New book continues D’Army Bailey’s mission of civil rights education

Feature profile for The Commercial Appeal

September 26, 2009

D’Army Bailey grew up enveloped in family and in the shadow of LeMoyne College, at the time a black college working primarily to train teachers.

The LeMoyne Gardens housing project bordered one side of his world and his entrepreneurial and independent grandfather the other. This was the alchemy that helped to create the D’Army Bailey of today — lawyer, judge, activist, father, husband and author.

He learned of racial strife early, listening to people talk at the neighborhood sundry and reading black publications of the day, such as the Chicago Defender, the Atlanta Daily World and the Pittsburgh Courier.

“I’d sit about and read the various black newspapers from around the country that came into this store, and it enhanced my view and sense of politics and civil rights,” he said … (read more)