Newsman: The Road from Route 2 Box 9

Review Quotes:

"In 'Newsman, ' Otis Sanford applies his well-honed skills as a news journalist to reporting his own remarkable story. How a Black farm boy who lived 80 miles from where teenager Emmitt Till was murdered in Mississippi learned to survive and thrive in the Deep South. How a Black man who grew up reading pro-segregation Southern newspapers became an accomplished reporter, columnist, and editor at those very same newspapers. 'Newsman' is a compelling insider's account of local news coverage of the deaths of MLK and Elvis, as well as countless scandals and scoundrels from "the golden age of journalism in Memphis." Even more, 'Newsman' is an inspiring testament to the power of faith and family, the human spirit and the search for truth."-David Waters, award-winning journalist for the Memphis Commercial Appeal and The Washington Post.

"As a reporter, editor, and columnist, Otis Sanford has written many first drafts of Memphis history. Newsman narrates his personal journey across the landscape of the newspaper industry, and it does so with the hallmarks of Sanford's work: clarity, judgment, and integrity. It is the story of a local icon, a mentor to aspiring journalists, a voice for justice, and a man of rock-solid values."-Aram Goudsouzian, author of Down to the Crossroads: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Meredith March Against Fear.

"Through the years, Sanford's readers sensed that he was a solid, good-natured truth-teller. His back story is an easy read that affirms his principles and his abiding faith in the power of honest journalism."-Charlie Mitchell, Associate Professor, Ole Miss School of Journalism and New Media.

"Newsman is more than the story of a journalist who covered many important moments in American history. It is the story of a loving family that prized faith and education and sent seven talented children out into the world, rising above the stench of racism that sought to hold them back. Lucky us, one of those was Otis Sanford, whose stories and insights have informed generations, particularly in his beloved Memphis."-Kathleen Carroll, retired Executive Editor, The Associated Press.

Newsman is an autobiography of Otis Sanford's experiences growing up in a large African American family in Mississippi during the turbulent civil rights era and the factors that influenced his 50-year career in journalism.

The subtitle, "The Road from Route 2 Box 9," represents more than simply the mailing address of the 40-acre farm where Sanford grew up in Panola County, Mississippi. It marks where Sanford's parents settled in the early 1940s aiming to build a family based on love, a strong work ethic, Christian values, education and discipline.

Newsman is what Sanford became. Route 2 Box 9 symbolizes who he is and the events in his childhood that fueled his ambitions. Despite hardships and overt racism, the life lessonshe learned from his parents and siblings drove him to pursue a career that most African Americans considered unattainable.

Along the way, he had teachers and mentors, black and white, who saw his determination, believed in his abilities and pushed him to achieve his goals.

Newsman describes the historic and often heartbreaking events during the Civil Rights Movement that greatly impacted his family. It captures the disappointments he overcame as he chased his dreams. And it details his improbable rise from a Mississippi farm boy to national prominence as an award-winning writer, respected newsroom leader, journalism educator and political analyst and commentator.

The result is a half-century career at four metropolitan newspapers, two mid-size television stations and as the distinguished chair of excellence in journalism at the University of Memphis.

Contributor Bio:Sanford, Otis
Otis Sanford, a Mississippi native, is professor emeritus in journalism and strategic media at the University of Memphis. He also serves as a political analyst and commentator for WATN-TV ABC24 News, a political columnist for The Daily Memphian and political analyst for WKNO-FM. He formerly held the chair of excellence in economic and managerial journalism at the University of Memphis and is former managing editor of The Memphis Commercial Appeal .Sanford is the author of the critically-acclaimed book, "From Boss Crump to King Willie: How Race Changed Memphis Politics," and co-author of "In a Colorful Place: Seasoned Opinion About Memphis About Home About Life."