Hammer and Hoe

Alabama Communists during the Great Depression

By Robin D. G. Kelley | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

A groundbreaking contribution to the history of the “long Civil Rights movement,” Hammer and Hoe tells the story of how, during the 1930s and 40s, Communists took on Alabama’s repressive, racist police state to fight for economic justice, civil and political rights, and racial equality.

The Alabama Communist Party was made up of working people without a Euro-American radical political tradition: devoutly religious and semiliterate black laborers and sharecroppers, and a handful of whites, including unemployed industrial workers, housewives, youth, and renegade liberals. In this book, Robin D. G. Kelley reveals how the experiences and identities of these people from Alabama’s farms, factories, mines, kitchens, and city streets shaped the Party’s tactics and unique political culture. The result was a remarkably resilient movement forged in a racist world that had little tolerance for radicals.

After discussing the book’s origins and impact in a new preface written for this twenty-fifth-anniversary edition, Kelley reflects on what a militantly antiracist, radical movement in the heart of Dixie might teach contemporary social movements confronting rampant inequality, police violence, mass incarceration, and neoliberalism.

Editions of Hammer and Hoe

Paperback
ISBN 9781469625485
EBook
ISBN 9781469625508
EBook
ISBN 9798890851307
EBook
ISBN 9798890851291
EBook
ISBN 9781469625492

Read an Excerpt

A groundbreaking contribution to the history of the “long Civil Rights movement,” Hammer and Hoe tells the story of how, during the 1930s and 40s, Communists took on Alabama’s repressive, racist police state to fight for economic justice, civil and political rights, and racial equality.

The Alabama Communist Party was made up of working people without a Euro-American radical political tradition: devoutly religious and semiliterate black laborers and sharecroppers, and a handful of whites, including unemployed industrial workers, housewives, youth, and renegade liberals. In this book, Robin D. G. Kelley reveals how the experiences and identities of these people from Alabama’s farms, factories, mines, kitchens, and city streets shaped the Party’s tactics and unique political culture. The result was a remarkably resilient movement forged in a racist world that had little tolerance for radicals.

After discussing the book’s origins and impact in a new preface written for this twenty-fifth-anniversary edition, Kelley reflects on what a militantly antiracist, radical movement in the heart of Dixie might teach contemporary social movements confronting rampant inequality, police violence, mass incarceration, and neoliberalism.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hammer and Hoe about?

A groundbreaking contribution to the history of the “long Civil Rights movement,” Hammer and Hoe tells the story of how, during the 1930s and 40s, Communists took on Alabama’s repressive, racist police state to fight for economic justice, civil and political rights, and racial equality.

The Alabama Communist Party was made up of working people without a Euro-American radical political tradition: devoutly religious and semiliterate black laborers and sharecroppers, and a handful of whites, including unemployed industrial workers, housewives, youth, and renegade liberals. In this book, Robin D. G. Kelley reveals how the experiences and identities of these people from Alabama’s farms, factories, mines, kitchens, and city streets shaped the Party’s tactics and unique political culture. The result was a remarkably resilient movement forged in a racist world that had little tolerance for radicals.

After discussing the book’s origins and impact in a new preface written for this twenty-fifth-anniversary edition, Kelley reflects on what a militantly antiracist, radical movement in the heart of Dixie might teach contemporary social movements confronting rampant inequality, police violence, mass incarceration, and neoliberalism.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Hammer and Hoe?

History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas

Where can I read a sample of Hammer and Hoe?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469625485

How long is Hammer and Hoe and how many pages does it have?

Hammer and Hoe has 412 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Hammer and Hoe?

Robin D. G. Kelley

Who is the Publisher of the book Hammer and Hoe?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Hammer and Hoe is available as paperback(ISBN 9781469625485) and ebook(ISBN 9781469625508) and ebook(ISBN 9798890851307) and ebook(ISBN 9798890851291) and ebook(ISBN 9781469625492)

Where can I buy Hammer and Hoe online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Hammer and Hoe from below

Where can I buy Hammer and Hoe?