His book, Carl Maxey: A Fighting Life, was a finalist in this year’s Washington State Book Awards. A full list of award winners, as chosen by the Washington Center for the Book at The Seattle Public Library can be found here.
Carl Maxey: Washington’s Fighter for Civil Rights
The story of Carl Maxey's life is the tale of a lifelong struggle to protect the underdog. Despite being kicked out of a Spokane orphanage during the Great Depression because of the color of his skin, he went on to become an undefeated boxing champion, Eastern Washington's first prominent African-American lawyer, a crusading civil rights leader, a controversial figure in the state's anti-Vietnam War movement and a flamboyant defense attorney. Maxey’s story, set mostly in Spokane, is a compelling personal drama that demonstrates how one person’s powerful belief in social justice and a pugnacious fighter's attitude can make a significant difference.
