The Last of the Black Emperors : The Hollow Comeback of Marion Barry in a New Age of Black Leaders [Hardcover]

Jonetta Barras (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 25, 1998

A gripping, informative, and balanced assessment of a commanding and perplexing American polititian--the first by a black journalist.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Journalist Jonetta Rose Barras takes a hard-boiled look at the rise and fall of Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry, who was reelected after serving time for smoking crack. Barras, in her top- notch reporting, lays bare the racially charged Washington political landscape in which Barry operates, writing, "Some blacks are leery of Barry. Having found their way inside corporate boardrooms and suburban neighborhoods, they temper their praise for him, labeling his race-based politics divisive.... Still, their cultural connections demand that they respect and marvel at Barry...."

Barras chronicles Barry's beginnings, from his '60s student work in Nashville, Tennessee (which is also discussed in broader scope in David Halberstam's The Children), to his ascendance from the D.C. school board to the mayor's office. But Barras also calls into account the effectiveness of Barry's '60s-style political activism and the near-despotic characteristics of his generation's hold on power. "Twenty years from now," she writes, "if today's new black leaders provide for their own timely exits from the political stage--something their predecessors failed to do--they will help realize the dream of civil rights era activists." Barras's book is a sometimes scathing account of Barry's peril and promise that also serves as a cautionary tale for future black leaders. --Eugene Holley Jr.

From Publishers Weekly

In Washington Times columnist Barras's hard-hitting assessment, Marion Barry, mayor of Washington, D.C., is "a chief purveyor of African-American-extortionist politics... squeezing whites for as much as possible." Barras, who is African American, charges that Barry's divisive brand of race-based politics has fostered black dependency on the white establishment instead of building coalitions within the black community. Yet her tough-minded profile of Barry?who bounded back from a 1990 drug bust and six months in prison with his 1994 reelection to a fourth mayoral term?is not entirely negative. She probes Barry's abiding popularity with his constituency, who, she maintains, view his well-publicized womanizing and crack addiction as the indiscretions of a prodigal son who rose above his impoverished Mississippi childhood to become a civil rights activist in the 1960s. She credits Barry with serious attempts to eliminate waste and corruption during his current term, and she argues that Congress set him up for martyrdom by passing legislation in 1997 that stripped the D.C. mayor's office of basic executive powers and denied funds to the district. Nevertheless, she urges Barry not to seek a fifth term (he has already announced that he will not), to step aside for an emerging generation of African American politicians who, in her opinion, have transcended the politics of race. Author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 332 pages
• Publisher: Bancroft Press (June 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963124668
• ISBN-13: 978-0963124661
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #935,267 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mississippi Godamn!, March 22, 2011

By 

Herbert L Calhoun "paulocal" (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last of the Black Emperors : The Hollow Comeback of Marion Barry in a New Age of Black Leaders (Hardcover)

Except for a rather heavy-handed "black accommodationist bias," Jonetta Rose Barras has crafted a masterful book about everyone's favorite "mayor for life," Marion Barry. Using as her theme, the title of Nina Simone's tune "Mississippi Goddamn," Ms. Barras, weaves a story that is balanced, nuanced, exciting, interesting throughout, full of accurate history, and just superbly written: One could not have anticipated how good this book would be just by looking at its cover. Had it not had Barry's picture on the cover (wearing a crown and looking like Kingfish of Amos N' Andy fame), I think I would have picked it up and read it a decade ago.

I too had quickly forgotten that Marion Barry was once a shinning light in the Civil Rights firmament. He was one of the original foot soldiers of my generation's Civil Rights revolution. At that time, we also forgot much too soon that DC itself was a sort of "Uncle Tom and Aunt Jemima" backwater, an enclave of ex-maids and chauffeurs, who were slowly learning how to avoid the civil rights struggle in favor of how to pretend to be middle classed. As a result, DC was completely oblivious to the emerging civil rights struggle. Most of DC's blacks had learned all too well that their status and jobs depended on how not to "rock the boat," and required them to be "card carrying accommodationists," if they intended to continue their mostly middle class existences. And even though it is clear that the author does not care much for him, she nevertheless makes it clear that it was Marion Barry who finally put DC on the Civil Rights map.

