The River of No Return: The Autobiography of a Black Militant and the Life and Death of SNCC – A Classic Eyewitness Account of Civil Rights Activism and the Fight for Justice

by Cleveland L. Sellers EdD., Robert L. Terrell

The classic memoir by Cleveland Sellers that offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his volunteer work with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the 1960s civil rights movement. Among histories of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, there are few personal narratives that are as compelling and insightful as The River of No Return . Besides being an insider’s account of the rise and fall of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), this riveting memoir is an eyewitness report of the strategies and the conflicts in the crucial battle zones as the fight for racial justice raged across the South. Tracing SNCC volunteer Cleveland Sellers’ zealous commitment to activism from the time of the sit-ins, demonstrations, and freedom rides in the early ’60s, this fascinating narrative encompasses the Mississippi Freedom Summer (1964), the historic march in Selma, the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, and the murders of civil rights activists in Mississippi. Sellers also recounts the turbulent history of the SNCC and tells the powerful story of his own dedication to the cause of civil rights and social change. The River of No Return has become a standard text for those wishing to perceive the civil rights struggle from within the ranks of one of its key organizations and to note the divisive history of the movement as groups striving for common goals were embroiled in conflict and controversy.

304 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2018

Reviews

[Stephanie Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy read and Cleveland Sellers did an amazing job telling his story.I learned a great deal of information about SNCC and the movement.

You will learn about great activist like Cleveland Sellers, Stokley Carmichael, Ella Baker, Rap Brown, John Lewis, and Gloria Richardson. You will read about the Orangeburg Massacre and the Freedom Summer murders.

I encourage anyone and everyone to read this book. At times, it can be hard to read without becoming angry or sad but it’s worth it.