Mothers of Massive Resistance: The True Story of the White Women Who Led the Fight to Preserve Segregation

Mothers of Massive Resistance: White Women and the Politics of White Supremacy

by Elizabeth Gillespie McRae

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4851 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	368 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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In the annals of the Civil Rights Movement, the story of the white women who led the fight to preserve segregation has largely been ignored. But in her new book, "Mothers of Massive Resistance," historian Susan Rosenfeld tells the untold story of these women and their role in the movement.

Rosenfeld's book is based on extensive research, including interviews with many of the women who were involved in the Massive Resistance movement. She paints a vivid picture of these women, their motivations, and their tactics.

The women who led the Massive Resistance movement were not all the same. They came from different backgrounds and had different reasons for opposing integration. But they were all united by a shared belief in white supremacy.

Some of the women who were involved in the Massive Resistance movement were mothers who were afraid that their children would be forced to go to school with black children. Others were women who were active in the Daughters of the Confederacy and other white supremacist organizations.

The Massive Resistance movement used a variety of tactics to fight integration, including boycotts, sit-ins, and violence. In some cases, the women who were involved in the movement were arrested and jailed.

The Massive Resistance movement was ultimately defeated, but it had a lasting impact on the Civil Rights Movement. The women who were involved in the movement helped to create a climate of fear and intimidation that made it difficult for black people to fight for their rights.

Rosenfeld's book is a valuable contribution to the history of the Civil Rights Movement. It provides a new perspective on the movement and helps us to understand the role that white women played in preserving segregation.

The Role of Women in the Massive Resistance Movement

The women who were involved in the Massive Resistance movement played a variety of roles. Some women were leaders of the movement, while others were foot soldiers who participated in boycotts, sit-ins, and other forms of protest.

One of the most prominent leaders of the Massive Resistance movement was Lelia Helms, the wife of North Carolina Governor Luther Hodges. Helms was a staunch segregationist who used her position as the governor's wife to promote the Massive Resistance movement.

Another prominent leader of the Massive Resistance movement was Vivian Malone Jones, a black woman who was one of the first two black students to attend the University of Alabama. Jones was subjected to harassment and violence from white students and faculty, but she refused to be intimidated. She eventually graduated from the university and went on to become a successful lawyer.

The women who were involved in the Massive Resistance movement were not all as well-known as Helms and Jones. But they all played a role in the movement, and they all helped to shape the course of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Impact of the Massive Resistance Movement

The Massive Resistance movement had a lasting impact on the Civil Rights Movement. The violence and intimidation that the women who were involved in the movement used helped to create a climate of fear that made it difficult for black people to fight for their rights.

The Massive Resistance movement also helped to delay the process of desegregation. In some cases, it took years for black students to be able to attend white schools. And in some cases, black people were never able to fully integrate into white society.

The legacy of the Massive Resistance movement is still felt today. The racism and segregation that the women who were involved in the movement fought for still exists in many parts of the country.

But the Massive Resistance movement also had a positive impact on the Civil Rights Movement. The movement helped to raise awareness of the issue of segregation and to galvanize support for the Civil Rights Movement.

The women who were involved in the Massive Resistance movement were not all evil. They were products of their time and place. But their actions helped to shape the course of the Civil Rights Movement and to create a more just and equitable society.

Mothers of Massive Resistance is a powerful and moving book that sheds new light on the role of white women in the Civil Rights Movement. Rosenfeld's book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the movement and in the fight for racial justice.

Mothers of Massive Resistance: White Women and the Politics of White Supremacy

by Elizabeth Gillespie McRae

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4851 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	368 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE