Trailblazer - A Pioneering Journalist's Fight to Make the Media Look More Like America (Paperback)

Dorothy Butler Gilliam, whose 50-year-career as a journalist put her in the
forefront of the fight for social justice, offers a comprehensive view of racial
relations and the media in the U.S.

Most civil rights victories are achieved behind the scenes, and this riveting, beautifully
written memoir by a "black first" looks back with searing insight on the decades of
struggle, friendship, courage, humor and savvy that secured what seems commonplace
today-people of color working in mainstream media.

Told with a pioneering newspaper writer's charm and skill, Gilliam's full, fascinating life
weaves her personal and professional experiences and media history into an
engrossing tapestry. When we read about the death of her father and other formative
events of her life, we glimpse the crippling impact of the segregated South before the
civil rights movement when slavery's legacy still felt astonishingly close. We root for
her as a wife, mother, and ambitious professional as she seizes once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities never meant for a "dark-skinned woman" and builds a distinguished
career. We gain a comprehensive view of how the media, especially newspapers,
affected the movement for equal rights in this country. And in this humble, moving
memoir, we see how an innovative and respected journalist and working mother helped
provide opportunities for others.

With the distinct voice of one who has worked for and witnessed immense progress
and overcome heart-wrenching setbacks, this book covers a wide swath of media
history -- from the era of game-changing Negro newspapers like the Chicago Defender
to the civil rights movement, feminism, and our current imperfect diversity. This timely
memoir, which reflects the tradition of boot-strapping African American storytelling
from the South, is a smart, contemporary consideration of the media.