Synopses & Reviews
In whatever role he chose--civil rights leader, wealthy entrepreneur, or unconventional surgeon--Theodore Roosevelt Mason Howard (1908-76) was always close to controversy. One of the leading renaissance men of twentieth century black history, Howard successfully organized a grassroots boycott against Jim Crow in the 1950s. Well known for his benevolence, fun-loving lifestyle, and fabulous parties attended by such celebrities as Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson, he could also be difficult to work with when he let his boundless ego get the best of him. A trained medical doctor, he kept the secrets of the white elite, and although married to one woman for forty years, he had many personal peccadilloes. But T. R. M. Howard's impressive accomplishments and abilities vastly outshone his personal flaws and foibles. He was a dynamic civil rights pioneer and promoter of self-help and business enterprise among blacks.
With this remarkable biography, David T. Beito and Linda Royster Beito secure Howard's rightful place in African American history. Drawing from dozens of interviews with Howard's friends and contemporaries, as well as FBI files, court documents, and private papers, the authors present a fittingly vibrant portrait of a complicated leader, iconoclastic businessman, and tireless activist.
Review
"[A] captivating and vividly detailed new biography . . . . With Black Maverick, T.R.M. Howard’s achievements have finally received the attention they deserve."--Reason
Review
"[Howard] was in fact one of the most effective black civil rights leaders of his generation and a key figure in bringing civil rights to Mississippi and empowering black voters in Chicago.”--Harper's Online
Review
"An admirable biography of this flamboyant and sometimes reckless personality. . . . Recommended."--Choice "Well researched, clearly written, and judiciously argued."--The Journal of American History
Synopsis
David T. Beito is a professor of history at the University of Alabama. Linda Royster Beito is an associate professor and chair of social sciences at Stillman College.
Synopsis
The long-awaited biography of a colorful and enterprising civil rights leader