Mt. Pleasant to Honor Anne Moody in Celebration of Black History Month

Special services set for February

By Roscoe Barnes III

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright © 2018

#AnneMoody

#BlackHistory

#BlackHistoryMonth

Rev. LeReginald Jones, Assistant Pastor
Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church

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Centreville, Miss. -- The congregation of Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Centreville, will honor the legacy of Anne Moody this year by dedicating two services to her memory, according to Assistant Pastor LeReginald Jones.

The first service will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, February 11, 2018, and the second service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, February 25, 2018. Jones will be the speaker for the first service. Roscoe Barnes III, chairman of the Anne Moody History Project, will speak at the second service.

“We’re calling the second and fourth Sundays, ‘Anne Moody Sunday,’” Jones said. “Usually in February we celebrate Black History Month. This year we’re going to honor Anne Moody.”

Jones said the theme for the two services is, “We Are Because They Were.”

Moody was a civil rights worker and the author of Coming of Age in Mississippi (1968). She and her family were once members of Mt. Pleasant.

“We’re honoring her because she’s done so much for us that we don’t know about,” Jones said. “She was on the front lines of the civil rights movement and made sacrifices, even putting her life on the line.”

Public invited

The public is invited to both services. In recognition of Moody on the fourth Sunday, everyone is asked to wear purple and black. Purple was Moody’s favorite color, according to her sister, Frances Jefferson. Moody’s favorite meal, red beans and rice with fried chicken, will be provided at the service.

Mt. Pleasant is located at 8755 Highway 24 East, Centreville, about 9 miles east of Woodville. The church is in Wilkinson County in southwest Mississippi, about 40 minutes southeast of Natchez. Moody writes about Mt. Pleasant in her autobiography.

Moody was born in 1940. She grew up in Centreville where she faced poverty, hard work, and discrimination during the Jim Crow era. As a teenager, she moved to Woodville where she attended Johnson High School.

Moody’s legacy

Moody and her family attended Mt. Pleasant, the church where she was also baptized as a teenager. She also attended school in a small building near the church. Moody’s parents, Elmira ‘Too Sweet’ Jefferson and Fred Moody Sr., are buried in the cemetery across from the church.

Jones noted that because of Moody’s work for freedom and justice, the world came to know about Centreville and southwest Mississippi. “She put us – and the church -- on the world stage,” he said.

Jones said the church is honoring her “for her heroism and to keep the legacy of Mt. Pleasant alive.” He explained that Mt. Pleasant “has always had progressive and forward-leaning pastors.”

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“Born in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, in 1940, Anne Moody spent her early childhood on a plantation where her parents were sharecroppers. As a scholarship student, she attended Natchez Junior College and Tougaloo, graduating from the latter in 1964. Miss Moody has worked for CORE, traveling and speaking all over the nation.” -- From the book cover, Coming of Age in Mississippi

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Jones’ grandfather, the Rev. L.C. Weatherspoon Sr., is the senior pastor of Mt. Pleasant. Jones is the great-grandson of Edna Jones, who is known as “Sister Jones” in Moody’s book.

“I was two when she died,” he said of Sister Jones. “Everybody in the family feels I was her favorite because I was spoiled.”

In addition to serving Moody’s favorite meal, the church also plans to distribute copies of Moody’s book, Coming of Age in Mississippi. Other details about the two Sunday services will be presented at a later date, according to Jones.

For more information on the Anne Moody programs, contact Rev. LeReginald Jones at Regjones06@gmail.com or by calling 601-392-4294.

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Would you like 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 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). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi

Anne Moody's Impact on Her Family and Community

An Interview with Her Sister-in-Law, Sherry Jefferson
By Dr. Stephanie Scott-Sullivan
Guest Post -- Copyright © 2017

#AnneMoody

Note: This guest post is a presentation that was given by Dr. Stephanie Scott-Sullivan on Monday, June 12, 2017, during the Anne Moody Program held by Wilkinson County Correctional Facility in Woodville, Miss. The program was organized by the Committee for the Anne Moody History Project -- Roscoe Barnes III

________________________________________

Anne Moody
(1940-2015)
Author, Coming of Age in Mississippi

________________________________________

In the voice of Anne, our very own honoree today:

 “I was sick of pretending, sick of selling my feelings for a dollar a day.” 

“But courage was growing in me too. Little by little it was getting harder and harder for me not to speak out.” 

“I had to live my life as I saw it.”

