Customer Reviews

For Freedom's Sake: THE LIFE OF FANNIE LOU HAMER (Women in American History)

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I have read and heard so much about men in the Civil Rights Movement, and I have read so little about women. This book for me filled a gap.It told an exciting story with great eloquence. It portrayed the life of a heroine of the Civil Rights Movement, and described the times. And it was at the same time rich and intellectually sophisticated. I cannot recommend this book enough to all readers, and I hope these comments motivate others to get this wonderful book and read it.

Chana Kai Lee makes a crucial contribution to our understanding of the civil rights movement with this stirring and important biography of Fanny Lou Hamer. Mrs. Hamer, an icon in the movement and a force unto herself, was one of the strongest and most influential voices in the African American struggle for freedom. Thanks to Professor Lee, that voice echoes for the ages in the pages of For Freedom's Sake. This is a book that all Americans should read and that students and general readers alike will enjoy. Like its subject, this well-crafted book will be a beacon for freedom for many years to come.

Fannie Lou Hamer was a remarkable person who may not have received the publicity and accolades of other Civil Rights personalities, but she certainly accomplished as much as anyone in the movement. Lee does a very solid job of taking the reader through Hamer's life. The only criticism I have is that Lee on occasion editorializes about contradictory things that Hamer said, as well as speculates as to what motivated Hamer in certain instances. It would have been more effective to simply let the reader think about such things and make up their own mind. This is a minor quibble, however, because Lee has contributed to the small body of work on Hamer in a substantive manner. I had a hard time putting this book down even though I already knew all the details of Hamer's life from reading other books. Lee synthesizes her information nicely which makes this book a coherent read. The reader gets a vivid picture of the ups and downs Mrs. Hamer encountered in her brilliant life. Fannie Lou Hamer's life was a testament to the human spirit and will to fight for justice. The Civil Rights Movement cannot be fully understood without knowing about the contributions of Hamer. You need to read this book.

Fannie Lou Hamer is fascinating. The writing style of the author can be a bit thick at times, and it's not a whole lot of fun to read (unless you're studying the stuff).

I knew this would happen--this book uses Mrs. Hamer to suit the author's feminist agenda--and the author is clever---she damns with feint praise
She will say Mrs Hamer was not a feminist BUT... Mrs Hamer was against abortion because she was devout BUT... we call this rhetorical technique "limiting sentences e.g. "even though.....nevertheless" a common mode of lying.
I will tell you my agenda I believe that almost all feminists are war mongers liars and racist hypocrites who piggy backed off the civil rights movement.
Toast me or roast me I don't much care--and if you want to murder your children( a phrase Mrs Hamer used) well I can't stop you But do not try and turn Mrs Hamer into one of you.
Her speeches have been published (with the same perverse commentary) but if you want to know what this heroic woman was like read those.

Mrs. Hamer was mocked by movement people because of her piety--it is a scandal that that still continues--even under the guise of haigography