After breaking away from Stokely Carmichael's SNCC, Barry single-handedly led DC into the civil rights struggle and into a reputation on the issue that it could be proud of. It was Barry who led the first DC bus boycott; and set up "Pride Incorporated." It was also Marion Barry who made both LBJ and Nixon "heel" to his threats of political violence unless they played ball in his arena and according to the rules he outlined. Both did. LBJ funded Pride Inc to the tune of $1.5 million/year and Nixon pushed through "Affirmative Action," and "limited home rule" which led directly to Marion becoming DC's second mayor and its first "elected" mayor.

The book begins with Barry, (an Alpha Phi Alpha Chemistry major from Lemoyne College, Memphis Tenn. who also did Gradute work in Chemistry at Fisk University, Knoxville, Tenn.) getting out of jail from his publicly humiliating video taped "crack cocaine bust" -- with the ex-DC mayor mumbling into the camera the epithet that will undoubtedly appear on his tombstone: "The Bitch set me up!" The bitch set me up ... the bitch set me up .....From there the author walks us thorough the process of Barry's redemption from the purgatory of the Lorretto, Pa. Correction facility to his return to power. It is a masterful treatment of a fallen hero: Clear, revealing, nuanced and full of crackling details. (This lady can write!)

Because of her skills as a writer, we get to "over-understand" Marion in the context of his times: He was never an accommodationist, but "Anansi the spider," constantly pushing the envelop of the possible, always finding and exploiting the weaknesses of his opponents, playing the angles, and always moving forward. Barry, constantly assuming the posture of the underdog, always managed to out-fox the white establishment; and (at least symbolically) repeatedly saves the day for his black supporters. He relished the David vs Goliath role, the returning prodigal son, and used the black church to milk them for all they were worth. More than any other modern black politician (with the single exception perhaps, of Adam Clayton Powell), he understood that race was always in the front seat of American politics and alway knew how to push the White establishment's buttons to get what he wanted; and did so as frequently as he needed to, in order to be successful.

The only area that I had a problem with the author's interpretation is her attempt to psychoanalyze Barry's motives, tying them to non-existent traumatic racial incidents in his Mississippi past. However, except for growing up dirt poor, she failed to exhibit any such traumatic events? In the end, I took this to be another instance of her bias towards the "accommodationist" point of view. Even so, this was a minor irritant, not a" deal breaker" for the book, and it certainly did not distract from an otherwise outstanding presentation. Ten stars!

5.0 out of 5 stars What Others In-The-Know Say, January 23, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last of the Black Emperors : The Hollow Comeback of Marion Barry in a New Age of Black Leaders (Hardcover)

Praise for Jonetta Rose Barras and The Last of the Black Emperors

The Last of the Black Emperors is wonderful...fascinating, colorful, exciting, honest, and stylishly written...An eye-opener for America that everybody will be talking about this summer... -Ralph Collier, host of the nationally syndicated radio program, "I Hear America Talking"

A deeply rewarding book. Ms. Barras is lucid both in her writing and her reportage. She deftly places Mayor Barry as the last beneficiary of a bygone era in black politics. All said and done, Marion Barry has been read his political obituary. -Max Rodriguez, publisher, The Quarterly Review of Books

This honest and in-depth look at the life and times of our national capital's most tenacious mayor not only helps us to better understand Marion Barry the man, but it also vividly expresses the unique political and social character of one of the last surviving city-states. Jonetta Rose Barras brings us an insightful and provocative perspective to the successes, tribulations, and resurrection of this "Old Guard" political activist-turned "Mayor for Life." Her book will forever stand as a historical analysis of the politics of the post-civil rights era and a prophecy for the future of American blacks in our nation's political framework. -Armstrong Williams, nationally syndicated columnist, author of Beyond Blame

An eloquent and disturbing book. Barras relocates the transfixing story of Mayor Marion Barry's rise and fall and rise and fall from the arena of electoral politics to the realm of cultural myth and religious belief. In a political sense, Barras's book tells us that we will have to leave behind the baggage of racial superstition if we are to confront the real problems of the nation's capital and our other cities in pain. Barras' book leaves you with more questions than answers, but they are questions that we dare not avoid as we move into the next century. -Jamin B. Raskin, Professor, Washington College of Law, American University

