Review on Payne’s “I’ve Got the Light of Freedom”

The book "I've Got the Light of Freedom" by Charles M. Payne's is a very educative book with a lot of information since it a book with the contents on organizing, something which is necessary to every individuals regarding the normal activities. We realize that this book highlights the families' organizations that are enhanced togetherness during that movement at that time[footnoteRef:1]. Payne bases his argument his manner of describing the struggles that the African American went through while they were fighting for their civil rights during the 20th century. [1: Payne, Charles M. I've got the light of freedom: The organizing tradition and the Mississippi freedom struggle. Univ of California Press, 2007. The book is an important focus on an analysis how the freedom movement was carried out from a different dimensions as well as the efforts against how the African American people were oppressed. It brings out clearly how factors like strategic organization and the organizing dynamics between the whites and the blacks seems to be the main themes and factors for success. The fact that this was during a movement on fights for civil rights then, we see how the organizations brought into being by the Ella baker/septima school which clearly shows the importance of being organized to an extend of developing leadership[footnoteRef:2]. This is something very encouraging since leadership to them implies that someone is responsible for them to come up together in order to develop strategies as well as personal leadership. Payne's brings it clearly to show how such strategies are of much value not only in such an activity that sees the struggle for freedom by the millions of people but also its value in our day to day activities. [2: Payne, Charles M. I've got the light of freedom: The organizing tradition and the Mississippi freedom struggle. Univ of California Press, 2007. From Payne's book, the theme of change tends to be clear from his argument as brought about information on so many aspects[footnoteRef:3]. We find out he brings out some of the downfalls also known to be a snowball effect, of the success of the various activism at that time. These struggles as seen through the various activists are what results to their use of knowledge at the same time some of the organizations such as SNCC got advantage on this information through guidance. It is through this that through such information and guidance, organizations easily pick up well and with much energy that results to greater growths. Everyone develops and are in transformation towards better leadership. This has greatly been recommended by Payne's who has seen tactics for progress that brings change where change seems to be the main theme. [3: Payne, Charles M. I've got the light of freedom: The organizing tradition and the Mississippi freedom struggle. Univ of California Press, 2007.] Critique tends to be based around on what clearly the book doesn't come out very well. The history of such a movement especially in 1963 we realize that a lot of information during this time wasn't brought out very clear.

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