Busboys Books Presents: Dorothy Gilliam for Trailblazer
Date and Time
Feb 6, 2019 6:30 pm
Location
14th & V
2021 14th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20009
Feb 6, 2019 6:30 pm
14th & V
Join us at our 14th and V location for a discussion and signing with Dorothy Gilliam for her new book Trailblazer. Copies of the book will be available for purchase in our bookstore.
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.
DOROTHY BUTLER GILLIAM, former reporter, editor, columnist and Director of the Young Journalists Development Program for The Washington Post, retired from the newspaper after 35 years on June 30, 2003. She served as the Shapiro Fellow at The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs for the 2003-04 academic year. She is currently director of the Prime Movers Project at The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.
