Lewis, John and D'Orso, Michael. Walking with the Wind, Simon & Schuster: New York, 1998.

Book reviewed by: Makala Portis


Walking with the wind by John Lewis was a really great book to read. John Lewis shares his own story about the civil rights movement. He shares stories about hardships that he had to endure. Lewis brought to my attention things that I was not aware of and mentions people who made a huge difference on society and great impacts toward the civil rights movement.

At a young age John Lewis always wanted to make a difference in the world he was living in, a very segregated world. He disliked how he had to use a different bathroom than the whites, how he couldn't sit down and enjoy the ice cream that he just bought, how he had to sit in the balcony of the movie theater and couldn't sit close and see the movie better. He didn't agree with how is parents were working hard in the fields and not getting what they truly deserved for working so hard, all week long for.

John Lewis loved school, he always wanted to go, and during farming season his parents wanted him to stay home and help them in the fields, and that was the case for many African American students. But John Lewis didn't stay home he would hide behind the front porch, waiting for the school bus to come, jump on that bus and go to school. Lewis also notice that the white kids had more privileges as the black students. While he would ride the old bus, he noticed that the white students had nice shiny buses. His school had that old books with writing all over them and names in the front.

While Lewis was in College in Nashville, he went to a meeting, and the speaker was talking about a non violent movement, originating from Gandhi, he knew he had to be a part of this. The students created a group called SNCC a student organization. This group did a series of projects that would help desegregate the south, starting in Nashville with the "sit-ins" this actually changed the desegregation in restaurants even with all the hate violence that came along with it, but this was only the beginning.

This was a very great book, I really enjoyed reading it, Walking With The Wind has really showed me that MANY people were involved in the civil rights movement blacks, whites, and different other races were involved and changed the way Southern blacks were treated. Martin Luther King JR. is usually the only person who history teachers really get into depth about, but he was not the only one who changed America. John Lewis mentioned quite a bit that it was not just a white or black problem, it was an government problem. So even with all the beatings that the blacks received by the whites, or justice not being served by the police with all of that, it wasn't their fault it was the Government not taking action, and the blacks fought very hard for that justice and achieved their goal.

Lewis, John and D'Orso, Michael. Walking with the Wind, Simon & Schuster: New York, 1998.

Book Reviewed by: Mary Kneefel

Walking with the Wind, A Memoir of the Movement, by John Lewis with Michael D’Orso gave a unique account of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. Lewis’s own stories and charismatic nature, made this autobiography worth reading. His story is presented from many angles that are often overlooked to someone unaware about the civil rights movement. The message in the conclusion can clearly been seen. He makes no wild claims or statements, and gives an accurate account. He shares a lot a personal information that transforms the book, and enables the reader to empathize with him.

Although the book did not truly seem to start until the second half, once he became immersed in the civil rights movement, it was necessary to see his life as a child, and how he lived with his parents in Alabama. No one can deny Lewis’ passion, however, he presented it in an almost neutral sense that does not deter the reader. Stories of lining chickens up and preaching to them, gives great insight as to his character at an early age. His earliest experiences, which motivated him to pursue activist work, built up into the climax, his march from Selma to Montgomery. Prior to this point, he covered Diane Nash’s desire to do the “march on Alabama”, and the 16^th street bombing. There however are random spots in the text where he first mentions his attractive friend Julian, and how he was his wife wanted him to spend time with Lewis so he could not cheat on her. Then it proceeds to talk about how soul music was being introduced. Two paragraphs later he began recalling some previous relationships, before he had gotten married. Immediately after it seemed he went right into talking about the mock elections, and their turnouts.

It is obvious as too how he needed to include his journey to Africa, but it seemed to take a lot of text until he mentioned why it was so important. He says it was to make a global issue, rather than just in the States. But it did not say how he changed the protest in anyway. Also it seemed a little strange, how he chose to incorporate Malcolm X into the book. The book never really discussed how he felt about him, or why he was so different. I know from previous knowledge, what a radical he was, but he seemed to support the their movement as well.

However, to Lewis’ credit, he explained the behind the scenes aspects of activism well. For example, it was very helpful that he also referred to each worker, and which group they associated with, i.e…SNCC, or SCLC. Prior to reading this book, I naively grouped all civil rights workers into one large category. It was interesting to learn about other big players in civil rights, other than Martin Luther King Jr., and how each group seemed to have slightly different goals.

