Joan Trumpauer Mulholland: An Unlikely Civil Rights Hero

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland grew up in Virginia in the 1950s and witnessed the injustice of segregation firsthand.

As a teenager, she joined the Civil Rights Movement, attending demonstrations and sit-ins. Because of her passionate belief in the cause, she was involved in several important and historically significant events, including:

• The Freedom Rides of 1961
• The Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-ins in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1963
• The March on Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963
• The Selma to Montgomery March in 1965

Trumpauer Mulholland once said, “Anyone can make a difference. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are. Find a problem, get some friends together, and go fix it. Remember, you don’t have to change the world … just change your world.”

These words ring even truer today.

She Stood for Freedom: The Untold Story of a Civil Rights Hero by Loki Mulholland is a unique story that explores the life of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland; an ordinary girl from the South who just did the right thing.

If the last name looks like Joan and Loki might be related, that’s because they are! Loki Mulholland is an award-winning filmmaker and the son of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland.

Loki has won multiple film festival awards, Best of State, and the Filmed in Utah Award.

She Stood for Freedom: The Untold Story of a Civil Rights Hero is a unique and vibrant book filled with original photography, images of historical documents, and breathtaking artwork. This book is a celebration (and example) of the effect a single life can have on the world.

An Unlikely Civil Rights Hero

The Civil Rights was an extremely tragic yet absolutely necessary piece of American history. Both black and white people made great strides in human rights and equality in our country. Many people seem to forget that African Americans were not the only people standing up for equality. White, Indian, Asian–people of every heritage were standing together. Joan Mulholland was one of these people. Raised in Virginia, she grew up with segregation and harsh racism. She grew up being taught that mixing races was wrong.

But despite all this chatter in her ear, Joan knew that this form of racism was wrong. She took a stand when she began college, joining peaceful movements, sit-ins, protests, and other demonstrations. She was kicked out of Duke University for her involvement with the Civil Rights Movement.

Despite the backlash and threats that she received, Joan never gave up on her belief that what she and the rest of her friends doing was the right thing. She was one of the first white students to attend a historically black college and join a black sorority. Her life was almost always at risk; she lost many friends and family; she lived in jail for several months of her life. All because she was doing the right thing. And the rest of the culture couldn’t accept this. She was an average hero.

With all of the turmoil in our society right now, this book reminds us that we are all working together for a common goal. We’re all humans, and it’s high time that we remember that.

Does our world need to be changed?

Yes? Then let’s do it together, with our friends, one step at a time.

Grab your copy of this amazing book HERE or click on the book image above to take a closer look.