Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965 (African American History (Penguin)) [Paperback]

Juan Williams (Author), Julian Bond (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: African American History (Penguin) | Publication Date: February 2, 1988

Arguably the most tumultuous time in recent American history, the Civil Rights years inspired the most rational and irrational of human behaviors and set the stage for sweeping reform in the nation's race relations. Juan Williams's moving chronicle of the movement stands as the definitive history of the era.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Assisted by the production team for the PBS-TV series on which this book is based, Washington Post national correspondent Williams recounts in detail the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement. PW noted that he "singles out the stories of the little-known activists."
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YAEyes On the Prize is an outstanding contribution to the memory of the lessons of the Civil Rights Movement. Williams brings the events of the nonviolent civil rights years to life with photographs and lucid text, as well as brief asides interspersed throughout to provide participants' perspectives. Written in conjunction with the production team of the PBS-TV series of the same name, the book uses still photography, which provides different insights than the film footage of the same events shown on television. While the two could be used together, the book stands solidly alone as one of the best available summaries of the period. Dorcas Hand, Episcopal High School, Bellaire
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (February 2, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140096531
• ISBN-13: 978-0140096538
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,746 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Current Events > Civil Rights & Liberties
  • #91 in Books > History > Americas > United States > African Americans

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Primer, April 27, 2004

By 

J. J. Kwashnak "voracious reader" (Monroe, LA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965 (African American History (Penguin)) (Paperback)

By now the number of volumes written on the Civil Rights Movement could fill whole libraries. Yet fifteen years later, this book still stands as one of the best introduction to the early years of the movement. Books such as Taylor Branch's Pillar of Fire and Parting the Waters may cover the same era of 1954 to 1965; this book is a good introduction for those who may be intimidated by Branch's comprehensive volumes. Rather than trying to cover everything, the book takes its cues from the documentary series and examines a select set of pivotal moments of the movement: school desegregation, the Montgomery bus boycott, the march on Washington, the Selma to Montgomery march and others. Each chapter delves into the story of the events, but also fleshes out the areas between these momentous events, both telling the background and hearing the experiences of those there, in their own words. The book is readable, not the dry tone that many associate with history books. But most of all it gives the reader the chance to delve into an important part of American history in the second half of the 20th century. This is an excellent book that should be picked up by anyone wanting to get a sense of where America was moving in these pivotal eleven years.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars First hand account, July 7, 2001

By 

James Newman, Jr. (Mississippi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965 (African American History (Penguin)) (Paperback)

The book reads smoothly and contains unique ethnographic information. The book follows a chronological order of events in the civil rights movement. Readers who are interested in an eye witness account of the movement between 1954 and 1965 should purchase this book. It would be appropriate for a high school educational setting.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW !, March 31, 2003

By 

Elizabeth Cita "rapacious reader" (Kansas City, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965 (African American History (Penguin)) (Paperback)

Great book ! I was born in 1957 so I wanted to learn about the Civil Rights Movement as it was when I was growing up. This is not only an excellent history, but an incredibly interesting story, and a shocking testament to the injustices the Black people have suffered in America. I learned a lot and gained some insight into this issue.