Vanguard | Litsy

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

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I finally finished this one for #SheSaid and although I had some problems with the writing style or maybe just how it was laid out, I still learned a lot and added quite a few new books and people to read more about. I think my biggest complaint was that she should have broken up the people she was covering into their own sub-chapters and expanded on each….so many great histories, that ended up feeling a bit rushed to me.

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MallenNC

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

pick

This was our #SheSaid book for November. It‘s written in a dry, academic style and is a little rambling, but I learned about so many women in history who weren‘t familiar to me, and learned more about more well-known figures like Sojourner Truth & Rosa Parks. One of my favorite parts focused on three women who were present when LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act. They were to the side of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the other more prominent men.

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

Updated Schedule for #SheSaid, some major & minor changes. I kept our January pick since so many are looking forward to more about Ida B Wells since crossing paths with her in a few other places. But I spaced out our reads a bit for the beginning of the year to hopefully make more space in your schedule for everyone who wants to participate in the #1619Project with @4thhouseontheleft

More ⤵️

Riveted_Reader_Melissa If we need to make any future adjustments as we go, I‘m going to leave that possibility open though. So if you are reading with both groups and finding it difficult to keep up, please say so and let me know….and we can adjust more. I don‘t want anyone to miss out on any great books they want to participate in. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar @vlwelser @KVanRead @SamAnne @Julsmarshall @arlenefinnigan @Chab256 @Scochrane26 @CoffeeK8. @MallenNC @Caroline2 @DebinHawaii @Nute @Currey @Augustdana @Suet624 @Singout @mhillis @BarbaraTheBibliophage @megnews @Jgotham @AnneCecilie @Kdgordon88 @kspenmoll @staci.reads 2y

MallenNC This looks like a great plan to me. I am looking forward to reading about Ida B. Wells! 2y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Smrloomis @KathyWheeler @ImperfectCJ @bibliobliss @JenlovesJT47 @Karisa @fredthemoose @ravenlee @Christine @mandarchy @rjsthumbelina @rockpools @Tera66 @Megabooks @BookBosomed1 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC I was trying to come up with a compromise that might work for everyone….but again if it doesn‘t work, I‘ll leaving it open to change more if we need to. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I know you were waiting for this @vlwelser 2y

MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I think that‘s a good way to go. I think this looks workable but I hope you will also say if it is too much for you. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC Thank you 2y

vlwelser 🤗😘 2y

ravenlee It looks good to me! 2y

Karisa Works for me too. Thanks! 💗 2y

ravenlee In case anybody needs it - Book Outlet has Ida B. the Queen, Rage Becomes Her, and The Purpose of Power - for under $10 each and through today (what‘s left of it) use HOLIDAY5 to get an extra $5 off. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @ravenlee Thanks! That‘s a great deal too. 2y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

I know many of you struggled with this book, but I‘ve seen a few reviews so I know some of you have persevered. I myself have fallen behind… sorry, that I‘m the one dropping the ball here. I am determined however to finish it yet this week! I am learning a lot, but I do feel like I need to force myself to pick it up at times. So please discuss what you learned, loved, struggled with…it will all motivate me to catch up. Again, sorry I fell behind.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa #SheSaid 2y

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MallenNC This one was definitely dry and academic so falling behind is understandable. I thought it was valuable in learning about people I didn‘t know a lot about. It was a good follow up to 400 Souls. My favorite chapter was the one from this week about women in the civil rights movement. I‘ve got a lot of people to learn more about in the future. 2y

megnews @Riveted_Reader_Melissa don‘t feel bad! I am behind in #othersuns too and it‘s definitely not dry. Got busy with holiday prep and my daughter being home from school. Mostly audio booking and quick easy reads for me. Determined to catch up and post Friday. 2y

ravenlee My biggest struggle with this book wasn‘t that it‘s dry (it is, but I‘m good with academic writing) so much as the structure wasn‘t exactly linear or subject-oriented. It bounced around, and I got timelines and people mixed up because of it. There‘s a firehose effect of names and organizations, and it‘s hard to sort out who is involved in what. I wish there had been a master list of all the amazing women somewhere. 2y

