“This is a work of great significance to those who seek a mature, straightforward account of the life and times of Lloyd Gaines. A splendid achievement and a wonderful contribution to the history of civil rights in the era after Plessy v Ferguson and before Brown v Board of Education.”—Gary M. Lavergne, University of Texas at Austin, author of Before Brown: Heman Marion Sweatt, Thurgood Marshall, and the Long Road to Justice
“Endersby and Horner do a nice job of putting the case into its sociopolitical context. They describe Missouri as a state that supported and fought to uphold segregation even though the state constitution did not mandate it. They also show how important the thriving local black press was in keeping the public informed as well as building popular support for civil rights initiatives.”—American Book Review
“Endersby and Horner focus on the vital role played by the NAACP and its lawyers—including Charles Houston, known as ‘the man who killed Jim Crow’—who advanced a concerted strategy to produce political change, as well as on the African American newspaper journalists and editors who mobilized popular support for the NAACP’s strategy.”—Law and Social Inquiry
“Excellent, erudite, and accessible addition to American History and Judicial Studies shelves”—Midwest Book Review
“A comprehensive account of the origins, development, and outcome of the Gaines case. The authors are at their best when discussing the NAACP, its legal strategies, and its cases. Endersby and Horner have written what is sure to be the standard account of the Gaines case for many years to come.”—Political Science Quarterly
“The work of Endersby and Horner illuminates in rich detail the story of a notable yet unheralded foot soldier and trailblazer in the civil rights movement and a precedent-setting yet often overlooked U.S. Supreme Court decision with a significant impact in abolishing the ‘Separate but Equal’ doctrine. The engaging narrative illustrates vividly how the crusading of local civil rights advocates converged with the strategic activism of the NAACP leadership to advance democracy and the cause of social justice.”—American Historical Review
