Book Review: ‘The House by the Side of the Road: The Selma Civil Rights Movement’ by Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson
We all know the legend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. But it’s mostly been conveyed to us through the big moments: the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the “I Have a Dream” speech, or his Nobel Peace Prize. But those moments didn’t just come out of thin air. A lot of planning went into those historical events. In The House by the Side of the Road, Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson shares her firsthand account of the planning that happened in her home. Her words bring to life these monumental events in a way that history books have missed, allowing new generations to connect to a different time and life that still impacts us today.
[Warning: My review of The House by the Side of the Road contains some spoilers!]
A behind-the-scenes look at the Civil Rights Movement
As I said in the intro, we’ve all learned about the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s role in it. Enough time has passed that it’s now taught as history in high schools around the country. And the events are so amazing, and the men shaping them are presented as so incredible that they seem unreal at times. But Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson brings them back down to Earth in The House by the Side of the Road. In her book, she shares all the planning that went into the marches and protests that became history. And most of that planning was done in her small, nondescript home in Selma, Alabama.
Jackson shares stories of cooking, cleaning, and living. She was aware of the importance of what was happening in her home, but also that those men couldn’t plan without food and shelter. So she cooked around the clock and always had a place for someone to sleep. Jackson shares how people would show up day or night, usually with no warning, and be offered comfort.
Jackson could have been bitter or angry to be treated like the help in her own home, but she understood how important the work being done was and never complained. Oh, she may have mentioned a need for help occasionally, and when she did, help was provided. But mostly she took care of everyone without a word. She figured it was the best way she could help make the world a better place for her and her daughter. And she did her work with pride.
You can’t have a movement without infrastructure
Wars are fought by soldiers. But if those soldiers don’t have food, supplies, and shelter, then the war is lost before it’s even fought. The same is true for movements. If you don’t have someone making sure that everyone is fed, has a place to sleep, and is otherwise taken care of, then you’re over before you’ve begun. In the Civil Rights Movement, we mostly saw men pushing for change. They were the ones making speeches, leading marches, and being thrown in jail. But it becomes clear when reading The House on the Side of the Road that without the women who provided for and supported those men, the movement wouldn’t have gone anywhere.
Jackson doesn’t come right out and say this, but you come to that realization as she details all the different things she and other women did to help keep everything running. They never got recognition at the time, and most of their names are now lost to history, so they never will. But, as Truman said (and Jackson quoted), “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Now Jackson is referring to Ralph Abernathy, a man who worked tirelessly for the movement, but she feels doesn’t get enough credit. Ironic since she and so many other women kept the movement running without any credit at all. And to be clear, Jackson isn’t trying to get credit by writing this book. The House by the Side of the Road is not about what she did for the movement. It’s about what happened at her house during the movement. Nevertheless, because she did so much in that little house, it is about what she did, even if that wasn’t her intention.
Turning a legend back into a man
One of the most incredible things that Jackson does in The House by the Side of the Road is turn Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. back into a man. He is such a huge figure in history, and he’s always shown as so serious that it’s hard to picture him as a regular person. Of course, that’s partly because he had to be serious and perfect in his public persona. But through Jackson’s writing, we get to see a man who teased his friends, who argued about the correct way to move forward, who got sick, made messes, and snored. The real human behind the giant.
Now Jackson clearly has a ton of respect for King. That comes across strongly in her writing. But at the same time, she could see him as a man like any other. She took care of him and was fiercely protective of him when need be. But she also scolded him and corrected him when he needed it. Even though time has wrapped King in the mystic of legend, he was ultimately human, just a man like any other. Seeing him through Jackson’s eyes helped drive that home and allowed me to make a deeper connection to Dr. King than I’ve ever felt before.
The House by the Side of the Road is still making connections
The house that is the subject of The House by the Side of the Road has recently been added to Greenfield Village, a one-of-a-kind museum that includes important historical buildings from throughout American history. It was the grand opening of the Jackson house (as it’s called in Greenfield Village) that inspired me to read Mrs. Jackson’s book about her time there during the Civil Rights Movement. I was expecting another history book that would focus on major historical events from a bland, third-party viewpoint, but I was pleasantly surprised by The House by the Side of the Road. Jackson’s distinctly southern viewpoint and turn of phrase, combined with the unique perspective of someone who was there but overlooked, make for fascinating reading that anyone can enjoy. Schools should really consider adding it to the Civil Rights Movement curriculum, in my opinion!
The House by the Side of the Road: The Selma Civil Rights Movement by Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson is available now for purchase! Learn more about the Jackson home as well as the other incredible buildings at Greenfield Village, at The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village website! Are you excited to visit this piece of history in Dearborn, MI? Share your thoughts on social media and tag @bsb.insider to continue the conversation!
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