Freedom's Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830 to 1970

by Lynne Olson

A collection of profiles of some of the fearless, resourceful female leaders of the Civil Rights Movement documents the accomplishments of Ida Wells, who led the protest against lynching; Pauli Murray, who organized the first lunch counter sit-in; Jo Ann Robinson, who helped launch the Montgomery bus boycott; and others. 25,000 first printing.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Feminism, Race, Womens, Social Justice, American History

Hardcover

First published February 16, 2001

About the author

Lynne Olson is a New York Times bestselling author of ten books of history, most of which focus on World War II. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has called her "our era's foremost chronicler of World War II politics and diplomacy."
Lynne’s latest book, The Sisterhood of Ravensbruck: How an Intrepid Band of Frenchwomen Resisted the Nazis In Hitler’s All-Female Concentration Camp, will be published by Random House on June 3,2025. Three of her previous books — Madame Fourcade's Secret War, Those Angry Days, and Citizens of London were New York Times bestsellers.
Born in Hawaii, Lynne graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arizona. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked as a journalist for ten years, first with the Associated Press as a national feature writer in New York, a foreign correspondent in AP's Moscow bureau, and a political reporter in Washington. She left the AP to join the Washington bureau of the Baltimore Sun, where she covered national politics and eventually the White House.
Lynne lives in Washington, DC with her husband, Stanley Cloud, with whom she co-authored two books. Visit Lynne Olson at http://lynneolson.com.

Reviews

[Joseph Sciuto · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you knew nothing about the civil rights movement, about the prejudice against black Americans, from the 1830's (the book starts around the 1830's, but slavery goes all the way back to 1619) to the 1970's you might think that many stories in this books were made up by a demonic, unstable, writer but sadly that is not true and the demonic forces, at this very moment in time, seem to be making an astonishing comeback thanks to the Republican Party and men like Trump, and Governor Abbot in Texas.

Lynne Olson, author of "Freedom's Daughters," is an amazing historian, a wonderful writer, but what I like most about her is that she brings to the forefront the unsung heroes in her books, whether it be a little known US ambassador to Britain that stressed over and over again to President Roosevelt the need to help Great Britain before we got involved in the War, or the brilliant Polish Pilots who without their help the British would have most likely been conquered by the Nazis.

In "Freedom's Daughters," Ms. Olson shines a bright and blinding light on the women of the civil rights movement of the 50's, 60's, and 70's who by every measure were the back bone behind the movement and whose courage was nothing short of heroic in the the face of lynching, rape, and the bombing of their homes (just to mention a few things). Many were the recruiters who went out and got other blacks involved through out the southern states and Northern Universities, the organizers behind the boycotts, the integration of the schools, the right to vote, fund raising, and who put pressure on Washington D.C. to do something about the 'rights' they were guaranteed and were denied by the white supremacist Senators, Governors, mayors, school boards, and police in the southern states. A few of the names of these tenacious leaders are: Diane Nash, Ella Baker, Septima Clark, Eleanor Roosevelt (who did much more than her husband to desegregate the army, the schools, and fighting for equal rights for all men and all women, black, or white) Dorothy Zellner, Donna Richards, Virginia Durr, and Rosa Parks who was famous for not giving up her seat on the bus but who had been active in the civil rights movement ten years previous and many years after.

This is the most important book I have read this year, and what I have written about is a tiny sample of the scope of this book and the civil rights movement, which, in turn, paved the path for the women's movement, the gay movement, etc.

In closing, I just want to share a story. I cannot count the amount of people who have complained to me about how sick and tired they are of blacks and women in general always complaining, and they always seem to add and, "My God, they've already had a black president."

And my replied is always the same, "Well, they have only been here for 400 years. I wouldn't consider one in 400 very good odds. Whereas, it only took Catholics, who did not come in great numbers until the late 1890's, only 70 years to elect a President. And as for women they have been here since Plymouth Rock, and outnumber males and yet not one has become President."

[Porter Broyles · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say three strikes and you are out? This book had 2 strikes and a triple.

Strike 1: (And this isn't the books fault.) The book was initially recommended to me for black history or women's history month. A few weeks ago, I was looking for books to read pertaining to Women's Suffrage as we are approaching the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Again it was recommended to me and I agreed to read it thinkng "Civil Rights includes women's rights (and other groups than just Black), this book starts in the 1830s so I'm certain that will be part of the book." I was wrong. It may have gotten mentioned, but not much. The book was 100% about the Black Civil Righs movement.

