African American Oral Histories from the Jim Crow South
Starred review from May 1, 2023
Beginning with the African proverb “when an elder dies, a library burns,” debut author Avery interviews 10 Black elders from various locations in the American South to develop this powerful collection of firsthand historical accounts of growing up during the Jim Crow era. Empathetic prose renders Clotie Graves’s recollections of lynchings as well as voter oppression and lack of access to education, and Phyllis Taylor’s experiences with segregation and discrimination. Participants’ opinions on the rise in activism in the Black community and their perceptions of whether Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream can be realized feature prominently at the end of each interview. The responses are largely mixed: while some, like Eleanor Boswell-Raine, feel that “anything is possible,” others, such as Rev. John Kennard, believe “regrettably, sadly, no,” citing prejudiced government officials as major roadblocks to true equality. Avery highlights essential perspectives on significant cultural moments and movements by centering the voices of those who lived them. With the intention of preserving varied Black experiences and the wisdom and knowledge they offer, the creator crafts a vital, nuanced depiction of a fraught period in American history via myriad perspectives. Historical b&w photographs feature throughout; extensive back matter concludes. Ages 12–up.
May 15, 2023
Grades 10-12 These transcribed interviews with 10 African Americans who grew up in the Deep South under Jim Crow offer chilling testimony about ingrained social prejudice and institutionalized racism. None of these individuals knew each other, but author Avery's unobtrusive questioning brings out shared experiences. Several subjects either grew up on farms or had grandparents who farmed, many under rigged sharecropping arrangements meant to ensure unending poverty. Almost all attended completely segregated schools, and while they universally resented their used textbooks and beat-up furniture, several speak of the excellent educations they received from caring Black teachers. They offhandedly acknowledge social distinctions that set them apart, and a few cite family members harmed by racially motivated violence, including lynching. Some share their involvement in the civil rights movement; all except one believe that MLK's dream is still possible. While the tone and format may lend itself more naturally to adult collections, this primary-source compilation will resonate with students and bring alive the realities of life under Jim Crow, which are all the more disturbing due to their casual prevalence.
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Starred review from April 15, 2023
Jim Crow comes alive in oral histories. "So when you were a kid, Black people couldn't vote at all?" Avery asks Clotie Graves, daughter of a Mississippi farmer. "Oh no, no. My goodness!" is the answer, prefacing a description of voting restrictions that leads to the ferocious reminder that "people died for us to have just the right to vote." Now in her 70s and the operator of an African American history tour company, Graves is profiled alongside nine others, including a dentist, a bank examiner, a music teacher, and a cartoonist. Their upbringings were equally varied: one the son of a North Carolina sharecropper, another the daughter of a San Francisco pastor. They testify to both the diversity of African American experiences and cruel universalities as well as the nurturing of children and teens within caring Black communities. The Rev. John Kennard, the first Black tax assessor in his Alabama county, reminisces, "Growing up going to totally Black schools was the best thing that ever happened to me, and then to go to basically a totally white institution was the next best thing. Because I found out I could excel in either." Avery asks each of her subjects whether they believe that Dr. King's dream can be realized in America. The answers differ; what doesn't is the wisdom and experience that inform them. An extensive appendix to this invaluable work serves as a microencyclopedia of the era. These elders' voices are a collective treasure. (Nonfiction. 12-adult)
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