Anne Moody’s autobiography Coming of Age in Mississippi about her life growing up as a young black girl in the mid 1950’s is a strong, compelling, and utterly important story to tell. It gives insight to how life was for young blacks growing up in the “new era”, as well as documented the occurrences and news that happened throughout America through the eyes of a young girl.
The book is written in first-person just as Anne Moody is telling and recapping the story of her life to the readers. It is chronological and particularly detailed for a memoir. Events and feelings are stated blankly, written in a matter-of-factly manner.
Moody was an important and central part of the Civil Rights Movement, even landing herself a place at the Klux’s list. She was already known as an activist before she became famous though her autobiography. Moody’s feelings and reasoning behind her actions were often explained, letting the reader relate and understand the way things worked for Anne.
