Mississippi to Madrid: Memoir of a Black American in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade

by James Yates

Book Overview

From his birth to a share cropper family in the cotton fields of Mississippi to the unrest in Chicago and New York during the depression, James Yates's experience with labor protest and union... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0940880199
• ISBN13: 9780940880191
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Open Hand Pub.
• Length: 183 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.

Customer Reviews

More Scolarship Needed on the Role of African Americans in the Lincoln Brigade

This is an important book since the role African Americans and women play in world events is often ignored or minimized. Mr. Yates's first person account of Black men and women's contribution to Spain's Civil War is heartfelt and provides a small snapshot of events that transpired in 1937. Ultimately, the book raises more issues than it resolves: more needs to be known about Langston Hughes and Richard Wright in Spain during this period and a critical study of social activist Louise Thompson is long overdue. Yet Mississippi to Madrid, told in a simple, straight forward style, is a poignant memoir chronicling an important historic event and makes a compelling case for more scholarship on African Americans who served in the Lincoln Brigade.

How the struggle for civil rights in the US and against fascim in Spain were related...

An excellent book, which pays attention to an episode in history, that should not be forgotten. In simple words James Yates makes clear the relationship between his struggle for civil rights in the US and his later contribution to the International Brigades in Spain. Also his courage to go on with his activities after the Worldwar, as his pictures show, is impressive...

Favorite Book

This book is one of the greatest books I bought at the time when I was in the US. Pete Seeger wrote about the book: This is a great story, a great read, and has a great lesson to teach young Americans , black and white, of how you can be strongly rooted in your home community and at the same time see a sense of kindship with working people around this whole world. The battle to save the elected Loyalist government of Spain 50 years ago was the first battle in World War II. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade and others may have lost a battle but they didn't lose the war, nor have lost it yet. Carry on! I want to send all my respect to the members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, your international solidarity which you showed in the battle against the fascist Franco regime will never be forgotten, we will never forget you bright stars in the darkness.