Mississippi Harmony: Memoirs of a Freedom Fighter

The citizens of Harmony, Mississippi may have lived and worked in harmony, but peace in the rural community was often shattered by Ku Klux Klan members driving by randomly shooting at houses. Mississippi Harmony: Memoirs of a Freedom Fighter is Winson Hudson's story told in her own words. Co-author, Constance Curry, adds historical background at the start of each chapter.

In her introduction, Curry says "one story" is that Winson's aunt, Callie Kirkland Dotson spoke the words, quoted above, upon completion of a community-built school in Galilee which ever after became known as Harmony. Winson Hudson began writing her story in late 1960s including taping her own words. When she requested Curry's help with the book, she said she wanted it published "while she could 'see it and touch it'."

Winson, born November 17, 1916 realized her dream with publication of Mississippi Harmony in 2002, two years before her death on May 1, 2004.

Who is Winson Hudson? She is one remarkable lady. Along with her sister, Dovie Hudson, Winson lived a life of activism. It took a long time for the sisters to be able to register to vote. Their voter registration drives, desegregation lawsuit, association with Freedom Fighters and the NAACP caused them much grief, including bombings. Despite the obstacles and constant threat of death, they bravely persisted in their quest for civil rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.

Winson tells of demanding to speak to a doctor after a receptionist stuck her daughter and ill baby in a room filled with buckets, mops and other cleaning supplies. Among other things, she told the doctor that the baby's father was with the U.S. military serving time in Vietnam. The father was shot three times in Vietnam on the same day Dovie Hudson's house was bombed. Winson wondered "how he felt about this country that his son would have to grow up in."

Mississippi required passing a literacy test before issuing a voter registration card. White citizens were asked to copy and interpret Section 240 of the Mississippi state constitution. It consisted of 9 words. Black citizens were given Section 241 to copy and interpret. This section was 206 words long using legal terms to describe "technical qualifications for voting" in the state. Winson's interpretation that finally gained her a voter's card are so cute I am tempted to share it with you, but will not.

Imagine a country farmhouse, sitting on the back porch sipping ice tea, great-aunt gently rocking in her chair. You are enthralled listening to her spin yarns about her youth. That is how Winson Hudson's narrative reads. Curry's historical chapter introductions are short and concise. What I did not like about this book is the introduction by Curry, which was rather long and included much of the information found elsewhere in the narrative.

The 150 page book includes Introduction, Epilogue and Index. The forward by Derrick Bell caused me to smile. There is also a Chronology and list of the book's black and white illustrations. Mississippi Harmony: Memoirs of a Freedom Fighter was published by Palgrave Macmillan and is available from online booksellers.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would, especially to anyone not registered to vote It took Winson 27 years to complete her quest to become a registered voter.. People like Derrick Bell, Dovie and Winson Hudson, bravely faced much opposition to ensure all citizens could, without fear, register to vote. Many others, lost jobs, their homes or their lives in the civil rights struggle and fight for freedom. Despite the sadness in Mississippi Harmony it is a warm fuzzy book or as Bell states "a remarkable testament to the concept that what should be done can be done."