Another Sojourner Looking for Truth

Book excerpt: Memories and insights of a lifetime fighting for Black freedom and social justice Millicent E. Brown's family home at 270 Ashley Avenue in Charleston, South Carolina, was a center of civil rights activity. There Brown gained intimate knowledge of the struggle for racial justice, and those experiences set her on a life course dedicated to the civil rights struggle. Best known as the named plaintiff in the federal court case that, in 1963, forced the initial desegregation of public schools in South Carolina, her experiences as an activist range across years and well beyond her native state. Another Sojourner Looking for Truth is Brown's insightful reflection on her search for freedom in a nation deeply mired in white supremacist beliefs and overt violence against people of color. In this revealing memoir, Brown writes about her fears and doubts, as well as the challenges of being a teenager expected to "represent the race" and combat negative stereotypes of African Americans. Readers also gain perspective on the interpersonal aspects of white backlash to civil rights progress and strategic machinations within the movement. Overall, Brown's words will inform, inspire, and challenge everyone to better understand the Black Freedom Struggle and confront its ongoing challenges.