Strike 2: Sub-titles matter---even moreso than the books title itself. Book titles are often catchy/splashy. Sub-titles should tell you what the book is about and/or provide a short snyposis on the books thesis. "The Unsung Heroines of the Civile Rights Movement from 1830 to 1970" So there in the title we learn that this book is going to be about the unsung heroines from 1830 to 1970. Chapter1 and 2 provide a short introduction to the subject and mention some of the big names in Black women's history (Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubmen.) Chapter 3 is largely about Eleanor Roosevelt and how she became an ally to Black Civil Rights in the 1930s/40s. Chapter 4 onward talk about the Children's March, Freedom Rides, Sit ins, etc---largely the key Civil Rigths movements of the 50s-70s. Had the subtitle simply read "The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement", it would be ok. But when a book spends 2 chapters (including the introduction) on the first 100 years of covered period? Then the book does not live up to the expectation/promise of the title.

Triple The saving grace of this book is that it was very well written and enjoyable. I liked the stories and how they were presented. Olson does not take famous historical events and attempt to recast them as "This only happened because of woment," but rather presents the facts. Many of these events would not have occurred without women at the forefront (the Children's March, Brown v Tulsa, Montgomery Bus Strike), but in many women played (Key) but sometimes unsceen roles. But even with these famous incidents, Olson introduces key characters who helped ensure the events occurred.

I definitely enjoyed the book. I could overlook Strike 1 (that was my fault for not knowing what the book was about.) But Strike 2 forces me to lower the score. I don't think this would have been a 5 star star book without it, but with it, I can only give it 4 stars.

[Sonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

― “King ran SCLC in the same authoritarian manner that he and most of the other ministers ran their churches. To them, power meant control over others. (Ella) Baker had a completely different view of power. She believed that King’s job, and SCLC’s, should be to nurture people, to help them find the power within themselves to change their own lives and the society within which they lived. No one person could do that for others, no matter how eloquent he was, she was convinced.”
― Lynne Olson - Freedom’s Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830-1970

Who comes to mind when considering the twentieth-century fight for civil rights? In addition to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., you might include John Lewis, Ralph Abernathy, Stokely Carmichael, Thurgood Marshall, W.E.B. DuBois, Malcolm X, Julian Bond, Roy Wilkins, Andrew Young, A. Philip Randolph or Medgar Evers. You might also include Rosa Parks, the black woman who famously refused to give up her seat to a white person on a bus in Alabama, helping to ignite the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. Beyond Rosa Parks, most Americans would be hard-pressed to name other women involved in the Civil Rights Movement during this period of time. How many Americans have heard the names of Pauli Murray, Septima Clark, Mary Church Terrell, Ella Baker, Diane Nash, Daisy Bates or Fannie Lou Hamer? Why is the first group more familiar than the latter? A brief look at the March on Washington can help shed light on this question. On August 28, 1963, more than a quarter million people, both black and white, journeyed to Washington D.C. to march for civil rights. With the throng gathered near the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech for jobs and freedom. While the March advocated equality for Black Americans, it did not advocate for gender equality and was dominated by men. No woman marched down Constitution Avenue with Dr. King and the rest of the civil rights leaders. Women were not included in the delegation that met with President John F. Kennedy later that day. The program initially excluded any prominent women of the movement from speaking at the March. When the only woman on the planning committee protested the lack of women, the male leadership hastily decided to add a short “Tribute to Negro Women Fighters for Freedom.” In short, the March on Washington highlighted the marginalization of women within the civil rights movement. These women worked in the shadows of the men who have come to dominate popular narratives.

Not enough attention has been focused on the roles played by women in the struggle for civil rights. While men have formed the leadership in the civil rights struggle and received more attention and credit for the movement’s successes, many women, both black and white, played important roles in the Civil Rights movement. These women found ways to organize and lead for a more just and equal society. Many women operated as leaders at the local level, serving as the bridge between national and grassroots organizations. Their labor, courage and sacrifice kept the movement going. In her book, Freedom’s Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830-1970, author Lynne Olson argues that “women have been the backbone of the whole civil rights movement.” Her argument is quite convincing. In 2002 Olson won the Christopher Award for this book that Publisher Simon and Schuster calls “the first comprehensive history of the vital role women—both black and white—played in the civil rights movement.” Freedom’s Daughters rightfully brings to light the often-overlooked role that women played in the civil rights movement. These women who led, organized, and challenged deserve to have their experiences brought out of the shadows and into the public light.

