In My Place: An Autobiography

by Charlayne Hunter-Gault

The award-winning correspondent for the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour gives a moment-by-moment account of her walk into history when, as a 19-year-old, she challenged Southern law--and Southern violence--to become the first black woman to attend the University of Georgia. A powerful act of witness to the brutal realities of segregation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, History, Education, African American, Biography

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

About the author

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/charlayn...

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Charlayne Hunter’s “In My Place” is a book about the first black woman to attend the University of Georgia. In general, I really liked this book! I thought it was so interesting to learn more history about my school in the 1960s — Hunter mentions Dr. Best, a professor from the Classics Department, and Dean William Tate, the Dean of Students who Tate Student Center is named after. It was also really cool to read a coming-of-age story about Charlayne Hunter, someone who I didn’t know much about previously. In her story, she talks a lot about the different places she lives in as a child because her dad was in the military, she talks about how she comes to love journalism to choose that as her career path, she talks about her high school experience, she praises the teachers who really supported her throughout school, and she talks a lot about Hamilton Holmes, the first Black male student at UGA. One of the most striking aspects of the book is how much resistance and animosity Holmes and Hunter receive when they first get to UGA. The responses of many of the students are horrible, as Hunter and Holmes were targeted and isolated because of their race. However this didn’t deter them from making the most out of their education and working hard at school. Lastly, I loved all the history included in Hunter’s memoir. She talks about MLK (and meeting him!), the Freedom Riders, Little Rock Nine, Brown vs. Board of Education, Diane Nash, and John Lewis.
In short, “In My Place” is a wonder coming-of-age story, and historical memoir. Although the writing is a bit dry, I loved Hunter’s story! Her graduation speech included at the end is especially remarkable. Highly recommend this one!

[B. Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fellow black University of Georgia alumnae I always found Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes' integration of The University of Georgia in January of 1961 amazing. During January of each year, during my 4.5 years at UGA, we as students would hear of lectures in their honor but it wasn't until my 4th year in my Modern African American and Civil Rights Movement courses that I got a deeper look into the struggle for so many other Black pioneers that led the way for others similar to them to attend universities and colleges in the South that had so often been labeled as "white schools."

The book is an extremely easy read for people of all ages (for the most) which I believe was done in an effort to give younger people an opportunity to dive into the story of young girl born in Due West, South Carolina who had no idea that she would one day take her place in history and open doors for minorities for over 52 years. It is a story that so many college students can relate to as Charlayne struggled through semesters, sometimes landing on academic probation, and found her first course to be "boring" as she remembered scribbling down on her notebook.

I do wish that there was more in the book of her experience at UGA, but other than that it was a great book.

[Nancy Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of the UGA Between the Pages Bookclub. I enjoyed the historical story very much and it is very well written. I can not wait until the discussion with the author this week for our bookclub!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! Charlayne Hunter-Gault takes you right back to the 1960s and her fight for admission to the University of Georgia. Well-written and excellent details.

[Mackenzie Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is an amazing writer, this is a hard-to-put-down memoir rich in history and truth. Her graduation speech at the end is chock full of amazing quotable moments.

[Tyler Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A memoir written by one of the first two black students at the University of Georgia, this book told of the Hunter-Gault's early years growing up mostly in the south, the court case to desegregate the university and her time at the school. A powerful telling of a powerful woman, although the way that Hunter-Gault talks about some of the situations related to mobs and the verbal and emotional abuse she faced, it feels understated. A sharp reminder that this was only happening 59 years ago and we still have so far to go today, as well as the resilience and courage not just of Hunter-Gault but so many other students, lawyers, organizers, journalists and others in the Black community.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being fortunate enough to hear Dr. Hunter-Gault speak several times, reading this book with her voice in my head, is be that inspires me to speak with my own truth and voice, made this a riveting and fast read.
Paperback. Porch sitting on day off.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice memoir of her early life.

[Christine]

How many times have we heard a name from an article or history book and moved on? I often wonder about that person's life but rarely get an opportunity for understanding how that person felt about their life. "In My Place" offered so much more than a superfical glance at desegragation in the South; it brought those names in the history book into my mind as living people. Charlayne Hunter-Gault did more than survive a dangerous experience; she brought her own experiences and contributions to her college. Through her individuality and determination to live as a person rather than exist as a social and political figurehead she created the story of her life. While one might expect a life-long writer such as Hunter-Gault to also provide a readable tome but those expectations were exceeded by the incredible work this amazing woman produced. Well done!

[83fabulous]

In My Place by Charlayne Hunter-Gault is a very inspiring book. Charlayne Hunter-Gault tells you basically her whole life story and all the things she went through. She grabs your attention tellin her story and bravery along with her friend Hamilton Holmes.

This book is about how Charlayne pushed her way the segregation to get in the University of Georgia.Dealing with hatred, mobs, family, friends, and bieng in life or death situations Charlayne made through with her mother and close friends by her side. When reading this book you learn about important events in the civil rights movement and how she faced them. This book teaches you that you can make it through anything.

[Melba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone gave me this book as a high school graduation gift (years ago). I finally read it-and it was insightful. I connected with the writer, probably more so now that I live in Atlanta and can relate to the places, people and experiences. Her childhood reminds me of my mother's. I suppose Black girls raised in the segregated south share a history.

Now I want to read about Hamilton Holmes, who integrated UGA with Charlayne Hunter.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always loved Charlayne Hunter-Gault on PBS. In this brief history of the civil rights movement, she describes her place in it too as one of the first African-Americans to integrate the University of Georgia. The book seems to be written for a school audience in that it seems a rather simplistic listing of the facts.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important book to understand the history. At times the quoted passages are confusing when they refer to mother, grandmother, etc. It would have been better to paraphrase those passages. Would have been better to end with actual reflection rather than the transcript of a speech. That said, no one can tell the author's story like herself.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it! It is amazing that there was so much animosity toward African Americans just 50 or so years ago. I couldn't believe that the entry of 2 blacks into UGA caused a riot and that she was not in a regular dorm room during her years at college.

[Patricia Eichenlaub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a particularly well-written book but an important story that needs to be read.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting history from a unique figure. Often found it difficult to read - book seemed to lacked an editor.