Race and Remembrance: A Memoir

by Arthur L. Johnson

Memoir of respected Detroit civic and civil rights leader Arthur L. Johnson.

Race and Remembrance tells the remarkable life story of Arthur L. Johnson, a Detroit civil rights and community leader, educator, and administrator whose career spans much of the last century. In his own words, Johnson takes readers through the arc of his distinguished career, which includes his work with the Detroit branch of the NAACP, the Michigan Civil...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814333702
• ISBN13: 9780814333709
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Wayne State University Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Truly insightful, moving and powerful!

Steve Palackdharry shares an incredibly remarkable story of Arthur Johnson's journey and plethora of contributions to social justice in Detroit. Arthur Johnson's rise from the South to the "Motor City" is beautifully presented. Johnson's encounters during his drive to eliminate racial discrepancies in Detroit's economic, medical and social arenas are beyond enlightening. For many the reality of two Americas (one black, one white) is hard to accept. Still, the evidence is everywhere. The Black/White issue is always there, in America's subconscious. Interesting is where this leaves the rest of us. You would think anyone who knows history would have a difficult time denying there's still much to be done to remedy U.S. racial issues, but as Johnson said, the racist power structure cons and confuses. Racism was blatant during the "urban renewal," white flight and redlining. Then, as Johnson mentions, there are times when traditional racism isn't so simple to detect. Michigan's 2006 favor of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) is a perfect example... and the main reason why when "reverse" and" racism" are used in the same sentence my stomach churns... the term screams of flagrance and sheer ignorance. Another interesting piece is Johnson's belief that African Americans "cannot be fairly charged as racists." It's easy to see Johnson's point--I cannot fault him, though many would. Still, people like Pamela Newkirk, a Black journalist who writes about racial injustice within newsrooms across the nation, would agree with him. As a response to those who say racism is no longer a significant issue, Newkirk said, "Disregarded are the ways in which unconscious racism was still responsible for the persistent racial disparities in income and other social measures." To learn that only two years ago Detroiters paid three times the national average in insurance premiums, and how those rates add to the city's stigma, further proves both points. It's so easy to overlook the ways in which injustice prevails. Which is to blame, ignorance or complacency? I cannot argue with the notion that racism runs through the veins of this country. Johnson's belief that "no past gains in the struggle for racial justice are fixed and settled" remind me of a certain responsibility I have as a Latina, Detroiter and a woman. I appreciate this book primarily because it is replete with historical, social and spiritual wisdom. At my age it's all too easy to go searching for the good life, instead of living it! I love Johnson's 5 keys. Definitely a great lesson. Palackdharry has written a true gem. To say it's an enjoyable read replete with potent historical knowledge is an understatement. Well worth the money and time to read--at least TWICE! ~*~*~*~I.Pérez--Broadcast Journalist

A top pick for anyone who wants to read about the life of a civil rights warrior

Civil rights weren't always a given for black Americans. "Race and Remembrance" tells of Arthur L. Johnson, a man who fought for civil rights during its toughest battle during the sixties, and has spent much of his life since fighting those battles. A peer to Martin Luther King Jr., it's a look into an old man's life and struggles through rough and turbulent times faced with such a harsh struggle to make the progress that has been made today. "Race and Remembrance" is a top pick for anyone who wants to read about the life of a civil rights warrior.