Recognizing Anne Moody

Giving Credit to Whom it is Due

By Roscoe Barnes III

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright © 2017

#AnneMoody

Anne Moody's book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, will
soon turn 50. It was first published on December 3, 1968

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This month, as we celebrate the Christmas holiday season, my mind is on the legacy and life history of civil rights pioneer Anne Moody. Forty-nine years ago this month, her autobiography, Coming of Age in Mississippi, was published by Dial. And thankfully, it is still in print and still being read in schools throughout the United States.

Her achievement as a literary giant prompts me to reflect on her level of prestige and her place in our history. At the same time, I find myself thinking about her struggles. I think about what it was like for her growing up as a poor black child in southwest Mississippi during the Jim Crow era. I’m also thinking of the sacrifices she made in the interest of freedom and justice, and all the other things that she did to make life better for others.

Moody was, by all accounts, an unexpected star. According to Ed King, former chaplain at Tougaloo College, she was “one of the heroines of the civil rights movement.” Moody was a gentle warrior and a strong black woman who risked her own life in the fight against bigotry, segregation and discrimination. She overcame poverty, hate, and negative stereotypes that smothered rural Mississippi and held black people down. She was jailed and sometimes beaten. She participated in some of the historic peaceful protests of the 1960s. She also worked with major leaders of the movement. Through it all, she never forgot her roots. And fortunately for us, she lived to tell her story.

This Christmas, I am personally thankful to her for the gift of Coming of Age in Mississippi. I am also grateful to Jackie Robinson for encouraging her to write the book. She died in 2015 at the age of 74, but her book lives on.

Over the past few weeks, news reports in Mississippi have touched on the state’s civil rights history. Some of this interest was generated, no doubt, by news of the official opening of the Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, which occurred on Saturday, December 9, 2017. While it was certainly important to discuss the contributions of Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and other civil rights workers/leaders, it would have been good, I think, to give more attention to Moody.

Moody’s book was originally published in 1968. According to her sister, Frances Jefferson, and Random House, the hardback edition rolled off the press on December 3, 1968. Next year will be the book’s 50th anniversary.

“Coming of Age was a big deal when it came out, and it’s still a big deal now, nearly fifty years later,” wrote civil rights author M.J. O’Brien. “It is read in literature and history classes in high schools, colleges and universities throughout the country, indeed, around the world. It is one of those rare sorts of books that has never gone out of print. It is a modern-day classic.” 

O’Brien is the author of We Shall Not Be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth's Sit-In and the Movement It Inspired  (University Press of Mississippi, 2013). Earlier this month, he visited a Mississippi prison where Moody was being recognized by a state senator. He commented: “It’s high time that she gets that kind of recognition.”

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Visit here to see how we’re 

working to keep her legacy alive!

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Despite the extraordinary success of Moody’s book, including her work as a civil rights pioneer, her name is noticeably absent in many discussions about history in general and civil rights in particular. That is unfortunate.

As a number of people have observed, Moody has not been given the attention she deserves. In an opinion piece published in The Natchez Democrat, Publisher Kevin Cooper noted, “For many Americans, her name may be unfamiliar, but for Mississippians her name should be familiar, but sadly it’s not as well known as it should be.”

A similar view is shared by Darrell S. White, director of the Natchez Museum of African American History & Culture, who believes that more should be done to recognize Moody. In a September 2017 email, he wrote, “The motto of the museum is ‘WE exist to tell our story,’ --  the story of Ann Moody deserves far more exposure than what has been previously offered.”

That sentiment was also echoed by Tracy Carr, director of the Mississippi Library Commission. In an interview earlier this year, Carr stated she was surprised at the lack of attention that had been given to Moody’s work. She commented: “I was a little shocked that she hadn’t gotten the recognition she deserved.”

With the aforementioned views in mind, I want say that one of my Christmas wishes this year, and for the foreseeable future, is for Anne Moody to get the recognition she deserves. May she receive all of the credit she is due.

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Visit here to see the timeline of important

events in Anne Moody’s 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 to be featured in short film by the Miss. Library Commission

By Roscoe Barnes III

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright © 2017

#AnneMoody

#MSLitMap

Library Services Director Tracy Carr, left, and Ally Mellon of the Mississippi Library Commission, attending the Anne Moody Day Celebration on Sept. 15, 2017, in Centreville, Miss.

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The Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) is working on a short film about the life history of civil rights pioneer Anne Moody (1940-2015). Moody, who grew up in Wilkinson County in southwest Mississippi, wrote the best-selling autobiography, Coming of Age in Mississippi. Although first published in 1968, the book remains in print to this day.

Library Services Director Tracy Carr said she and her staff are excited about the project, which will basically highlight Moody’s writing career. It will be available to the public through MLC’s YouTube channel in early 2018.

“The film will be a three to four minute documentary that looks at who she is and why she should be read,” Carr said, adding Moody is the first Mississippi author to be filmed by the commission. A film is also being planned for author Lewis Nordan.

“We selected Anne Moody for the film because despite being a powerful voice in Mississippi literature, she’s often overlooked,” Carr explained. “We hope to change that with the film.”

Filming is being done by Susan Liles. Shooting started in September during the Anne Moody Day Celebration in Centreville, Miss., Moody’s hometown. It was during the celebration that the town of Centreville issued a proclamation for Anne Moody Day and unveiled the "Anne Moody Street" sign.

