River of Hope: Black Politics and the Memphis Freedom Movement, 1865–1954

Contents

Contents Introduction 1 1. “To Regain the Lost Rights of a Growing Race”: Black Political Mobilization, 1865–1916 13 2. “The Fight . . . to Make America Safe for Americans”: Memphis as a Political Model for the Region and the Country, 1917–1927 51 3. “Come . . . and See What a Negro Democrat Looks Like”: The Diversity of Black Political Activity, 1928–1939 93 4. “As Un-American as Any Dictator-Ridden Country in Europe”: Seeking Democracy during the War Years, 1940–1945 137 5. “A New Day Breaking” in the City and the South: The Decline of the Crump Machine and the Rise of New Leadership, 1946–1954 175 Conclusion 211 Acknowledgments 221 Notes 231 Bibliography 301 Index 327 Photographs follow page 136 ...