I was moved in Lewis march from Selma. I could sense his feeling of abandonment when the SNCC would not march alongside him. He used words well to produce vivid images, describing the smugness of the police, Sheriff Clark in particular, and the injuries the protestors endured. Even little details about how tear gas was, and how he burned their eyes, and they had to vomit for hours. I admire his strength in not giving up on his goals, even after enduring such a hard hit. I believe he expressed his emotions appropriately, in his tone throughout these chapters as well. I seemed to have felt some joy as he mentions that ABC network made a special bulletin showing the images, and videos of the march. The shock the audience experienced helped their organization in a powerful way. I could not help but to feel happy for him, even though this happened almost 50 years ago.

In addition for how the different black people viewed different things, he incorporated whites as well. He discussed the self-esteem issue many African-Americans felt, when white volunteers would throw themselves into the work. Also he mentioned the resentment of people from both races, when couples would marry interracially. It was even surprising to me to learn how the Klansmen attacked and killed white people who were present at some of the rallies. He countered the helpful white individuals to the racist KKK members, and would account for statistics on their actions. This greatly helped shaped the idea that the movement was a complex ordeal that requires both races to coexist and support one another.

In the closing chapter he goes over the flaws of the movement. He reiterates the problem of society is not the people of that society, but its system. He never once insults white people, even after cruel beatings. He is clear, that it would be a racist movement without whites’ involvement. He eludes that this is still an ongoing problem and that it can only be fixed if everyone chooses to recognize that society must unite. To be one means to reach everyone’s potential in all areas of live, and support each other.

It seems a little strange that a civil rights activist did not choose to write a book about the cruelty he endured, but wanted to expose the flaws in his own system. To show the hardships people had to work though, and that it was not simply completed after the Voting Law was passed in 1965. He gives advice how to even improve our society at this point. The mere fact that he is so loving and lacks resentment is the true testament for what he spent his life working for, and continues to work. The book is quite long, but delivers an important message, and is worth the time to read.

Inceidents In The Life of a Slave Girl by Harriett Jacobs

Book Review by Stephanie Lamp

Harriet Jacobs is a young slave girl explaining her story as a slave. She didn’t set out writing this book for money like most writers. She wrote it to help better our understanding on slave life during that time period. Two women who helped her hide out towards the end of her escape from her plantation convinced her to write this book. She was anxious at first but finally ended up writing this story for us to read.

In this wonderful story, the Author, Harriet Jacobs is explaining her life as a slave girl. She definitely didn’t live an easy life; it was full of hardship, death, and pain. Her story also portrays the great relationship she had with God. Through all the hardship she went through she never turned her back on God. Jacobs is trying to explain to us how she had a horrible life but doesn’t want us to pity her at all. Throughout the whole story she says numerous times how she’s not writing this book for pity she just wants to explain her story so others will know about it. It saddens me that she even has to defend herself about the things she went through just because she is so used to people assuming she is lying so others will feel sorry for her.

She organizes her book very well, for a woman who had no formal education. She starts off her story explaining how she didn’t even know she was a slave until she was six years old, just because of the simple fact that her mother shielded her from it. For the most part she had a good slave life, or as good as a slave’s life could be. Her master kept her inside doing the household duties like; cooking, cleaning, and sewing. She was grateful for not having to work out in the fields, but her master was a horrible man. From there she goes to explain the great adventures she lives through on her journey to freedom.

I chose to read this book not really sure what I was getting myself into. While I was reading it I really enjoyed the story she was telling. I loved getting the opportunity to hear about her life and see how she explained the trials she experienced. I would absolutely recommend this book for anyone interested in this time period to read.

Jacobs does an amazing job of keeping the readers interest though out the book. The way she gives every detail almost makes you feel as if you were experiencing these things right along with her. She lived a very difficult life but also had various pleasant times along with the difficulties. Her children were away from her for the majority of their lives but she still kept in contact with them, and never gave up hope that they would all be together again. Their grandmother also kept their love for her strong, so when they finally saw her again they were not bitter, but instantly loved her. I think by her writing this story, it expands the people’s minds reading it. I know I didn’t know half the things she explained. She tells the absolute truth rather than sugar coating things here and there; she wants the reader to know everything! God guided her through everything she had to go through; sometimes it’s hard to understand why he lets all these things happen to good people but eventually one day we will find out. I think the reason she went through her life as a slave may have been so that she could tell her story to others so we can have a better understanding of how these people lived.

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