Available for pre-order. Releases early November.
“Here is a great man telling great history. Dan Smith is the American story come to life. Ride across historical eras with him, constantly surprised by his uniquely personal point of view. He is a great guy to take the ride with.”
-Juan Williams, Best Selling Author of Eyes On the Prize, America’s Civil Rights Years and Thurgood Marshall, American Revolutionary
“As the son of a formerly enslaved man, Dan Smith is a living link to the past. Heeding his father’s counsel to make his own way, Smith broke barriers and overcame obstacles in a long life that has been full of accomplishments. His story is one of trials and triumphs, and an inspiration that is a welcome antidote to the weary cynicism that too often afflicts us today.”
—Eugene L. Meyer, Author of Five for Freedom: The African American Soldiers in John Brown’s Army
Son of a man born enslaved in 1863 during the Civil War, Daniel Smith is living proof that slavery is not distant history. His father, 70 years old when Dan was born, taught him to work hard and carry himself well, even in difficult circumstances. In his educational, professional, and social pursuits, Dan lived those lessons and expanded his own horizons. He was both witness to and participant in nearly a century of struggle for Black Americans to advance in a nation founded on separatist principles. For all the intersections he has had with historical events, political leaders, and other luminaries, he is often called the “Black Forrest Gump.” In his memoir, completed in 2022 at age 90, he offers a first-hand account of the actions, policies, and people that have helped or hindered the United States from fulfilling the promise that “all men are created equal.”