ravenlee The ending felt rushed to me, very pell-mell rightuptothepresentday! And I realized after I‘d finished that the women‘s movement in the churches information just stopped. I don‘t know if it had reached its pinnacle in the previous section, or it wasn‘t as notable in more modern times, or if she just didn‘t write about it. Also, the Chisholm slogan in one of the photos was opposite the slogan in the text on the previous page, which bothered me. 2y

tenar I liked this book, but I felt the strength of the last segment (about Parks, Bethune, etc.) made it easier to see the struggle in the third quarter. I think it lost its focus for a bit there, which made it feel that much more repetitive. I agree @ravenlee, like a firehose!

But I learned So Much reading this, maybe for that very reason. Both about individuals and about the overall historical trends. I‘m really glad to have read it with y‘all. 2y

tenar The Smithsonian African-American History Museum has launched an online presence, with lots to explore, and one of their smaller features is on Jarena Lee: https://www.searchablemuseum.com/preacher-jarena-lee-praise-in-the-meantime 2y

tenar @ravenlee I think I got caught up in the rush of the ending, but I was thinking the same thing- where is the church information in this more recent history? Did the church fall that much out of importance after the development of the Black Women‘s Clubs? Either way, I‘d have love for it to have been discussed. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage I think the biggest advantage of this book will be pointing our group to some related books, possibly focused on just one or two of these women at a time. Or more on individual parts of this century-long movement, like the church-related activism, for example. 2y

tenar @BarbaraTheBibliophage For sure. This felt like a big, rich introduction to me. I ended up writing down a lot of names to read about further. It (especially in the acknowledgments!) made me even more excited for our upcoming book

Ida B. the Queen: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Ida B. Wells

vlwelser I agree with @ravenlee the fact that she jumps around and is non linear is possibly the most distracting. The last chapter and epilogue are very rushed. I'd like to learn more about the woman who worked for LBJ. And throwing Stacy Abrams in at the end was just weird. 2y

megnews @vlwelser the Stacy Abrams part definitely felt rushed. 2y

megnews I looked up more on Joe Ella Moore. Moore from the same county is one of my kids‘ lines on their father‘s side so I‘m hoping to look into her more. I found this pic of her being registered to vote: https://da.mdah.ms.gov/moncrief/image.php?display=item&item=338 2y

fredthemoose @tenar thanks for the info! 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @tenar I agree that the Ida B Wells book is gonna be great!! 2y

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ravenlee

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

so-so

It‘s an important book, but it felt kind of jumpy. Within chapters Jones jumped around in history, back and forth, which was hard to follow. And the last chapters felt like a headlong hurtle from post-WWII to the 2020 election, which was also hard to follow. It needs a little grammar editing. Overall it was fine but I find myself a bit disappointed. #SheSaid discussion should be interesting this week! @Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Great review, I learned a lot, but I didn‘t love this one either. 2y

ravenlee Oops - forgot this was my November #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks 2y

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 2y

39 likes3 comments

vlwelser

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

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This was incredibly well researched but the delivery is really dry.

#SheSaid with @Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Final discussion Sunday. Until then 🤐🤐🤐

#BookSpinBingo square 3 (just 3 left for November)
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Great job & with Book bingo too! 2y

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fredthemoose

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

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⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 History of Black women who fought for women‘s rights and voting rights throughout American history. Tons of great information, but a little dry in places. I think maybe by including so many women it was hard as a reader to feel like I particularly connected with most of their stories and experiences. I‘ll save my other thoughts for the #SheSaid discussion this weekend!

