Ordinary Heroes of Racial Justice: A History of Christians in Action

"Readers will be edified and inspired." - Publishers Weekly Review, June 2025

"With its lively narrative and discussions of racial justice, readers interested in church history and civil-rights movements will find this volume appealing." - Booklist Review, July 2025

"Ordinary Heroes of Racial Justice is a meticulous history of the roots of racial inequality that highlights little-known Christians who worked for change." - Foreword Reviews, July/August 2025

Meet the Ordinary Heroes Who Changed History

Ordinary Heroes of Racial Justice is a beacon of hope for understanding America's complex racial landscape. Through rigorous historical research and compelling narrative storytelling, this book illuminates the past's intersections of Christianity, race, and place, offering profound insights for today's world. Learn about the brave efforts of heroes like Catherine de Hueck in New York City or John Perkins in Mississippi, whose faith-driven missions transformed communities through justice and reconciliation. Beyond history, Ordinary Heroes of Racial Justice empowers readers with practical recommendations, encouraging them to rethink and reshape their own communities for justice.

This book explores the important role faith plays in racial justice by:

• Looking at the intertwining of faith and racial justice as a driving force throughout history.
• Examining faith communities who served as catalysts for social change by championing equality and justice.
• Exploring teachings that inspired advocates to confront systemic racism and propagate the message of love, acceptance, and unity.
• Studying key figures that used faith as a foundation to fuel their activism for civil rights.

Faith has often been at the heart of significant strides toward racial justice. From the Civil Rights Movement to present-day challenges, individuals and faith-based organizations have steadfastly committed to justice work, drawing strength and motivation from their spiritual beliefs. Whether you're a scholar, teacher, activist, or avid reader of U.S. history, Ordinary Heroes of Racial Justice will enrich your understanding and inspire action as you uncover the stories of those who dared to be different for the greater good and joined the pursuit of justice.

Karen J. Johnson (PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago) is professor of history and chair of the history department at Wheaton College. Her expertise is in the history of religion and race in America. She is the author of One in Christ: Chicago Catholics and the Quest for Interracial Justice and coeditor of Understanding and Teaching Religion in US History.