Killers of the Dream
Book description
Published to wide controversy, it became the source (acknowledged or unacknowledged) of much of our thinking about race relations and was for many a catalyst for the civil rights movement. It remains the most courageous, insightful, and eloquent critique of the pre-1960s South.
"I began to see racism and its…
- Coming soon!
Why read it?
1 author picked Killers of the Dream as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This autobiography of white Civil Rights activist Lillian Smith unpacks the society that shaped her as she struggled against her childhood lessons about how to interact with Whites and Blacks in the South. Smith deftly immerses you into her world with anecdotes, leading the reader through the interactions that shaped her and other white children across the South, including her experiences with racial violence and racism. Despite being written more than half a century ago, connections remain to our world. My recommendation is to read the 1994 version with an updated introduction placing the work into context.
From Kristina's list on understanding racial violence in the South after the Civil War.
Want books like Killers of the Dream?
Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Killers of the Dream.
Browse books like Killers of the Dream
5 book lists we think you will like!
- The best books for understanding racial violence in the South after the Civil War
- The best books about the South that you’ve probably never heard of
- The best southern themed books you’ve never heard of (maybe)
- The best books about slavery and the confederacy
- The best books on plantation life in the Antebellum South (Colonial and early federal America)
Interested in the South, race relations, and black people?
10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about the South, race relations, and black people.