Nellie Stone Johnson : The Life of an Activist [Hardcover]

Nellie Stone Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

"Next time you feel a whiny mood coming on-politics is corrupt, the schools suck, everything's going to hell in a handbasket and I don't feel so hot, either-skip the Prozac and go instead for a dose of Nellie Stone Johnson. Ninety-five years old and getting sharper every day, Nellie doesn't so much restore your faith in humanity as she demands it. . . . This African-American/Ojibway/German/French hotel worker/seamstress/labor-movement matriarch, this farm kid from Pine County who taught Hubert H. Humphrey about civil rights, this hell-raiser since the Roosevelt administration can tell you a couple of things about what makes a difference. You may not get a chance to see her live . . . so grab a copy of her autobiography. . . . And then quit whining and do something."-City Pages

"Johnson's charm and wit in recounting little-known aspects of American civil rights activism will hold readers' attention from the first page through the last."-Washington Post Book World

"A fascinating look into the life of a powerful, energetic woman."-Booklist

"Brauer skillfully conveys the story of an inspiring and noble woman . . . who has made every minute of her life count."-Publishers Weekly

Nellie Stone Johnson currently lives in Minneapolis. She maintained her own business as a seamstress until her early 90s, and continues to be active in politics as a life member of the NAACP and the National Council for Negro Women. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Urban League's Cecil E. Newman Humanitarian Award, and holds an honorary degree from St. Cloud State University.

David Brauer is a freelance writer and the Minnesota correspondent for Newsweek and the Chicago Tribune. An award-winning journalist, he is a contributing editor for Mpls.St.Paul magazine.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Nellie Stone Johnson is a major force in Minnesota and national politics. In this lucid oral history from Brauer, the Minnesota correspondent for Newsweek and the Chicago Tribune, she modestly reflects on her campaign during most of the 20th-century to improve educational and job opportunities and health care. Johnson recounts her prosperous farm beginnings with a father who organized other farmers in the face of corporate greed, racism and regionalism. One of eight children, she explains the credo of her clan, which refused to be rigidly defined simply by being African-American, as evidenced by her father's involvement in progressive and New Deal politics (largely defined by white, Southern Democrats) at a time when most African-Americans still voted for the party of Lincoln. Influenced by her father's activism, Johnson later became a union organizer, enduring two failed marriages that fell victim to her single-minded devotion to her work. She commends FDR's administration for the commitment to end federal discrimination, but openly admits that racism played a major role in her own decision not to run for Congress. After her union pals ousted her from office because of her left-wing leanings, she became a seamstress while retaining an abiding interest in politics. Age did little to slow her down as she swapped ideas with Thurgood Marshall, served a long stint with the Democratic National Committee from 1979 to 1988, toured Africa and battled with white feminists over the inclusion of women of color in the ERA fight. Brauer skillfully conveys the story of an inspiring and noble woman, still active in her 90s, who has made every minute of her life count.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

A social activist, labor organizer, "third-generation feminist," Johnson has devoted her entire life to political change. Now 95 years old, she is still busy, dictating her life story. Raised by farming parents who valued education, hard work, and equal rights, she was an activist from the day she learned to speak. She brought on change by organizing labor unions in the days when being affiliated with unions was dangerous. After unions were accepted in work environments, she was free to pursue more public activities, such as politics. Although she did not graduate from college, she is a lifelong learner and holds an honorary degree from St. Cloud (Minnesota) State University. Because the book is presented as an oral history, and Johnson has a tendency to ramble, it could use a bit of editing for organization, but on the whole, it is a fascinating look into the life of a powerful, energetic woman. Ellie Barta-Moran

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 180 pages
• Publisher: Ruminator Books (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886913358
• ISBN-13: 978-1886913356
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,991,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.