Hattiesburg: An American City in Black and White

by William Sturkey

Winner of the Zócalo Public Square Book Prize
Benjamin L. Hooks Award Finalist

“An insightful, powerful, and moving book.”
―Kevin Boyle, author of Arc of Justice

“Sturkey’s clear-eyed and meticulous book pulls off a delicate balancing act. While depicting the terrors of Jim Crow, he also shows how Hattiesburg’s black residents, forced to forge their own communal institutions, laid the organizational groundwork for the civil rights movement.”
― New York Times

If you really want to understand Jim Crow―what it was and how African Americans rose up to defeat it―you should start by visiting Mobile Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the heart of the historic black downtown. There you can still see remnants of the shops and churches where, amid the violence and humiliation of segregation, men and women gathered to build a remarkable community. Hattiesburg takes us into the heart of this divided town and deep into the lives of families on both sides of the racial divide to show how the fabric of their existence was shaped by the changing fortunes of the Jim Crow South.

“Sturkey’s magnificent portrait reminds us that Mississippi is no anachronism. It is the dark heart of American modernity.”
―Robin D. G. Kelley, author of Thelonious Monk

“When they are at their best, historians craft powerful, compelling, often genre-changing pieces of history…William Sturkey is one of those historians…A brilliant, poignant work.”
―Charles W. McKinney, Jr., Journal of African American History

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Race, Social Justice, American History, Architecture, American

456 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2019

About the author

William Sturkey is Assistant Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he teaches courses on African American history and the history of the American South. Hattiesburg won the 2020 Zócalo Book Prize.

Reviews

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a history of my town, with its major emphasis on race relations and the influence of Jim Crow laws on the lives of the black community. It was interesting to get more detail on some of the older historical events, and painful to hear of the sad plights, especially of the pre-1960s era. Unfortunately, it was academic in style, and a pretty dry read. Things have definitely changed for the better, and since the book was written, the old state flag has been voted out and we look forward to a new design minus its divisive symbol of the Confederacy.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hattiesburg.
I'd never heard of the town before, I had no idea whether it was historically/culturally/religiously important to the US. But the title caught my eye. A side by side of Black and White experience. Interesting.
And indeed, it was interesting. Although it moved slowly, it is a detailed history of the town and it's background. (Fun fact: it's Choctaw land actually until a white man surveyed it and then decided to buy it and name it after his wife.)
Yet even though it at times moved slowly, the intense racial prejudice, anti Black laws, lynchings, and pointed policies made me incredulous. We don't learn about these cities when we study US history. Or at least I didn't. But Hattiesburg is responsible for destroying thousands of ancient pine trees, and very belatedly starting to plant new ones only after job loss had reached severe levels. It's amazing how much people WON'T listen to scientists and those warning of the damage being done, until it is literally in front of their face and threatening their livelihood. Guess not a lot has changed there.
I do recommend reading this book, but I also don't think most people care about this kind of thing like I do. I could be wrong, but I rarely speak to someone else in the US who is interested in these topics. (And those of you who are, you know who you are and I love that about our relationships!) I wish more people cared, but I know not everyone is lucky enough to have the mental energy to read and digest these types of topics.
I still thoroughly believe it should be done though. You know the saying about history and being doomed to repeat it if you don't know it...
Anyways, 10/10 recommend

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many bubbles are in a bar of soap?

If you were an African American citizen in Forrest County, Mississippi in the 1950’s, this is the literacy test question you would face when you presented yourself to the county registrar in an attempt to register to vote. In 1955, out of 7406 age-eligible black Hattiesburgers, 16 were registered to vote. SIXTEEN.

This book was eye-opening and eye-popping at the same time. Having been born and raised in this area, I was mesmerized and horrified. I have vague memories of race relation problems and desegregation issues, but I was painfully oblivious to the full scope of the problem. My heart was broken by the story of Clyde Kennard as he tried to register at the University of Southern Mississippi (my alma mater and a place that I love) and was not only denied, but eventually hounded to his death. Other stories include Vernon Dahmer’s murder and other atrocities committed in the name of white supremacy.

But, local stories of Mobile Street and its heroes are the meat here. I loved reading about Mobile Street’s history and comparing events to my childish recollections. I would love to see that area recoup and become a force to be reckoned with.

This is an important, well-researched work. I highly recommend it.

[JoAnn Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts out slow...boring almost...but picks up further in. I live right outside Hattiesburg so was interested in its history. I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a great town and has come a long way from those previous years that the author writes about, thank goodness. A good read if you’re into history.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love bookclub!
This book was hard to read, and the authorial tone and stance made me pretty mad, until I had a chance to talk it through with other smart readers.
I didn't LOVE this book -- it feels like the content of an undergraduate course -- lots of piling up the evidence and explaining, less reflection and meaning-making, but it seems like it would be a great tool for teaching history, a deep dive into the history of race in a single town.

[Maureen Sepulveda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this book, the only thing I knew about Hattiesburg, MS is that it is home to NFL legend Brett Favre. This is a very well researched with heavy citation detailing the history of Hattiesburg. It starts with foundation to the segregation and Jim Crow laws, fight by African-Americans for voting rights through the 1960’s civil rights movement. It carefully documents how these changes affect this community and profiles many of the locals. I learned a lot reading it.