“It no longer seemed important to prove anything. I had found something outside myself that gave meaning to my life.” 

As I began to read highlights and interview some family members to refresh my memory about the experiences of Anne Moody’s history, I found I could identify with her being born and raised in the south with the ability to endure the hardship of poverty and being raised up in the home with 10 siblings. I too can say I didn’t allow any of this to stand in my way!

So, let us capitalize on her principles, her standards, and her beliefs by establishing a phenomenal momentum that will promote deep personal stories and portraits of a turning point in our nation’s destiny. Furthermore, we as a people must also keep her legacy alive because of what she stood for, accomplished, and what she endured for us as a people.

 

In the voice of Former President Barack Obama, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

He also said, “The future rewards those who press on. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't have time to complain. I'm going to press on.”

And in the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

King also stated, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

The interview

In an effort to better understand the contributions of Anne Moody, I interviewed her sister-in-law, Sherry Jefferson, and her sister, Frances Jefferson. Here’s what they shared:

1. What was most inspiring about Anne Moody to your family and community?

At a time when the black community was living in total fear of the Ku Klux Klan and predominantly white racist law enforcement officials, Anne took a stand and joined the fight for our civil rights. She was and remains an inspiration to her generation of family members and the generations that followed. She instilled the importance of education in her nieces and nephews. The following generation, both nieces and nephews, have now earned college degrees and are successful entrepreneurs. The next generation is poised to follow.

2. What was most unforgettable about her?

She is most unforgettable for her strength and generosity to her immediate family and close friends; and for her wonderful sense of humor, and her beautiful smile. She was strong and always greeted everyone with a smile, IN SPITE OF the adversity she was fighting in her public or private life.

3. What would you as a family member like to take place in memory of her legacy in Centreville, Miss., or on the national level?

Her siblings are planning to build and dedicate a Learning Center in her honor in her hometown of Centreville.

4. How instrumental was she in the lives of her family?

She was and still is an inspiration to her generation, her family, and the generations that follow. We will continue to remind everyone of her legacy and instill in the next generations to never forget her journey and to never take for granted what she and many others fought for. We must continue to move forward and not become complacent.

5. How has her legacy affected this local community as well as other communities?

Her legacy serves as an inspiration to all in her hometown community. It proves the size of your community doesn't matter nor your economic status. If you believe in something, let your voice be heard.

 ________________________________________________

Dr. Stephanie Scott-Sullivan

Dr. Stephanie Scott-Sullivan is a native of Woodville. She is a graduate of Alcorn State University, where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Educational Psychology and a Master's Degree in Guidance Counseling. She holds a Specialist Degree and a Doctor of Education degree in teacher leadership from Walden University. She is a guidance counselor at Williams Winans Middle School in the Wilkinson County School District.

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Editor's Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III 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). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi

Anne Moody leaves treasure trove of unpublished manuscripts

By Roscoe Barnes III

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

#AnneMoody

NOTE: I've been informed that Anne Moody's papers are no longer available at Emory University.

When Anne Moody spoke of her writing projects in an interview in 1985, she seemed excited about nine unpublished book manuscripts she had written at the time. She talked about them with passion and seemed eager to have them published. But for some reason, the manuscripts never saw publication.

When Moody died at the age of 74 on Feb. 5, 2015, in Gloster, Miss., she had only two books published to her credit. They included her famous autobiography, Coming of Age in Mississippi (1968), and her collection of short stories in Mr. Death: Four Stories (1975).

This book consists of four stories that were originally a part of Variations on a Dream of Death.  With only 102 pages, it was published in 1975 by Harper & Row. First edition was published as hardback. Amazon has a hardback copy listed at $48 and a paperback listed at $299.

Although much has been written about Coming of Age, which has remained in print since its publication in 1968, little is known about Mr. Death. The short story collection, a spinoff from her manuscript, Variations on a Dream of Death, was a break from her autobiographical writings. Amazon reviewer Kristin Traylor gave the book two out of five stars. She wrote: “The stories were all tragic, with characters just going straight into their destruction. No real character development. Her memoir, Coming of Age in Mississippi, was fantastic.”

