My View From The Back Of The Bus - An Evening With Author Merritt D. Long

304 Lincoln Avenue,Mukilteo WA 98275

13 October, 2022

Description

The Mukilteo Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission is proud to present Merritt D. Long, author of My View From The Back Of The Bus. Mr. Long integrates his own story with the history and presence of racism in the United States. Autographed copies of the book will be available for purchase during the event. https://vimeo.com/700059116/06b61ba86c My View from the Back of the Bus, an inspirational memoir by Merritt D. Long Through his lens as a “colored” child, “Negro” teenager, “Black” young man, and finally successful African American state official, this book reveals how Merritt D. Long was shaped by – and helped to shape – American history. Jim Crow laws, segregation, and the civil rights movement are the backdrop to Long’s childhood and youth in Alabama in the 1950’s and 1960’s. As a child, the color of Long’s skin dictated what doors he could walk through, where he could sit on the bus, where he could eat, and what water fountains he could use. But like many other southern Black people, the powerful pride of his family and community steeled him against the incessant insults of racism. And, the civil rights movement helped fuel his determination to become an educated, successful professional. Along the way, including a Morehouse College education in Atlanta, he met and was inspired by Muhammed Ali, Rosa Parks, and Julian Bond. But even at the pinnacle of his professional success as the head of several major state agencies, he continued to experience racist reactions to his authority and leadership. His journey led him to become a widely admired community leader, a loving husband and father, and a mentor and benefactor to the next generation of young people who struggle to overcome economic hardship and the still-present barriers of entrenched, systemic racism.