The Three Mothers, Anna Malaika Tubbs
The Three Mothers, Anna Malaika Tubbs
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The Three Mothers
How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation

Author: Anna Malaika Tubbs

Narrator: Anna Malaika Tubbs

Unabridged: 6 hr 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/02/2021


Synopsis

This program is read by the author.

Much has been written about Berdis Baldwin's son James, about Alberta King's son Martin Luther, and Louise Little's son Malcolm. But virtually nothing has been said about the extraordinary women who raised them.

In her groundbreaking and essential debut The Three Mothers, scholar Anna Malaika Tubbs celebrates Black motherhood by telling the story of the three women who raised and shaped some of America's most pivotal heroes.

Berdis Baldwin, Alberta King, and Louise Little were all born at the beginning of the 20th century and forced to contend with the prejudices of Jim Crow as Black women. These three extraordinary women passed their knowledge to their children with the hope of helping them to survive in a society that would deny their humanity from the very beginning—from Louise teaching her children about their activist roots, to Berdis encouraging James to express himself through writing, to Alberta basing all of her lessons in faith and social justice. These women used their strength and motherhood to push their children toward greatness, all with a conviction that every human being deserves dignity and respect despite the rampant discrimination they faced.

These three mothers taught resistance and a fundamental belief in the worth of Black people to their sons, even when these beliefs flew in the face of America’s racist practices and led to ramifications for all three families’ safety. The fight for equal justice and dignity came above all else for the three mothers.

These women, their similarities and differences, as individuals and as mothers, represent a piece of history left untold and a celebration of Black motherhood long overdue.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

"The Three Mothers is a fascinating exploration into the lives of three women ignored by history after raising sons who helped shape a movement. By tracing the intellectual, political, and emotional strands of each woman’s life, Anna Malaika Tubbs uncovers hidden complexities within black motherhood that illuminate our understanding of the past while also shedding light on the overlooked contributions of black women today. An eye-opening, engrossing read!"—Brit Bennet, New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Half and The Mothers

"Anna's connection to these women is palpable on the page — as both a mother and a scholar of the impact Black motherhood has had on America. Through Anna's writing, Berdis, Alberta, and Louise's stories sing. Theirs is a history forgotten that begs to be told, and Anna tells it brilliantly."— Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist and National Book Award winner Stamped from the Beginning

About Anna Malaika Tubbs

Anna Malaika Tubbs is a New York Times bestselling author and multidisciplinary expert on current and historical understandings of race, gender, and equity. With a Ph.D. in Sociology and a Masters in Multidisciplinary Gender Studies from the University of Cambridge in addition to a Bachelors in Medical Anthropology from Stanford University, Anna translates her academic knowledge into stories that are clear and engaging. Her articles have been published by TIME Magazine, New York Magazine, CNN, Motherly, the Huffington Post, For Harriet, The Guardian, Darling Magazine, and Blavity. Anna’s storytelling also takes form in her talks, including her TED Talk that has been viewed 2 million times, as well as the scripted and unscripted screen projects she has in development. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three kids.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Russ on February 15, 2021

Content/Topic: 5 Technical: 2 Audiobook Performance: 2 A must-read topic, but the book is severely hampered by its rudimentary writing and sophomoric audiobook narration (which is further undermined by unacceptable T-glottalization). I wanted better, and these three women deserve better.......more

Goodreads review by Barbara on April 12, 2021

"The mother is the first teacher of the child. The message she gives that child, that child gives to the world." Malcolm X Three intelligent mothers who believed in equality and respect for all; three mothers raising three sons who would make an indelible mark in history as they fought in their differ......more

Goodreads review by Colleen on November 16, 2020

I was so excited to get this book. I've always been curious about the mothers of three great men. But where do you start? How do you find the information that you need? I was so eager to dive into this book and I must admit I feel like these three mothers. This book is full of love and compassion fo......more

Goodreads review by Zuri on July 17, 2022

So this book definitely has an interesting premise, but I don't think Tubbs was really apt to write it? And actually I don't know if anyone would be apt to write it, because there just isn't enough information about these three women. There weren’t many primary sources like their own journals or let......more

Goodreads review by Farris on November 30, 2020

The Three Mothers is an eye-opening read that encourages us to take seriously not only the ways in which Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin were shaped by their mothers but also how these women resisted assaults on their own personhood as Black women and claimed their dignity when......more


Awards

  • NPR Best Book of the Year