Maxine Smith's Unwilling Pupils: Lessons Learned in Memphis's Civil Rights Classroom

by Hoppe, Sherry L.

• ISBN13: 9781572335875
• ISBN10: 1572335874
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-04-30
• Publisher: Univ of Tennessee Pr

Summary

Maxine Smith's Unwilling Pupils is the authorized biography of Maxine Atkins Smith. As such it tells the story of the civil rights movement in Memphis from Smith's viewpoint. Primarily based on newspaper accounts from the 1960s and 1970s and on Smith's papers housed at the Memphis Public Library, the book also draws from a rich source of interviews conducted by the coauthors and others. This book presents a well-balanced historical background of the civil rights era even while serving as a tribute to Maxine Smith and her work. A panoramic view of Maxines life, Maxine Smith's Unwilling Pupils presents one woman's struggle as a prism for understanding the human dimensions of the fight for equality. The biography portrays Smith's lifelong focus on education as she tried to enlighten both blacks and whites about equality and the inalienable rights of all races. Along the way she became the face of the civil rights movement in Memphis during a critical time in the movement's history. Maxine's unwilling pupils often hated her for her outspoken and tenacious advocacy for those rights; her followers loved her for her unwavering commitment to ensure the rights of African Americans. Smith's selfless struggles as chronicled in this biography will leave no doubt that her influence on the progress of civil rights in Memphis was profound. Moreover, her example of tireless commitment should inspire the efforts of new generations of equal rights activists to come.

Author Biography

Bruce W. Speck is provost and vice-president for academic and student affairs at Austin Peay State University.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xvii
Setting the Stage
Introduction: An Uppity Nigger	p. 3
Maxine's Early Years: An Activist in the Making	p. 7
The Defining Moment	p. 15
The Turbulent 1960s: Maxine Helps Reshape the Landscape
Introduction: The Unchanging Scene	p. 23
The Chisel and the Sledgehammer: Desegregating Schools	p. 25
Crossing the Color Barrier in Public Facilities	p. 61
Striking the Inequality in Employment	p. 93
Progress in the 1970s: Maxine and Vasco Move inside the Power Structure
Introduction: Black Legs under the Table	p. 133
The Infiltration of the School Board	p. 135
Vasco: The Other Half of the Heartbeat	p. 151
The Power of the Vote	p. 173
From Activist to Advocate: The 1980s and 1990s
Introduction: Lessons Learned from the Past	p. 185
The Haze on the Windshield of Busing	p. 189
From the Rejected to the Boss	p. 203
In the New Millennium: Looking Back and Looking Forward
A Conversation with Maxine's Friends and Son	p. 225
Epilogue	p. 241
Memphis Criteria for Student Transfers Based on Tennessee Pupil Placement Law	p. 243
Board of Education Letter with Response to Ten Questions	p. 245
School Board Responses to Fifteen Demands	p. 251
Statement of the Board of Education	p. 255
Awards and Recognitions Maxine Has Received	p. 259
Family Tree	p. 269
Citations	p. 271
Index	p. 285
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