While some women began to openly challenge male dominance in the movement, they were still kept from holding leadership positions in organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Yet these women leaders of the Civil Rights movement did not let these types of snubs stop them from continuing to do the work. Black women especially took on important strategic roles at the local level. Women were the grassroots leaders who challenged America to embrace justice and equality for all. Yet despite their significant contributions to the Movement, they remain largely invisible to most of the public. Lynne Olson weaves together the deeply personal accounts of these women to shine a light on their often-overlooked achievements. Olson vividly captures their inspiring sacrifices and accomplishments. She reminds us that one story is never enough to truly define a movement. As I read the final chapter last night, my eyes grew moist as I read about the amazing scene that unfolded in the Capitol building as three black women were seated on the floor of the House chamber for the first time. Freedom’s Daughters is a must-read for anyone interested in race, gender, the Civil Rights Movement, and the power of social change. Americans need to know the stories of these brave women so beautifully described in Lynn Olson’s important book. The reader will be inspired by the leadership and courage of these incredible women.

Five very big stars.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What amazing women!! It's a shame MLK gets disproportionate credit for the actual organizing and dirty work during the Civil Rights Movement that was greatly done by women. In my 1960s history class in college I learned a lot about the sexism in both the anti-war and Civil Rights movements of the 1960s (ie men not listening to women in the first place but when women had good ideas or led important grassroots efforts, then the men taking credit) and this book made that real.

I also found it very inspiring to read about what ordinary people were able to accomplish to get laws and attitudes changed. Their bravery is amazing.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye-opening, transcendent account of the civil rights movement, punctuated with the power of women. I was impressed with the transparent account that didn't shy away from the movement's failings. It's stronger when we don't whitewash everything to be perfect and squeaky clean.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book focuses more on the contributions of white women to the civil rights movement, than I expected, but still a pretty solid work.

[Susan O · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent survey of the civil rights movement focusing on the lives of the women involved. While men were officially the leaders of the primary organizations, and the ones that the media usually focused on, women did much of the grassroots organizing and campaigning. They were often the first ones out front, were arrested and beaten, but still welcomed strangers from out of town into their homes simply because they came to help.

Olson does an excellent job synthesizing a lot of primary sources and interviews and presenting the different views of women from different walks of life. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the civil rights movement or women's history.

[Craig Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful compilation of biographical sketches of women who have played central, if often unrecognized roles, in the African American Freedom movement. Olson's got a good sense of the telling story and the style is smooth. My favorites are the chapters on Ella Baker (though we have a full biography from Barbara Ransby which is required reading for anyone interested in the field) and, especially, Diane Nash, still more or less invisible even within standard American histories.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap this book is amazing. History and more history. How women were the backbone of the civil rights struggle, usually pushed into the background. How the experiences of black women and white women differed, and the history that made it difficult for them to work together at times. The gripping drama of the Montgomery bus boycott, the Freedom Rides, and the events of Selma. It’s in there.

[Lonni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read at the same time I was reading the last of the Taylor Branch books on the main Civil Rights Movement. Amazing how women get left out of mainstream books, and yet there is enough info to fill a fascinating, readable book!

[Samantha Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Read this.

[Doris Raines · Rating 5 out of 5]

What. A. Great. Book. Let. Freedom. Ring. The. Struggle. Is. Not. Over. Ever. Day. We. Awaken. Life. Alone. Is. A. Struggle. Life. Must. Still. Go. Own.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quotable:
“[T]he ones who came out first for the movement were the women. If you follow the mass meetings, not the stuff on TV, you’d find women out there giving all the direction. As a matter of fact, we used to say, ‘Once you got the women, the men got to come.’ “ - Stokely Carmichael

Her [Pauli Murphy] activism had led Barry Bingham, the son of the publisher of the Louisville Courier-Journal, to write a presidential aide that Mrs. Roosevelt “has made herself offensive to Southerners by a too great affection for Negroes.”

“We just don’t love human freedom to take real risks for it.” – Lillian Smith

“Don’t blame people too much for being indifferent to your ills when you don’t ask them to drop their indifference and join with you.” -Mary White Ovington

Now that the boycott [Montgomery bus boycott] was over, there was some carping, particularly by whites who opposed it, that the protest, in fact, had accomplished nothing, that the Supreme Court, not the boycott, had ended Jim Crow on the city’s buses. “What could they possibly gain from the boycott that they can’t gain from the federal courts?” Joe Azbell, city editor of the Advertiser, had grumbled early in the protest. What could they gain? A sense of dignity, self-respect, and power; a feeling of community; a determination to claim basic rights; a loss of fear – victories that were nothing short of revolutionary for blacks in the Deep South in the 1950’s.

What she [Diane Nash] did was ask a simple question, one that would have far-reaching consequences for the city of Nashville. “Mayor West,” she said, “do you feel it is wrong to discriminate against a person solely on the basis of the race or color?” The question went to the heart of nonviolence, bypassing all the political boilerplate and appealing directly to West’s conscience. The mayor did not disappoint. He nodded – and then said yes.

