A Black Woman's Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor: Lessons about Race, Class, and Gender in America [B0813]

2018 PB in excellent condition. A Black Woman's Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor is a Black Studies & Critical Thinking textbook. It traces the journey and transformation of Mildred Sirls, a young Black girl in rural east Texas in the 1930s who picked cotton to help her family survive, to Dr. Mildred Pratt, Professor Emerita of Social Work, who, by lifting as she climbed, influenced hundreds of students and empowered a community.

As a daughter, sister, wife, mother, and scholar-activist, Mildred lived her core beliefs: she felt that it was important to validate individual human dignity; she recognized the power of determination and discipline as keys to success; and she had a commitment to empowering and serving others for the greater good of society. Such values not only characterized the life that she led, they are exemplified by the legacy she left. This book celebrates ordinary lives and individuals; it demonstrates the value of hard work; and it illustrates the motto of the National Association of Colored Women, "lifting as we climb." Includes a Key Lessons section at the end of each chapter.

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Beautifully written piece of history! This book will inspire faith in the human spirit and challenge the modern day divisiveness surrounding race. By far the most raw and eloquently written story of triumph and the legacy of true activism that carries on to this day!"; "I love how timely and rich this book is! It's a love letter to her mother but also a testament to the difficulties of the tenure process and that emotional and economic impact on the family. Also prominent is the trauma of slavery and its insidious destruction against the female body highlighted through research and anecdotes. It's hard to balance history, family, and research in one text but it's all here."