Dovey Johnson RoundtreeReseñas

I enjoyed this book from a woman's perspective about the Civil Rights era. It was a great read for Women's History Month. Her time in the Army during World War II was my favorite part, although her relationship with her family was really touching. The writing was a little dense though and I got bogged down in places.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review

What an incredible story about Dovey Johnson Roundtree. I knew nothing about her until I read this book and she was such a powerhouse who fought for social justice and equity. I really enjoyed reading this compelling story and highly recommend others read it as well.

I didn't know Dovey Johnson Roundtree until I read this book. This little known person was a pioneer who blazed trails, broke barriers, and fought social injustices. Her story was compelling and emotional. I enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend others should read it too.

What an amazing woman! While this book was a little hard to get in to, I found the subject enough to keep me going. This is a book about perseverance and strength, and it starts with the description of the impression her grandmother's strength made on her. Mrs. Roundtree's experiences through civil rights and various civil activities throughout her life will leave an impression on her readers. The author, a friend of Mrs. Roundtree, captures her voice in the narrative so well. The book may be a bit intimidating in the beginning, but it's worth it.

An autobiography by a vibrant civil rights activist and lawyer in the 1940s and 1950s.

Dovey Johnson Roundtree (1914-2018) was born and raised in poverty in Charlotte, North Carolina with a strong grandmother. Somehow she was able to attend Spellman in the 1930s where a white female professor mentored her. As World War II was beginning, she went to Washington, D.C. where, as a protégée of Mary McCloud Bethune, she was among the first black women in the U.S. Army Officers Corp. After a brief marriage, she went to Howard Law School where she studied and worked with the critical cluster of black lawyers who were challenging segregation in the courts. A case of hers relating to interstate travel paralleled Brown vs. Board of Education. As the Civil Rights struggle moved from the law courts to the streets, she became less involved in the national movement. She focused instead on the legal cases of individuals caught up in injustice. In addition, she went to seminary and studied so that she could become a minister when the AME Church allowed women to hold that position. Roundtree firmly believed in justice and fair play and through her long life fought for those goals for herself and for others. Her autobiography is full of what she believed and how those beliefs translated into action. She tells a very personal story of what it was like to be in critical situations such as hearing cases before the Supreme Court. She lauds the individuals who were her mentors. But her first love was law, not romance, as her book reflects.

Katie McCabe, a white Washington, D.C. journalist, is the co-author of this book. She is a nationally-recognized non-fiction writer, known for writing about little-known individuals, many of them blacks. She initially contacted Roundtree for an article twelve years before her death at 104. The two became good friends and worked together to write Mighty Justice. Their book is not your average as-told-to production. The two women were able to blend their talents into a meaningful whole. Roundtree is always front and center with her own particular language and experiences, and McCabe is behind the scenes organizing and making the project into a compelling story. It first appeared as a memoir entitled Justice Older Than the Law, in 2009. The Association of Black Women Historians has awarded the book its prize for the best book on an African American woman

For a time in the 1940s and 1950s, Roundtree played a key role in the national legal struggle for Civil Rights. Anyone interested in that struggle will need to read this book. For the rest of us, Mighty Justice is simply a fascinating account of a black woman whose life made an important difference in our nation’s history and whose life contributes to our understanding of the variety of significant women. I recommend it strongly.

