FREE AT LAST: What Really Happened When Civil Rights Came to Southern Politics

by Margaret Edds ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 24, 1987

A thorough history of the civil-rights movement in which the changes and transformations in Southern political life down to the present are carefully traced. The vote and the accession to power of black Southern leaders have had their effects, Edds says, but in some areas, leadership and power are lacking. Still, there are black mayors in large cities and many in lesser offices throughout the South. Some political gains have been made, and workable arrangements between white and black citizens have been formed. But political power has not solved everything, and blacks frequently find that they face many of the intractable financial problems faced by whites. There are also cul-de-sacs where vigorous legal action is still required to insure that civil rights are honored. Unfavorable economic conditions bedevil those poor blacks who have missed out on the substantial progress made by those in the middle class. What's more, the gap between the two groups seems to widen with time. The challenge encountered by today's leaders is to bring about a greater degree of social and economic justice. However, says Edds, the political climate in the country today threatens to erode whatever progress has been made. The years since Selma have brought healthy changes and even dramatic ones to Southern society, but as Edds' percipient informants point out, there's a long way to go. A well-written, solid bit of history.

Pub Date: June 24, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Adler & Adler--dist. by Harper & Row

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1987

Categories: NONFICTION