Kirkus Review presented more light on the collection:

“Anne Moody's four stories of death are so impressively crafted that we wonder who (author? editor? promotion department?) designated them juvenile fiction. True, three of them have child protagonists, but the fourth--about a young woman and her doomed daughter, whom she believes bears the ""mark"" of a contrary cow her mother-in-law (spitefully, she believes) bestowed on her during her pregnancy--uncompromisingly adheres to the limited outlook of Truelove, the mother. And certainly there is nothing withheld or scaled down in the grisly ""Bobo"" wherein a little gift is eaten by her German shepherd, or any nuance overstated in ""All Burnt Up,"" remarkable for its keen, cool view of tangled interracial feelings and poses in the South. (Moody's protagonists, by the way, are black--a fact that is not incidental but is simply natural and unstated.) Of all the shocking endings only the title story's seems at all constructed or artificial, and even that follows with a good show of inevitability the compelling dream sequence that carries us up to that point. You might not agree with John Donovan's introductory assertion that these bone clean Southern gothics are really about love--but, as with Donovan's own Wild in the World (1971), you won't forget them.”

Moody did not initially consider herself a writer, but she enjoyed success as a best-selling author and she continued to write. Some of her work appeared in magazines, such as Mademoiselle. She has been quoted as saying, "In the beginning I never really saw myself as a writer. I was first and foremost an activist in the civil rights movement in Mississippi."

Why Moody’s other manuscripts were not published is something scholars will need to ponder. I have some personal thoughts about her reasons, but I’m not quite ready to share them. I’m still trying to confirm a few hunches and several stories I’ve heard.

Moody discussed her writings during an interview with Debra Spencer on Feb. 19, 1985, in the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Building. She was joined by her son, Sasha Straus. During the interview, Moody was clear about her intentions to publish. She said: “I do plan to get my books published….” Her unpublished manuscripts consisted of two autobiographical sequels, commentary and fiction. Since this interview occurred in the mid-1980s, it is possible that she wrote other material in her later years. Below is the list of manuscripts she described in the interview.

Anne Moody’s Unpublished Manuscripts

1. Farewell to Too Sweet

A finished manuscript, this is the sequel to Coming of Age in Mississippi. It focuses on Moody’s relationship with her mother, Elmira “Too Sweet” Williams Moody, who died in 1976. According to Moody, “The book began with her in the hospital room; it ends with her death.” Moody said the death of her mother was very traumatic for her.

2. Coming of Age in New York

This one discusses her 10-year marriage to Austin Straus. It covers the years of Moody’s life from 1974 to 1984.

3. Alternatives to Conventional Marriage

Moody described this work as “…a book of interviews with couples who found an alternative to the conventional things.”

4. Variations on a Dream of Death

Her book, Mr. Death, was a spinoff of this manuscript.

5. My Black Woman’s Book

This is a novel. Her friends and others reportedly thought it was her “most interesting piece of work.”

6. The Clay Gully

This is another novel. The idea for the story stemmed from the clay gully behind her grandmother’s house where she and other kids used to play.

7. Who Needs a Mouth?

This book is based on her brother who lost his ability to talk after suffering a head injury as a child. According to Moody, he fell off a table and injured his head. She was inspired to write this book after watching his reaction one day when he looked at his dad who had become angry and started swearing. She said it seemed as if her brother was thinking, “Who needs a mouth if this is all it is used for?” (my paraphrase).

8. Giraffe Book

This is a novel about animals. Said Moody: “I think the giraffe is the most beautiful animal in the world, and this book is about a woman who has a zoo.” The woman tries to use the zoo as a tool for integration in Mississippi. It is her hope that the zoo would engender diversity by attracting people of different races.

9. Apartheid and Worse in the Marshall Islands

According to Moody, this is “a book dealing with the nuclear issue. All the testing of the bomb, the weapons and things there.”

Based on this list, it seems that Moody remained busy as a writer. In the 1980s and 1990s, she also lectured and gave readings at a number of schools, including Tougaloo College. Her papers are housed at Emory University. Let’s hope that some of these manuscripts will soon see the light of publication so that we all may know more about this incredibly gifted woman.

References:

* Kirkus Review of Mr. Death

* I came across the Debra Spencer interview while browsing Wikipedia:

Spencer, Debra (February 19, 1985). "Transcript (74 pp.) of interview with Anne Moody" (PDF). Department of Archives & History Building. Jackson, Mississippi. p. 51. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-02. AU 76 OHP 403.

