"Provides the first comprehensive examination of the Jackson, Mississippi-based women's organization Womanpower Unlimited. Founded in 1961 by Clarie Collins Harvey, the organization was created initially to provide aid to the Freedom Riders, who were unjustly arrested and tortured in the Mississippi jails, Womanpower Unlimited expanded its activism to include programs such as voter registration drives, youth education, and participation in Women Strike for Peace. Womanpower Unlimited proved to be not only a significant organization with regard to civil rights activism in Mississippi, but also a spearhead movement for revitalizing Black women's social and political activism in the state. This study contributes to our understanding of how the civil rights movement was sustained in Mississippi through grassroots activism, and also foregrounds women's activism as an integral component of this leadership. In this process, Morris engages contemporary theoretical questions about leadership, support work, and gendered activism within the movement while demonstrating a broad human rights agenda"--Provided by publisher.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: "Women are the humanizers of the struggle" : Black women's legacy of activism -- "It was just women who dared to dream" : the emergence of Womanpower Unlimited -- "You could just see things being accomplished" : the women who built the movement -- "'cause I love my people" : sustaining the people and the movement -- "We who believe in freedom" : interracial cooperation and peace activism -- "Welcome, ladies, to Magnolialand" : Womanpower and Wednesdays Women -- "When there was a need" : ministering to the people -- Conclusion: Women's power transformed : joining forces with the National Council of Negro Women -- Epilogue: "This woman's work" : activism in the post-civil rights Years.

Description based on print version record.

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