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

Good day #SheSaid another week has flown by… and in the US the holidays are soon upon us. How are you making out with this week‘s reading, I personally am struggling a bit with the drier telling which is such a contrast to The Warmth of Other Suns which I‘m also reading right now. I learning much, but also looking forward to our fiction choice for next month😂. I also have an important question this week, there is a group read starting in ⤵️

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ January for the 1619 Project. I think that is a great book to read as a group too, but I know it can be hard for some to read multiple non-fiction books a month. So my question is, do we want to join in on that read Jan-May, 1 essay a week… and just push back our schedule 5 months, basically break for that and then pick up where we left off when it finishes? What do you think? Would that be helpful? Doable? Or not? 2y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa The 1619 Project read is hosted by @4thhouseontheleft if anyone would like to check out her post for more information 2y

vlwelser I'm guessing you would like to do this if you're bringing it up. Count me as a vote toward whatever you want to do. Because I honestly have no opinion and will do either option. 2y

vlwelser Regarding this week's reading, I'm struggling a bit with her writing style but I think this is amazingly well researched and I'm learning a lot about people I didn't know about. But it's not prompting me to google things for more details. 2y

megnews I am putting hosting any non fiction on hold til 1619 Project is done too. For one, this was a selection I had in mind and two, getting through non fiction can be difficult for me. Already pushing myself with the amount I‘ve been reading. I‘d support whatever you decided…not always able to join in anyway. 2y

megnews In regards to this week‘s reading, I finished up on audio and it‘s hard for me to separate out this and next week‘s sections. Overall, I think I learned a lot about historical figures I never heard of as well as expansion on those I only knew a little about. It‘s definitely made me want to read more on Rosa Parks. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser I could go either way, but I know many people read at different rates than me…and I just don‘t want anyone to feel like they have to miss out on one or the other. 2y

alisiakae @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thanks for posting about #1619GroupRead! I‘ll be putting out some more jnfo soon (we‘ll, maybe after Thanksgiving), but I plan on including some additional resources to go along with each essay that people can check out if they want. 2y

tenar Oh, interesting proposition! I was worried about joining 1619 because of overcommitment, so it would be helpful for me personally if we focused on it, but I‘m also okay with missing a little of either group if there are #SheSaid members who aren‘t interested in 1619 and want to keep going. 2y

tenar Things I didn‘t learn about in school #7867: the Senate of the United States in the early 1900s put up for a vote to alter the Constitution in a way that would trade black men‘s suffrage for white women‘s suffrage (bonus: with one of the major motivations being fear of black women‘s suffrage). That whole episode really threw me for a loop. 2y

ravenlee For the first note - I‘m planning to participate in the #1619GroupRead and am not sure how that would affect my #SheSaid participation, so I‘m ok with pausing the latter to pursue the former. The next few books aren‘t available through my library, so I need to source them elsewhere, and that gives me more time to do so. But I can also pop in and out if y‘all want to continue as planned. 2y

ravenlee This section really had me confused a lot - so many names to keep track of, and the timeline kept pushing forward and then pulling back to go along another line, so events and people got multiple mentions and it was confusing. Also, in discussing the conflict between the Black leaders and the white suffragists, I often couldn‘t tell who was whom (I must admit I‘m not really up on my suffragist who‘s who, which contributed to the confusion). 2y

ravenlee The discussion of Senator Vardaman and the mixed reaction to the threat he posed reminded me so much of the beginning of Trump‘s presidency. A lot of people blew him off (I honestly thought/hoped he‘s realize he didn‘t have infinite power and get bored; I never realized he‘d just dismantle all the safeguards), but there were those who recognized how bad things were about to get. 2y

MallenNC I am planning to do the 1619 reading too and it didn‘t really seem like too much for me to do both. However I read a lot, and understand others may not, so I‘m fine if others prefer to pause SheSaid. 2y

MallenNC As for Vanguard I am enjoying learning more about people and history that I didn‘t know much about before but I agree the drier, academic style is a little harder for me than narrative nonfiction like The Warmth of Other Suns. Both styles are valuable but the reading experience is definitely different. 2y

MallenNC @tenar I had never heard about that attempt to repeal (or otherwise limit) the 15th amendment either. And the part about Mary Church Terrell and her husband the judge was also new to me. Her saying she suffered more than her husband over the attacks on him reminded me of Michelle Obama‘s experience. 2y

staci.reads I got a late start this month, and I drudged through the first 3 chapters. I'm really struggling with the writing in this one, and it's due back to the library, so I believe I'm going to bail. I can't get into it, and I'm trying to get better about abandoning books I'm not enjoying. There are too many good ones out there to stick with one I don't like, but man, I hate doing it 😔 I'll join back in next month. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @ravenlee I felt the same about Vardaman. Everything stays the same and that‘s why is so bloody systemic. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @staci.reads I considered bailing more than once. Not so sure I loved it in the end. Her writing style just never clicked for me. But now I have a whole new list of Black women I want to read more about! 2y

rjsthumbelina @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Would it be possible for #shesaid to take 2 months to read books instead of one while #1619GroupRead happens? That way the sections would be more manageable. It just feels like that would be a long time to be on hiatus 2y

rjsthumbelina @staci.reads @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BarbaraTheBibliophage I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble with the dry writing! I'm way behind. But I'm determined to finish it bc I'm so interested in the subject matter - we'll see if that works out 🙃 2y

megnews @ravenlee I also found it to be a lot of names and going back & forth in time was hard, especially on audio. I enjoyed the stories told but may not pass a traditional test with dates etc if I was taking it from this. 😂 2y

megnews Another thing I noted throughout the book is the voter suppression even when it was legal to vote. Same old same old today. How people don‘t see through the shenanigans to what the actual purpose is-disenfranchising black people-is beyond me. It‘s willful to me. 2y

vlwelser What is the verdict on the 1619 thing? Are we keeping to the original schedule? I like knowing what the plan is. No pressure. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser Sorry, no verdict yet… I‘m trying to think up a good compromise. I let you know this weekend though. 2y

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BarbaraTheBibliophage

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

pick

I struggled with the dry, professorial tone Jones uses, but the content of the stories is terrific. Think of it as a series of mini-biographies starting in the mid 1800s and moving to current day. Black women found unique and powerful ways to work for equality—especially but not exclusively their own. They taught, wrote, preached, and of course, protested.

Full review https://www.TheBibliophage.com #thebibliophage2021 #shesaid #groupread

vlwelser Great review. I feel the same way about it (though I'm not finished). 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @vlwelser Thanks! I had to get it back to the library, since I‘d already renewed it once. 🤪 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes…totally agree 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @Riveted_Reader_Melissa But I‘m so glad I read it. And for you gathering all these great #SheSaid books and readers together! 2y

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megnews

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

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Went ahead and finished this #SheSaid pick up on audio today. I learned about African American leaders of the women‘s movement, including details on some famous figures lives that made me realize I only know small parts of their stories. This book made me Google quite a few times and makes me want to read more on certain people. This rating is probably not fair but it‘s just more about my pickiness in regards to nonfiction than it is the👇🏻

Riveted_Reader_Melissa

megnews book itself. Non fiction history lovers will love it. 2y

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ravenlee

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

“The future of slavery was at the heart of the conflict, no matter how politicians may have spun the Civil War to be about other matters.”

This is something people STILL don‘t seem to get. Why romanticize “the South” when it all boiled down to being allowed to own people and treat them like animals?

megnews Every time someone uses states‘ rights argument I fling every state‘s secession document in their face. Every document says states‘ rights to own slaves, have an economy based on slavery etc. if they want to argue with primary sources, they‘re deliberately misunderstanding. 2y

ravenlee @megnews exactly. It‘s willful. This is a problem I have with some of my in-laws (and even sometimes my husband). They want to glorify The South and refuse to learn what that actually means. (They‘re not Confederate flag wavers, but they‘re big on leaving statues where they are because “they‘ve been there forever” and “it doesn‘t hurt anything” and junk like that. Hubby doesn‘t like the proposed Tubman $20-bill because 👇🏻 2y

ravenlee what‘s wrong with keeping Andrew Jackson? Omg, so much, so much is wrong with that…🤦🏻‍♀️) 2y

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Julsmarshall Amen! 2y

megnews @ravenlee that‘s a tough position to be in. I‘ve cheered and cried watching monuments be removed. People may not feel hurt by then but others do and they were put up as a warning and to hurt people, to keep them “in their place.” When you see the ongoing racism and division, it‘s clear it‘s hurting us all and our country. 2y

SamanthaMarie I like to think if marginalized people groups are telling us ways they would feel seen and supported, then it's the least we can do. Literally the least we can do. If it doesn't hurt to leave them up 🙄 then it doesn't hurt to bring them down AND it makes a ton of people feel a little better about living here. I think it boils down to striving to be better humans every day, but not everyone is interested in growth in their life I don't think. 😭 2y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

So sorry for the delay there #SheSaid it got a bit hectic here at my place today. But please jump on when you get a chance, and feel free to start discussing. I‘ll be back later (and yes, before anyone worries, I‘m fine, everything‘s fine…just needed to emergency repair an unexpectedly broken window on a Sunday 😂)

vlwelser Why did it never occur to me that obviously there were refugees during the civil war? I know that's not really the point of the last 3 chapters but that's what really bonked me on the head. 2y

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Karisa I loved the parts about Sojourner Truth. Jones grabbed my attention with “utopian, free love community” and kept it throughout that part. I had heard before that the ain‘t I a woman quote was misattributed to that conference. It was cool to read what she actually said in comparing her strengths to an equal of men (not just white women). She was fearless and had me thinking of Audre Lorde speaking in the 80s. What awesome inspirations! 2y

Karisa @vlwelser Yea, I marked that part too. “There, Shadd joined a growing community of Black Americans who
had fled-or, in the language of the
day, emigrated from-the United States in search of free soil.” 🤯 I think it was Shadd that they said maybe said the truth too much. Wth! (edited) 2y

MallenNC @Karisa I really enjoyed the parts about Sojourner Truth also. A while back my IRL book group and I listened to a Smithsonian podcast episode about Truth, and at the end an actor performs as she probably really sounded. https://npg.si.edu/podcasts/sojourner-truth 2y

MallenNC @vlwelser I had also never thought about refugees leaving the U.S. for Canada at that time either. 2y

Karisa @MallenNC Thank you! Sounds like the next best thing to a time machine.💗 2y

MallenNC One other thing I noticed in this section were the details about the prejudice and trouble Black people faced at this time even in free areas. It reminds me of the parts of The Warmth of Other Suns when in the Great Migration people faced many challenges in getting to (and after arriving in) their new homes in the North and West. 2y

MallenNC @Karisa Yes! We were all surprised that her real voice and accent had been so different. 2y

ravenlee @vlwelser I was struck by that, too - I knew that Black people ran for the lines when they could, but I never thought about it in terms of refugee camps, displaced families, and other images we have of modern war refugees. 2y

ravenlee Two things stood out to me in this section: the racism/segregation over transportation, which seems like such an iconic Civil Rights Movement/1960s idea, really dates back to pre-Civil War; and the impressive gains Black women fought for and won in church leadership. There‘s more than one road to power. 2y

tenar I found the women in our reading so ridiculously inspirational. They made me want to roll up my sleeves and write a letter to the editor, the governor, everybody. And I agree, some of the things people were up to in this time never occurred to me.

But those suffragist speakers comparing white women‘s station to slavery, using ‘slave‘ as a metaphor when actual slavery existed just a few doors down, has to be the pinnacle of ‘white feminism‘. Wow. 2y

ravenlee My favorite line this week was on page 80: “Truth was not a metaphor.” It‘s specifically about Sojourner Truth and her role as a speaker; but it works on so many levels. 2y

tenar @ravenlee I noticed that, too. So much of what I attribute to the 50s & 60s had been building for sooo long. And it seems like many movements for rights end up coalescing around transportation at some point. I was really interested in the story of the black woman and white woman who ended up teaming up in court against the conductor in DC! It sounds like he was charged with assault but not discrimination at that early date. Such a long time. 2y

megnews I had read Francis Ellen Watkins Harper‘s poetry but didn‘t realize she was involved in this movement. It makes me want to read more by and about her. 2y

tenar I wanted to suggest PBS‘s Crash Course Black American History series as a great companion to this reading. It‘s helped me with context, as I didn‘t learn practically any in school! They are compelling 10 min lessons, moving from pre-Civil War to, eventually, the current day, with a new ep each week. I particularly remember the ones on Frederick Douglass and womens‘ specific experiences of enslavement. It‘s on Youtube and hosted by the author of

How the Word Is Passed: A Journey Across the Country That Black America Built

(edited) 2y

tenar Here‘s a link to the whole playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtNYJO8JWpXO2JP0ezgxsrJJ

I see they recently released an episode called “The Black Women‘s Club Movement”! 2y

MallenNC @tenar I have Crash Course bookmarked to watch soon. Thanks for suggesting it. 2y

tenar @MallenNC No problem! Thank you for sharing that podcast episode, I bookmarked it, too! This is such an interesting bundle of topics; I‘m enjoying learning about it all from multiple sources. 2y

ravenlee So much good stuff to dive into from this discussion! @tenar that whole “women are slaves” line really bothered me, too. Talk about being tone deaf! 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage I‘m still struggling with the professorial nature of the writing. Then yesterday I explained the book‘s framework to my husband. That made me realize how much I‘ve learned, which was cool. I think it‘s structured like a series of mini-biographies of several generations of women starting at the of slavery. Also seeing the various focus areas - churches, clubs, and schools. When I think about it that way, it‘s pretty cool. 2y

tenar @BarbaraTheBibliophage That‘s so cool! I think teaching or explaining to someone can be the best way to find out if I understand something or not. I‘m learning a lot from this book, too, but honestly am not able to remember and keep straight all the different names. So instead I‘m trying to absorb the trends in those focus areas you mentioned. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @tenar I wish there was a list of each of these women, like you said. I also find myself highlighting quotes from the women and I plan to go back and add notes so I know who said that. 2y

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

A new month, a new book #SheSaid.

What are your initials feelings starting this one, after the first sections?

My first thought was…maybe I should have read this one before Hood Feminism 🤷‍♀️ and I was thinking that before I even finished the introduction. 😂

Definitely some related reading we are in, I can tell we picked a lot around a central theme when we selected all of these and they are inter-relating very nicely (at least for me).

ravenlee I was thinking along similar lines, that they work together but this one is more informative and researched than subjective and experience-focused. I didn‘t know how active abolitionist movements were and the other societies described at such early dates - decades before we really learn about them in history classes. 2y

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BarbaraTheBibliophage I also think this is an interesting pair with

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes @ravenlee and so much again that we never learned because it got mainly “white” washed out of history and we learned just the white ladies names. It makes me appreciate the argument against White Feminism from the last book more, realizing how much we‘ve purposefully ignored/forgotten about people other than the privileged & white Susan B Anthony or Elizabeth Stanton‘s of the day. (edited) 2y

vlwelser I'm not sure what I expected from this book but it seems like an in depth history lesson so far. I like it, but it's a little dry. I did like that she was pretty detailed with her own family's history. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @ravenlee The author of this one is a professor and it shows in her writing style, even when she‘s talking about family. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @vlwelser I‘m also finding it somewhat dry reading. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BarbaraTheBibliophage Yes, these and @megnews read along of the Warmth of Other Suns and 400 Souls before, have meshed very nicely for me. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I want to go back to 400 Souls and read the part about Mariah Stewart again. And see if any others are mentioned from Vanguard. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser Yes, this one is the history lesson, and Hood Feminism was essays & commentary on that history & present. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser @BarbaraTheBibliophage The audiobook is pretty good, if either of you have access to that at your libraries. 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @Riveted_Reader_Melissa The audio of Vanguard? That might help. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @BarbaraTheBibliophage sometimes it helps me with more history lesson type books and the narrator isn‘t bad (not like the Lorde audiobook) 2y

MallenNC I agree with others that this is written in an academic style. Now that I accepted that I am enjoying it more! I think I expected that this was focused on the modern civil rights era, maybe because of the cover image. I did really appreciate learning about how abolition and early women‘s rights overlapped (though not as much as it should have). I want to look back at the Mariah Stewart part of 400 Souls. 2y

tenar I don‘t have anything new to add, but I love what I‘ve read so far! I think I like books with an academic flavor. (One Person No Vote was also written by a professor, right?) The person-focused introduction was a really compelling hook into the issues. The same thing stood out to me as to y‘all- the whitewashing of women‘s suffrage history by the white women themselves. Definitely helped in understanding how we got to the issues in Hood Feminism. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar Yes it was. It‘s was by Carol Anderson, her other book is also excellent. So far I thinks it‘s worked out to be a good mix, some more academic, some more personal, or memoir, or essay. It keeps it from getting too stale, at least for me. So yes, I‘m finding this one a refreshing change after 2 essay books in a row, even if it is drier academically written.

