Tradition and Valor: A Family Journey

I've purchased "Tradition and Valor" twice, now, and have read it several times. It is both enlightening and endearing, and the role of J.B. and his wife Georgine Morris cannot be understated as great civil rights pioneers. The refreshing beauty of Robert Morris' re-telling of his father and grandfather's stories is that he allows their own thinking, humor and pride to breathe through time so that we well understand their feelings and personal opinions during moments of war or great challenge, in which they were often an integral part. This year, an elementary school building was named after James B. Morris by the Des Moines Independent School District in Iowa and I am certain that this book had the persuasive effect of helping that school board recognize the strength of character and fearless honesty which this man embodied.Camilla Cosby recently opined that we are in danger of loosing a wealth of African American history and that we must strive to find ways to keep the memories of our unrecorded heroes alive. Though J.B. Morris was a long-time publisher of a major black newspaper, and his son and grandson continued the long tradition of "The Bystander," and it was for several decades a national impetus in the civil right movement and press, the personal stories of J.B., his fellow soldiers and friends and sometimes unwanted visitors is still a precious new historical gem which Richard Morris has presented quite fluently. I think you'll find that this book represents far more than one family's journey and that this is a part of our journey as a national community, that these were key voices in their times, doing what they had to do for their country, their family and fellow citizen as simple Midwestern heroes in their own ways and times. You'll laugh and cry along with them as you share in their experiences and realize how far they helped us come.