Human Rights Book Awards
December 8, 2005
Human Rights Book Awards
South End Press titles Conquest and Undivided Rights among the winners
Atlanta, GA: In observance of United Nations Human Rights Day world-wide, ten books and their authors received prestigious Myers Outstanding Book Awards 2005 at The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History (AARL), a Special Library of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, in Atlanta, GA. The Greater Atlanta human rights community joined AARL and the Gustavus Myers Center, a national organization, in honoring the awardees and co-sponsoring the lively dialogue.
"In the struggle for justice is the hope," said Loretta J. Williams, Myers Center director, in announcing the winners:
- Jael Silliman, Marlene Gerber Fried, Loretta Ross, Elena R. Gutierrez, Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice, South End Press 2004 The authors tell how progressive women of color have long been active countering oppressive conditions, and lucidly demonstrate the spiritual and organic nature of reproductive justice.
- Andrea Smith, Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide, South End Press 2005 Analysis linking sexual violence in various forms to state colonial oppression of people of color and the genocide of native peoples. Smith addresses the intrinsically related issues of colonial appropriation of land and bodies/property.
- Liza Featherstone, Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Wal-Mart, Basic Books 2004 Through the voices of working class women, the reader learns of myriad ways that the largest corporate discount retailer, and largest private U.S. employer, exploits its workers. The author tells the story of, and behind, the class action suit that is now wending its way through the courts.
- Abraham Ignacio, Enrique de la Cruz, Jorge Emmanuel, and Helen Toribio, The Forbidden Book: The Philippine-American War in Political Cartoons, T'Boli Publishing 2004 Mainstream cartoons carried the story a century ago of the intertwining of racism and empire-building in the aftermath of the Spanish-American war. This history has much relevance to the continuing story of "America as world leader."
- Julius Lester and Karen Barbour (illustrator), Let's Talk About Race, HarperCollins Children's Books 2005 This vibrantly illustrated book is an engaging invitation for children to discover for themselves that people, beneath their skin, are all the same.
- Arthur Lipkin, Beyond Diversity Day: A Q&A on Gay and Lesbian Issues in School, Rowman & Littlefield 2004 Longtime teacher/curriculum developer offers practical insights and depth strategies to help us all better protect the dignity and worth of youth of all sexualities - all our youth.
- James Loewen, Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, New Press 2005 A powerful, cutting-edge indictment of white notions of supremacy in the historic and purposeful expulsion of African Americans and other people of color from towns and counties across the country, particularly 1890s - 1930s.
- Dale Maharidge, Michael Williamson, Homeland, Seven Stories Press 2004 Through photos and words, the reader comes to feel the post-911 pulse of the country, and feels the sense of loss, outrage, climate of fear, yet hope for transformation from the grassroots up.
- David S. Reynolds, John Brown Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights, Knopf 2005 Compelling cultural biography of life, context and controversial impact of John Brown's activism and actions. Reynolds argues that Brown's place in history stems from responses following his execution.
- Gary D. Schmidt, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, Clarion Books Young Adult Fiction 2004 This novel for teens fictionalizes a true series of events in Phippsburg and Malaga Island, Maine where the two main characters resiliently attempt to block the expulsion by whites of African Americans and their allies.
The Gustavus Myers Center advancing creative resistance to oppression was established in 1984. Its hub office is in Boston, MA. This is the 21st year of annual awards selected by a diverse panel of reviewers from across the country.
For jpegs of the books and authors, contact
lorewill@myerscenter.org
For additional info on the Center, see www.myerscenter.org