African Americans - General & Miscellaneous, United States History - African American History, African American History, United States History - General & Miscellaneous, U.S. Politics - History, U.S. Politics - General & Miscellaneous, Legislative Branch

Just Permanent Interest

Name: Just Permanent Interest
Author: William L. Clay
ISBN: 9781567430004

by William L. Clay

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Overview

William L. Clay, one of the most important players in Congress, offers a candid, up-to-date history of black elected officials in the U.S. Congress. As the senior member of the Missouri Congressional delegation and a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, William L. Clay shares thirty-four years of experiences and insight into the political process and the roles that black elected officials have played in the process, from the post-Civil War era up to now. From the election of Senator Hiram R. Revels in 1870 to the election of Congresswoman Maxine Waters in 1991, Congressman Clay dispels the myths and misinformation about black politicians. He recounts their struggles, victories and losses, and sets the record straight about the enormous contributions they have made, which benefit not only other blacks, but Americans of all ethnicities. Congressman Clay shows how "the business of effective government is neither fun nor games for elected officials. It is not easy work, short hours, and unending cocktail parties. It is a rough, tough business" and given pervasive unemployment, excessive numbers of women heading households without support, high rates of crime and teen-age pregnancies, and all the other tragic conditions that are part of the black community, citizens - activists and aspiring politicians alike - need to know how the system really works and can work to empower as well as suppress black people. Just Permanent Interests delivers a wealth of information on and analysis of American politics useful to students, professionals, and voters in general. Congressman Clay documents black involvement in politics during the Reconstruction era, then brings the reader through the turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement. He reveals the racial dynamics of congressional politics and the events that led to the founding of the Congressional Black Caucus. He describes the relationship of the Caucus to Democratic and Republican administrations of the last two deca

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Part catalogue, part history, this study of African Americans in Congress offers some useful information but suffers from an erratic focus and a lack of candor. Clay, a veteran member of the House of Representatives from St. Louis, aims to compensate for histories of Congress that slight black achievements. While he brings to life such important figures as Hiram Rhoades Revels, the first black senator (in 1870), and explains the growth of the Congressional Black Caucus, Clay spends far too long on biographical sketches of black politicians and verbatim excerpts from hortatory speeches. Moreover, while he argues plausibly that black politicians have been unfairly targeted by investigators, Clay devotes eight pages to defending himself against ethics charges, while ignoring political criti cism and ignores some real scandals, such as the one involving Congressman Gus Savage of Chicago. Further, Clay's stated belief that whites hate blacks leaves no room for discussion of current debates on racial issues. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour. (Nov.)

Library Journal

Clay, a 12-term member of the House of Representatives, has written a partly historical, partly sociological, partly political study of the role of African Americans in Congress. From Reconstruction to the dramatic increase in their numbers in the 1980s, he traces the lives and political travails of black members of Congress. While professional historians and political scientists may find his book lacking in analytical rigor, it provides some valuable insights and interesting anecdotes. It is especially revealing of the development of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and its subsequent planning and tactics. Clay's treatment of the early years (1870-1940) tends to be sketchy; however, he more than compensates for this in the contemporary period. Also, his treatment of these congressmen is not completely objective, as his views of Adam Clayton Powell and Robert N.C. Nix demonstrate. Overall, this is an important book, one that makes readers realize the importance of traditional grassroots electoral politics to improve the political power of African Americans as opposed to the rhetoric and symbolism of street protests.-- Thomas Baldiono, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.