African American Leadership (Suny Series in Afro-American Studies) (Suny Series in African American Studies) [Paperback]

Ronald W. Walters (Author), Robert C. Smith (Contributor)

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: State University of New York Press (April 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0791441466
• ISBN-13: 978-0791441466
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,234,207 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Contextual view of African American leadership, August 8, 2000

By 

"lcavell" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: African American Leadership (Suny Series in Afro-American Studies) (Suny Series in African American Studies) (Paperback)

Today, despite the progress that has been made since the Civil Rights Act, systemic, and often unconscious discrimination persists against African Americans. Why is this the case? I believe Walters and Smith would argue that presently Americans are lack the ability to analyze society in political, economic, and structural terms. The result is that we, as a society, and African Americans, as a minority, are blind to the very obstacles that must be overcome. The value of "African American Leadership" lies in its ability to situate the discussion of African American leadership in the midst of a social, political, and historical exegesis. The weakness of the book rest with its deficiency in theoretical and methodological approaches, as well as its lack of attention to how other societal inequalities besides race (socioeconomic stratification, for instance) should be part of the discussion. Walters and Smith, take on the challenge of educating their audience about the social and historical forces that influence "Negro" and later "Black" leaders' effectiveness throughout history and even today. Towards this end, I feel "African American Leadership" has met the challenge. The contemporary pioneers of the movement towards social equity must build on and learn from Walters' and Smith's discussion.