THEY HAD A DREAM

Subtitled The Civil Rights Struggle from Frederick Douglass to Marcus Garvey to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X: engagingly written biographies of four civil rights leaders, mentioning the mistakes and weaknesses—as well as the strong moral sense, high purpose, and outstanding courage—of each. Archer also places each firmly in his historical context, including numerous details and incidents that vividly evoke the social climate—a prominent white abolitionist can't bring himself to walk side by side in public with Frederick Douglass; conflicts between Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. DuBois over Garvey's flashy posturing; or class differences among supporters of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Archer's carefully balanced approach extends to a long concluding chapter on ``The Black Struggle Today and Tomorrow,'' discussing political events since King's death, new forms of racism, and last year's Rodney King case. An excellent resource. Bibliography, including interviews with well-known civil rights activists. Index not seen. (Biography. 10+)