White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide

(edited) 2y

megnews I still need to finish chapter 2 but so far I have similar observations. I love history but I struggle with a dry telling. I loved the intro on her family. I may need to switch to audio as well. I also think it works well with the other books we recently read or are reading. I particularly liked going back to the Revolution era as so little is taught about Black people during this time period. 2y

tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Stacking that, thank you! The book selections have been great, all seeming to build on things we‘ve learned in the others.

One of the topics we‘ve only dipped our toes into is women‘s place in religious power structures. I was intrigued by the story of Jarena Lee, the preacher! Looking forward to more. I know that the Southern Baptist Convention is today still in turmoil over both race and women‘s rights to power. 2y

ravenlee I‘m actually appreciating the tone. While it is a little dry, it‘s still compelling and interesting to me. The exhaustive research gives it drive. With Hood Feminism, I think I expected more universalism (based on the subtitle), but it was very centered on Kendall‘s own experiences. I like the breadth we‘re getting in Vanguard that was missing before. 2y

ravenlee @tenar I agree, the importance of women in the churches is pretty fascinating, and it‘s definitely something that carries into the present or very recent history in so many of the denominations. 2y

Karisa @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Oh! I had not picked up that the author was a professor. Makes so much sense now. I agree that the audiobook is well done but a bit dry ( @vlwelser). I have had it playing in the car and glad my kids are listening. I had not realized church‘s huge role in the vanguard. I just did a Kindle version search; “church” has almost 300 hits in the book! I lucked out and grabbed both audio and kindle copies from my library 😊 (edited) 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar Another interesting one that you might like is Coretta Scott King‘s book…which touched on her childhood, the early movement through the church, and even touches on how women were staffing the offices and doing the work, but the men (the ministers) were the face and focus. I got the impression reading that, as much as she loved her husband, the movement got skewed then because of the way the church was structured…men as the head.

My Life, My Love, My Legacy

KathyWheeler I‘m not sure that I‘ll be able to get to this. I‘m going to try but I might not make it. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KathyWheeler It‘s not a problem, unfortunately not every book is available at all libraries, and lives can unexpectedly get in the way of our best laid plans. So don‘t stress about it if you can‘t get to this one. 2y

49 likes25 comments

Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

Just a reminder that we are starting Vanguard next #SheSaid so check out your local library or put in your interlibrary loans.

If anyone would like to join us, please feel free, and just let me know on the comments if you want tagged or removed from tagging.

ravenlee My library hold is in and I‘m picking it up tomorrow! 2y

See All 14 Comments

MallenNC I just picked up my copy from the library. 2y

vlwelser I've been looking forward to this one for a while. 2y

staci.reads Got it from the library yesterday! 2y

fredthemoose Just downloaded! Looking forward to it! 2y

BarbaraTheBibliophage Borrowed with no waiting!! 2y

megnews Just downloaded from the library! 2y

BookBosomed1 Being delivered from the library tomorrow! 2y

rockpools Hi Melissa. Can I be I untagged please? My nf reading has fallen through the floor the last few months, and my plans to join you all on a Sunday just aren‘t happening ☹️. I might try again in the new year - I enjoy seeing your discussions, and I‘m tagging pretty much Everything as you read… but I‘m just not getting through stuff right now. Thanks everso. 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @rockpools You are welcome, and no problem. We all go through these fluxes while reading. Read something light and fun for awhile and we‘ll see you later down the road when or if you are ready. 2y

rockpools @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thank you 😊. Your group is opening my eyes to lots of stuff I wouldn‘t have investigated otherwise, even if I‘m not actively taking part rn- so thank you! 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @rockpools You are very welcome, and you are more than welcome to rejoin anytime…or even for one book once in awhile, whatever suits you best. 2y

