Poverty, Politics, and Race: The View From Down Here

Poverty, Politics , and Race gives a true face to poverty, while knocking down stereotypes on race and the poor ; and sheds light on how the politics of the past and present have magnified issues of race in America. The book also gives a personal look back at an important period in civil rights in America's history and sounds an alarm at the renewed and very open racial hatred that resurfaced with the election of the first African-American U.S. President. It takes a critical look at current events affecting the lives of average Americans through the prism of a Black woman who has experienced firsthand the effects of poverty, race, and the politics surrounding both issues. The book hopefully will help remove the blinders and lead to a more honest discussion on the divisions in our country and ways we can begin to heal them.

Dorothy Inman-Johnson is a native of Birmingham Alabama who has called Tallahassee Florida home since 1971. She is a former Tallahassee City Commissioner and Mayor, a 28 year educator, and executive director of Capital Area Community Action Agency until her retirement at the end of May 2012. She has been recognized for her passionate advocacy on behalf of children and the poor. She was a Clinton administration appointee to National Superfund Reauthorization Advisory Committee, a co-chair for the National League Cities Sub-Committee on Health, Human Services, and Education, the Florida Arts Council, a former contributing columnist for the Tallahassee Democrat Newspaper, and former President of the Boards of Capital Area Healthy Start and the Girl Scout Council of the Apalachee Bend. She is currently owner/ CEO of DJIJ Consulting, LLC. Dot is married to Reverend Lee B. Johnson, and they have a blended family of 9 children and 15 grandchildren.