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There are currently 17 member reviews
for Mighty Justice
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Sally H. (Geneva, OH)
Mighty Justice
This book is mesmerizing, compelling, and absolutely un-put-downable. The behind-the-scenes descriptions of the courtroom battles against Jim Crow and segregation were fascinating, yet the entire story is told with such warmth that it reads like a novel. Dovey Roundtree is an inspiration, especially for African Americans and women. It is inexcusable that she is virtually unknown and past time for that to change.
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Suzette P. (Chicago, IL)
Mighty Woman
This memoir is alternately inspiring and disquieting, as the author relates her childhood with her formidable grandmother, her school years being mentored by other great women, including Mary McLeod Bethune, her groundbreaking work in the military during WWII, and her career as a civil rights lawyer and later minister, always giving credit to those that helped her. She fought against Jim Crow her entire life, and was one of two lawyers who eventually won the landmark case "Sarah Keys v. Carolina Bus Company", ending Jim Crow practices on bus routes in the South. I had never heard of Ms. Roundtree prior to reading this book, which is a great shame considering that I'm a lawyer myself. She experienced and fought misogyny and racism throughout her life, persevering despite periods of ill health and great grief. Ms. Roundtree took on some truly interesting cases, including the successful defense of a man accused of killing a Washington socialite (it was later revealed that the woman had been JFK's mistress), and the representation of a man in a divorce matter who later killed his ex-wife and a doctor and shot others in a jealous rage. While I had studied "Brown v. Board of Education" in law school, never have I read such an inspiring description of the impact of the Supreme Court's ruling on the lives of black Americans. There are certain great people who pave the way for others and make life better for many and Ms. Roundtree is one of those people. And, boy, can she write! Katie McCabe is the co-author and the two have created an important work that has relevance to today's events. One cannot read this book without thinking of the racism still prevalent, including the white supremacist march in Virginia in 2018 and the countless other indignities and crimes against people of color. (My reading copy lacks the foreword by Tayari Jones, who wrote "An American Marriage" - I'm really looking forward to reading that when the book is published!) Highly recommended.
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Diane H. (Leawood, KS)
True Inspiration
I am so grateful to have received an advance copy of "Mighty Justice". The story of Dovey Roundtree is one that will stay in my memory for years to come. Dovey Roundtree was a pioneer who overcame so many obstacles to accomplish the things she did as a teacher, a lawyer and a minister.
The story is beautifully written and, in my opinion, should be compulsory reading in every history class. Katie McCabe, through her writing, brings to life the story of Dovey Roundtree. This book would make an excellent selection for any book group as the issues contained in it are ones that are still prevalent in society today.
Great story!
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Julia A. (New York, NY)
A Deeply Personal History of the Civil Rights Movement
In this remarkable book, the late Dovey Johnson Roundtree and her collaborator Katie McCabe present the history of the U.S. civil rights movement pre and post-Brown v. Board of Education in a way that made me understand both the struggle and the U.S. Constitution in new ways. It also caused me to question the deficits in my own education, in that I had up to this point never read or heard anything about Ms. Roundtree. In her long, distinguished, and inspiring career, she was present for the great moments we've all studied in school, as well as at the low points when it looked like desegregation of public schools, interstate transportation, and even the United States Armed Forces would never happen. Roundtree didn't live to see the publication of this book (she died in 2018 at age 104), but this reader hopes that the book will give accord her her rightful place in history, and will become required reading for those who would understand the underpinnings of the quest for equal rights, and who would acknowledge how far we still have to go. This is on balance a truly wonderful book, even as it lays open thoughts about all that is left to do to make the vision a reality.
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Rosemary C. (Golden, CO)
A trailblazing life
Dovey Roundtree's account of her life is an excellent read. Writing in her nineties, she shows profound reflection on how her childhood formed her and led her to take on racism and sexism throughout her working life-and thereafter. This would be a good book club assignment, especially for those interested in history and law. Dovey's life is an inspiration and the tone of her story makes we wish I'd known her.
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Joyce W. (Rochester, MN)
This is a must read
If you only read one more book about a black woman fighting for equal rights, you have to read this one. Dovey's determination and drive are amazing. Her life shows how a good mentor can propel a person's life; and how important it is to have a loving, nurturing home life. She not only became a lawyer but also a pastor and mentor for others. Mighty Justice is very well written and the explanation regarding "separate but equal" really clarified why there was such a battle over it. I will share this book with my reader friends.
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Vivian H. (Winchester, VA)
Inspiring Story of a Civil Rights Heroine
Wow! Dovey Roundtree's story drew me into to her world from the first pages describing her childhood in Jim Crow North Carolina, raised by an amazing grandmother who never allowed the degradation and torment she experienced quell her determination to ensure her granddaughters were educated. Dovey's story introduced me to activists with which I was unfamiliar who worked within the system, with the assistance of Eleanor Roosevelt to change the status quo and create an Army officers training program for women of color. Ms. Roundtree was specifically selected for the first class. The distinction she subsequently achieved as a lawyer is a must read for anybody interested in 20th Century American history, women who helped change America, and the determination of activists that lead to the passing of the Civil Rights Act. It is hard to imagine where we as a nation would be today without Dovey Roundtree.
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