Interview with Civil Rights Biographer Anita Hackley-Lambert

Civil rights biographer Anita Hackley-Lambert is the author of F.H.M. Murray: First Biography of a Forgotten Pioneer for Civil Justice, now available from Booksurge and online retailers. To promote her book, Anita will be touring the blogosphere this month with Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours.

Welcome to Blogcritics, Anita. It’s nice to have you here. Why don’t you start by telling us a bit about your book, and what inspired you to write such a story?

Thank you for having me. It is a pleasure to be able to share my book with everyone. Let me begin by saying that many people now agree that the history of the United States is incomplete and in some cases inaccurate when it comes to recording the activities of African Americans who have accomplished much and impacted many.

My book, F.H.M. Murray: First Biography of a Forgotten Pioneer for Civil Justice is about a champion civil rights activist who, for whatever reasons, was overlooked by society. The best way to describe the importance of this story is to use a portion of the review statement given by Niagara Gazette columnist Bill Bradberry who said, “Lambert’s book, though a superb biography of her great grandfather ... is the most detailed account of the events that led up to and that immediately followed the formation of one of the most important human rights movements in the world, the Niagara Movement. Lambert helps us understand the story that shaped the nation and shook the world."

My inspiration for writing this book actually comes from a combined phases of my life. I have wanted to write since I was twelve, when I wrote my first unpublished book, No Where To Run, a partial autobiography that examines my life as a sexually abused child – beginning at age of five. However, as I struggled to get control of a tormented life, I returned to writing by preparing numerous technical manuals and how-to documents for the federal government. I did not become serious about my writing until I promised my blind mother I would honor her promise to her mother who had promised her father (F.H.M. Murray) she would not allow his legacy to be forgotten. At that time, I was unaware of the huge challenge that lay ahead — research and validation. I had no way of knowing it would take more than ten years researching to compile his story into a historical format with endnotes and an index. My final inspiration to complete the manuscript came from a request from the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to bring copies of my book and to present a scholarly paper at their Centennial Celebration of the Niagara Movement in 2006. Completing this monumental task actually helped me reconnect with myself. I regained my life while fulfilling my own dream to write.

Article Author: Mayra Calvani

Mayra Calvani is the National Latino Books Examiner for Examiner.com.

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