Anne Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi



What was it like to grow up in the deep South as an African American before the Civil Rights Movement?
    What did Anne's (Essie Mae) parents do for a living?
What kind of job opportunities existed for Anne's parents?
    Using Anne Moody as an example, what were her experiences in school, getting jobs, and when interacting with white southerners?
    How did being a woman shape her outlook?
    How would it differ for a black man?

What were the responses of Anne Moody, her mother, and other African Americans in Mississippi to the death of Emmet Till?
    Why did they act differently?

What were some of the events that occurred in Anne's hometown that spurned her anger toward white people?
Why did Anne's tutoring job become problematic?
What was the Guild?

How does Anne describe people's color? Why does the color and shade of a person's skin matter to her?

Not all African Americans entered the Civil Rights movements, although all experienced racism and discrimination. What made Anne Moody choose activism?

What kind of tasks did Anne engage in as a SNCC worker?
At the Freedom House, what kind of jobs did Anne do?

Why did they have trouble getting African Americans in Mississippi to attend rallies?

How would you characterize Anne's experiences with religion?

Anne Moody worked with several Civil Rights groups: how did these groups interact?
What was the goal of SNCC? Where did they do their recruiting?
    Why were middle-class African Americans reluctant to lend support?
    What was the experience of those who did support SNCC?

What effect did Anne's work have on her family? How did her mother react to her work?

What kind of experiences did Anne have in jail?

Who were the Freedom Riders?

What were Anne's feelings about ministers in the movement? Find specific examples.
What did she have to say about Martin Luther King, Jr.? Medger Evers? JFK?

What were the kinds of pressures and dangers that Anne Moody faced as a participant in the Civil Rights movements?

What did New Orleans represent for her?

How would you characterize her experiences at college? Her performance?