Having finished this remarkable woman's autobiography (originally published in 2009 under the title [Justice Older Than the Law], and updated for re-issue in November, 2019), it is incomprehensible to me why the name Dovey Johnson Roundtree does not resound with the same force as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks and Mary McCleod Bethune. Her accomplishments and her "firsts" place her right up there in the pantheon, not only of civil rights leaders, but of champions of the rights of women. The back cover blurb on my ARC (thank you LibraryThing Early Reviewer program) refers to her as a trailblazer. That she certainly was, and she wasn't satisfied with just one trail, either. With the support and influence of several equally dedicated and unstoppable women (including her beloved grandmother Rachel Bryant Graham; her English professor at Spelman College, Mae Neptune; and her grandmother's friend Mary McCleod Bethune, Dovey Johnson successfully rose to challenges so seemingly insurmountable that others in her circumstances might not even have seen them, let alone tackled them. She was part of the first “class” of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps where she fought for equal treatment of women in the military and recruited scores of African-American women to service in the WAAC. In 1942, she became the first woman of any race to receive a commission as an officer in the US Army. As a lawyer, she represented people who had few resources and little hope of successfully navigating “the system”; her diligence and determination won an acquittal for a black man accused of murdering a white Washington, DC, socialite in 1965. She took on the ICC, and won a case that eventually resulted in a ban on racial segregation in interstate bus travel. She fought for acceptance as a minister in the AME church, and captured another “first” when she became one of the first women to be granted the rite of ordination. Her life is so full of big moments it is hard to take it all in, and yet in her mind, she simply faced what came her way, and made the decisions that seemed to her right and inevitable. When that resulted in something just short of miraculous, she was usually as surprised as anyone. This book is the result of a dozen years of friendship and collaboration with Roundtree’s co-author, Katie McCabe. It is essential history. Highly recommended.

Ms Roundtree is someone I had never heard of, but am so glad that I found her story. As someone who grew up in the south and witnessed the worst of racism, and became a lawyer who helped bring in the Civil Rights movement, she is a strong, intelligent woman who should be placed up with Dr. King, and have her story learned about.

This book recounts the life of Dovey Johnson Roundtree, a civil rights activist. I had a hard time getting into this book. Although Roundtree led a fascinating life, this book felt more like someone reflecting back, rather than telling a story. I think Roundtree's story is an important one to tell, however this book just didn't do her justice. Overall, a bust.

This is a triumphant biography of an amazing woman, who has sadly been forgotten in the American history books. Katie McCabe does a masterful job of bringing the life of Dovey Johnson Roundtree to life and highlight her many accomplishments. If you're interested in civil justice and race, then this book is for you.

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. Fascinating story of Dovey Johnson Roundtree, civil rights activist, attorney, minister, grandmother, foster mother and mentor. I'm ashamed to say I'd never heard of Mrs. Roundtree until I received this book. How can it be that such important history makers are left out of school textbooks and classes on recent US history? Somehow Roundtree was left out of any history books I was raised on. I'm glad to learn of her life and story from this autobiography. I liked how Roundtree included bits and parts of all the different seasons of her life- as a child growing up, a student and college student, a law school student, a ministry student, an officer in the WACS, a wife, activist, law partner, writer, instructor. I was touched by her drivenness and her ultimate goal- to redeem, to free and to right injustices that came her way, no matter how hard it was. Her ambitions were not about herself, not about prestige, making a name for herself; she sincerely and humbly wanted to help people wrongly accused and to make a way for those discriminated against. Her courage and tenacity in the face of adversity, hatred and bigotry were admirable to say the least. A lesser person would have given up the fight when faced with the many obstacles thrown her way, by bigoted judges, hateful employers and scared peers. Throughout the book, Roundtree made a point to always mention her mentors who inspired and encouraged her to continue her battle and calling: her Grandmother Rachel, her teacher Miss Neptune, activist Dr Bethune and professor Dr Nabrit, as well as her first law partner Julius Winfield Robertson. Roundtree was a noble hero and left a legacy for the younger generation to aspire to. The co-writer of this book, Katie McCabe, did a fabulous job of research and interviewing as well as writing this story with Roundtree. Highly recommend this book to everyone.

I received a free copy of Dovey Johnson Roundtree's memior "Mighty Justice: My life in civil rights" through LT's early reviewers program. I was unfamiliar with Roundtree but thought any book about the struggles of civil rights leaders would be a bit of a pick-me-up, and boy was I right about that.

Roundtree was a pioneering black woman -- joining the Army, becoming an attorney and ultimately a minister -- as well as arguing some interesting civil rights cases. Her story is terrific and is told really well. A born fighter, Roundtree is a shining example of how important it is to continue the struggle even when the deck seems stacked against you.

