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February 22, 2025

Interview: Author Elaine Weiss on the Four Little-Known Activists Who Were the ‘Beating Heart’ of the Civil Rights Movement

Weiss speaks about her new book “Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement,” which comes out March 4.

by Cyril Mychalejko

Elaine Weiss is an award-winning journalist, author, and public speaker. She is the author of The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote and Fruits of Victory: The Woman’s Land Army of the Great War.  She joins us today to talk about Her new book, Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement, which comes out March 4th. Her book, which tells the story about how four ordinary citizens through social movement organizing affect change, offers valuable lessons for today as the country finds itself engaged in a new Jim Crow moment and a renewed battle over Civil Rights. 

Listen to the Podcast online – with available transcript