[H]er [Penny Patch] involvement also stemmed from a deep sense of personal responsibility, the result of her childhood preoccupation with Germans’ guilt for the Holocaust. “Here was evil, and I could go and do something about it,” she remembered thinking. “If I didn’t, I would be just like all those people in Germany.”

The repercussions of the MFDP [Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party] challenge [Sending MFDP elected delegates to the 1964 Democratic National Convention to call into question the “regular” Mississippi delegates’ right to be seated and represent the Democrats of Mississippi], however, extended far beyond its effect on Southern blacks. It led to a revolutionary overhaul of the Democratic Party, opening the party to blacks, women, and other groups that had had little or no representation in its councils before. In 1968, the Democrats kept their promise and seated as interracial delegation from Mississippi (which included a number of MFDP members). But the most radical changes came at the 1972 convention and later, when all delegations had to include minorities in roughly the same proportions as their population in the states. In addition, women were to make up at least half of the delegates.

A workshop on the subject [women’s subservient role in society and civil rights organizations] was penciled in, with both men and women participating. [Heather] Tobis was stunned by what she heard there: “The men were telling the women what reality was. They were denying our reality in a way that was so shocking.” On subjects like Vietnam or civil rights, perhaps, she might never challenge such male certitude. “Maybe on everything else, I might think I’m stupid or don’t know enough. But you can’t know more about what I actually think than I do… This is a discussion about what our life is like, are women listened to? No, we don’t particularly think we’re listened to. Then [a man] says, ‘Oh, yes, they’re listened to’…and proceeds to ignore what we just said.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best book I have read recently.

I acknowledge that the impact it had on me is due at least partially to my own ignorance on the subject, but I feel that this is at least partially the point - the common narrative, the 'common knowledge' about the civil rights movement, is over-simplified and male-centric.

Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and possibly Sojourner Truth or Diane Nash are famous names from gradeschool textbooks, but unless students elect to do further study - and in my experience, these women were talked about in such a dry manner that few people would have done so - that is where their story ends. Rosa Parks is remembered as a tired old seamstress, not an activist who did tireless work for the cause; Tubman, Truth, Nash, and the others seem like safe, even tired figures.

Activists like Martin Luther King Jr get (rightly) lauded as inspiring, as moving, as instrumental in the process of equality, but the movement could never have happened if not for the thousands of women who helped it along the way.

This is the first time I had even heard of the students and speakers and organizers and protestors, college graduates and ex-prostitutes and school children and old women from every walk of life, both black and white, who worked and taught and marched and sweated and bled in courtrooms and schools and streets and buses, for their cause. It's positively criminal that their stories - inspiring, infuriating, and everything in between - aren't spoken of more.

To its credit, the book also doesn't shy away from the racial tension between the black and white female activists, and while talking about the complexities of every issue from every perspective, does not over-champion the white activists or excuse their ignorance.

To my inexpert eye every page seemed wonderfully well-researched, and filled to the brim with original quotes from contemporary sources, which is the most important part of all.

Reading this book left me saddened and furious by turns, feeling triumphant one moment and horrified the next. Yet I feel like it was a formative experience for me.

Everyone should read this book.

[Charles Collyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fills in important detail about the roles of many women who were the drivers of social change before, during, and after the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. It makes compelling reading, especially for those who have a little preparation in African American history or in the philosophy and methods of nonviolence.

For the former, Lynne Olson gives the backstories of many events that have received less public attention than they deserve. One example concerns the attempt by a Virginia senator to scuttle the 1964 Civil Rights Act by adding "sex" to the list of bases for non-discrimination. His attempt failed, with the result that the Act as passed prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, and sex. The book will be especially valuable for male teachers of history and historical psychology.

For those with some nonviolence background, the author details the evolution of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from committed nonviolence to the more unfocused, racialized stance that it eventually took. An important message for today's nonviolent activists is that although nonviolence is very often necessary for movements to succeed, it is not sufficient. Furthermore, its maintenance is more difficult than many idealists imagine. Some attention to self-care and effort to keep relationships in good repair are called for.

For readers with very little prior knowledge, this might be a difficult introduction to civil rights history. So a small caution there - but please come back to this book later if it proves too much at first.

Lynne Olson is a first-rate narrative historian. The lives of women activists are related with a balance of sympathy and objectivity, and with attention to the complexity of the pressures they faced from society, the government, the segregationist opposition, and each other.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instead of watching the talking heads on TV, I decided to spend the last few weeks of this endless election reading non-fiction and remembering how far we have come. As we get ready to say goodby to our first black president and prepare for our first female president (I refuse to even consider the alternative), it is wonderful to read about the women who made all this possible.

