Coming To Mississippi

The following questions are designed to help guide you in the reading of this book. We will discuss it in class on Friday, October 31. The essay is due in class the following Friday, November 7.

1. What were Anne Moody's most important early childhood experiences? What was her family life like, and what were her family responsibilities? What sort of hardships did she have to endure?

2. Describe Anne's (Essie Mae's) early contacts with whites. How did she learn that African Americans and whites were different? How did she explain those differences?

3. What difficulties or obstacles did Anne's family face in trying to make a living and improve their daily lives? How did whites in rural Mississippi exercise power over Blacks?

4. Describe Anne's relationships with Linda Jean and with Mrs. Burke. Why did Mrs. Burke want Anne to work for her? What were the reasons for the increasing tension between Anne and Mrs. Burke?

5. Who was Emmett Till, and why was he murdered? What was Anne's reaction to his death?

6. Why did Anne become critical of Blacks about the time she reached the age of fifteen? Did Anne act differently toward whites than did most Blacks in rural Mississippi?

7. How did Anne's brief stays in Baton Rouge and New Orleans affect her? Were African Americans treated differently in these cities?

8. Why was Samuel O'Quinn murdered, and what effect did his death have on Anne?

9. How did Anne get involved in the activities of the Tougaloo branch of the NAACP? How did her activities with the NAACP affect her? Did they provide fulfillment, frustration, a sense of accomplishment?

10. Describe Anne's work with the SNCC voter registration project, Why was it so hard for her