A Tribute to a Civil Rights Icon
By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Chairman, Anne Moody History Project
Copyright (c) 2021
#AnneMoody
#BobMoses
Bob Moses
Photo taken from YouTube video, "Robert Moses (2015) Remembers," an interview by Greg Peterson.
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I was deeply saddened by the recent news of Bob Moses' passing. But at the same time, I was pleased to see the many tributes and well-deserved recognition that poured in from many sources as a result of people hearing the news.
Indeed, Moses was a special man and a powerful leader who made many sacrifices in his fight for freedom, justice, and civil rights for all. Like many of the civil rights pioneers, he literally placed his own life on the line in the struggle for freedom, and he reportedly did it without any hesitation. Moses' passion was well-known and his love for humanity was legendary.
The Washington Post described him as “a towering but
self-effacing leader of the civil rights movement who” endured “beatings and jailings
to register Black voters in Mississippi in the 1960s.” The New York Times said
he was a “crusader for Civil Rights” who “developed a reputation for
extraordinary calm in the face of violence as he helped to register thousands
of voters and trained a generation of activists.”
The press used many colorful words to describe the
man. Whereas CBS called him a “champion of civil rights and math education,” CNN
presented him as a “civil rights legend.” Esquire said he “deserves a Statue in
the United States Capitol.”
I believe it is safe to say that all of those descriptions
are probably fitting in one way or another. At the same, I’m sure, he was more
complex and much bigger than the words used to describe him. Whichever way we choose to honor him, one thing remains clear: He was a civil rights pioneer who made a
difference in the state of Mississippi, and his indelible impact was felt by a
whole generation of voters, which included Anne Moody, author of Coming of Age in Mississippi.
Moses died on Sunday, July 25, at his home in Hollywood, Fla. He was 86. When I learned of his death, I immediately thought of Moody: Moses was one of many that she immortalized in her classic memoir. When she began working with him in the 1960s, she was a student at Tougaloo College. She wrote about her first impression of Moses with these words:
I really got to like all of the
SNCC workers. I had never known people so willing and determined to help
others. I thought Bob Moses, the director of SNCC in Mississippi, was Jesus
Christ in the flesh. A lot of other people thought of him as J.C., too.
Moses was a strong and confident leader who led by example. He instilled hope in those who followed him. By many accounts, he confronted the evil of racism with strength, intelligence, and commitment. He was fearless and disciplined. In the face of threats and beatings, he remained focused, calm, and determined. Moody apparently saw him as a leader who was not easily rattled by turmoil.
It seemed that for once in the
history of civil rights work in Mississippi something was actually going to be
accomplished. I was so carried away that until Bob Moses came walking through
the door, I had almost forgotten that I planned to see him to talk with him
about the killings in Woodville. Somehow, with all of the excitement going on
about the Summer Project and Bob directing it, I had expected a change in him,
but I could see he was still the same quiet, slow-walking, eyeglasses-wearing
Bob, I quickly cornered him and we talked for about an hour. He had been well
aware of the killings. However, he hadn’t known that my family was involved.
From Bob, I learned that the man
who had been killed in Liberty, Mississippi,
was Louis Allen.
Moody was also careful to mention Moses in the final chapter of her book. She saw him as she was preparing to leave her home state of Mississippi. She recounted:
Parked right in front of us was
a Greyhound bus. The motor was running and smoke was shooting out of its
exhaust pipe. It looked and sounded like it was about to pull off. Getting out
of the car, I saw Bob Moses holding the door open waving goodbye to the people
inside. I ran up to him and asked:
“Hey Bob, where’s this bus
going?”
“Oh! Moody, I’m glad you came.
Can you go? We need you to testify,” he said.
“Testify? What do you …?”
“Hey Moody! C’mon get on, we’re
going to Washington!” It was little twelve-year-old Gene Young, leaning his
head out of the window. As the bus began to pull out, Bob grabbed the door and
held it for me. I just managed to squeeze in. The bus was packed.
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#CivilRights #ComingOfAgeinMississippi #BlackHistory
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Want to know MORE
about Anne Moody?
Visit here to see the timeline of
important events
in her life history!
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For more information:
See the Anne Moody page here.
Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes
III, Ph.D. via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For
updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service
project, simply follow this blog or follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP).
#ComingOfAgeinMississipp
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