I think you'll need to have a bit of interest in legal cases to enjoy this book as there is a heavy focus on legal arguments at its core. Roundtree's story is an interesting one and I'm glad to have had a chance to read about her.

Mighty Justice, Dovey Johnson Roundtree and Katie McCabe
From the first page, it is difficult not to be touched by the brutal honesty of this author. Her life was not easy. Jim Crow laws constantly obstructed her endeavors, but she never seemed to falter or give up her goals. Born in 1914, Dovey lived a long and fruitful life. She left her mark on history. Early on, she wanted to study medicine, but she eventually changed course and went into the law instead, but not before she helped to start a branch of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps for women of color. She also became an ordained minister. When she reached the age 104, in 2018, she joined her maker.
Although this story was written a decade ago, with the title Justice Under the Law, it is being republished now as a paperback. It is even more pertinent today. It is written with a fine clear-headed approach to civil rights, without the anger that is so prevalent in current books that attempt to deal with and describe the battle for equality for all or, better put, for human rights for everyone, equally.
Dovey, with the help of her co-author, has written this book with an exceptional amount of respect for every incident she experienced. She was a trailblazer who paved the way for the repeal of Jim Crow laws that cruelly enforced segregation. Because she lived such a long life, this book covers the history of many racial issues, particularly the practice of separate but equal opportunity in schools, in transportation, and on the battlefield. With her partner, Julius Robertson, she fought for equal rights for people of color and accomplished much with the NAACP. They fought for the cause of women’s rights as well. Undaunted by anything placed in her way, she marched on to success, against all odds.
I think this book should be required reading because it clearly and concisely truly explains the civil rights issues faced throughout history and to this day. Dovey’s actions and vision always seemed to be driven first, by compassion coupled with ambition and a need to participate in the civil rights struggle and better the world. She works with names that are written on the pages of history and yet were unknown to me. Some were common knowledge, like Martin Luthor King and Thurgood Marshall, others were less known like Dr Mary McLeod Bethune, and lesser known like her professor, the Reverend James Madison Nabrit and her savior, Mae Neptune. These people deserve their day in the sun because their efforts truly did change the world.
Although she was angry when young, once she overcame her anger towards white people, Dovey Johnson Roundtree used her energy to improve the plight of others and to benefit the cause of civil rights in positive ways. Her heroine was a white teacher who inspired and led her in many ways to see inside herself and to carefully examine the problems she would face. She rescued her on many occasions and introduced her to other civil rights activists of the day. Dovey’s family instilled in her a feeling of self worth and she spent most of her life helping others to do the same. She was a heroine in all ways!
I was interested in the facts about Plessy vs Brown, from which the idea of “separate but equal” was established. It seems that the judge thought that races sought to be together, yet today, the opposite seems to be the goal. People are becoming more and more tribal in a culture becoming more and more infused with identity politics. Those who once sought to be united, are now seeking to divide themselves again with safe spaces, ethnic dorms, classes only for those with similar backgrounds, and custom curriculums designed for specific groups of people. Is this the way of the future?
In conclusion, there is a truth to this book that is often absent in books about racial discrimination and the fight for equality and civil rights. Roundtree’s telling is so heartfelt and cites so many real incidents that the reader can identify with, that the book becomes more important by the page. She rolls up her sleeves every time she faces defeat and fights back with intellect, not emotion or anger, brains not brawn. She faces all the aspects of discrimination anyone could face and stares them down with courage and character.
Her gentle way of telling the story gives the reader pause. How could someone so harassed by society be so patient and peaceful in her approach while at the same time waging war against the establishment? Read it slowly in order to absorb the treasure trove of philosophy as well as information.

Mighty Justice begins with a powerful chapter of Dovey remembering her grandmother's nightly ritual of soothing her gnarled and twisted feet after a day of nonstop work. Hearing the story of how her feet were broken, and the courage she showed standing up to power, is unforgettable.

