
Groundwork
Charles Hamilton Houston and the Struggle for Civil Rights
Genna Rae McNeil(Author)
University of Pennsylvania Press
Published on 1. August 1984
Book
Paperback/Softback
344 pages
978-0-8122-1179-5 (ISBN)
Description
"A classic. . . . [It] will make an extraordinary contribution to the improvement of race relations and the understanding of race and the American legal process."-Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., from the Foreword
Charles Hamilton Houston (1895-1950) left an indelible mark on American law and society. A brilliant lawyer and educator, he laid much of the legal foundation for the landmark civil rights decisions of the 1950s and 1960s. Many of the lawyers who won the greatest advances for civil rights in the courts, Justice Thurgood Marshall among them, were trained by Houston in his capacity as dean of the Howard University Law School. Politically Houston realized that blacks needed to develop their racial identity and also to recognize the class dimension inherent in their struggle for full civil rights as Americans.
Genna Rae McNeil is thorough and passionate in her treatment of Houston, evoking a rich family tradition as well as the courage, genius, and tenacity of a man largely responsible for the acts of "simple justice" that changed the course of American life.
Charles Hamilton Houston (1895-1950) left an indelible mark on American law and society. A brilliant lawyer and educator, he laid much of the legal foundation for the landmark civil rights decisions of the 1950s and 1960s. Many of the lawyers who won the greatest advances for civil rights in the courts, Justice Thurgood Marshall among them, were trained by Houston in his capacity as dean of the Howard University Law School. Politically Houston realized that blacks needed to develop their racial identity and also to recognize the class dimension inherent in their struggle for full civil rights as Americans.
Genna Rae McNeil is thorough and passionate in her treatment of Houston, evoking a rich family tradition as well as the courage, genius, and tenacity of a man largely responsible for the acts of "simple justice" that changed the course of American life.
Reviews / Votes
"McNeil has filled a vast void with this book, and students in contemporary American legal history owe her an immense debt."-Derrick A. Bell, New York University"Thanks now to Groundwork Houston's contributions to the struggle for civil rights, and in particular his pivotal role in the effort to integrate American schools, have been documented."-New York Times
"A moving and long overdue testament of a singularly neglected giant of our history."-Ebony
"The coalescence of speaker, sentiment, and site summarizes the story that is lovingly detailed in the pages of this jewel of American legal history."-St. Louis Globe-Democrat
"The legal community is indebted to Dr. McNeil for her oustanding scholarship."-Harvard Law Review
More details
Edition
Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Pennsylvania
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
6 illus.
Dimensions
Height: 228 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
498 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8122-1179-5 (9780812211795)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
06/2011
1st Edition
University of Pennsylvania Press
from
€25.19
Available for download
Persons
Genna Rae McNeil is Professor of History at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Chicago.