Matthew Algeo has reported for National Public Radio on four continents. Here he focuses in on Tuesday, February 13th, 1968 and Wednesday, February 14th, 1968, when Robert Kennedy visited the Eastern Kentucky coalfields. Four chapters present those two days along with the preliminaries and the follow-up. Kennedy visited strip mines, one-room schools, and the homes of Eastern Kentucky families. Algeo places this trip in the context of the similarities and the differences between then and now and why it matters. “What makes Algeo’s account stand out is that he focuses less on Kennedy and more on the residents, politicians, and community activists who struggled daily with the onerous burden of severe chronic poverty . . . . A powerful story, skillfully told.” – Booklist. “Algeo presents a captivating account of Kennedy’s journey.” – Library Journal.
Chicago: Chicago Review Press, a 2021 paperback reprint of a 2020 release. 264 pages with an Index, Sources, and photos. Trade paperback.