* Anne Moody’s papers are housed at Emory University. They were acquired by the university in 2012. NOTE: PAPERS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

* The Clarion-Ledger article: Anne Moody, author of 'Coming of Age in Mississippi,' has died

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Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III 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). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi

Samuel Harden, Deacon for Defense, recalls death of Anne Moody’s uncle, Clifton Walker

By Roscoe Barnes III
Chairman, Anne Moody History Project
Copyright© 2017
 
#AnneMoody

Photo by Roscoe Barnes III

Samuel Harden, a civil rights-era Deacon for Defense and Justice, looks at the spot where Anne Moody’s uncle, Clifton Walker, was murdered by the KKK the night of Feb. 28, 1964, on East Poor House Road, near Woodville, Miss. Walker had turned off Highway 61 and was driving his car south when it came over the hill (seen in the background). The KKK, armed with multiple weapons, were waiting at the bottom of the hill. They fired into his car until he died. (Click on image to enlarge.)

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When I first met Mr. Samuel Harden in June this year, he said he was a deacon back in the 1960s. I assumed he was talking about ministry in a church. So I acknowledged his service and said it was a blessing.

I didn’t think much of it until later that night when I was conducting research on the death of Clifton Walker, the uncle of civil rights pioneer Anne Moody. Walker was murdered by the KKK on Feb. 28, 1964 on East Poor House Road, a few miles north of Woodville, Miss. Walker was the brother of Emma, the second wife of Anne’s dad, Fred Moody. During my research, I discovered Harden was not merely a deacon in a church during that time, but a deacon who helped to defend the people working for civil rights in southwest Mississippi. Officially, he was a member of the Deacons for Defense and Justice. Yes, he was a civil rights hero and warrior for freedom and justice.

Photo by Roscoe Barnes III

Samuel Harden, a civil rights-era Deacon of Defense and Justice, recalls the killing of Anne Moody’s uncle, Clifton Walker, in 1964. (Click on image to enlarge.)

__________________ 

Harden, who is now 83, was shot during an incident in 1966 (details forthcoming). He opened his shirt and showed me the scar just below his neck. He said he was shot in the collarbone and the bullet came out through his back. He said the injury affected the use of his right hand.

After a brief conversation about civil rights history, Harden took me to the place on East Poor House Road where Walker was murdered. The road is now covered with gravel. Harden knew Walker and his entire family. He lived only a short distance from the Walkers.

Harden said everybody was talking about the killing at the time. On the Saturday following Walker's murder, Harden drove down the dirt road to see Walker’s car which had been riddled with bullets. According to Harden, a number of rumors about the cause of the killing soon spread throughout the area. Although some people felt it was related to civil rights activities, many believed it was because of a relationship with a white woman. Harden believes it was the latter. “I went to every NAACP meeting and I never saw him there,” Harden said. He did not believe Walker was active with the civil rights movement.

Walker’s case was reopened decades later, but no one was ever brought to justice for his death (See Clarion Ledger article). 

References:

Deacons for Defense and Justice

http://www.blackpast.org/aah/deacons-defense-and-justice

Deacons for Defense provided protection when no one else would

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/02/06/deacons-of-defense-robert-hicks/78955042/

KKK Ambush Killing of Clifton Walker Goes Unpunished

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/journeytojustice/2014/08/29/kkk-killing-clifton-walker-unpunished/14814923/

Law and Local Activism: Uncovering the Civil

Rights History of Chambers v. Mississippi

http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4199&context=californialawreview

Pages 460 to 470

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Author’s Note:
Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III 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). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi

Felicia Williams, Anne Moody's cousin, wins seat on Centreville Board of Aldermen

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

#AnneMoody

Civil rights pioneer Anne Moody would be proud of her cousin, Felicia Williams, who recently won election in their hometown to serve as a member of the Centreville Board of Aldermen. Williams has said her mother and Moody's mother, "Too Sweet," were the children of two brothers.

As a newly elected official, Williams will serve Ward 1 in her community. During her campaign, Williams emphasized her commitment to "strong leadership, strong family values, and a change we can trust." She noted that "she is dedicated to her work, determined, and hard-working."

Williams explained that she has a strong desire for the young people in her community. She described family values as being the "backbone that shapes" the community.

Since winning the election, Williams has continued to work hard in Centreville. She said recently: "I am in the process of stuffing backpacks for my church. I always find some area that I can give back to the community." Stay tuned for more news about this rising star.

Elect Felicia Williams

For

Alderman Ward 1

She is running for this position because she loves this community. She has the background and experiences necessary to successfully address the current and future challenges of this office.