Carr attended the ceremony along with Liles and staff member Ally Mellon. They met with Moody’s son, Sasha Straus, as well as her siblings, Adline Moody, Fred Moody Jr., and Ralph Jefferson. The film will include interviews with the family members, according to Carr.

Earlier this year, MLC featured Moody on the new Mississippi Literary Map. Carr noted at the time: “Moody’s powerful, unwavering voice of her life and experiences provides readers—especially Mississippians—with a descriptive portrait of a specific slice of history.”

Woodville Public Library Director Loretta Lewis said she was pleased to learn of the film project.

"I am gratified that Anne Moody is being remembered and recognized for her literary contributions,” she said. “She is an inspiration and role model for potential authors in our community."

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Would you like to know more about Anne Moody?

Visit the Anne Moody page here!

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References/Resources:

Mississippi Library Commission

http://mlc.lib.ms.us

Mississippi Literary Map

http://msreads.lib.ms.us/mslitmap

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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 IIIvia 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 featured on Mississippi Literary Map

She joins more than 20 other writers recognized 
for their achievements

By Roscoe Barnes III
Chairman, Anne Moody History Project
Copyright (c) 2017

#AnneMoody

Civil rights pioneer Anne Moody is taking her place among other famous writers in the great state of Mississippi. Thanks to the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC), she is now featured on the Mississippi Literary Map.

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Anne Moody's portrait on the 
Mississippi Literary Map

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Moody, who died at the age of 74 in 2015, is the author of Coming of Age in Mississippi. She was a native of Centreville, Miss., in Wilkinson County. This is her first time being featured on the map, which was unveiled Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, at the third annual Mississippi Book Festival at the Mississippi State Capitol. She joins more than 20 other authors on the current literary map. The last map was created in the mid-1990s.

Moody’s book is an autobiography. It chronicles her life as a poor black girl growing up during segregation in rural Mississippi. The book tells a heart-breaking story of how she fought racism and poverty, faced death threats, and became a pioneer in the civil rights movement. The book was first published in 1968 and has reportedly remained in print since that time. According to Library Services Director Tracy Carr, Moody’s book is a “wonderful” read that bears an important message. She noted: “Moody’s powerful, unwavering voice of her life and experiences provides readers—especially Mississippians—with a descriptive portrait of a specific slice of history.”

Announcement of the new literary map came in April by the Mississippi Center for the Book, which is located at the MLC. The project was funded by a Bicentennial Grant through the Mississippi Humanities Council (MHC). 

An MLC press release noted 21 Mississippi authors are featured on the map by portraits illustrated by Mississippi artist Ginger Williams Cook, who is “known for her illustrative, whimsical portraits.” Some of the featured authors are represented simply by text. According to Carr, the list of authors includes both prominent and “undervalued Mississippi writers.” Each of them was chosen by a selection committee, she said.

Although many authors are recognized, the purpose of the map is not to offer an exhaustive list of writers. Instead, it presents a good sample of the authors who have gained national notoriety and won prestigious awards, such as the Nobel Prize and the Pulitzer, according to the MLC.

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Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, unveiled the literary map at the third annual
Mississippi Book Festival on August 19, 2017 at the Mississippi State Capitol.
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Carr, who also serves as the director of Mississippi Center for the Book, suggested the map is a good way to recognize the state’s writers and their contributions. “This being Mississippi’s bicentennial makes it the perfect opportunity to look back and celebrate the state’s literary treasures as well as recognize some overlooked authors,” she said.

Carr was a staunch supporter for including Moody on the Mississippi Literary Map. “I was part of the committee that selected the names, and she was a unanimous pick,” Carr said. The author selection committee voted in February of 2017.

“I really wanted her on the map,” Carr said, adding she was “so impressed” with Moody’s contribution to Mississippi history and literature. She also was surprised at the lack of attention given to her contributions.

“I was a little shocked that she hadn’t gotten the recognition she deserved,” Carr said.

Carr's family is from Centreville, Moody’s hometown. She said her family once owned a drug store in the small town, which is situated between Woodville and McComb.

“I just read Coming of Age in Mississippi about six months ago and it was wonderful,” she said. “It made my hair stand up on my head. I couldn’t believe I’d never read it before, and I found the experience pretty transformative.”

Writers on the Mississippi Literary Map

List of writers featured (with portraits) on the Mississippi Literary Map: Anne Moody, Barry Hannah, Beth Henley, Brad Watson, Donna Tartt, Elizabeth Spencer, Ellen Douglas, Ellen Gilchrist, Eudora Welty, Jesmyn Ward, Kiese Laymon, Larry Brown, Lewis Nordan, Margaret Walker Alexander, Natasha Trethewey, Richard Ford, Richard Wright, Tennessee Williams, Walker Percy, William Faulkner, Willie Morris

Additional names (without portraits) include: W. Ralph Eubanks, John T. Edge, Greg Iles, Ida B. Wells, Beth Ann Fennelly, Tom Franklin, John Grisham, Mildred Taylor, Jack Butler, Shelby Foote, and W.A. Percy.

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Tracy Carr

Tracy Carr is the Library Services Director at the Mississippi Library Commission. She also is the director of the Mississippi Center for the Book.

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References/Resources:

Mississippi Library Commission

http://mlc.lib.ms.us

Mississippi Literary Map

http://msreads.lib.ms.us/mslitmap

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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