Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press - Hardcover

Morris, James McGrath

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062198858 ISBN 13: 9780062198853

Publisher: Amistad Pr, 2015

Synopsis

Acclaimed biographer James McGrath Morris brings into focus the riveting life of one of the most significant yet least known figures of the civil rights era--pioneering journalist Ethel Payne, the "First Lady of the Black Press"--elevating her to her rightful place in history at last.

For decades, Ethel Lois Payne has been hidden in the shadows of history. Now, James McGrath Morris skillfully illuminates this ambitious, influential, and groundbreaking woman's life, from her childhood growing up in South Chicago to her career as a journalist and network news commentator, reporting on some of the most crucial events in modern American history.

Morris draws on a rich and untapped collection of Payne's personal papers documenting her private and professional affairs. He combed through oral histories, FBI documents, and newspapers to fully capture Payne's life, her achievements, and her legacy. He introduces us to a journalist who covered such events as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Little Rock school desegregation crisis, the service of black troops in Vietnam, and Henry Kissinger's 26,000-mile tour of Africa.

A self-proclaimed "instrument of change" for her people, Payne broke new ground as the Washington correspondent for the Chicago Defender. She publicly prodded President Dwight D. Eisenhower to support desegregation, and her reporting on legislative and judicial civil rights battles enlightened and activated black readers across the nation. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson recognized Payne's seminal role by presenting her with a pen used in signing the Civil Rights Act. In 1972, she became the first female African American radio and television commentator on a national network, working for CBS. Her story mirrors the evolution of our own modern society.

Inspiring and instructive, moving and comprehensive, Eye on the Struggle illuminates this extraordinary woman and her achievements, and reminds us of the power one person has to transform our lives and our world.

With 16 pages of black-and-white photos.

About this title

Product Description:

[ Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press By ( Author ) Feb-2015 Hardcover

Review:

..".James McGrath Morris lifts Ethel Payne from relative obscurity revealing a fearless, intrepid journalist who covered practically every important event of her day..."--Herb Boyd, National Association of Black Journalist, Hall of Fame, inductee

"[A] groundbreaking biography"--KamWilliams.com

Ethel Payne was a pioneer who experienced the challenges but little of the glory that comes with the title. With this book, her legacy is assured.--Paula J. Giddings, author of Ida, A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching

[An] important and often absorbing new book . . . It's a deep pleasure to meet Ethel Payne. 'We are soul folks, ' she declared in 1967, 'and I am writing for soul brothers' consumption.' Her own soul beams from this book.--New York Times

"A riveting biography of a groundbreaking African American journalist . . . In James McGrath Morris's compelling biography Eye on the Struggle, this 'first lady of the black press' finally gets her due."--O, the Oprah Magazine

"Morris's research on Payne is meticulous..."--Washington Post

"[A] beautifully written and carefully researched new book."--Chicago Tribune

"Afast-paced tour through the highlights of 20th-century African-American history, with Payne as witness."--Boston Globe

"It is through Payne's eyes that author James McGrath Morris deftly shows us the history of post-World War II America."--Minneapolis Star Tribune

"A deeply researched, skillfully written biography about a previously underappreciated individual."--Kirkus Reviews

About this edition

• Publisher: Amistad Pr
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0062198858
• ISBN 13: 9780062198853
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 466