Marion Barry has done his stubborn best to clothe himself in a hopefully impenetrable cloak of insufferable hubris and racial pride. With clarity, passion, and often outright dismay, Jonetta Rose Barras unravels Barry's cloak - and shows that this particular emperor is about as naked as naked gets. -Arthur J. Magida, author of Prophet of Rage: A Life of Louis Farrakhan and His Nation

The story of Marion Barry is the story of a life and rare opportunity recklessly misspent, and Jonetta Rose Barras, who knows Washington much better than most, captures this story with sympathy and sensitivity. In an unflinching dissection of man and opportunity, she shows us why and how Marion Barry cheated himself, his city, and all the rest of us. -Wesley Pruden, Editor-in-chief, Washington Times

The most comprehensive and descriptive study to date of the elusive Marion Barry. Because of her thorough background and research, Barras has managed not only to capture the essence of one of America's most complex political personalities, but also to help us understand the sinister dynamics fueling Barry's political juggernaut. -Dwight S. Cropp, Associate Professor of Public Administration, George Washington University

The Last of the Black Emperors is invaluable for all those who've never been able to figure out the enduring love affair between Marion Barry and Washington D.C. Barras uses the prism of African-American folklore to crack the code of Barry's appeal and fatal flaws. The nation's capital is on the cusp of ending its affair with Barry. Barras offers the kind of ferocious insight and outstanding historical reporting that make The Last of the Black Emperors a huge step in understanding one of the most controversial leaders in contemporary American politics. -David Carr, Editor, Washington City Paper

I wasn't that interested in the subject of Marion Barry when I was given this book, but once I started it, I couldn't put it down. The Last of the Black Emperors is a terrific piece of writing and an exciting read. Barras' metaphor of the folkloric spider is very appropriate for Marion Barry. Especially impressive is her ability to place Barry's leadership style not only in a political and historical landscape, but also in the emotional landscape of American racism. Barras teaches us a great deal about the development of black leaders over the last our decades, and delivers a compelling story of Marion Barry, the person, and Marion Barry, the emblem. -Lori Shpunt, Professor of English, Trinity College, Washington, D.C.

A no-holds-barred, but in some ways heavy-hearted look at the last of a kind-and, by extension, the times that made him happen. -Colbert King, columnist and editorial writer, The Washington Post

Information is power and, in this book, Barras serves up a heaping helping. With compelling anecdotes, brilliant insights, and real data, she takes you inside Washington politics and into the psyche of African-American voters across the country. With unwavering conviction, she explores myths and master plans by examining Barry the man, and Barry the legacy. For the casual political observer, Last of the Black Emperors is a magnificent treat. For pollsters, pundits, and campaign operatives, it's a must read.

-Sonsryrea Tate, author, Little X: Growing Up in the Nation of Islam (and third generation Washingtonian)

With keen insight, Barras takes us inside the corridors of DC politics, walking us through the maze of scandals, deal-making, and corrupt government officials. A well-researched analysis; highly recommended for political science collections. --Ann Burns, Library Journal

Can you go to jail and still be re-elected? You can if you're Marion Barry of Washington, D.C....Jonetta Rose Barras...looks at Barry's career and life in one of the most interesting political books written this year. --Alan Caruba, Bookviews

The Last of the Black Emperors explains the many paradoxes of Marion Barry's career, and documents the growth of his racial and political identities parallel with those of his largely black constituency...A fascinating, detailed, well researched political biography. --James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars An opinion column, dressed up as a book., July 31, 2005

By 

Margaret Gentry (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last of the Black Emperors : The Hollow Comeback of Marion Barry in a New Age of Black Leaders (Hardcover)

In this book, Ms. Barras, a writer of opinion columns, has produced an extremely long opinion column dressed up as a "book". Her reporting is shallow, and her description of the 1994 mayoral campaign is inaccurate and woefully incomplete.