To' Joy My Freedom

After reading Tera Hunter’s book, To ‘Joy My Freedom, it becomes very obvious that Malcolm X did not originate the belief of, “by any means necessary”. African Americans had this mind set from day one of their freedom. It was by any means necessary that African American men and women sought out to gain respect and happiness. Hunter gives many examples of the methods and strategies used in this pursuit. African Americans came together …

…successful trade organizations and secret societies. I am glad that Hunter opened up my ears so that I might hear the voice of these women, and other small black heroes. Although To ‘Joy My Freedom was an excellent book, it had its shortcomings. The book jumped back and forth between years and was somewhat repetitive. I do, however, believe that this book is a necessity to learning about the African American experience in the south.