Description
Book SynopsisJohn Beecher (1904-1980) never had the public prominence of his famous ancestors, but he spent his life fighting for the voiceless and oppressed. Angela Smith examines Beecher's writing and activism and places them in the broader context of American culture at pivotal points in the twentieth century.
Trade ReviewHere I Stand is readable and well organized. Although John Beecher is a somewhat minor figure in twentieth-century American history, his life touched on a number of important events, so this book will be a useful tool for students of both southern and American history. Smith is convincing in her portrayal of him as the intellectual and moral progeny of his famous ancestors." -
Journal of Southern History "A much needed biographical study of an overlooked activist and protest poet during the long civil rights movement." - Christopher G. Diller, editor of
Uncle Tom's Cabin (Broadview edition)
Table of Contents
- List of Figures
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I. Generations Playing Their Part
- Chapter 1. The Beecher Family
- Chapter 2. Shaping Forces
- Part II. Becoming a Twentieth-Century Beecher, 1904-1928
- Chapter 3. The Education of John Beecher
- Chapter 4. Becoming a Poet
- Part III. Professional Life, 1928-1955
- Chapter 5. Experimental College and Sociology Work
- Chapter 6. Working the New Deal
- Chapter 7. The War and Its Aftermath
- Chapter 8. The Loyalty Oath
- Part IV. Poetry and Legacy, 1955-1980
- Chapter 9. A Small Press of Their Own
- Chapter 10. Beecher and the Civil Rights Movement
- Chapter 11. The Final Years
- Epilogue
- Appendix 1. Beecher Family Tree
- Appendix 2. John Beecher’s Published Work
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
