Civil Rights Warrior: A Memoir

The inspiring memoir of Evie Rich, a fearless African-American activist whose lifelong fight for justice, equality, and workers’ rights shaped pivotal moments in American civil rights history.

From the working-class streets of Depression-era Philadelphia to the front lines of America’s most pivotal civil rights battles, Evie Rich’s extraordinary journey is a testament to courage, conviction, and the relentless pursuit of justice. In Civil Rights Warrior, Rich chronicles her rise from humble beginnings to becoming a trailblazer in the fight for equality-breaking barriers as an African-American woman at Bryn Mawr College, debating Malcolm X on the airwaves, and shaping the course of history through her leadership in the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and Americans for Democratic Action.

With unflinching honesty, Rich shares the triumphs and setbacks of a lifetime spent challenging discrimination in education, employment, and public life-from holding institutions accountable in Washington, D.C. to advocating for the rights of New York City’s most vulnerable citizens. Alongside luminaries like James Baldwin, she raised funds for sit-ins and mentored new generations of activists, all while rising to Associate Dean within the City University of New York.

Now in her nineties, Evie Rich remains a powerful voice--spearheading the fight to protect retirees’ health care and inspiring those who refuse to accept injustice. Civil Rights Warrior is a vital legacy for activists past, present, and future, and a stirring reminder that the struggle for equality is far from over.

Evelyn Jones Rich, known as Evie Rich, is a pioneering African-American civil rights activist, educator, and advocate whose life has been dedicated to fighting for justice and equal opportunity. She became the first Black residential student at Bryn Mawr College, graduating in 1954 with a degree in Political Science. Active in student government and organizations such as Students for Democratic Action, she went on to earn advanced degrees from Hunter College and Columbia University, including a Ph.D. in African Studies History and Education. Throughout her career, Rich held influential roles as a teacher, principal, associate dean at Hunter College, and school services director at the African-American Institute, while also leading major advocacy initiatives for educational equity, civil rights, and senior citizens’ welfare. She was deeply involved in the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), and numerous international youth conferences, representing the U.S. abroad. Rich’s lifelong commitment to activism, education, and social justice has left an enduring impact on the civil rights movement and continues to inspire new generations