Coming of Age in Mississippi

By: Anne Moody

Narrated by: Lisa Reneé Pitts

Born to a poor couple who were tenant farmers on a plantation in Mississippi, Anne Moody lived through some of the most dangerous days of the pre-civil rights era in the South. The week before she began high school came the news of Emmet Till's lynching. Before then, she had "known the fear of hunger, hell, and the Devil. But now there was…the fear of being killed just because I was black." In that moment was born the passion for freedom and justice that would change her life.

An all-A student whose dream of going to college is realized when she wins a basketball scholarship, she finally dares to join the NAACP in her junior year. Through the NAACP and later through CORE and SNCC she has first-hand experience of the demonstrations and sit-ins that were the mainstay of the civil rights movement, and the arrests and jailings, the shotguns, fire hoses, police dogs, billy clubs and deadly force that were used to destroy it.

A deeply personal story but also a portrait of a turning point in our nation's destiny, this autobiography lets us see history in the making, through the eyes of one of the footsoldiers in the civil rights movement.

©1968 Anne Moody (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Simply one of the best, Anne Moody's autobiography is an eloquent, moving testimonial to...courage." (Chicago Tribune)

Required Reading

Every American should read this powerful and moving story. Moody‘s account provides insight and understanding into American culture.

great to know the struggles for civil rights

it was an amazing book and it felt as if you were following her journey

Amazing story telling

I loved this book so much. It told a great story of courage, strength, and resilience. It was especially special to me because I’ve actually had the opportunity to spend time in Woodville Mississippi in Wilkerson County.. It’s a great little town with great people.

Emotional book

This book had my emotions like a roller coaster . Although I wanted more at the end .

fabulouse book

amazing book on one of the three that sat on the Woolworth counter during the Civil rights movements.
Watch https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2330728/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk. Anne Moody unfortunately was not here for this.

excellent narration

the story is one for the history books, but the way it was delivered was impeccable. it was difficult not to get drawn in. sometimes it felt as though you were right there with the author

Riveting until the very end!

This book was one of the best that I’ve listened to in a long time. The fact that someone had to endure all that Ann Moody did and still be able to get a college degree while helping others is phenomenal.

The over all language is rated R

I disliked the bad language and content, rated R not made for kids to listen to at all

So relatable, great story!!

I truly enjoyed the authors point of view, the narrator and the entire story. So relatable to me and my upbringing and I wasn’t even born in Mississippi!

we're still fighting this fight

I loved this book. read it a few times as a kid. the story is interestingly detailed. it draws you intob the world of Anne Moody. the struggle has always been real. kinda sad reading these stories and know that we still have major work to do in America and it's race relations. my grandfather grew up in magnolia Mississippi during this time period as well. Sobi think back to the stories he's told, and after listening to this book, it's just all too real.
definitely highly recommend