jasonmeadors 's review for:

Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and the White House Dinner That Shocked a Nation by Deborah Davis

5.0

---

Really good look at the history surrounding the first Black invitee to a White House dinner. The author explores the societal dynamics leading up to the dinner, the surrounding politics, and the often-distressing fallout. The book is largely unflinching in tackling the important aspects of the event.

The author's admiration of Theodore Roosevelt, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. Dubois do not stay her hand when unveiling their less-flattering aspects. Overall, an impressive task of writing in authentic and comprehensive style.