Mississippi to Madrid: Memoir of a Black American in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (Paperback)

by James Yates (Author) "One winter day in February of 1937, I found myself on a New York dock boarding a boat-my destination, Spain..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, United States, Oliver Law (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
"If you were Black in Mississippi, lightning would surely strike home sooner or later," writes Yates of his youth early in this century. For him, it struck as a mass lynching, impelling him to leave for Chicago and, later, New York. Far from home, Yates determined to "stand and fight, not flee"; with 100 other black Americans, he battled fascism in Spain in 1937. Though well worth telling, his story fails to reckon with the complexities of history or aspects of personal chronology (the fate of Yates's wife and children in Chicago goes unmentioned). But if uncertain in details, the author persuasively suggests the "overwhelming sense of kinship" shared by the anti-fascists. And while his affection for war may seem paradoxical in one who mourned the wounds of violence early, more disturbing is the fact that only in battle could Yates escape the racism of his own country. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The first half of Yates's memoir is a forceful indictment of the racism and poverty suffered by black Americans between the world wars. It is easy to understand how Yates was drawn to socialist causes and enlisted in the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War. The weakest part of the book is Yates's description of his service in Spain: primarily a running account of his contact with other Republican soldiers. A broader eyewitness history is John Tisa's Recalling the Good Fight ( LJ 10/1/85). Yates's book is recommended for black history collections. Robert Jordan, Univ. of Iowa Lib., Iowa City
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 183 pages
• Publisher: Open Hand Pub. (November 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940880202
• ISBN-13: 978-0940880207
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #897,976 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Book, January 30, 2000

By	C. Braun (Munich, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mississippi to Madrid: Memoir of a Black American in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (Hardcover)

This book is one of the greatest books I bought at the time when I was in the US. Pete Seeger wrote about the book: This is a great story, a great read, and has a great lesson to teach young Americans , black and white, of how you can be strongly rooted in your home community and at the same time see a sense of kindship with working people around this whole world. The battle to save the elected Loyalist government of Spain 50 years ago was the first battle in World War II. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade and others may have lost a battle but they didn't lose the war, nor have lost it yet. Carry on! I want to send all my respect to the members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, your international solidarity which you showed in the battle against the fascist Franco regime will never be forgotten, we will never forget you bright stars in the darkness.

5.0 out of 5 stars More Scolarship Needed on the Role of African Americans in the Lincoln Brigade, February 11, 2009

By	Ron Turner (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an important book since the role African Americans and women play in world events is often ignored or minimized. Mr. Yates's first person account of Black men and women's contribution to Spain's Civil War is heartfelt and provides a small snapshot of events that transpired in 1937. Ultimately, the book raises more issues than it resolves: more needs to be known about Langston Hughes and Richard Wright in Spain during this period and a critical study of social activist Louise Thompson is long overdue. Yet Mississippi to Madrid, told in a simple, straight forward style, is a poignant memoir chronicling an important historic event and makes a compelling case for more scholarship on African Americans who served in the Lincoln Brigade.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How the struggle for civil rights in the US and against fascim in Spain were related..., August 27, 2006

By	R. Weijdeveld (Zwolle, Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

An excellent book, which pays attention to an episode in history, that should not be forgotten. In simple words James Yates makes clear the relationship between his struggle for civil rights in the US and his later contribution to the International Brigades in Spain. Also his courage to go on with his activities after the Worldwar, as his pictures show, is impressive...