Root and Branch is a terrific look back at the methodical demolition of school segregation in the United States in the 20th century. Most everyone knows about Brown v Board of Education – the 1954 Supreme Court decision that was ultimately responsible for desegregating public schools. But many people, including me, may be unaware that that landmark case did not occur in a vacuum. It was, rather, the culmination of a careful buildup of segregation challenges made by the NAACP in lower courts across the country, all of which established the prior precedent that made the ultimate victory possible.

In the same vein of learning things I didn't know I didn't know (if that makes sense), the book was also a fine introduction to the life of Charles Hamilton Houston, mentor to the more-famous Thurgood Marshall and possibly the key figure in the fight against segregation. Author Rawn James shows how Hamilton's first-hand experience with a racist U.S. Army during World War I informed much of his later work.

My one reservation is that the book does wander a bit back and forth in time, and doesn't always do a great job of signposting just when certain events are taking place. But overall, James does a more-than-capable job of presenting both Houston and Marshall as real human beings, flawed in their own ways but ultimately accomplishing a great deal of good for their country. ( )

Root and Branch is the epic story of two dedicacated lawyers--Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall--who led the fight of Brown v. Board of Education from county courthouses to the marble halls of the Supreme Court.

This book was superbly written, well researched, and delivered in an evenhanded, marvelous way. Segregation is a hot topic, and it could be expected that an author investigating a story of desegregation could descend into emotionality and political demagoguery. In other books examining our racist history, authors have sometimes couched the history as apologetics for modern political ideologies.

Mr. James did not fall into that trap. He kept his own political leanings his own, and offered a detailed, non-evaluative statement of what happened. I really like this writing style, and admire authors who show respect to the reader by simply telling us what happened and leaving it to us to draw our own value judgments. I think by doing so Mr. James did service to the memory of two great men. The reader is left to admire that part of each man and their work that he identifies with most.

A less talented author would have surely ceded to the temptation to write a hagiography of two such eminently respected and respectable historical figures. Had he done so, we would be left reading an account of what the author found important and identified with, putting the focus on the author's opinion and feelings rather than on the lives and actions of the subject of the book.

I was very pleased with the book. It was engaging, informative, and deeply personal. To me the sign of quality in a biography of historical figures is that reading creates enough of a bond that even though the subject has been dead for some good time, you're still sad when that part of the book comes. This book succeeded. Well done, Mr. James. ( )

I am embarrassed to say that my knowledge of Houston, Marshall or Howard University were sadly lacking. I found this book to be an easy and educational read. These individuals had such a huge impact on the civil rights movement that I am surprised more is not reviewed in school. I am a paralegal as well as someone that has an interest in many facets of history and I am very happy that I have added this book to my library. I would highly recommend this book to someone that is looking for an easy read (definitely not dry) with a lot of historical information. ( )

This book is the story of two of the most important attorneys in the civil rights struggle. Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall were mentor and student. Together, they developed and implemented the successful strategy that culminated in the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Although I have done a fair amount of reading about the struggle to end segregation, I was not familiar with the name of Houston. This book is a good recounting of the many risks taken by both men as they traveled the country to speaking engagements, appearances in selected trials and their work within the NAACP. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the battles to attain equality before the law. ( )