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by Ted Reed (Author), John J. Yurechko (Author)
Their ancestors may have been cargo in the slave ships that arrived in Charleston, S.C. Today, the scale has been rebalanced: black longshoremen run the port's cargo operation. They are members of the International Longshoremen's Association, a powerful labor union, and Kenny Riley is the charismatic leader of the Charleston local.
Riley combines commitment to the civil rights movement with the practicality to ensure that Charleston remains a principal East Coast port. He emerged on the international stage in 2000, rallying union members worldwide to the defense of "The Charleston Five," longshoremen arrested after a confrontation with police turned violent. This is Riley's story as well as a behind-the-scenes look at organized black labor in a Deep South port.
Author Biography
Former Miami Herald reporter, Ted Reed is a business and labor writer. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. John Yurechko is a retired senior government military analyst. He lives in Locust Grove, Virginia.
