Dr. Sam, Soldier, Educator, Advocate, FriendDr. Sam, Soldier, Educator, Advocate, Friend

When he was seventeen, the author met Paul Robeson, who asked him, "What are you doing for the race?" That question inspired him to devote his life to helping others. His story intersects with major developments in twentieth-century African American history, from the Harlem Renaissance and the integration of the U.S. Army to the civil rights movement and the political turmoil of the 1960s. He recounts his childhood in Greenwich, Connecticut, and his visits to Harlem. He describes his rise to second lieutenant in WWII, his bitter encounters with racism while wearing his army uniform in the South, his participation in the U.S. occupation of Japan, and his role in the desegregation of the army in 1948. In his rise to colonel, Kelly helped create the post-Korean War rapid-response deployment army that would later fight in Vietnam and Iraq. As an educator, he earned the respect of the Black Panthers who took his African American history courses. In 1970, he became the first vice president for the Office of Minority Affairs and the first major African American administrator at the University of Washington. For six years, he led one of the strongest programs in the nation dedicated to integrating students of color at a major university. After retiring, he began a new career as a teacher and administrator at an alternative high school. This book shares the difficulties in his personal life, including the birth of his special needs son; his wife's unsuccessful struggle against breast cancer; and the challenges facing an interracial family.