She is a native of Centreville, MS, and have lived in this area her entire life. She is the daughter of Estella Ray and the Late Calvin Ray Jr. She has one daughter, Emily Powell.

She is a 1994 graduate of Wilkinson County High School.

She studied Law Enforcement at Southwest Community College (1994-95).

She completed a diploma program in Diesel Truck Driving at Southwest Community College (2002).

She is currently enrolled at Ashford University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice.

She started a non-profit organization called “Community Action” with Amite County 2^nd District. Supervisor in 2004, which was responsible for teaching Job Skills and Basic Skills to girls and boys age 8-18.

She served as a Volunteer Fire Fighter in Centreville from 2008-2010.

She was a Truck Driver for Swift Transportation for several years. For over 10 years she traveled the continental United States working in the Nuclear Industry. In this Industry she worked as a Senior General Foreman for Chicago Bridge and Iron (Laborers Local #1177), a Senior Decontamination Technician for DZ Atlantic, and a Junior Radiation Protection Technician for Bartlett Nuclear. During those years she frequently spent time in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Connecticut servicing PSEG, Entergy, and the East Coast Area. After returning here in 2015, she became employed at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility in Woodville, MS, where she now serves as a Captain.

She is currently a member of the Nathaniel Baptist Church here in Centreville, MS.

She is a member of OES, Rising Stars #50 of Liberty, MS.

She is a Volunteer for Red Cross of America (Southern Mississippi Region).

She is a Girl Scout Troop Leader for Troop 3700 of Centreville, MS.

She serves as PTA (Parent Teacher Association) President at Finch Elementary.

She serves as Community Representative for AJFC Head Start for both Centreville and Woodville Centers and is a Policy Council Board Member.

She is dedicated to her work, determined, and hard-working, has a strong desire for the youth in this community, believe in family values and that it is the backbone that shapes our communities. She also believes that strong leadership is what our communities need and that it is time for a change.

One June 6, 2017, Be the Change, Vote for a Respected Community Leader, One with Strong Family Values, Strong Leadership, and A Change We can Trust.  

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Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III 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). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi

Anne Moody Timeline - Part 3

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

(Updated 6/30/17

This is the third and final part of Anne Moody's timeline. I recently shared it on some of my academic web pages, including Figshare.com (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5165725.v1 )

#AnneMoody

Anne Moody was a civil rights pioneer

and the noted author of

Coming of Age in Mississippi

1980 – She reads from her works, “Mr. Death” and “Bobo,” for Caedmon in New York.

1984 – She gives a 90-minute class presentation at Tougaloo College titled, Anne Moody: My Life Since Coming of Age.

1985 – She presents a reading of her work at Tougaloo College on February 18. She is interviewed by Debra Spencer on February 19 in the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Building. She is joined by her son, Sasha Strauss.

1991 – While living in New York City, she experiences a medical situation that requires the help of John Salter (Hunter Gray), her former Tougaloo professor.

1994 – She encounters a situation in New York City wherein she fears losing her freedom and once again she reaches out to John Salter who comes to her rescue.

1996 – She gives phone interviews from April through July to M. J. O’Brien, who would later publish the book, We Shall Not Be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth’s Sit-In and the Movement It Inspired (University Press of Mississippi, 2013). She lives for a short time on the campus of Tougaloo College.

1999 – Her friend in the movement, C.O. Chinn, is honored for his contributions in the civil rights movement. Canton declares May 2, 1999, as “C.O. Chinn Day.”

2012 – Emory University acquires her personal collection of papers. Collection consists of diaries, letters, photographs, and ephemera.

2013 – State officials unveil a historical marker commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the sit-in at Woolworth’s store in Jackson, Miss. Anne does not attend the ceremony. She is mentioned throughout the book, We Shall Not Be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth’s Sit-In and the Movement It Inspired (University Press of Mississippi, 2013). A short clip of her is featured in the documentary, An Ordinary Hero: The True Story of Joan Trumpauer (2013).

2015 – She dies on Thursday, February 5, in her home in the small rural town of Gloster, Miss., in Amite County. Her sister, Adline, tells the Associated Press that she had dementia for several years and that she had stopped eating two days before her death. U.S. Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announces her death in a statement on his website. Her death is reported in major newspapers, including the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, etc.

Her remains are cremated. A celebration of her life is observed on Saturday, February 14 at the Homochitto Association Development Center near Gloster.

2016 -- Her childhood home on the corner of Hospital Road and Fort Street in Centreville is flooded in August and sustains major damage.

