Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch (1988, Hardcover)

Taylor Branch presents a well research documentary of the early days of the civil rights movement. This work fills in many of the blanks in the personal development of Martin Luther King's contemporaries and predecessors in the continuing struggle to realize the promise of the Founders of the United States that "all men are created equal." Especially interesting was that "upward movement" of black American males was available mostly within the churches and religious organizations. Highly recommended reading for history buffs and those who just want to know the people and issues in more detail.