness; and a willingness to call out liberals for their inaction is what it actually means to 'be like King,' and many follow in his footsteps." In each chapter, Theoharis uses primary and secondary sources - outlined in extensive notes at the end of the book - to document the Civil Rights Movement through multiple lenses, addressing the Jim Crow North, the roles of women and youth, the massive decades-long organizational effort underpinning acts presented today as one-offs, the impact of institutional racism, and the interconnectedness of the Black struggle for civil rights with the efforts of other marginalized populations, women, and people around the globe. It's a sobering look at our history, but one that left me hopeful rather than discouraged.
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