Reclaiming My Hope: Surviving Birmingham's Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing in 1963, a Day That Shamed the Nation - Paperback

by Ethel Madison Van Buren (Author)

I wrote this book, through my own voice, about my life experiences during the Jim Crow era, when the concept of "separate but equal" permeated the entire Southland of our nation, and the impact it made on my heart, mind, and soul.

In this memoir, I give my description of how the ugly truths about segregation and discrimination during the early '50s and late '60s until the present day impacted my life. I describe how the unforgettable day that shamed the nation unfolded before my very eyes, and I include my accounts of unforgettable events leading up to that day and the aftermath. The remainder of the book gives my personal reflections about hope for justice, peace, healing, and reconciliation. My words on the pages within are honest and straightforward. I utilized the wisdom and the knowledge that I learned during my journey through life to convey my true feelings. Being able to tell my story has helped me to move peacefully beyond the painful memories of the darkness of the past into the light of change. I have learned how to fuel my thoughts with positive possibilities because divine order prevails in my mind and my life. And I do believe that God is the source of all prosperity, and I give thanks in advance knowing that my highest good is unfolding now. I have moved beyond the mindset of powerlessness to seeing life through forgiving eyes. Yet the memories of the ugly events of the past, I will never forget. Because on an underlying level, racism still pledges our society.