Sacred Ground

"Timuel Black has been an eyewitness—and a participant—in the movement for social, racial and economic justice in America.  He is a historian and a hero.  His memoir Sacred Ground: The Chicago Streets of Timuel Black is a must read for anyone who cares about the pursuit of equality, equity and dignity for all." —Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

"Timuel Black has used his life to be an agent of change, a griot of history, a conscience to a society that too often has lost it. Timuel Black has left his imprint on lives young and old.  He has been transparent in sharing his life and using his experience to teach and share a history too often hidden or lied about.  He has called us to wrestle with truth and justice. The streets of Chicago are indeed Sacred Ground because of the beautiful feet of elders like Timuel, who has walked on them and loved the people who lived in them." —Father Michael Pfleger

“Timuel Black reminds us that we can learn so much from the knowledge and history that are generated—and vibrantly live—within the personal stories and lived experiences of the people and communities around us.” —Elizabeth Todd-Breland, author of A Political Education: Black Politics and Education Reform in Chicago since the 1960s

“Sacred Ground is an unparalleled insight into a community dynamic that touches us all and shapes a future we will all occupy. It gives us a rare glimpse into the perspectives of millions not previously acknowledged. Thanks to Tim Black for sharing his experiences with the world. He does us all a great service with this singular contribution." —Carol Moseley Braun

"Timuel Black is among our best and brightest. He is walking history and an honorary grandfather to many black Chicago thinkers today. This collection of memories told in his voice brought smiles and tears." —Natalie Y. Moore, South Side Reporter for WBEZ and author of The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation

"Sacred Ground is a monument to the high qualities of shared experiences as told to Tim Black and by Tim Black. As he has written, 'One of the best parts of [Barack] Obama’s success, for me and many others, was the way in which it made the South Side of Chicago again seem like the center of the black universe.' This was indeed the power of Tim Black’s “Sacred Ground” at work." —Christopher Robert Reed, author of Knock at the Door of Opportunity: Black Migration to Chicago, 1901-1919 andThe Rise of Chicago’s Black Metropolis, 1920-1929