Witnessing & Testifying: Black Women, Religion, and Civil Rights.Witnessing & Testifying: Black Women, Religion, and Civil Rights. By Rosetta E. Ross. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003. xiv and 235 pages. Paper. $23.00. In detailed and concise biographies Rosetta E. Ross lifts up the lives and work of seven black women civil-rights leaders: Ella Baker Ella Josephine Baker (December 13, 1903 - December 13, 1986) was a leading African American civil rights and human rights activist beginning in the 1930s. She was a behind-the-scenes activist whose career spanned over five decades. , Septima Clark, Fannie Lou Hamer Fannie Lou Hamer (born Fannie Lou Townsend on October 6, 1917 – March 14, 1977) was an American voting rights activist and civil rights leader. She was instrumental in organizing Mississippi's "Freedom Summer" for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee , Victoria Way Delee, Clara Muhammad Clara Muhammad (November 2, 1899–August 1972), also known as Clara Poole, was born Clara Evans in Macon, Georgia. She was the wife of Nation of Islam (NOI) leader Elijah Muhammad. They married in Georgia in 1917, before he changed his name from Elijah Poole. , Diane Nash Diane Judith Nash (born May 15 1938 in Chicago) is a founder of the SNCC, a key force in the American civil rights movement. Early life Nash was raised on the south-side of Chicago. She attended public and Catholic schools,and one day dreamed of becoming a nun. , and Ruby Doris Smith Robinson. Significant correlations between the life of faith and civil-rights activism are highlighted for each woman demonstrating that for these women their activism is an expression of their faith values. Ross's book is a witness to these strong and influential women. Their life stories remind us that we are to live the truths of our faith in action. The lenses of faith and religion often move us to focus on social justice. It reminds us, too, that active faith is not merely the reality of the educated and the elite. These seven black women testify that faith in action comes simply from those who believe in truth and work to see that truth become a reality. This book broadens our perspective on civil-rights activists and illustrates that it takes many people to bring about social justice. It is a book about the empowerment and human dignity Human dignity is an expression that can be used as a moral concept or as a legal term. Sometimes it means no more than that human beings should not be treated as objects. Beyond this, it is meant to convey an idea of absolute and inherent worth that does not need to be acquired and of each and every person born on this earth. Witnessing & Testifying reminds us that each individual is worthy of respect and that as people of faith we are called to live out this truth. Beth Titus Bear Creek, Pennsylvania Bear Creek, Pennsylvania may refer to the following:
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