Between Remembrance and Repair

“Whitlinger provides a compelling, analytically rich study that makes meaningful contributions to multiple disciplines. She unpacks how collective memory can translate into structural change, and in doing so provides an additional—and powerful—explanation of why commemorating racial violence matters. For anyone trying to understand how commemorating the past can change the present, Between Remembrance and Repair has much to offer.”—H-Net Reviews

“A balanced and thoughtful analysis that . . . contributes to debates in the areas of collective memory, social movements, social psychology, and race and draws on central theoretical concepts in these fields.”—Journal of African American History

“Exceedingly well written, this is a welcome addition to the literature on the legacy of civil rights violence. Whitlinger provides not only an important specific contribution to our understanding of the civil rights movement’s impact on local communities, but also a powerful generalized account of the capacity of collective memory to produce more enduring cultural and institutional change. Compelling and important.”—David Cunningham, Washington University in St. Louis

“Between Remembrance and Repair will become a benchmark for scholars interested in collective memory and commemoration, race, social movements, and various issues related to national and local community politics. Claire Whitlinger weaves a convincing analysis into a compelling story in each chapter. This well-conceived, sophisticated, and stimulating book will help scholars and students alike understand the complex dynamics of commemorating difficult and silenced pasts.”—Thomas DeGloma, Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York