I'm reading - as one of those pick-up-put-down books - Gail Collins "When Everything Changed." A history of women since 1960, altho she goes back a little further than '60 to give background. I've just read chapter six which is about the women in the civil rights movement. She does a lovely job of telling the real story of how the women were often more activist then the men whose names we know. I was aware that besides Rosa Parks' obvious refusal to give up her seat in Montgomery that there was a whole cadre of women who mobilized the boycott by immediately running off 35,000 flyers (imagine how blue their hands were from mimeo graph ink!...........remember those days?) and distributing them to schools for the students to take to their parents the next day............wasn't that a smart organizing technique? What could have been a faster way to get out the word. Collins gives us a strong picture of the patriarchal actions of the men, particularly the male ministers. Rosa Parks was not allowed to speak at the mtg encouraging the boycotters......she was told she "had said enough." Only one woman was one the committee to organize the March on WAshington and only Josephine Baker was given a few minutes to speak. The men said "well, Marian Anderson is singing!"
What i didn't know was how many women in the southern states risked their lives and properties to house young people who came to register people to vote, housed people who had lost their lands, registered to vote themselves, had their homes attacked, etc. It's an inspiring chapter. I know there is a book titled Freedom's Dgts, but i can't remember the author..........i'll look for it...................jean
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