On August 28; 1963; over a quarter-million people—about two-thirds black and one-third white—held the greatest civil rights demonstration ever. Martin Luther King; Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream†oration. And just blocks away; President Kennedy and Congress skirmished over landmark civil rights legislation. As Charles Euchner reveals; the importance of the march is more profound and complex than standard treatments of the 1963 March on Washington allow. In this major reinterpretation of the Great Day—the peak of the movement—Euchner brings back the tension and promise of that day. Building on countless interviews; archives; FBI files; and private recordings; Euchner shows freedom fighters as complex; often conflicted; characters. He explores the lives of Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin; the march organizers who worked tirelessly to make mass demonstrations and nonviolence the cornerstone of the movement. He also reveals the many behind-the-scenes battles—the effort to get women speakers onto the platform; John Lewis’s damning speech about the federal government; Malcolm X’s biting criticisms and secret vows to help the movement; and the devastating undercurrents involving political powerhouses Kennedy and FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. For the first time; Euchner tells the story behind King’s “Dream†images. Euchner’s hour-by-hour account offers intimate glimpses of the masses on the National Mall—ordinary people who bore the scars of physical violence and jailings for fighting for basic civil rights. The event took on the call-and-response drama of a Southern church service; as King; Lewis; Mahalia Jackson; Roy Wilkins; and others challenged the throng to destroy Jim Crow once and for all. Nobody Turn Me Around will challenge your understanding of the March on Washington; both in terms of what happened but also regarding what it ultimately set in motion. The result was a day that remains the apex of the civil rights movement—and the beginning of its decline.
#100942 in Books Lender Mark Edward 2017-03-16Original language:English 9.00 x 1.31 x 6.00l; #File Name: 0806157488624 pagesFatal Sunday George Washington the Monmouth Campaign and the Politics of Battle
Review
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful. The battle of Monmouth--told in great detailBy Steven PetersonThe battle of Monmouth took place on a blazing hot Sunday; June 28; 1778. On the one hand; it was a relatively modest fight--the British rear guard against a force sent by George Washington to give battle if the situation was propitious. Tactically; not necessarily of great import. But strategically? It provided justification for George Washington to continue serving as Commander-in-Chief. It heartened the patriot cause; and boosted the morale of Washington's forces. In short; the whole may have been greater than the sum of its parts.The background: British commanding general; Henry Clinton; had been headquartered in Philadelphia after the British army had captured the Americans' capital. The victory was somewhat barren; however; and it was decided that the British forces; including German troops and Tories; should return to New York. Some forces traveled by ship; the bulk of Clinton's army marched from Philadelphia to New York.The forces of Washington had spent a hard winter in Valley Forge.. However; the German von Steuben had "coached up" the colonial troops over the winter. They were a better trained body than before.Washington left Valley Forge on June 18; 1778. He wished to; if possible; develop a battle against Clinton's army. The American army shadowed the retreating British horde. Near Monmouth; Washington took action. He sent an advance force under Charles Lee to--if sensible--engage the British rear guard. Lee engaged in battle; and here the book portrays Lee somewhat differently in other renderings of this battle. Makes for some provocative thinking; although Lee did not end up being portrayed positively in the aftereffects of the battle. In the end; the American forces rallied and treated the British rear guard somewhat roughly. The battle would probably be best described as a draw--with the Americans gaining more from the draw as the British.This a well told history of this conflict. We get a good sense of key players on both sides of the field. We also come to be aware of the political side of a rear guard action.All in all; a satisfying tale of a battle that was more important than one might have guessed from a "rear guard action."0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A reasonable look at a complex subjectBy Robert KrenzelFatal Sunday is a well-researched and balanced study of the Monmouth Campaign of 1778. It takes advantage of the latest archaeological research; and a skeptical examination of previous scholarly research; to peel back much of the mythology surrounding this important chapter in the story of the American Revolution.Part of this work is an hour-by-hour; and sometimes minute-by-minute; narrative of the battle. I must admit that it took me sitting down and comparing the convenient timeline with several of the maps to be able to say I understood the sequence of events in time and space.Perhaps more importantly the book seeks to rehabilitate the reputation of Major General Charles Lee; Washington's second-in-command. The authors argue convincingly that Lee performed well given the circumstances; but that his lack of tact and political savvy cost ran him afoul of General Washington. Lee made a convenient foil; Lee the villain enhanced the reputation of Washington the "indispensable man."Ultimately Monmouth was a tactical draw which Washington turned into a decisive political and strategic victory.The Monmouth of popular memory would be unrecognizable to the participants. Fatal Sunday brings us a little closer to that blistering day in June when armies clashed under the New Jersey sun.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Impeccably researched and beautifully written - this is a must-read for Revolutionary War buffs.By D. FellixThis is a detailed examination of the events; characters and politics that led up to one of the most important battles of the Revolution.I was interested in the subject; because we live near the battlefield. I thought this might be a rather dry read - but it's riveting.The book is well researched and very well written - I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the era.
