Joan Hamburg interviews Elaine Weiss, an acclaimed journalist and author, on Talk Radio 77 WABC. Weiss discusses her new book 'Spell Freedom,' which delves into the role of grassroots citizenship schools in the civil rights movement. These makeshift schools taught black citizens in the Jim Crow South to read, write, and understand their constitutional rights, enabling them to reclaim their voting rights and fight systemic oppression. The book highlights the immense bravery and resilience of ordinary people facing severe reprisals for attempting to register to vote. Weiss draws parallels between past and present struggles for democratic rights, highlighting the continuing challenges in U.S. democracy. The conversation provides a deep dive into historical efforts to uphold democracy and stresses the importance of learning from these lessons in today's sociopolitical climate.
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