Breaking Barriers: A Memoir

Rating:
Summary: An essential read.
Review: For anyone that cares about the journey of African-Americans in the 20th century, this book is a must. Carl Rowan has written a thought-provoking, entertaining memoir that glows with the authority of a brilliant man. From his early days in segregated McMinville, Tenn., through his World War II Navy service, undergraduate years at Oberlin College, the incredible work he did as a courageous and gifted newspaper journalist exposing Southern bigotry in the 1950s, and much more, "Breaking Barriers" is the story of a life that has mattered.

For those who may see Rowan as some sort of racist demagogue, this book should reveal something else. This is a man who was one of the most outspoken critics of Martin Luther King, even as he acknowledged the man's great achievements. He is also critical of Jesse Jackson and other prominent figures in the black community. He is also unafraid to explore both the good and bad sides of Lyndon Johnson.

But quite rightly, his most potent venom is reserved for Ronald Reagan, who, as Rowan explains, single-handedly did more harm to African-Americans than any president since Woodrow Wilson.

A highly recommended work.