[Elizabeth Stolar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great book and I enjoyed learning about Hattiesburg and the gradual rise of the Civil Rights movement and the ending of Jim Crow. I liked that the chapters alternated between focusing on the black community and the white community and it was enlightening to learn about the leaders, especially in the black community who preceded the Civil Rights movement.

I was particularly struck by a couple of things while reading this book -- one, while talking about the rise and fall of Hattiesburg as a forestry/lumber town reminded me so much of books I've read about towns that lost automobile (Janesville) or glass (Glass House) or other factories and how desperate the community was to attract new businesses to provide employment. It was particularly reminiscent of present day worries, in that people were warned there weren't enough trees to go on for very long, but those warnings were ignored and eventually all the trees were chopped down. (Which reminded me of The Lorax.)

It was also striking to read about the vast support that FDR and New Deal policies had in the town, especially among the prominent, wealthy white citizens. Yes, I know that the South was the "Solid South" for Democrats due to the Civil War, so it's not a surprise that there was support for the Democratic President, but there was huge support for New Deal policies and government programs.

I did wonder what happened to Charles Smith's children -- he is one community leader that is repeatedly mentioned in the book, and we learn about his parents and siblings, and it's noted that he had 4 children, but the book never says whether they still live in Hattiesburg, or if they moved and what they do.

The only quibbles I have with the book is that it was repetitive, and the author does state some opinions that are obvious from the facts that he's laid out, and it wasn't really necessary to state those opinions. But I didn't mind it so much because the opinions were valid and characterized the facts in the same way I do.

I've had The Warmth of Other Suns on my TBR list for quite a while now, and reading this makes me want to move it up and get to it very soon.
6/7

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know what I was expecting, but this is essentially a very boring textbook for a class that nobody would sign up for. I’ve read a ton of books about cities in the south, and especially those in my home state of Mississippi. This is by far the most blah I’ve read. True to the city that it is written about, it’s just plain boring. I’ve read books about the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Delta, Jackson, Oxford, and have enjoyed them and learned from them, but this was just 100% mid.

[Luigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the sort of book I would normally read, but having visited Hattiesburg a few years ago and then randomly coming across this book, I thought why not?
Having never experienced segregation it was interesting to learn how a town could stick to Jim Crow laws and segregation even when it stood between their town and potential prosperity by tripping themselves up and turning a blind eye to crimes against black people.
What is really interesting is what happened during the war. I'm not going to put in a spoiler, but it is almost worth reading the book just for that.
It's not an easy topic writing a book about a town without making it boring.
Good job Mr Sturkey

[LaShana Claude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sturkey's beautifully written portrait of Hattiesburg, Mississippi- from its founding after the Civil War through the emergence of the modern civil rights movement- offers a fresh history of Jim Crow's development and decline, unlike any other I have read. Sturkey features people with agency, acting to shape their lives and improve their community, while showing how these individuals were acting within the context of broad economic trends related to war, depression, migration, and more. A wonderfully compelling book

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good accounting of Hattiesburg's racial history. Scholarly, yet highly readable. My father grew up here in the 1930s and I spent time as a child here so this likely meant more to me than to someone less tied to Hattiesburg, but it's still highly representative of the brutal impact of white supremacy and the strength required to overcome. And, of course, the battle against white supremacy is hardly over (I'm looking at you, Trump).

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazingly well researched but also really very readable book. it has excellent information about the history of segregation in the south using the city of Hattiesburg as the example. It bounces back and forth between the black history and the white history, and shows what little areas of overlap there were. It's important history to remember, and it's sad to see that as much as has changed, and it's been a lot, there's still a ways to go.

[Ken Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good historical telling of the trials and tribulations of the Jim Crow south, the founding of Hattiesburg, its major historical part in becoming a true Jim Crow city and its success in spite of the inhumane ways of white southerners "back in the day." Its success in changing - mostly - as of today via the determination, kindness, peacefulness, and tolerance, and the high pedestal placed by black citizens on education.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at American history by focusing on one Mississippi town and generations of a Black and a white family. Disturbing to see the racism and its impact on all residents. Industry, the military, government actions. I like that on our Mississippi pilgrimage we actually met two of the civil rights actors and/or their families.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding story of black and white lives from Reconstruction through 1965 Voting Rights Act as experienced in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

[Sara Broad · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Beryl Sortino · Rating 4 out of 5]

The history of Jim Crow from end of slavery to today. Has it ever gone away?

[Brian Sayler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read and then watch the PBS documentary about the Freedom Summer of 1964.

[Randy Fonner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and a very good read.

[Mallory Spiers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book about the history of the Civil Rights Movement in Hattiesburg! You will be surprised how big of a part Hattiesburg played!

[Kaelyn Hunter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read bits and pieces for school. I probably would have liked it more if I had read the whole thing for fun, but it's not really my style.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sturkey has written a well researched history of the Hub City from its founding in the 1880s to the end of Jim Crow in the 1960s. The writing is occasionally redundant as well as a little overly romantic. In the end, the portrait of the vibrant black community that developed around Mobile Street and made possible the movement that ended Jim Crow is invaluable and well portrayed. This is an important work in telling the full tale of the oppression, struggle, and ultimately overcoming of Jim Crow and segregation in the south.

[Gaby Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The arc of history may bend towards justice, but this book shows how that bending takes a really long time by telling the history of the Mississippi town of Hattiesburg from the ashes of the Civil War through Jim Crow, through the Civil Rights movement of the 60s and yet still, more bending to do....