2017 – The Committee for the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP) is formed in March by the staff of Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF), Woodville, in recognition of Women’s History Month. (Note: WCCF is managed by the Management & Training Corporation of Utah). AMHP’s mission is to honor, promote, and help preserve the legacy of Anne Moody. On May 4, the committee opens Twitter account for @AnneMoodyHP.

On June 5, the Wilkinson County Board of Supervisors approves request by AMHP to name a portion of Highway 24 East “Anne Moody Highway.” On June 12, WCCF hosts a special program to honor Anne Moody. Her brother, the Rev. Fred Moody Jr., is the guest speaker. On June 15, the Centreville Board of Aldermen approves request by AMHP to rename Fort Street “Anne Moody Street.” The board also approves AMHP’s request for a proclamation to be issued for “Anne Moody Day,” which would be celebrated on her birthday, September 15.

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Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III 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, please follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). Ideas and suggestions are also welcomed.

Anne Moody Timeline - Part 2

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

(Updated 6/30/17)

I recently shared this document on a couple of my academic web pages, including Figshare.com (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5165725.v1 )

#AnneMoody

Anne Moody was a civil rights pioneer

and the noted author of

Coming of Age in Mississippi

1964 – On February 28, her uncle, Clifton Walker, is reportedly murdered by a white mob on East Poor House Road, which is located a few miles north of Woodville. Walker was the brother of Emma, the second wife of Anne’s dad, Fred Moody.

She works for the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) in the town of Canton, Miss., during what is called “Freedom Summer.” In June, she meets with Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney, all members of CORE, one week before they go missing and are later found dead, having been murdered by the local Klansmen. June 21, the day they went missing, is reported as the date of their deaths.

She graduates from Tougaloo College with a B.S. degree. She leaves the state of Mississippi. She speaks at United Auto Workers (UAW) convention in Atlantic City and becomes a popular speaker. She meets famous baseball player Jackie Robinson, who encourages her to write a book about her experiences. On August 4, the bodies of Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney are found in a dam near Philadelphia, Miss. Between August and December, she assists Jackie Robinson with his fundraising efforts to build the Chaney-Goodman‐Schwerner Memorial Center.

She works as civil rights project coordinator for Cornell University’s School of Labor Relations until 1967.

1965 – She begins writing Coming of Age in Mississippi following encouragement from Jackie Robinson.

1966 – She meets Austin Straus, a white Jewish poet and a graduate student at New York University (NYU), and falls in love. They live together for one year.

1967 – She marries Austin Straus on March 9. She becomes a counselor for New York City’s poverty program. She completes the book, Coming of Age in Mississippi.

1968 – Her book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, is published by Dial. The book is described as an “autobiography of growing up poor and black in the rural south.” It is released in December. The hardcover edition features a photograph of her taken by her husband. The photograph appears on the back cover of the book.

1969 – She travels the country promoting Coming of Age in Mississippi. She appears on numerous TV shows. On April 3, she appears on The Merv Griffin Show. By August, she is exhausted. Coming of Age in Mississippi receives the Brotherhood Award from the National Council of Christians and Jews, and the Best Book of the Year Award from the National Library Association. She is published in Mademoiselle in January. Her article notes her frustration with the civil rights movement.

1970 -- Coming of Age in Mississippi is published in Germany by Fischer-Verlag. Heinrich Ball, a Nobel prize-winner, writes the Foreword. He and his wife translate the book, and it soon becomes a bestseller in Germany. Anne is honored with a silver medal from Mademoiselle. The recognition is part of the magazine’s “New Hopes for the Seventies: 25 to Watch” feature.

1971 – Her son, Sasha Strauss, is born.

1972 – She and her family move to Berlin, where they live until 1974. She receives a German Academic Exchange Service grant – a full-time scholarship from the city of Berlin and a large house. She works as an artist-in-residence in Berlin.

1973 – Her friend in the movement, George Raymond Jr., dies of a heart attack on March 8 at the age of 30 in New Orleans. Raymond was a Freedom Rider and CORE leader.

1974 – She returns to the United States. She learns of a friend, Chinn, being convicted of murder and serving time at Parchman. She returns to Mississippi.

1975 – Her book, Mr. Death: Four Stories, is published by Harper & Row; (1st edition).

1976 – She returns to Mississippi for the second time because her mother is dying. She begins work on a sequel to Coming of Age in Mississippi, titled, Farewell to Too Sweet. Her mother, Too Sweet, dies.

