Running head: ANALYSIS OF FREEDOM SUMMER
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Lack of Authority: Analysis of Freedom Summer by Bruce Watson
Jason Mattice
Paul Smith’s College
Author Note
This analysis was prepared for SOC 220 The Sixties: Professor Rebecca Romeo
ANALYSIS OF FREEDOM SUMMER
Lack of Authority
Freedom Summer by Bruce Watson is a powerful book that tells about the “savage
season that made Mississippi burn and made America a democracy.” The lack of
authority for civil rights in Mississippi for years prior the summer of 1964, led to the
actions that took place by civil rights activists. Years of mistreatment and murders led to a
new generation of college-aged students from the north that wanted to make a difference
in Mississippi, there were endless risks involved but they un-selfishly went to make a
change. The SNCC led a project to get African Americans to register and vote, led by
SNCC volunteer and leader Bob Moses in 1964. Local police in the area never were there
to help African Americans, instead there were some involved in the KKK and many were
racist. The FBI agents were bystanders during this time they knew of the actions taking
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