May 3, 2010
On August 28, 1963, a quarter of a million people converged on the nation’s capital for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Martin Luther King, whose “I Have a Dream” speech highlighted the occasion, called it “the greatest demonstration for freedom in the nation’s history.” Yale writing instructor Euchner (The Last Nine Innings) presents “a pointillist portrait” of the occasion, drawing material from historical records and taking oral histories from more than 100 participants. Although 1963 was the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, racial segregation remained deeply entrenched in the nation’s South, and one specific, practical goal of the march was to desegregate restaurants and hotels. The Kennedy administration mobilized extensive military and police resources, but march leaders, including principal organizer Bayard Rustin and longtime civil rights activist Asa Philip Randolph, were confident (and accurate) in their belief that a peaceful mass demonstration of this scale was not only possible but could change the course of race relations in America. With deft brushstrokes, Euchner not only captures the myriad dimensions of the march itself but places it in its larger historical context, including the escalating war in Vietnam.
Starred review from May 1, 2010
A short but dynamic account of the landmark 1963 protest march that ended with Martin Luther King Jr.'s"I Have a Dream" speech.
Euchner (Writing/Yale Univ.; Little League, Big Dreams: Inside the Hope, the Hype and the Glory of the Greatest World Series Ever Played, 2006, etc.) masterfully paints what he calls a"pointillist portrait" of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which took place on Aug. 28, 1963. Drawing from interviews and diligent research, the author not only provides humanizing portraits of the major figures—including King, activist Bayard Rustin and march organizer A. Philip Randolph—he also effectively portrays ordinary marchers, both black and white. He accomplishes this through a kaleidoscopic collection of telling details, many of which serve to bring the often overly idealized March on Washington into focus. Euchner relates the friction among leaders of the civil-rights movement (Malcolm X ridiculed the March as the"Farce on Washington"); how a prominent Catholic leader nearly pulled out of the event because he felt activist John Lewis's speech was too radical; how expert sabotage of an expensive sound system caused a last-minute crisis; and how some of King's advisors urged him not to use his"I Have a Dream" speech, which they felt was trite. The author also engagingly portrays the rank-and-file marchers, combining inspirational stories—including that of an old black man, Joseph Freeman, who left Washington after escaping a racist mob in 1919, returning in 1963 for the march—with well-chosen, seemingly banal details, such as the fact that protesters on buses in Harlem complained loudly about the lack of air conditioning. Most impressive is Euchner's amazing economy in telling this story; in just over 200 pages, he provides a wholly satisfying, comprehensive view of the March.
A sharp, riveting depiction of"what Martin Luther King called the greatest demonstration for freedom in the nation's history."
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June 1, 2010
Euchner (English, Yale Univ.; "The Last Nine Innings") tells the story of the August 1963 march on Washington as the compelling drama it was: organizing 100,000 people for civil rights required coordinating speakers with multiple alliances and agendas within one peaceful mass-action event. Enter lead organizer Bayard Taylor Rustin, portrayed as the hero who brought together the march through unprecedented planning and coordination. Rustin's challenge rested in keeping the alliances of numerous organizations together. He worked to temper the speech of John Lewis, a representative from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, whose message became more radical as it faced an unflinching deep southern segregationist challenge to its organizing efforts. Malcolm X was also on hand during the march. As a "people's history," the book's sources include Euchner's interviews with over 100 individuals, both known and unknown, who participated in the march. VERDICT This compelling history of the march on Washington is accessible to general readers, who will be moved at the emotional heights of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. Those who enjoy popular history will find much to like here, and students will appreciate the original research.Jim Hahn, Univ. of Illinois Lib., Urbana
Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 1, 2010
On August 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people of all races and backgrounds gathered on the National Mall in support of social equality and jobs and to listen to what would become Martin Luther King Jr.s iconic I have a dream speech. It was the first nationally televised demonstration and a triumph of organization, despite the unprecedented logistical demands and myriad ego-bruising conflicts behind the scenes. Euchner weaves together many of the diverse, complex elements of the event, drawing on interviews from hundreds of participants, to offer a portrait of the famous (A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, Andrew Young) and the obscure (three young black men from Gadsden, Alabama). Euchner details Kings preparation for his momentous speech, the behind-the-scenes support offered by Malcolm X, though he declined to participate, and the controversy surrounding John Lewis intended fiery remarks. He also details FBI rumormongering, death threats against King and others, and the political maneuvering within the Kennedy administration as Congress pondered the fair employment legislation that was partially the impetus for the march. A sweeping, comprehensive look at a pivotal march in American history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)