Until I Am Free

Fannie Lou Hamer's Enduring Message to America

By: Keisha N. Blain

Narrated by: Tyra Kennedy

Explores the Black activist’s ideas and political strategies, highlighting their relevance for tackling modern social issues including voter suppression, police violence, and economic inequality.

“We have a long fight and this fight is not mine alone, but you are not free whether you are white or black, until I am free.”—Fannie Lou Hamer

A blend of social commentary, biography, and intellectual history, Until I Am Free is a manifesto for anyone committed to social justice. The book challenges us to listen to a working-poor and disabled Black woman activist and intellectual of the civil rights movement as we grapple with contemporary concerns around race, inequality, and social justice.

Award-winning historian and New York Times best-selling author Keisha N. Blain situates Fannie Lou Hamer as a key political thinker alongside leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks and demonstrates how her ideas remain salient for a new generation of activists committed to dismantling systems of oppression in the United States and across the globe.

Despite her limited material resources and the myriad challenges she endured as a Black woman living in poverty in Mississippi, Hamer committed herself to making a difference in the lives of others. She refused to be sidelined in the movement and refused to be intimidated by those of higher social status and with better jobs and education. In these pages, Hamer’s words and ideas take center stage, allowing us all to hear the activist’s voice and deeply engage her words, as though we had the privilege to sit right beside her.

More than 40 years since Hamer’s death in 1977, her words still speak truth to power, laying bare the faults in American society and offering valuable insights on how we might yet continue the fight to help the nation live up to its core ideals of “equality and justice for all.”

Must read for allies.

Dr. Keisha N. Blaine exercises her formidable talents as an historian and writer here. Will be in the pantheon of great books of our time, with "Stamped at Birth.." and "Caste..." I thought I knew the basic story, but the details, especially with regard to Ms. Hamer's experiences with feminist and global intersectionality were particularly instructive. Do yourself a favor and read this.

Her Story: A Freedom Fighter and Legend

Fannie Lou Hamer is a story that intrigues me. She’s a freedom fighter, resilient, and lived with purpose. The Audible version “Until I Am Free” was appropriate with the right passion. Author Keisha N. Blain introduced interesting but conflicting information which causes me to question was Hamer a God-fearing wife, fighter for constitutional rights (the right to vote), fighter for human rights (food insecurity for people of color), while seeking to be elected to office and a servant of her husband according to the gospel? If this is true, her life was truly complexed. As well, there is some inconsistencies, her husband had at least one affair bearing a child, the author painted him as supportive, loyal, and in love. I am becoming familiar with her story (Fannie Lou Hamer) and hope to piece together the life and legacy of Hamer.

know thyself by knowing thy history

Very well written history of Mrs. Hamer's life and impact. For someone who suffered so much, she gave her all and more. It is a good lesson for all who want to make the world a better place. There is so much WORK to be done. Thank you Dr. Blain!

She was a force and power house

Fannie Lou we need you now telling it like is! WOW! It's unfortunate too few know of her. She served her country well.

Great book, couple pronunciation glitches

Great book, second bio of Fannie Lou Hamer I've read, but unique in that it draws links between her struggles and work and those of modern day figures like Rev Barber, Breonna Taylor, and Kamala Harris, making Ms Hamer's legacy feel real and not a bit of dusty history. My only complaint is that this narrator, while generally good, does not seem to know anything about SNCC or W.E.B. DuBois and her pronunciation is distracting whenever they come up. She spells out SNCC each time "ess, en, see, see" as if it were the same as SCLC, though anyone connected to these movements would pronounce "SNCC" as "snick". And she mispronounces DuBois as "doo-bwah", French style, whereas his name is actually "doo-boys" again, as anyone with even a passing familiarity with him would know. Editors should have caught these as they took away from the flow of an otherwise excellent narration. Apart from those minor critiques, an excellent book about an incredibly important woman.