Civil Rights in Black and Brown

Civil Rights in Black and Brown does what too few civil rights studies do—it makes abundantly clear that the movement was not one thing. It was not led by one person. It was not confined to one place. It was not organized by one group. And it was not the product of one people's struggle. Brilliantly weaving together familiar and forgotten stories of the modern African American and Chicano/a movements in Texas, Civil Rights in Black and Brown provides the nuanced interpretation of the freedom struggle that scholars have been longing for.

— Hasan Kwame Jeffries

Civil Rights in Black and Brown offers an urgent reminder that Texans don't need Lone Star myths to be inspired. This indispensable book shows that the long struggles for civil rights and social justice have deep roots in Texas. It draws on an extraordinary collection of interviews that helped save the histories of everyday Texans who courageously organized for equality, justice, and democracy. This powerful book is required reading for anyone who wants to learn from the past to understand the present and to help build a more just future.

— Monica Muñoz Martinez

This book is an important contribution to the history of White supremacy and the unremitting struggle against it in mid-twentieth century Texas…[Civil Rights in Black and Brown] pulsates with energy and showcases exciting new scholarship from talented academics with varied perspectives...This book deserves a wide readership.

— Southwestern Historical Quarterly

The oral historians on this project covered twenty urban and rural locations throughout Texas, and in doing so, have enriched the historical record in a way that should pay off for generations to come...this book is a praiseworthy testament to the power and usefulness of oral history, not only for the sake of new scholarship itself, but also to the communities served. Civil Rights in Black and Brown documents a model oral history project that many of us will benefit from for years to come.

— Oral History Review

Contending with a racist political elite, police violence, and disenfranchisement, Black and Brown Texans struggled for decades to gain basic civil rights. Exploring the oft-overlooked history of these historic struggles is essential to paving a path forward for progressive politics in our era of right-wing reaction...In addition to addressing oft-overlooked battles in Texas, the authors of the essays [in Civil Rights in Black and Brown] also address another oversight in many histories of the era, putting the focus on the base rather than leadership.

— Red Fault

Coalitional politics is a complicated and sometimes messy undertaking laden with varying degrees of rivalry, defensiveness, and hierarchy...This anthology steps into this turmoil, and this Chicano historian of Chicanx history is impressed...The [Civil Rights in Black and Brown Oral History Project] and this anthology are a veritable dream for anyone involved in public history, oral history, and the digital humanities...this excellent anthology joins a growing body of literature that examines such collaborations.

— Journal of Southern History

Ultimately, Civil Rights in Black and Brown provides a valuable correction to stubbornly popular narratives that highlight racial tolerance and ignore social justice movements in Texas history. And while Texas is certainly not a microcosm (let alone the best) of America, as many of its residents too often suggest, this volume offers a significant model on how to integrate oral history into our understanding of the US past, especially Black and Latino experiences in surviving and fighting systemic racism, then and now.

— Journal of African American History