Proverbs and Social Justice

The introduction of Proverb Masters: Shaping the Civil Rights Movement explains what proverbs are and the significant impact that folklorists, Wolfgang Mieder and Sw. Anand Prahlad had on the field of peremiology. The introduction addresses the fact that Mieder’s groundbreaking scholarship shaped the study of proverbs and social justice. Therefore, Proverb Masters builds on some of the important concepts and ideas established in Mieder’s work. Likewise, the introduction addresses some of Prahlad’s contributions to paremiology including the fact that Prahlad first coined the term “proverb master,” and the notion that Prahlad is also one of the first scholars to highlight the important roles that proverbs play in African and African American communities. The introduction also draws connections between the lives of the various proverb masters discussed in the text. Lastly, the introduction provides a general overview of each of the seven chapters.