Refuse to Stand Silently by

Where do activists get the courage to stand up against social, political or economic injustices, knowing that they could be vilified, fired, jailed or shot at? Rosa Parks, Julian Bond, Pete Seeger, Studs Terkel, Andrew Young and others throw light on this question as they discuss their struggles, childhoods, educations and formative influences. Nearly all of the 15 interviewees in this stirring, instructive chronicle of grassroots activism attended or were influenced by the Highlander Center in rural Tennessee, a school promoting social change and interracial understanding. Discussing issues ranging from union organization to self-censorship in the news media and the arts, these risk-takers give strong testimony to the conviction that people who directly experience a social problem have the wisdom and strength to find their own solutions. They also outline strategies to overcome the passivity of the average American. Wigginton, founder of Foxfire magazine, is a board member of Highlander. (May)