Synopses & Reviews
Bestselling author Kitty Kelley goes behind the lens of a legendary photographer to capture a pivotal moment in our nation's history: The March on Washington
It was a Wednesday—August 28, 1963—but people wore their Sunday best, despite the heat and humidity. The marchers, black and white, celebrity and unknown, came in droves from all over the nation, heading for the towering spire of the Washington Monument in D.C. All of them shared the same dream: freedom and equality for 19 million African Americans. Almost 300,000 strong, they had come to Washington, D.C., from around the world to bear witness and to petition Congress to pass the Presidents Civil Rights bill.
Stanley Tretick, a seasoned photojournalist of immense talent who had earned his stripes taking many of the most popular photos of President Kennedy and his family, was also in the crowd, drawing inspiration from the historic scenes unfolding before him. In this magnificent book, just in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington, his iconic, stirring photographs of that day are collected for the first time. Accompanied by an insightful essay and captions from bestselling author Kitty Kelley that provide a fascinating behind-the-scenes narrative of the March, this beautiful keepsake of a book brings America at her best vibrantly to life.
Review
Praise for Let Freedom Ring:
“To say that I was overcome by emotions after reading Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick's Iconic Images of the March on Washington would be an understatement — particularly as I considered that only 50 years later, Barack Obama serves as president. The eloquence in these 161 pages commanded my attention from beginning to end. Kitty Kelley's essays provide context for stunning, never-before-published photographs by Tretick.” -Chicago Tribune
“Turn to any page and youre likely to be moved - and reminded of work yet to be done, as Childrens Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman manages to do so effectively in her introduction…. Kelleys lean text, respectfully subordinated to the largely joyous, strikingly candid images by her old friend Tretick, vividly evokes a time when this nation was pregnant with both conflict and promise.” -Christian Science Monitor
“Offers readers an intimate glimpse of a pivotal day 50 years ago in America's civil rights movement.” --San Antonio Express-News
“A kinetic look at the march, but also a chronicle of the civil rights movement and its leaders, more journalistic in nature, a kind of documentary that appears to be without style or guile. If you have that wish of having been at the march, this is as close as you can get… These are not great pictures. Theyre something better than that. There are thousands of images that exist of the march. Treticks photos have the look of news, of in the moment. They are faces caught up close. They show the multitudes carrying a message or rather hundreds of messages.” --Georgetowner
“Fifty years later, a stirring evocation of the 1963 March on Washington…. Fine photos, concise text, including excerpts from remarks of the day, and a solid view of the Kennedy administration dragged into the American future.” --Kirkus
“Readers are given an intimate portrait of the weeks leading up to the march, as well as iconic images of the day. Tretick (1921-1999) was a master at capturing his subjects with depth and humanity…. The book is a welcome marker of a seminal moment in American history.” -Publishers Weekly
“Tretick, famous for his iconic photos of President Kennedy and his family, documents the rising hopes and tensions as blacks and whites pressed for equity and obstructionists fought their efforts…. Kelley provides narrative background and context, including the roles of such iconic figures as Robert Kennedy, Roy Wilkins, James Baldwin, and A. Philip Randolph. This inspirational book also includes excerpts of speeches by King and others.” --Booklist
Praise for Stanley Tretick:
"President Kennedy's photographic Boswell." —Look Magazine
Praise for the work of Kitty Kelley:
"Kelley has relentlessly probed the intersections between fame, wealth, and influence, raising hackles every time." —New York Times Book Review
"If I had to choose between Kitty Kelley's version . . . and, say, Tom Brokaw's, I'd put more trust in the little blonde lady to tell me the truth without fear or favor." —Village Voice
“The most eye-opening celebrity biography of our time.” —William Safire on His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra
Review
Praise for Let Freedom Ring:
“Readers are given an intimate portrait of the weeks leading up to the march, as well as iconic images of the day. Tretick (1921-1999) was a master at capturing his subjects with depth and humanity…. The book is a welcome marker of a seminal moment in American history.” -Publishers Weekly
Praise for Stanley Tretick:
"President Kennedy's photographic Boswell." —Look Magazine
Praise for the work of Kitty Kelley:
"Kelley has relentlessly probed the intersections between fame, wealth, and influence, raising hackles every time." —New York Times Book Review
"If I had to choose between Kitty Kelley's version . . . and, say, Tom Brokaw's, I'd put more trust in the little blonde lady to tell me the truth without fear or favor." —Village Voice
“The most eye-opening celebrity biography of our time.” —William Safire on His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra
Synopsis
A bestselling author and legendary photographer present an illuminating look at a pivotal moment in our nation's history: The March on Washington
Despite the heat and humidity, people came in droves from across the country and around the world, heading for the towering spire of the Washington Monument in our nations capital. All of the marchers—black, white, Christian, and Jew—shared the same dream: freedom and equality for 19 million African Americans. Almost 300,000 strong, the marchers poured into Washington, D.C., to bear witness, to hear the immortal words of Martin Luther King, Jr., and to petition Congress to pass the Presidents Civil Rights bill.
Stanley Tretick, a seasoned photojournalist best known for his iconic images of President Kennedy and his family, was also in the crowd, drawing inspiration from the historic scenes unfolding before him. In this magnificent book, his stirring photographs of that day are published for the first time. Accompanied by an insightful essay and captions from bestselling author Kitty Kelley, as well as a moving foreword by Marian Wright Edelman, Let Freedom Ring commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington and celebrates the crescendo of the Civil Rights movement in America.
About the Author
KITTY KELLEY is an internationally acclaimed writer, whose bestselling biographies focus on some of the most influential and powerful personalities of the last fifty years. Kelleys last five biographies have been number one on The New York Times bestseller list. Kelley lives in Washington, D.C.
STANLEY TRETICK (1921-1999) was one of the pre-eminent photojournalists of his era. Trained as a photographer in the Marine Corps during World War II, Treticks first civilian job was for United Press International, where he covered Congress. He later covered John F. Kennedy's 1960 presidential campaign and then worked for LOOK covering President Kennedy and his family in the White House. He received special credentials to cover the March on Washington. His photos of that momentous day are published here for the first time.