Ralph Proctor – författare

VOICES FROM THE FIRING LINE is a memoir, a tribute, and a eulogy. Ralph Proctor traces his own development from a naïve, "color-blind," youth to a militant advocate for equal justice. Adding to his own account are the voices of other leaders in Pittsburgh''s civil rights movement. In recording and sharing the experiences of these remarkable men and women, Proctor offers a tribute to their pain, courage, and sacrifice. Through numerous examples of covert discrimination, the pervasive Jim Crow culture is revealed along with efforts to overcome barriers to integration. In the final analysis, the book is a eulogy for The Hill, one of the most vibrant Black enclaves in the United States. Proctor looks back at the gains achieved and the losses incurred as the movement for equal inclusion waned in the years following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. He asks, "Did we do enough?" The question, while posed to his comrades in the fight for justice, is worth asking ourselves today.

For those who want to understand the challenges facing Black Americans as they fought for equality of education, Racial Discrimination against Black Teachers and Black Professionals offers an intimate look at the struggles within one urban school district. Drawing from archives and interviews with key professionals engaged in the struggle, the author lays bare the institutionalized racism that denied Pittsburgh''s Black citizens access to free and equal quality education for well over a century. From the creation of segregated "colored schools" to the loss of Black teachers when racial integration was mandated by the Supreme Court, this book offers sobering lessons about overt and covert strategies used to maintain a discriminatory status quo. Read against the backdrop of today''s Black Lives Matter movement and the educational inequalities revealed by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that the struggle for equality is far from over.  

Song of The Hill is a personal account of a remarkable Black community in Pittsburgh. Drawing from his personal experiences and extensive knowledge of Black history, the author provides a portrait of a racially, ethnically, and culturally integrated community. In the face of a racist Jim Crow culture, Black families created a nurturing environment for their children and a growing middle class economy. In a sense, Song of The Hill is a eulogy for a community devastated by misguided policies of urban renewal. Looking back, the author reflects on how the fight for integration had unintended consequences that contributed to the demise of his beloved community. With self-deprecating humor, affection for neighbors, and love of parents, the author offers a window for understanding a special time and place in our country''s history.