Lynne Olson is a masterful researcher who must spend years writing a book. This book covers 140 years of a battle that has not ended yet. Instead of focusing on the celebrated heroes, she digs into the background and finds the real heroes. While Martin Luther King was making speeches and compromises, the women were on the frontline, being jailed, beaten and firebombed for sitting on a bus or lunchroom.

Olson has a way of making these people come to life as she follows them throughout their lifetimes. Many of them speak of the 60s as a magical time when everyone got along as they fought for shared values. But, that ended and battles ensued as the women's movement stole the white women and the black women decided to stick by their men.

I am sure I will be thinking about this book for a long time and may add to this review as I digest it. It would be a great book club book since there is so much to think about.

[ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

amanda sent this book my way for my bday (i think) because I was venting to her about how minimized the african american women were by black leaders during the civil rights movement. i kept reading stories about MLK JR where it felt like he either just recruited really strong women or built on their success since the country was not ready for black women to be heroes yet.

very inspiring stories in this book of several different women. a great read.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved reading about these amazing women. I think most people would agree our public schools do little to celebrate women and African Americans so I learned so much. I had only heard of 3 of the women mentioned in this book. The acronyms were starting to get difficult to decipher. Anyway, I liked the book and would recommend to anyone.

[Bett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfuly researched and skillfully written, the stories of the women, white and black, of the civil rights movement, who were often there long before the nationally known "leaders" showed up. Fascinating.

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazing stories about truly amazing women! The reason the book is only getting three stars is because there were several parts that I felt were incredibly slow. However, if was definitely worth reading.

[Marilena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was impressed with the depth and scope of the book, and how well written it was. I can't believe how much I didn't know about the role of women, black and white, and men in the civil rights movement.

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something I'd like to see all of my daughters (step, -in-law, grand, and ...) read. Particularly if you'd like to know about the early civil rights and feminist movements.

[Kara Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book-amazing journalistic style.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains the stories of important Americans we all should know about.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written book about some amazing women.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting to know the people who drove the civil rights movement, and it's so good that they are finally getting some credit. Their courage and commitment is absolutely amazing.

[Cassandra Hetherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such inspiring women! It's tragic their story is not as well known.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow I knew nothing about all these women who made things happen!!!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book combines the history of women, driven by the injustice to change laws and regulations in the Civil Rights Era of the US. Olson profiles many women including Fannie Lou Hamer, Septima Clark, and Pauli Murray. We learn about their personal lives, and what inspired them to become a part of the Civil Rights Movement. The information about different organizations in the Civil Rights Movement was interwoven in these women’s lives. SCLC, SNCC, CORE, and MFDP are some of the organizations that were navigated by women, although on the sidelines of their male counterparts. There are a few chapters dedicated to white women who joined the Civil Rights Movement, and who struggled to find a place where they could fit in.
It was helpful for me to take notes as I read this book. The chapters are well written, and are not necessarily difficult to read. I just wanted to keep the organizations and the women’s contributions straight in my mind. As I took these notes, I found myself looking up biographies and memoirs of some of the women who were profiled. It was a good book to solidify some of what I knew about the Civil Rights movement, but to also push my studies further.
Freedom’s Daughters was satisfying in the fact that I know women played a large part in history, but sometimes I don’t really know how. This book spells it out. Women were integral in education, voter rights, leadership in SNCC, and caring for those who were on the front lines of the protests. It is a good book for those who are looking for concrete ways women helped throughout history, and in particular, during the Civil Rights Movement.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everywhere we go and everywhere we look, we are surrounded by males in history. All my life I search and search and search in vain for signs of women in history or social movements. Sure, we all know about women like Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman. But do we all know about women like Joann Robinson? There probably wouldn't even have been a Montgomery bus boycott, which helped Dr. Martin Luther King, rise to fame if it wouldn't have been for Ms. Robinson and the Women's Political Council. Those women were the unsung heroines of that movement and this book teaches you a little about it. At first I was struggling with the author's style of jumping around sometimes and then I read the book twice. You learn about so many women in the civil rights movements and also the abolitionist movement. You learn about black and also white women. You learn about the historical dynamics that slavery and racism caused between black and white women. You'll hear about women like Pauli Murray or Ida B Wells and other women who desegregated public spaces way before Rosa Parks did it. I have learned about so many women (and there is some info about men as it intersects with the topics) and it helped me springboard into other readings by or about them. I highly recommend this book! Enjoy.