The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation by Gene Roberts, Hank Klibanoff

The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation by Gene Roberts is a detailed and powerful chronicle of the American civil rights movement. Its exploration of how the press shaped and responded to the civil rights struggle brings a fresh perspective to the history of racial equality in the 20th century. The story is told through the experiences of a few courageous journalists—among them Chuck Stone, Harry S. Ashmore, Simeon Booker, and Clennon King—who devoted their lives to covering the civil rights struggle. In doing so, they uncovered injustices, offered a platform to activists, and galvanized public opinion.

The Race Beat is divided into three main sections. The first part examines the history of the civil rights press and explores how journalists of the time responded to the challenges posed by the civil rights movement. Here, Roberts sheds light on how the press made the issue of civil rights a national one, and how journalists were able to mobilize the public through their writing. He also explains the difficulties faced by--and courage displayed by--these journalists in giving attention to stories of discrimination and oppression.

Part two is an in-depth examination of significant civil rights campaigns during the 1950s and 1960s. Through interviews and primary sources, Roberts traces the press coverage of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and other protests, sit-ins, and Freedom Rides, as well as the Selma and Birmingham campaigns. Here, too, Roberts delves into how black journalists battled white suppression of news coverage and risked retaliation for speaking out.

The third part reviews the impact of the civil rights press and its importance in sparking changes in attitudes, laws, and government policies. In this section, Roberts sheds light on the often-overlooked role of the press in fomenting a revolution and bringing about much-needed reforms.

Overall, Gene Roberts’ The Race Beat is a thorough and essential exploration of the civil rights movement, the press, and the awakening of a nation. It reveals how newspapers and journalists alike became agents of social change and gave voice to the unheard. Scholars, journalists, activists, and general readers alike can gain insight from this important work.