My Face Is Black Is True: Callie House and the Struggle for Ex-Slave Reparations

Dive into the compelling narrative of "My Face Is Black Is True: Callie House and the Struggle for Ex-Slave Reparations" by Mary Frances Berry. Published on October 10, 2006, this book unveils the groundbreaking yet largely unrecognized efforts of Callie House, a widowed Nashville washerwoman and mother of five who, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, spearheaded a movement for reparations. Seventy years before the civil rights movement gained momentum, House demanded economic justice for ex-slaves, proposing that pensions similar to those given to Union soldiers be extended to African Americans as compensation for centuries of unpaid labor. Her strategic focus on the $68 million in taxes collected from seized Confederate cotton underscores her pioneering role in civil rights activism, predating leaders like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. This book is an essential read for adult education groups looking to explore themes of economic and racial justice through the lens of a formidable yet forgotten social justice leader. Berry’s narrative not only honors Callie House's legacy but also prompts critical reflection on the ongoing struggle for equality and reparations today.