A White Preacher's Memoir: The Montgomery Bus Boycott [Paperback]

Robert S. Graetz (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At a time when it is easy to feel jaded about politics, race relations and religion, Graetz offers a time capsule with a potent humbling effect. In 1955, he was assigned as pastor to Trinity Lutheran Church in the black community in Montgomery, Ala., a conspicuous position for a young white man and his family, especially since they came from the North. Writing with the unassuming style of a country preacher, Graetz's gentle voice proves riveting in this account of the civil rights movement, looking outward from the eye of the storm. The book opens with a potentially devastating bomb attack on Graetz's house in retaliation for his involvement in the Montgomery bus boycott, which he and his family luckily survived. He chronicles the "brutal and dehumanizing treatment" of blacks for decades, often at the hands of the police, and the violent resistance against the new black movement for dignity, which culminated in a landmark Supreme Court ruling, only to usher in the battle to enforce it. Graetz knew Martin Luther King Jr. socially, Ralph Abernathy politically and Rosa Parks spiritually, as a member of his congregation. Having been invited to join all-black civil rights and clerical associations, Graetz often uses the term "we" when writing of the black community's struggle for human rights, though as a friend reminded him in the 1950s, as a white man he could always walk away. Risking reprimand by the church, Graetz drew more blacks to the Lutheran fold until he was called to a new post in Columbus, Ohio, in the summer of 1958. Rich with family stories and racial insights, this brief book leaves a lasting impression. Photos. (July)

Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Graetz, a white Lutheran pastor from Ohio, became the minister of an all-black congregation in Montgomery, AL, in 1955. In the years that followed, he was intimately involved in the famous bus boycott and other early Civil Rights protests. His vivid first-hand account includes glimpses of Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and other legendary figures, but the book's real appeal is in its accounts of the brave and unknown people of the community Graetz knew intimately and in the quiet heroism of Graetz himself. Amidst death threats and repeated bombings of their home, he and his family continually demonstrated a commitment to freedom and justice that grew directly out of their faith and trust in God. Anyone interested in the early days of the struggle for racial equality from the point of view of a dedicated Christian will find Graetz's book both moving and informative. Recommended for academic and public libraries.AC. Robert Nixon, MLS, Lafayette, IN
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Black Belt Press (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579660150
• ISBN-13: 978-1579660154
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #795,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helps to show the diversity that aided the movement, September 3, 2004

By 

J. C. Bale "Pakk-Mann" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A White Preacher's Memoir: The Montgomery Bus Boycott (Paperback)

One thing I really enjoyed about reading Rev. Graetz's book was that it showed some of the diversity that was a critical part of the Civil Rights movement without making the case that African-Americans could not do it alone.

Anytime a book is written in this type of context - a minority perspective on an issue - there is a danger of overshadowing the majority's struggle. In this case, Rev. Graetz merely tells of his involvement in what he saw as the right thing to do. Never does he make a huge deal about his own sacrifice, but instead talks about the general struggle. In the fine line between unique-diversification and over-the-top self praise, Rev. Graetz clearly falls on the side of the first.

In addition, the book looks at different congregational backgrounds in the black community coming together for the common cause.

There are many stories to be told about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and this is one that should be read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Defines living out Christian justice and mercy, February 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Montgomery: A White Preacher's Memoir (Paperback)

Pastor Robert Graetz left seminary with his young family to take a call to Trinity Lutheran Church in Montgomery, Alabama. As a white pastor during the time of the civil rights activity in Montgomery, he writes of his day to day struggle with racial hatred and how it affected his congregation and his family. This book defines the courage it takes to live out Christian justice and mercy and added a dimension to my knowledge of this era I had not yet experienced before I read it. Although I rated it a 9, if someone did not return my copy, I would buy another. It is a must for my library.