Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement - (Gender and American Culture) by Barbara Ransby (Paperback)

About the Book

Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision

Book Synopsis

One of the most important African American leaders of the twentieth century and perhaps the most influential woman in the civil rights movement, Ella Baker (1903-1986) was an activist whose remarkable career spanned fifty years and touched thousands of lives. A gifted grassroots organizer, Baker shunned the spotlight in favor of vital behind-the-scenes work that helped power the Black freedom struggle. Making her way in predominantly male circles while maintaining relationships with a vibrant group of women, students, and activists, Baker was a national officer and key figure in the NAACP, a founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and a prime mover in the creation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

In this definitive biography, Barbara Ransby chronicles Baker's long and rich career, revealing her complexity, radical democratic worldview, and enduring influence on group-centered, grassroots activism. Beyond documenting an extraordinary life, Ransby paints a vivid picture of the African American fight for justice and its intersections with other progressive struggles worldwide throughout the twentieth century.

Review Quotes

Moving and invaluable. ("The Nation")

"[Ransby's] passionate and demanding book offers a striking, thorough exposition of Baker's expansive, radical, humanist vision. ("Chicago Tribune")"

"An] excellent biograph[y] based on extensive research into manuscript collections, personal interviews, and secondary sources. . . . [A] significant biograph[y] of [a] significant wom[an]. . . . Show[s] what strong, dedicated women could do for social change during decades when women weren't supposed to do anything but support their husbands and care for their children. . . . Not only teach[es] us about the past but warn[s] us about a possible future. ("Women's Review of Books")"

"ÝRansby's¨ passionate and demanding book offers a striking, thorough exposition of Baker's expansive, radical, humanist vision. ("Chicago Tribune")"

"An¨ excellent biographÝy¨ based on extensive research into manuscript collections, personal interviews, and secondary sources. . . . ÝA¨ significant biographÝy¨ of Ýa¨ significant womÝan¨. . . . ShowÝs¨ what strong, dedicated women could do for social change during decades when women weren't supposed to do anything but support their husbands and care for their children. . . . Not only teachÝes¨ us about the past but warnÝs¨ us about a possible future. ("Women's Review of Books")"

Ensures that all who wish to know about Baker's tireless work can find a detailed account in one volume. ("Black Issues Book Review")

About the Author

Barbara Ransby is John D. MacArthur University Chair and Distinguished Professor in the departments of Black studies, gender and women's studies, and history at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she directs the Social Justice Initiative. A longtime activist in progressive social movements, her most recent book is Making All Black Lives Matter: Reimagining Freedom in the Twenty-first Century.