Articulate and provocative, Aldon Morris’ study of the American Civil Rights Movement is a comprehensive and comprehensible analysis of a strategic struggle for human survival and essential dignity. Emphasizing that African Americans have rarely accepted the subordinate position forced upon them, that the Civil Rights Movement was carefully orchestrated rather than a series of random events, and that women played a critical role in the organization and implementation of the movement, Morris incisively resurrects and dismantles official discourses. In the tradition of John Hope Franklin’s "From Slavery to Freedom", Lerone Bennett’s "Forced into Glory", and Ivan Van Sertima’s "They Came Before Columbus", Morris reconstructs history with a fresh perspective. Morris’ extensive use of the interview technique enables the reader to probe the minds of the makers and shakers of the movement, as we hear them speak in their own words. Somewhat academic in its approach, yet eminently readable, "Origins of the Civil Rights Movement" can be understood and appreciated by middle school students, academicians, and history buffs alike. It is a must-read for those interested in a complete understanding of American history in general and of African American history in particular.