Publishers Weekly
08/07/2023
Columbia journalism professor Freedman (Breaking the Line) reexamines the legacy of liberal politician Hubert Humphrey (1911–1978) in this comprehensive account. While Humphrey is best remembered for his tenure as Lyndon Johnson’s vice president and his unsuccessful bid for the White House in 1968, Freedman argues that he played a highly consequential role in the civil rights movement. During the contentious 1948 Democratic National Convention, Humphrey’s passionate endorsement of a robust civil rights platform (in the face of vigorous opposition by President Truman and Southern Democrats) set the stage, according to Freedman, for later victories such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act (which Humphrey himself helped floor-manage as a senator). Alongside a granular account of the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the convention, Freedman takes a deep dive into his subject’s personal life, with a focus on his early experiences of racism and antisemitism. Elected mayor of Minneapolis while in his 30s, Humphrey helped make the city one of the only in the nation “where a wronged job applicant could count on the government as an ally.” In the process, he became so hated by the racist right that an attempt was made on his life—and also popular enough to win a U.S. Senate seat in 1948. Freedman is no hagiographer, and notes Humphrey’s missteps, especially while serving as vice president, and his willingness to engage in dirty politics. The result is candid political biography. (July)
From the Publisher
A New York Times Editors' Choice
"Riveting. . . . A superbly written tale of moral and political courage for present-day readers who find themselves in similarly dark times." - Khalil Gibran Muhammad, The New York Times
"Compelling...Freedman offers an intimate and fine-grained depiction of Humphrey's early life and fledgling political career, as well as a revealing portrait of Minneapolis, a city of both gut-wrenching racism and creative civil rights initiatives." — Aram Goudsouzian, The Washington Post"A powerful and captivating read." —Richard Aldous, The Wall Street Journal"A strong step in rehabilitating Humphrey's image as a practical politician and civil rights activist." — Kirkus Reviews"Freedman enlarges the reader's understanding of Humphrey while also offering vivid, rich, and unsettling details about politics, society, racism, and antisemitism in mid-twentieth-century America...An illuminating look at an important yet overlooked facet of American history." — John Rowen, Booklist"With insight and grace, Samuel G. Freedman has given us a compelling and important account of Hubert H. Humphrey's critical role in the freedom struggles of the mid-20th century. It takes nothing away from the sacrifices and bravery of Black Americans to note Humphrey's commitment to achieving justice for all-the great goal of America's still-unfinished journey." — Jon Meacham, author of And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle "At the 1948 Democratic Convention, Hubert Humphrey implored the Party and nation to make civil rights the cause of the 20th century. Samuel Freedman's insightful book provides a critical account of not only Humphrey's path to that moment but also of the Minneapolis leaders and activists who fought for justice in Minnesota and who shaped the man who would become one of our nation's greatest champions for equality. Freedman's book reminds us that while so much progress has been made, all of us must continue to walk 'towards that bright sunshine of human rights.'"
—Senator Amy Klobuchar "Sam Freedman's work consistently elevates the craft of writing and Into the Bright Sunshine is no exception. His characteristically graceful prose and meticulous research illuminate not only Hubert Humphrey's life but the promise and peril of his political moment. The result is an adroit chronicle of a giant obscured by the passage of time and a key entry in the history of American liberalism and the roots of its current predicament."
—Jelani Cobb "Into The Bright Sunshine accomplishes that rare triumph of being two books at once: Freedman has crafted both a definitive biography of Hubert Humphrey so vivid that we can almost hear H.H's heart thump on the page, as well as a rigorous investigation into the moral, spiritual and political forces that have shaped the best of liberalism in America."
—Eliza Griswold, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of Amity and Prosperity "In a lively, eloquent, deeply human way, Samuel Freedman brings his lifelong passion for social justice to a key turning point in our still-unfinished battle for true equality. Even people like me who disagreed with Hubert Humphrey over Vietnam will come away from this book with a deepened respect for the man who dragged his reluctant party to take a stand for civil rights."
—Adam Hochschild "Samuel Freedman, one of the great chroniclers of modern America, provides us with a fascinating history of racial liberalism in Cold War America, unpacking the origin story of Hubert Humphrey's pathbreaking speech at the 1948 Democratic National Convention. Capturing a pivotal moment in the history of civil rights politics, Freedman's book is a significant contribution to the literature on American politics."
—Julian Zelizer, Princeton University, author of The Fierce Urgency of Now "Recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals." — Choice
Library Journal
06/16/2023
Former New York Times columnist Freedman (journalism, Columbia Univ.; Pigskin Isn't Kosher) explores the pivotal civil rights speech that Hubert Humphrey (1911–78) gave in July 1948, at the Democratic National Convention. It commanded the party and Truman, its presidential candidate, to finally take action on civil rights in America. Born in South Dakota as the KKK grabbed hold of the community, Humphrey's exposure to Black Americans was limited to a handful of interactions as a working teenager. He attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where he witnessed racism and fierce antisemitism. Freedman's exploration of Minneapolis's social history is thorough and insightful, and he identifies the key players, discrimination, and legislation that hamper the community to this day. The Humphrey family's downward financial trajectory is juxtaposed against this history, creating an understanding of socioeconomics within Hubert that solidifies as he completes his master's degree in government in Louisiana. Readers will be able to assess how far society has (or hasn't) come on civil rights in the United States, as the book's content consistently points to Humphrey's pivotal speech and its 75th anniversary this year. VERDICT This book's precise writing creates a memorable portrait of a successful chapter in Humphrey's complicated career.—Tina Panik
Kirkus Reviews
2023-05-09
A vigorous history of Hubert Humphrey’s many contributions to liberal politics, especially with respect to civil rights.
As Columbia journalism professor Freedman notes, Humphrey’s star has long been descending, and few remember him today. Humphrey himself remarked that the cause was simple: “I think the misjudgment of Vietnam.” Despite misgivings, Humphrey supported Lyndon Johnson’s conduct of the war, and he threw his lot in with Johnson’s efforts to secure civil rights—and especially voting rights—for Black Americans and other minority members. In this welcome rehabilitation, the author clearly shows how Humphrey had long been a strong advocate of civil rights, and as a graduate student in Louisiana, the Minnesotan had ample opportunity to study the corrosive effects of racism firsthand. As mayor of Minneapolis, he pushed through reforms to end anti-Black and anti-Jewish covenants and other mechanisms of discrimination. At the 1948 Democratic convention, he argued for a civil rights platform in the face of a party dominated by Southern Democrats. Moreover, though he fought that faction, Humphrey observed that no part of the country was immune to racism, and unlike many others, “he recognized the Northern brand of Jim Crow.” Humphrey delivered a smashing victory to Harry Truman that, by securing more than 75% of the Black vote, meant that the Democrats could win nationally without the Southern electorate. The Dixiecrats repaid the favor by stalling bills that Humphrey, a freshman in the Senate, had introduced to outlaw lynching and create a Civil Rights Commission. He made good on his own views by hiring the first Black American to serve on a senatorial staff. Still, even after decades in politics, when Humphrey returned to the Senate following his time as vice president, his full employment bill “had been rattling around Congress for three years already and was still stuck in committee,” precisely because Humphrey was so weakened politically.
A strong step in rehabilitating Humphrey’s image as a practical politician and civil rights activist.
