The author explores his subject through the lives of five outstanding black leaders in 20th century America: Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. He discusses the problems facing these men, their personal and ideological relationships, and the historical contexts in which they operated. Includes a bibliography and an index.

(Key Words: American History, African-Americans, Blacks, Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Malcom X, Martin Luther King Jr, NAACP, National Urban League, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Nation of Islam).