Militant Mediator

Provides a detailed narrative, closely grounded in extensive research, that extends our understanding of Young's life and career.

~American Historical Review

A respectful but not hagiographic biography of an often undervalued civil rights leader.

~Booklist

Dickerson's excellent biography establishes that Young was similarly successful in building support among blacks. This book is very readable and well documented, with 42 pages of notes and citations from dozens of interviews the author conducted with critical players in the Civil Rights Movement.

~Choice

Certainly an important addition to our understanding of the Civil Rights era.

~Independent Publisher

A well-researched work.

~Journal of Southern History

A thoughtful study of an often overlooked figure in the American civil-rights movement.

~Kirkus Reviews

Dickerson's portrait is carefully balanced, identifying Young's undeniable success in attracting corporate and foundation support for the NUL and his rise to national prominence as a spokesman for black civil rights, as well as the limitations inherent in any position so heavily dependent on the generosity of wealthy whites.

~MultiCultural Review

Young was just 49 when he drowned on a trip to Nigeria. Today, a younger generation might not be aware of his contributions, so the publication of Militant Mediator is welcome.

~Lexington Herald-Leader

Not only does Dickerson find Young uncompromising in his advocacy of a civil rights agenda but he holds that the mediating role that Young played was vital to the lasting accomplishments of better-known figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and James Farmer.

~New York Times Book Review

A major revisionist interpretation of African American leader Whitney M. Young Jr.... will be the definitive work on Young for years to come.

~Register of the Kentucky Historical Society