Description: From Reconstruction through Jim Crow, through the protest era of the 1960s and '70s, to current-day resistance and activism such as the Black Lives Matter movement, the material culture of the Civil Rights Movement has been integral to its goals and tactics. During decades of sit-ins, marches, legal challenges, political campaigns, boycotts, and demonstrations, objects such as buttons, flyers, pins, and posters have been key in the fight against racism, oppression, and violence. Making the Movement presents more than 200 of these nonviolent weapons alongside the stories of the activists, organizations, and campaigns that defined and propelled the cause of civil rights. It is a must-read for anyone seeking to learn about Black and African American history in the United States and about strategies to combat racism and the structures that support it. -- Adapted from publisher's webpage.
Review Quotes:
"Making the Movement describes the indispensable tools--buttons, flyers, pins and posters-- that were used to advance the struggle for human and civil rights. Flyers were the primary instrument of mass communications. They recruited people for the sit-ins, informed communities for voter registration drives, and calls for mass demonstrations. Button and pins were used by those engaged in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement to show their commitment to the cause of freedom. Posters were primarily used to engage the American public and raise funds to support various civil rights organizations."
- Courtland Cox, SNCC Veteran Chair, SNCC Legacy Project