Each chapter is vividly rendered in Dovey's voice, telling her story of accomplishing what most would have deemed impossible. The remarkable people who inspired and mentored Dovey over her life are lovingly portrayed, from her grandmother to Mary McLeod Bethune, her teacher Mary Mae Neptune who personally sacrificed to keep Dovey in college, Julius Winfield Robertson who became her law partner, her pastors, her family and those she adopted as family.

Out of our indebtedness I believe, our real selves are born. For it is when we grasp what we owe, how beholden we truly are, that we remain children no longer. ~Dovey Johnson Roundtree, Mighty Justice

But Dovey herself also was a mentor, ministering to her people. She was a defender of the weak and a rectifier of injustice. She came to recognize that children were the victims of racism and violence and how children mirrored the violence in their lives through their actions. She came to believe that in ministering to children and changing their lives, "redemption is truly possible."

Determined to change the world, Dovey earned a law degree, was in the first wave of African American women in the Women's Army Auxillary Corps championed by her grandmother's friend Mary McLeod Bethune, argued at the bar for an end to segregation on the railways, and was one of the first women to be ordained in the African Methodist Church. Each chapter of her life is riveting and thrilling with a story arc all its own. The law cases were well presented in their historical context with moving insight into Dovey's personal dedication and hopes.

And the ending of the book, Benediction, brings the story full circle, back to the inspiring grandmother whose example first inspired Dovey.

Katie McCabe words have recreated Roundtree's voice in a narrative that is thrilling and moving.

I received an ARC from the publisher through a LibraryThing giveaway in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Mighty justice : my life in civil rights is the story of Dovey Mae Johnson Roundtree as told to Katie McCabe. It begins with her life in the South where her family lived with her grandmother. After receiving a degree at Spelman College in Atlanta, Mrs. Roundtree is encouraged by family friend Mary McLeod Bethune to enter officer's training for the newly formed WAAC division of the U.S. Army, a need perceived as necessary in World War II. This was to be an integrated service but, as it turns out, it was segregation as usual. After the war, Mrs. Roundtree earned a law degree at Howard University and practiced law the rest of her life, involving herself in several high profile cases. In the era of segregation in education and public transportation, she fought the Interstate Commerce Commission on behalf of clients who lost their seats once the carrier crossed into the South, even though the law was clear that the practice was illegal. She also represented numerous clients from her neighborhood in the Washington neighborhood of Anacostia and from her church. In her sixties she felt a call to go into the ministry of the AME Church and was ordained, serving in Washington. She also dealt with severe medical issues, but it didn't stop her from striving to help others, especially children.

Katie McCabe organized the material which she amassed in over ten years of meeting with Mrs. Roundtree. She also has added an index and end notes mostly citing case law. There is also a list of suggested readings and seventeen questions for discussion. (I spent hours thinking about those questions and it was time well spent.) My advanced reading copy did not include the foreword by Tayari Jones which will be in the final copy.

What struck me as I read the book was the power and sincerity of Mrs. Roundtree's words. Her heroes were Mary McLeod Bethune, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Spelman Professor Mae Neptune, and her grandmother, Rachel Graham. Compared to today's so-called civil rights leaders, these persons were giants who believed in non-violence and the dignity of all persons. Dovey Johnson Roundtree has a place among those great ones. This book should be required reading for today's generation of leaders and for those who want to know more about civil rights laws and how they changed the United States.

D's review:

The subtitle "My Life in Civil Rights" is misleading. This is not a memoir of a little-known civil rights pioneer as much as it is the memoir of a pioneering black, female attorney.

Growing up in the Jim Crow south, Roundtree takes us on her improbable life's journey. Its a life of zigs and zags, heartbreak and triumph. From Howard University Law School to her Washington, D.C. law practice which included personal injury, criminal and yes, civil rights cases. She got the Interstate Commerce Commission to desegregate US buses, trains and stations.

Her practice specialized in defending African-Americans in a court system that did not give them the presumption of innocence.

Thoroughly readable, we are presented with a life well-lived. And well told.

A book about the amazing life of Dovey Johnson Roundtree. I loved reading about her many accomplishments in her long life. A very encouraging and inspiring book, which I recommend to anyone who likes life stories or civil rights books.