A Voice That Could Stir an Army

Fannie Lou Hamer and the Rhetoric of the Black Freedom Movement

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, Politics, Civil Rights, Social Science, Cultural Studies, African-American Studies
Cover of the book A Voice That Could Stir an Army by Maegan Parker Brooks, University Press of Mississippi
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Maegan Parker Brooks ISBN: 9781626741652
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi Publication: April 30, 2014
Imprint: University Press of Mississippi Language: English
Author: Maegan Parker Brooks
ISBN: 9781626741652
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi
Publication: April 30, 2014
Imprint: University Press of Mississippi
Language: English

A sharecropper, a warrior, and a truth-telling prophet, Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) stands as a powerful symbol not only of the 1960s black freedom movement, but also of the enduring human struggle against oppression. A Voice That Could Stir an Army is a rhetorical biography that tells the story of Hamer's life by focusing on how she employed symbols-- images, words, and even material objects such as the ballot, food, and clothing--to construct persuasive public personae, to influence audiences, and to effect social change.

Drawing upon dozens of newly recovered Hamer texts and recent interviews with Hamer's friends, family, and fellow activists, Maegan Parker Brooks moves chronologically through Hamer's life. Brooks recounts Hamer's early influences, her intersection with the black freedom movement, and her rise to prominence at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Brooks also considers Hamer's lesser-known contributions to the fight against poverty and to feminist politics before analyzing how Hamer is remembered posthumously. The book concludes by emphasizing what remains rhetorical about Hamer's biography, using the 2012 statue and museum dedication in Hamer's hometown of Ruleville, Mississippi, to examine the larger social, political, and historiographical implications of her legacy.

The sustained consideration of Hamer's wide-ranging use of symbols and the reconstruction of her legacy provided within the pages of A Voice That Could Stir an Army enrich understanding of this key historical figure. This book also demonstrates how rhetorical analysis complements historical reconstruction to explain the dynamics of how social movements actually operate.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A sharecropper, a warrior, and a truth-telling prophet, Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) stands as a powerful symbol not only of the 1960s black freedom movement, but also of the enduring human struggle against oppression. A Voice That Could Stir an Army is a rhetorical biography that tells the story of Hamer's life by focusing on how she employed symbols-- images, words, and even material objects such as the ballot, food, and clothing--to construct persuasive public personae, to influence audiences, and to effect social change.

Drawing upon dozens of newly recovered Hamer texts and recent interviews with Hamer's friends, family, and fellow activists, Maegan Parker Brooks moves chronologically through Hamer's life. Brooks recounts Hamer's early influences, her intersection with the black freedom movement, and her rise to prominence at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Brooks also considers Hamer's lesser-known contributions to the fight against poverty and to feminist politics before analyzing how Hamer is remembered posthumously. The book concludes by emphasizing what remains rhetorical about Hamer's biography, using the 2012 statue and museum dedication in Hamer's hometown of Ruleville, Mississippi, to examine the larger social, political, and historiographical implications of her legacy.

The sustained consideration of Hamer's wide-ranging use of symbols and the reconstruction of her legacy provided within the pages of A Voice That Could Stir an Army enrich understanding of this key historical figure. This book also demonstrates how rhetorical analysis complements historical reconstruction to explain the dynamics of how social movements actually operate.

More books from University Press of Mississippi

Cover of the book Touring Literary Mississippi by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book The Search for Good Wine by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Hold On with a Bulldog Grip by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Confessions of an Undercover Agent by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Father of the Comic Strip by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Second Line Rescue by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Boys Love Manga and Beyond by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Stanley Kubrick by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Ang Lee by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Dave Sim by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Called to Heal the Brokenhearted by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book A Scottsboro Case in Mississippi by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book The New Territory by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Conversations with Michael Chabon by Maegan Parker Brooks
Cover of the book Bodies by Maegan Parker Brooks
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy