Lay Bare the Heart: An Autobiography of the Civil Rights MovementTexas native James Farmer is one of the "Big Four" of the turbulent 1960s civil rights movement, along with Martin Luther King Jr., Roy Wilkins, and Whitney Young. Farmer might be called the forgotten man of the movement, overshadowed by Martin Luther King Jr., who was deeply influenced by Farmer's interpretation of Gandhi's concept of nonviolent protest. Born in Marshall, Texas, in 1920, the son of a preacher, Farmer grew up with segregated movie theaters and "White Only" drinking fountains. This background impelled him to found the Congress of Racial Equality in 1942. That same year he mobilized the first sit-in in an all-white restaurant near the University of Chicago. Under Farmer's direction, CORE set the pattern for the civil rights movement by peaceful protests which eventually led to the dramatic "Freedom Rides" of the 1960s. In Lay Bare the Heart Farmer tells the story of the heroic civil rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s. This moving and unsparing personal account captures both the inspiring strengths and human weaknesses of a movement beset by rivalries, conflicts and betrayals. Farmer recalls meetings with Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Jack and Bobby Kennedy, Adlai Stevenson (for whom he had great respect), and Lyndon Johnson (who, according to Farmer, used Adam Clayton Powell Jr., to thwart a major phase of the movement). James Farmer has courageously worked for dignity for all people in the United States. In this book, he tells his story with forthright honesty. First published in 1985 by Arbor House, this edition contains a new foreword by Don Carleton, director of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin, and a new preface. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
action agreed ain't American asked Bayard Rustin Bernice brother called Calverton chairman CHAPTER Chicago church civil rights color committee CORE CORE's daddy desk director door Elijah Muhammed eyes face Floyd McKissick Freedom Riders front fund Gandhi George Houser going hand Harlem head Jack Spratt jail James Farmer Jim Peck Jimmy Jimmy Robinson kill King knew later leader letter living looked Lula Malcolm Malcolm X meeting memo Mississippi mother moved movement NAACP Negro Neshoba County never nigger nonviolence organization persons police president Randolph replied Ride Roy Wilkins seat secretary segregation shook shouted Six-Two smile SNCC spoke staff stood stop street talk tell things thought tion told Tolson troopers turned waiting walked Washington Wilkins Winnie woman words y'all York young
Popular passages
Page 370 - must forge the instrumentalities through which that nationwide repudiation can be effected. We must not stop until racial brotherhood is established in the United States as a fact as well as an ideal. Ironically enough, the present unfortunate circumstances brought on by the war afford an excellent setting for immediate spadework in this direction.