Review of From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream

Esther Mburu 2 · Post by **Esther Mburu 2** » 15 Dec 2023, 15:53

[Following is a volunteer review of "From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream" by Janice S. Ellis.]

5 out of 5 stars

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Janice Ellis writes Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream in which she describes her experiences growing up as a black woman in segregated Mississippi in the 1960s, during the height of the Civil Rights and Women's Rights movements, on a cotton farm. Similar to many other black people at the time, her life was not simple. She had to see a lot of prejudice against her race; for example, she can still clearly recall when several little boys spit on her mother as they were leaving a store. That caused pain. They had to perform manual labor primarily on farms, lived in impoverished neighborhoods, and attended inadequate schools. However, that did not sour her, and although white people detested black people and were ruthless, it seems Ellis had a rebellious side. There was a time when her mother sent her to the store, and the cashier banged the change on the counter instead of giving it to her. Her mother sent her back to make another purchase, but this time she slapped the money down on the counter and glared at the cashier instead of giving him her money. He gave her a dismaying glance. Remembering Emmet Till, her mother was quite concerned when she walked back to the car and told her what had happened; such actions towards white people had dire implications. Her mother scorned her and forbade her from returning to that shop ever again.

Ms. Ellis despised having to watch as her white peers lived a privileged existence when she was growing up, which could have made her resentful about life, but instead it made her more driven to improve her lot in life. She pursued her studies, eventually earning a PhD, getting married, taking on leadership roles in her professional life, and even entering politics. She found all of that difficult, especially considering she was a black woman. She faced prejudice at work, her spouse was abusive, and she received little support from friends or family. She was a deeply religious person, and what kept her going was her steadfast conviction that anyone could realize the American Dream.

Although the story must be difficult for the author to recount, I appreciate that she shared it. She bravely and gracefully tells her terrible story, and I'm sure that many readers have been inspired by it. America still has a long way to go, but she feels that it has made significant progress in improving gender and ethnic relations.

I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars because it's well written, simple to read and comprehend, and it must have given someone hope. She exhorts readers to pursue their goals and objectives, despite how difficult they may appear.

I recommend this book to anyone studying black history and race. The book can also be used as a text for a community library, especially because it comes with an appendix that has a discussion guide.

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From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream
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