Colorado Parks & Wildlife Research Library

In Lighting the Fires of Freedom Janet Dewart Bell shines a light on womens all-too-often overlooked achievements in the Movement. Through wide-ranging conversations with nine women, several now in their nineties with decades of untold stories, we hear what ignited and fueled their activism, as Bell vividly captures their inspiring voices. Lighting the Fires of Freedom offers these deeply personal and intimate accounts of extraordinary struggles for...

In a sixth memoir, the author and poet describes her return from Africa to the U.S., her work with the civil rights movement, and the writing of her first autobiographical work, "I know Why the Caged Bird Sings."

Presents a collage-illustrated treasury of poems and spirituals inspired by the life and work of civil rights advocate Fannie Lou Hamer, a sharecropper's daughter from Mississippi.

"A revealing portrait of one of the most gifted and charismatic, yet least understood, Black artists and intellectuals of the twentieth century" -

"The true story of Black activist Opal Lee and her vision of Juneteenth as a holiday for everyone will inspire children to be brave and make a difference. Growing up in Texas, Opal knew the history of Juneteenth, but she soon discovered that most Americans had never heard of the holiday that represents the nation's creed of "freedom for all.""-- "The true story of Black activist Opal Lee and her vision of Juneteenth as a holiday for everyone celebrates...

"This picture book biography in verse tells the story of Mary Hamilton, an African American woman and Civil Rights activist, who was found to be in contempt of court when she would not respond to questions from an Alabama judge who used only her first name, while calling white people "Mr.," "Mrs.," or "Miss." The NAACP took her case, which appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court, which ruled in Mary Hamilton's favor." --

Presents the life and achievements of Coretta Scott King, discussing her vital role in the Civil Rights Movement, her awareness campaigns, and her efforts to continue the work of her husband, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Get to know the life and legacy of Ruby Bridges. Vivid photographs and easy-to-read text give early readers an engaging and age-appropriate look at her brave role in ending segregation during the Civil Rights Movement.

The extraordinary life of Pauli Murray, activist, poet, teacher, priest and "firebrand" for all seasons, is beautifully detailed in Patricia Bell-Scott's book. Pauli clearly won the heart of Eleanor Roosevelt as both women sought to advance the cause of Negro rights--indeed all human rights---during their lives. Their history together reverberates today as the fight for equality continues, making this book important reading for all of us."Jane Alexander,...

"In this book, historian J. Todd Moye masterfully reconstructs Baker's life and contribution for a new generation of readers. Those who despair that the civil rights story is told too often from the top down and at the dearth of accessible works on women who helped shape the movement will welcome this new addition to the Library of African American biography series, designed to provide concise, readable, and up-to-date lives of leading black figures...