Customer Reviews

Mississippi Liberal: A Biography of Frank E. Smith.

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This was an excellent job of showing how through all of the racial differences and confrontations there wwa still a person, in MS, with power trying to change things for the better of man kind. A great book for anyone to read. Dr. Mitchell did an wonderful job of showing this man without beings biased due to there friendship. Great work!!

Frank Smith from the Mississippi Delta has to be one of the more unusual Mississippi politicians. His liberal philosiphy as a Congressman in the 50's put him slightly to the left of mainstream America, but on another planet from his fellow Mississippians at the time. Such a person makes an excellent subject of a biography. Smith was definitely a major player during memorable times in Mississippi.

I didn't finish the book. At about the half way point I became overwhelmed with the author's unstinting effort to compile in excruciating chronological order everything and everybody who entered into Smith's carrer. The book is excellent as a kind of "book of record" of what was happenning in Mississippi at the time, both the good things and the many bad things. However, it isn't a very enjoyable read.

Frank Smith was truly a man with ideas before his time! He fought and sacrificed to ensure everyone had the same rights that are guaranteed all under our Constitution. This was unheard of in the segregated South in the '50 and '60s. "Mississippi Liberal" is an excellent history of the Mississippi Delta and the environment that shaped the ideas and life of the Congressman from Mississippi--Frank E. Smith. A man who worked hard to make a difference for all races... and he did! A very comprehensive work by Dr. Dennis J. Mitchell--A superb job!