Promotional Information

Profiles the lives and accomplishments of more than one hundred remarkable African Americans who have made their mark in politics and government.

Table of Contents

Foreword Preface Profiles Arnett, Benjamin William, 1838-1906 Atkins, Hannah Diggs, 1923- Barry, Marion S., Jr., 1936- Bethune, Mary McLeod, 1875-1955 Blackwell, Lucien E., 1931- Blackwell, Unita Z., 1933- Bond, Julian, 1940- Bradley, Thomas, 1917-1998 Brooke, Edward William, III, 1919- Brown, Ronald Harmon, 1941-1996 Brown, Willie L., Jr., 1934- Bruce, Blanche Kelso, 1841-1898 Burke, Yvonne Braithwaite, 1932- Cain, Richard Harvey, 1825-1887 Cheatham, Henry Plummer, 1857-1935 Chisholm, Shirley Anita St. Hill, 1924- Clay, William Lacy, Sr., 1931- Clayton, Eva M., 1934- Clyburn, James Enos, 1940- Collins, Barbara-Rose, 1939- Collins, Cardiss Robertson, 1931- Collins, George Washington, 1925-1972 Conyers, John, Jr., 1929- Dawson, William Levi, 1886-1971 DeLarge, Robert Carlos, 1842-1874 Dellums, Ronald Vernie, 1935- De Priest, Oscar Stanton, 1871-1951 Diggs, Charles Coles, Jr., 1922-1998 Dinkins, David Norman, 1927- Dixon, Julian Carey, 1934- Dymally, Mervyn Malcolm, 1926- Elders, Joycelyn, 1933- Elliott, Robert Brown, 1842-1884 Espy, A. Michael Mike, 1953- Evans, Melvin Herbert, 1917-1984 Evers, James Charles, 1922- Fauntroy, Walter Edward, 1933- Fauset, Crystal Dreda Bird, 1893-1965 Flake, Floyd H., 1945- Franks, Gary A., 1953- Gibson, Kenneth Allen, 1932- Goode, Woodrow Wilson, 1938- Gray, William Herbert, III, 1941- Hamilton, Grace Towns, 1907-1992 Haralson, Jeremiah, 1846-c. 1916 Harris, Patricia Roberts, 1924-1985 Hastings, Alcee Lamar, 1936- Hatcher, Richard Gordon, 1933- Hawkins, Augustus Freeman, 1907- Hayes, Charles Arthur, 1918-1997 Jackson, Jesse Louis, 1941- Jackson, Maynard Holbrook, Jr., 1938- Jefferson, William Jennings, 1947- Johnson, Eddie Bernice, 1935- Jordan, Barbara Charline, 1936-1996 Kelly, Sharon Pratt Dixon, 1944- Langston, John Mercer, 1829-1897 Leidesdorff, William Alexander, 1810-1848 Leland, George Thomas Mickey, 1944-1989 Lewis, John, 1940- Long, Jefferson Franklin, 1836-1901 Lynch, John Roy, 1847-1939 Marshall, Thurgood, 1908-1993 McHenry, Donald F., 1936- McKinney, Cynthia Ann, 1955- Meek, Carrie Pittman, 1926- Metcalfe, Ralph Harold, 1910-1978 Mfume, Kweisi, 1948- Mitchell, Arthur Wergs, 1883-1968 Mitchell, Charles Lewis, 1829-1912 Mitchell, Parren James, 1922- Moseley-Braun, Carol, 1947- Motley, Constance Baker, 1921- Nix, Robert Nelson Cornelius, Sr., 1905-1987 Norton, Eleanor Holmes, 1937- O'Hara, James Edward, 1844-1905 Owens, Major Robert Odell, 1936- Perry, Carrie Saxon, 1931- Pinchback, Pinckney Benton Stewart, 1837-1921 Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr., 1908-1972 Powers, Georgia Montgomery Davis, 1923- Rainey, Joseph Hayne, 1832-1887 Rangel, Charles Bernard, 1930- Rapier, James Thomas, 1837-1883 Revels, Hiram Rhodes, 1822 or 1827-1901 Rowan, Carl Thomas, 1925- Savage, Gustavus Gus, 1925- Smalls, Robert, 1839-1915 Stokes, Carl Burton, 1927-1996 Stokes, Louis, 1925- Sullivan, Louis Wade, 1933- Thomas, Clarence, 1948- Towns, Edolphus, 1934- Turner, Benjamin Sterling, 1825-1894 Walls, Josiah Thomas, 1842-1905 Washington, Harold, 1922-1987 Washington, Walter Edward, 1915- Waters, Maxine, 1938- Watt, Melvin L., 1945- Weaver, Robert Clifton, 1907-1997 Welcome, Verda Freeman, 1907-1990 Wilder, Lawrence Douglas, 1931- Young, Andrew Jackson, Jr., 1932- Bibliography 269 Appendix 1: African American Political and Governmental Leaders by Birth Date 277 Appendix 2: African American Political and Governmental Leaders by Position 279 Appendix 3: African American Political and Governmental Leaders by State 283 Index 285