1977 – She and her husband are divorced after 10 years of marriage.

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Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III 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, please follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). Ideas and suggestions are also welcomed.

Anne Moody Timeline - Part 1

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright© 2017

(Updated 6/30/17)

I recently shared this document on a couple of my academic web pages, including Figshare.com (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.5165725.v1 )

#AnneMoody

Anne Moody was a civil rights pioneer

and the noted author of

Coming of Age in Mississippi

Note: In presenting this timeline, it is important to note that in the telling of her story, Anne Moody changed the actual names of many people mentioned in the book. These changes included the names of some of her family members.

#AnneMoody

1940 – Anne Moody is born as Essie Mae Moody on September 15 to Fred and Elmira “Too Sweet” Williams Moody near the small town of Centreville, Mississippi, in Wilkinson County.

1952 – She is 12 and in the 6^th grade when she and her family move into a house in Ash Quarters near Highway 24 in Centreville. The house is built by her stepdad, Leroy Jefferson. (In her book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, her stepdad is called Raymond.)

1953 – She is 13 when she is baptized in September by Reverend Tyson of Mount Pleasant church, located off of Highway 24 between Centreville and Woodville. She begins working for Linda Jean Jenkins.

1954 – She is 14 and in the 8^th grade when she is crowned the homecoming queen of Willis High School (historically black school) in November. Her name is officially changed from “Essie Mae Moody” to “Annie Moody” because of an error on her birth certificate. Her stepdad rents land on the former military camp site, Camp Van Dorm, where he digs up grenades and bombs while plowing with a mule.

1955 – She is 14 (soon to be 15) when she learns of the death of Emmett Till, who is lynched in Mississippi on August 28 at the age of 14. This horrific event becomes a turning point in her life. She is filled with shock and anger.

1956 – She is shaken by the murders of the Taplin family. Eight to nine people were reportedly all burned to death in a house fire on the northwest corner of East Highland Street and South Gordon Street in Centreville. She is 15 when she goes to Baton Rouge, La., for the summer, leaving home for the first time, and stays with her Uncle Ed. She returns to Centreville and becomes a Math tutor for several white teenagers in the home of Mrs. Burke, the mother of Linda Jean Jenkins. She stops working for Mrs. Burke and soon starts working for Mrs. Marcia Hunt, one of the owners of Hunt and Taylor Ladies Shop in Centreville.

1957 – She goes to New Orleans, La., for the summer and works for a month in a chicken factory, which she hates. She returns home to Centreville. She is 17 when she leaves home following a conflict with her stepdad and moves to Woodville, Miss., to live with her dad and his wife, Emma. She attends Johnson High School (historically black school) in Woodville.

1959 – She is awarded a basketball scholarship to attend Natchez Junior College in Natchez, Miss. She graduates from Johnson High School and returns to New Orleans for the summer two days later. On August 14, Samuel O’Quinn, a graduate of Tuskegee Institute, successful businessman and dad of 11, is murdered near Centreville reportedly because of his interest in the NAACP and civil rights. She begins freshman year at Natchez Junior College On August 27, the Rev. Harrison D. Dupree and his family flee their home in Fort Adams (located 19 miles west of Woodville) to escape being lynched by a white mob.

1960 – She is attending Natchez Junior College when she experiences her first kiss.

1961 – She returns to New Orleans after leaving Natchez Junior College. She receives full scholarship to attend Tougaloo College. She starts attending Tougaloo College where she decides to become a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Medgar Evers, NAACP leader, speaks at the college.

1962 – During the summer, she meets Joan Trumpauer, a white student at Tougaloo, who is also secretary for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Anne Moody and a friend stage a sit-in on a Trailways bus without approval of any organization. They are threatened and rescued.

1963 – On May 28, she participates in sit-in at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Jackson. Civil rights activist Medgar Evers is assassinated on June 12. On June 13, she visits Jackson State College to recruit students for the movement and is later arrested. She attends Evers’ funeral on June 15. She participates in the historic March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28.

On September 15 – her 23^rd birthday – she learns of four girls being killed at the 16^th Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., when the church is bombed. This event becomes another turning point for Anne that results in her questioning her faith and the nonviolent movement.

On Friday, November 22, she is working in a restaurant in New Orleans when she learns of President Kennedy being shot and killed.

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Author’s Note:

Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III 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, please follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). Ideas and suggestions are also welcomed.