Brother to a Dragonfly
by Will D. Campbell
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In Brother to a Dragonfly, Will D. Campbell writes about his life growing up poor in Amite County, Mississippi, during the 1930s alongside his older brother, Joe. Though they grew up in a close-knit family and cared for each other, the two went on to lead very different lives. After serving together in World War II, Will became a highly educated Baptist minister who later became a major figure in the early years of the civil rights movement, and Joe became a pharmacist who developed a show more substance abuse problem that ultimately took his life. Brother to a Dragonfly also serves as a historical record. Though Will's love and dedication to his brother are the primary story, interwoven throughout the narrative is the story of the Jim Crow South and the civil rights movement. Will is present through many of the most pivotal moments in history--he was one of four people who escorted black students integrating the Little Rock public schools; he was the only white person present at the founding of the SCLC; he helped CORE and SNCC Freedom Riders integrate interstate bus travel; he joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s campaign of boycotts, sit-ins, and marches in Birmingham; and he was at the Lorraine Motel the night Dr. King was assassinated. Will's accomplishments, however, never take the spotlight from his brother, and as his relationship with Joe evolves, so does Will's faith. Featuring a new foreword by Congressman John Lewis, this book brings back to print the combined lives of Will Campbell--Will the brother and Will the preacher. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
I was expecting this book to be about Will Campbell and his work in this memoir but that was in the background and his relationship with his brother took centre stage. Nevertheless, I was wowed by a lot of the wisdom to come out of these pages, as well as the humanity and foibles that encompass life. Not only is it an unflinching look at addiction and mental illness, it is also a primer of the days of segregation and racism in the south and ultimately north United States. Favorite quote from page 220 - "We're all bastards, but God loves us anyway." Also in the same chapter is Will's conviction by a non-Christian about that exact quote, and the revelation that God doesn't just love and work for the blacks who've lived under oppression show more but that he also loves and works for the members of the Ku Klux Klan. What an eye-opener. I have a lot to go and think about now. show less
When I was younger and a Christian I found this too odd to get through. I'd probably have less trouble now.
The story of Will Campbell and his brother, Joe. The boys grew up in rural Mississippi. Will became a Southern Baptist preacher and an outspoken advocate of civil rights. Will, a pharmacist , misused drugs and had a tortured life. Brothers to the end.
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24+ Works 790 Members
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- Genres
- Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, Religion & Spirituality, Politics and Government
- DDC/MDS
- 323.092 — Society, government, & culture Political science Civil Rights & Liberties/ Human Rights Civil Rights Biography And History Biography
- LCC
- BX6495 .C28 .A33 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Christian Denominations Christian Denominations Protestantism Other Protestant denominations Baptists Biography
- BISAC
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- Members
- 288
- Popularity
- 111,539
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (4.15)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 8