45 likes14 comments

kspenmoll

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

#weeklyforecast

This looks overwhelmingly ambitious, but several books are buddy reads so I only reading a certain number of chapters a week. Phosphorescence, 1 ch; Blue Rose , whatever; Thursday Murder Club, #audible, 3 ch; Vangard,unsure; Tao, 2ch;Keep Moving,1 entry; Last Story of ML; 91 p.
#memoir #englishgardenmystery #audiblemystery #shesaid #journal #sundaybuddyread

Cinfhen

Cinfhen It makes for a GORGEOUS photo 😍 2y

kspenmoll @Cinfhen Yes, all that color! 2y

65 likes2 comments

Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

Since you asked @vlwelser I decided to make the schedule today.😉

Here you go #SheSaid! The schedule for November. It is weighted a little lighter for that last section at the end of the month since I know a few of you will be having family get togethers for Thanksgiving here in the US.

As usual, make sure to put in you library holds or interlibrary loans.

vlwelser 🤗😘 thank you! Sorry for being a pest! 2y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser You weren‘t, not at all… but you did put the little whisper in my ear to start thinking about it…so thank you. (edited) 2y

See All 8 Comments

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Smrloomis @KathyWheeler @ImperfectCJ @bibliobliss @JenlovesJT47 @Karisa @fredthemoose @ravenlee @Christine @mandarchy @rjsthumbelina @rockpools @Tera66 @Megabooks 2y

MallenNC I just put this on hold at my library so I‘ll be ready. 2y

megnews I‘m going to try to do this one. 2y

BookBosomed1 I‘m trying with this one, too! 2y

Tera66 I think November and December are going to be a bit hectic for me and I'm trying to catch up my Galley copies. But please keep me as part of the group because I would love to join again in 2022 and loved reading the discussions. 2y

40 likes2 stack adds8 comments

MallenNC

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

We‘re not reading this in our #SheSaid group until November but the NC History Museum is hosting a free virtual talk with the author later this month. I signed up, and thought others might want to also. I don‘t have all our group members but I tagged a few of you.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ncmoh-womens-history-month-speaker-dr-martha-jones-...

Riveted_Reader_Melissa, BarbaraTheBibliophage, KVanRead, vlwelser, tenar

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thank you so much for posting this! I‘ll tag everyone:
@tenar @vlwelser @KVanRead @SamAnne @Julsmarshall @arlenefinnigan @Chab256 @Scochrane26 @Sace @CoffeeK8. @MallenNC @Caroline2 @DebinHawaii @Nute @NeedsMoreBooks @Currey @Augustdana @Suet624 @Singout @mhillis @ImperfectCJ @BarbaraTheBibliophage @megnews @Jgotham @AnneCecilie @Kdgordon88 @kspenmoll 3y

MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thanks for doing that! 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @MallenNC The one great positive of the COVID years had been the breadth of free to the public online events that just weren‘t available to people outside of major cities before. I hope they keep them up as things began to open up and normalize again. (edited) 3y

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MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes that‘s been a great silver lining. I‘ve seen so many authors who I‘ve never been able to see before. (edited) 3y

Nute @MallenNC @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thanks so much for the information. It‘s been so exciting to attend virtual Author Events over the last year.👍🏽 3y

MallenNC @Nute I was excited to see this event come up. This is the history museum in my state but without it being virtual I‘m not sure if I‘d have been able to attend. I‘ve really enjoyed all of these virtual author talks over the lat year too. 3y

KVanRead Thanks! Looks great! 3y

tenar Thank you for sharing, I signed up! I also really hope this type of accessibility remains after pandemic times. 3y

42 likes8 comments

WellReadJS

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

How fitting of a chapter right after the inauguration!!!

3 likes

WellReadJS

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

Very pleased this is on the book list for a women‘s history class!

2 likes

Eggs

Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All | Martha S. Jones

The epic history of African American women's pursuit of political power -- and how it transformed America.

#vote #forevernovember @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 🙌🏻❤️😊 3y

Eggs @OriginalCyn620 🙏🏻🤗😊 3y

61 likes2 stack adds2 comments

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