Roy Wilkins (1901-1981) spent 46 years of his life serving the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and led the organization for more than 20 years. Under his leadership, the NAACP spearheaded efforts that contributed to landmark civil rights legislation, including the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.

In Roy Wilkins: The Quiet Revolutionary and the NAACP, Yvonne Ryan offers the first biography of this influential activist, as well as an analysis of his significant contributions to civil rights in America. While activists in Alabama were treading the highways between Selma and Montgomery, Wilkins was walking the corridors of power in Washington, D.C., working tirelessly in the background to ensure that the rights they fought for were protected through legislation and court rulings. With his command of congressional procedure and networking expertise, Wilkins was regarded as a strong and trusted presence on Capitol Hill, and received greater access to the Oval Office than any other civil rights leader during the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson.

Roy Wilkins fills a significant gap in the history of the civil rights movement, objectively exploring the career and impact of one of its forgotten leaders.

The book is published by The University Press of Kentucky. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

"The first bio of a crucial, if now-overlooked, figure. Solid and thought provoking." (American History)

"The longtime head of the NAACP was long overdue for a deeply researched and elegantly written biography. This is it." (The Daily Beast)

"The book's true focus and achievement is in its highly detailed, richly researched account of Wilkins's role in the NAACP." (Publishers Weekly)