Reviews

Remembering Jim Crow: African Americans Tell about Life in the Segregated South by

omg__gigi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It helps me better understand what my people endured in the South. The stories were harrowing to read. I think every African American should read books like this. It’s a great book to learn about first-hand experiences during eras like Jim Crow. The book also has a few pages at the beginning of each chapter, which gives context to the short stories. 

buffyb's review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoyed reading the stories in this book. I feel like a huge part of my history was missed out when I was in school. We learned about slavery and that it was bad and we learned a bit about desegregation but we weren't really taught about the stuff in between. Of course, I suppose it makes sense that institutionalised racism isn't going to be taught by an institution that institutionalised racism. I hope that more of my white American brothers and sisters will read this to understand what it was like for our African American brothers and sisters after slavery was abolished and to perhaps understand our current racial climate. Things need to change and for that to happen people need to listen to reach other.

These stories are told in a matter of fact kind of way which, for me, made it worse. This is just the way things were and the people who lived through these times just had to deal with it. I found these stories to be very powerful and moving.

revelinthepages's review against another edition

3.0

This book was very thought provoking and disturbing throughout, as I read personal accounts of life as a black person during this dark time in history. The end got a little long and repetitive, but I found myself shocked, saddened, and thoroughly disappointed in my own race, with every turn of the page. Important to read these stories.

cjeanne99's review against another edition

3.0

Oral history of life in the segregated south. I read this in pieces over the course of several months. AS someone who grew up in a small town in northeast Iowa - I had no idea about the restrictions placed on the lives of African Americans. Important to read, learn and understand the stories told in this book.

stephb413's review against another edition

4.0

An important read which helps explain current injustices.

sambria's review against another edition

5.0

if you like first person accounts of jim crow america, and i do, then this is a good read. it reaffirms the stories your grandparents told you about growing up in early to mid 20th century and tells you some of the stories they didn't.