We Who Believe in Freedom: The Life and Times of Ella Baker

by Lea E. Williams

The second volume in the True Tales for Young Readers series, this short biography of the civil rights leader is intended for middle school and high school readers. Ella Baker, who grew up in Littleton, North Carolina, is best remembered for the role she played in facilitating in April 1960 the organizational meeting of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at Shaw University, her alma mater. With passion and clear understanding, Lea E. Williams outlines the life that brought Baker to this crucial point in U.S. history.

104 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2017

Reviews

[Melanie]

As the author explains in the preface, the title of this book comes from a speech Ella Baker gave, in which she said, "Until the killing of black men, black mothers' sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother's son, we who believe in freedom cannot rest."

The quote is from 1964.

I had the great privilege of meeting the author, Lea E. Williams, when we shared a panel at Greensboro Bound Literary Festival in 2018. We talked that day about writing for young readers, growing up in the South, and the truth we find in fiction.

Williams is a gifted writer whose non-fiction books on Black leaders are clear, passionate, and inspiring. The final chapter of Ella Baker's story is called "Standing for something." Let's do that by making sure we white readers are reading diversely and inclusively. This non-fiction history of Ella Baker is a great addition to any library, school, or home.

[Jacqueline A Kane]

A Civil Rights Shero

I liked the way Dr. Williams provided a rich, detailed context for Ella Baker’s life’s work. It was clear that Ms. Baker was very much her own woman fighting not only racism but also sexism. The selection of the pictures included help bring the tightly told story to life. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a story about the civil rights movement and the people involved with a particular focus on Ella Baker.

[Catherine Sharp]

Amazing, learned a lot about her life.