From Publishers Weekly
According to PW, dialogue and excerpts from speeches and writings are woven into thorough accounts of the private lives of four pivotal civil rights leaders for a "balanced and substantive" look at their lives and contributions. Ages 10-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up-Black history in America began in 1619 with the importation of 20 Africans as bound servants. It has continued through the centuries, and is vividly reflected here in the lives of the four men of the title. Even though all were remarkable individuals, Archer takes into account their human frailties and depicts them as believable figures. A first and final chapter fill in the eras of American black history not covered in the biographies. The injustice inflicted on people of African descent in America is described in some biting words throughout the text. Some controversial statements are undocumented and may leave readers skeptical or misinformed. For example, Abraham Lincoln is depicted as a racist; George Bush is repeatedly accused of running a racist campaign in 1988. While Archer writes in a fluent, sophisticated, but readable style, this flaw will limit the book's use as a resource for reports. Marilyn Long Graham, Lee County Library System, Fort Myers, FLCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
Subtitled The Civil Rights Struggle from Frederick Douglass to Marcus Garvey to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X: engagingly written biographies of four civil rights leaders, mentioning the mistakes and weaknesses--as well as the strong moral sense, high purpose, and outstanding courage--of each. Archer also places each firmly in his historical context, including numerous details and incidents that vividly evoke the social climate--a prominent white abolitionist can't bring himself to walk side by side in public with Frederick Douglass; conflicts between Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. DuBois over Garvey's flashy posturing; or class differences among supporters of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Archer's carefully balanced approach extends to a long concluding chapter on ``The Black Struggle Today and Tomorrow,'' discussing political events since King's death, new forms of racism, and last year's Rodney King case. An excellent resource. Bibliography, including interviews with well-known civil rights activists. Index not seen. (Biography. 10+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Card catalog description
Traces the progression of the civil rights movement and its effect on history through biographical sketches of four prominent and influential African Americans: Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In four riveting biographies, award-winning historian Jules Archer presents portraits of courage and determination and an encapsulated history of the civil rights struggle in the United States. Frederick Douglass, born a slave, fought for his own and his people's freedom from slavery. Marcus Garvey, who led the Back to Africa movement, promoted black nationalism and black pride. Martin Luther King Jr. organized millions of people and preached nonviolent civil disobedience to win equality through integration. Malcolm X, raised on the streets and in prison, sought equal rights through confrontation and racial separation.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The most recent installment in the Epoch Biographies series opens with a historical outline of the African American struggle for equality in this country, from colonial times to the present. If this report is somewhat dry and heavy going for the targeted audience, the four biographical sketches that follow are considerably more absorbing. Archer weaves dialogue and excerpts from speeches and writings into his thorough accounts of the private and public lives of Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. As he compares and contrasts these leaders' philosophies and tactics, Archer emphasizes that, regardless of the different eras in which they lived, each encountered the same appalling prejudice, violence and oppression. Despite some sloppy editing (references are made to ``Newport, Massachusetts'' and ``Nantucket, Rhode Island''), this discussion of the contributions of four pivotal civil rights activists is balanced and substantive, and the conclusion, which touches on Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas, Sister Souljah and Bill Clinton, is not only timely but persuasive. Ages 10-up. (Aug.)

School Library Journal