The Speeches of Fannie Lou Hamer: To Tell It Like It Is

Margaret Walker Alexander Series in African American Studies

by Fannie Lou Hamer, Davis W. Houck (Editor), Maegan Parker Brooks (Editor)

Most people who have heard of Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) are aware of the impassioned testimony that this Mississippi sharecropper and civil rights activist delivered at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Far fewer people are familiar with the speeches Hamer delivered at the 1968 and 1972 conventions, to say nothing of addresses she gave closer to home, or with Malcolm X in Harlem, or even at the founding of the National Women's Political Caucus. Until now, dozens of Hamer's speeches have been buried in archival collections and in the basements of movement veterans. After years of combing library archives, government documents, and private collections across the country, Maegan Parker Brooks and Davis W. Houck have selected twenty-one of Hamer's most important speeches and testimonies. As the first volume to exclusively showcase Hamer's talents as an orator, this book includes speeches from the better part of her fifteen-year activist career delivered in response to occasions as distinct as a Vietnam War Moratorium Rally in Berkeley, California, and a summons to testify in a Mississippi courtroom. Brooks and Houck have coupled these heretofore unpublished speeches and testimonies with brief critical descriptions that place Hamer's words in context. The editors also include the last full-length oral history interview Hamer granted, a recent oral history interview Brooks conducted with Hamer's daughter, as well as a bibliography of additional primary and secondary sources. The Speeches of Fannie Lou Hamer demonstrates that there is still much to learn about and from this valiant black freedom movement activist.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, African American, Justice, Race

288 pages, Hardcover

First published December 3, 2010

About the author

Fannie Lou Hamer (/ˈheɪmər/; born Fannie Lou Townsend; October 6, 1917 – March 14, 1977) was an American voting rights activist and civil rights leader.

She was instrumental in organizing Mississippi Freedom Summer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and later became the Vice-Chair of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, attending the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in that capacity.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Avatara Smith carrington · Rating 2 out of 5]

Speeches were slightly repetitive at some points but incredibly understandable given the fact that her story was pertinent to her drive for creating change... definitely worth the read considering how often black women's narratives during this period of time have been silenced.

[Vilas Annavarapu · Rating 3 out of 5]

happy birthday to Fannie Lou Hamer. her oratory is quite impressive. it's very personal and rooted in storytelling, and several of her stories repeat. still, they are shocking in their violence and mobilizing in their clarity. Hamer really understands how to connect with an audience and doesn't need any embellishments to do this-- she's brutally honest and lets honesty do the persuasive work. she's clearly influenced by the Black church tradition, and believes, to some capacity, the ideals of America. she's also a realist. she knows America is governed by the handful, not the people, and economic power is crucial to political power. i found her theory of liberation compelling. true spiritual, psychological, and material freedom is not possible for one if it is denied for the many. to hear a message of love, care, and collective transformation from a woman violently beaten by systems of racism and exploitation is in many ways unimaginable. it's what makes Fannie Lou Hamer a visionary.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew very little about Fannie Lou Hamer, and this book of her speeches is a great introduction in her own words. It's a bit repetitive since she uses the same stories in a lot of her speeches. On the other hand, it's interesting to see how she refines her stories as she gains experience and the repetition helped me remember them. Her courage in standing up for her right to vote and helping others to do the same is inspiring, and she suffered a lot for her convictions.

[Megan Cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars for the editing choices made here, 5 stars for miss hamer

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been aware of who Fannie Lou Hamer was. I’ve heard bits and pieces of interviews and speeches she’s given, as well as certain parts of her life. The Speeches of Fannie Lou Hamer was a gift I received this past Christmas and it was the first book I read this year.

This book made me a Fannie Lou Hamer super fan! Reading about her life and the things she endured and the things that were important to her in her own words was so inspiring. The editors also did a nice job at provided context before each speech.

My only critique is that I wanted more. However, the book specifically focused on speeches and not necessarily interviews so.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully edited and organized collection that captures the depth and range of Hamer's work both before and beyond the 1964 DNC speech. Anyone studying or teaching civil rights history or rhetoric should absolutely get this book.