Witt has meticulously uncovered and documented the lost history of one of the United States’ most efficient charitable funds. With incredible detail, he has reconstructed the ways a modest fund endowed by a reluctant heir managed to reshape American civil rights in less than 20 years ... Witt dives deep into this social setting, revealing not only big-picture moments and movements but also the people and legal decisions that created the environment for this crisis of American life ... Witt has written a book that is at its most nuanced when he’s laying out the details of trials and case law, as well as their roots and impact. But not only does he measure the influence of the fund, which dissolved in 1941, he also documents the directors who advocated for various causes and the arguments that went into major funding decision.
Fascinating though lengthy and overly detailed ... The author gives short shrift to the work of contemporaneous grant makers such as the Julius Rosenwald Fund ... Mr. Witt yearns for a revival of radical philanthropy but fails to note that it has already occurred.
Insightful and digestible ... The engaging writing, paired with Witt’s keen eye for the limitless effects of seemingly small historical events, make this book important for scholars and general readers alike seeking to understand American society.