About the Author

JAMES HASKINS Author of more than 100 books for adults and young people, James Haskins has won recognition for his work in both areas. Among his honors, Haskins was the recipient of the Washington Post Childrens Book Guide award in 1994, the Carter G. Woodson Award for young adult nonfiction in 1989 and 1994, the Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book in 1991 and 1998, and the Alabama Library Association Award for best work for children in 1988. Haskins latest books include Power to the People: The Rise and Fall of the Black Panther Party

uis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam

yard Rustin: Behind the Scenes of the Civil Rights Movement

ike Lee: By Any Means Necessary

d I Am Rosa Parks, written with Rosa Parks. Haskins is the general editor of the Hippocrene African Language Dictionaries series and is general editor of Hippocrenes Great Religions of the World series and of The Filipino Nation, a three-volume work.

Reviews

.,."highly recommended for all libraries."-CHOICE

.,."the profiles themselves are well written and informative. Of particular interest to readers of JBHE, Haskins provides extensive discussions of the educational background of each leader."-The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

.,."this volume is a handy and useful source for African American biographical material not usually found in most standard reference works."-ARBA

?...the profiles themselves are well written and informative. Of particular interest to readers of JBHE, Haskins provides extensive discussions of the educational background of each leader.?-The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

?...this volume is a handy and useful source for African American biographical material not usually found in most standard reference works.?-ARBA

?A thoroughly researched title....the real value of this volume is in its inclusion of some lesser-known politicians.?-School Library Journal

?An excellent and affordable resource, recommended for all high schools.?-SREB EvaluTech

?Another well-researched volume by a reliable author specializing in works that document the African American experience....The writing is clear, free of bias, and appropriate for upper-elementary students through adults....Libraries where such resources are heavily used for reports will welcome another well-organized, well-written volume featuring notable leaders. Recommended for school and public libraries.?-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

?Another well-researched volume....The writing is clear, free of bias, and appropriate for upper-elementary students through adults....Recommended for school and public libraries.?-InfoTech

?Distinguished Leaders includes many subjects who do not appear in the "politics" chapter of the African American Almanac (Detriot: Gale, 1997) and furthermore, that this one has distinct advantages by virtue of being the newest....These go beyond chronicle to asses the politicians' contributions....The index is a healthy, helpful blend of personal name and topical entries (including occupational titles). Distinguished Leaders offers lively, insightful biographies, current information about a group of important political leaders past and present.?-Rettig on Reference

?The appendices, in particular, are useful in that they group the individuals into a variety of handy, quick reference categories. An excellent reference book....fills a gap in the literature.?-Ref + User Services Quarterly Dunbar on Black Books

?...highly recommended for all libraries.?- CHOICE

?...highly recommended for all libraries.?-CHOICE

?...highly recommended for all libraries.??CHOICE

..."highly recommended for all libraries."-CHOICE

..."the profiles themselves are well written and informative. Of particular interest to readers of JBHE, Haskins provides extensive discussions of the educational background of each leader."-The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

..."this volume is a handy and useful source for African American biographical material not usually found in most standard reference works."-ARBA

"A thoroughly researched title....the real value of this volume is in its inclusion of some lesser-known politicians."-School Library Journal

"An excellent and affordable resource, recommended for all high schools."-SREB EvaluTech

"Another well-researched volume by a reliable author specializing in works that document the African American experience....The writing is clear, free of bias, and appropriate for upper-elementary students through adults....Libraries where such resources are heavily used for reports will welcome another well-organized, well-written volume featuring notable leaders. Recommended for school and public libraries."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

"Another well-researched volume....The writing is clear, free of bias, and appropriate for upper-elementary students through adults....Recommended for school and public libraries."-InfoTech

"The appendices, in particular, are useful in that they group the individuals into a variety of handy, quick reference categories. An excellent reference book....fills a gap in the literature."-Ref + User Services Quarterly Dunbar on Black Books

"Distinguished Leaders includes many subjects who do not appear in the "politics" chapter of the African American Almanac (Detriot: Gale, 1997) and furthermore, that this one has distinct advantages by virtue of being the newest....These go beyond chronicle to asses the politicians' contributions....The index is a healthy, helpful blend of personal name and topical entries (including occupational titles). Distinguished Leaders offers lively, insightful biographies, current information about a group of important political leaders past and present."-Rettig on Reference