Being Acknowledged
Among the correspondents who performed the critical job of getting the right people to talk was Ponchitta Pierce, a contributing editor at Parade magazine and a regular contributor to AARP The Magazine. “It was an inspiration to capture the voices of those who challenged this nation to end charism,” she says of her work on My Soul. “Their optimism and commitment obligate the rest of us to continue the fight for a color-blind America.”
“More than 30 people tell personal stories about the nonviolent struggle for civil rights, then and now, not only the leaders but also ordinary citizens who bear witness to “transforming moments” when they suddenly found the courage to try to change things. David Dinkins, New York City’s first black mayor, served with the U.S. Marines in World War II; at home, he had to use the back of the bus. A white woman remembers herself as a child after the Birmingham murders (“My worst fear was that my father might be a member of the Klan”). David Halberstam provides an excellent overview; Williams’ brief, clear notes introduce each eyewitness account; and the combination of analysis and intimacy with powerful documentary photos makes for gripping narrative. Best of all are the connections with contemporary struggles for equality, including those of immigrants, the poor, and the disabled. Marion Wright Edelman’s final impassioned essay speaks for the millions of all races who continue to be “left behind in our land of plenty.” — Booklist
