The first Black mayor of Montgomery, Alabama, shares his story of
making his way in a world that wasn't built for him, drawing on his rich
heritage as the son of a civil rights leader.
As a proud son of Joe L. Reed, Steven L. Reed grew up hearing stories
about how his father integrated Montgomery lunch counters and took
advice directly from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Reverend Ralph
Abernathy. However, it wasn't until Reed was in the fourth grade and
received a death threat against his father that he began to understand
more fully the importance of the lessons his father was trying to
impart. At this pivotal moment, his father explained, "My job is to
prepare you to be a cross-bearer and not just a crown-wearer. Bigotry
has no place in our household. It will only hold you down and make you
small."
First, Best is an essential antidote to the perpetual dehumanization
and distortions of Black men in our culture and media. By sharing the
story of forging his own path, Reed offers an alternative narrative to
Black men coming of age, catalyzing their hope and sense of possibility.
Although Reed took a circuitous path to the office of mayor that began
by forging his identity at Morehouse College, pursuing entrepreneurship
and exploring the wider world, and serving as a probate judge, each step
was guided by the values of his father's generation. First, Best is
not just about assuming the mantle of manhood or leadership, nor is it
only about the expectation of greatness. Fundamentally, it's about
responsibility and preparation, serving others, and being willing to pay
the price of leadership by carrying the weight of each decision. First,
Best affirms the next generation of Black men by showing, through story
and example, their power and potential in a world that doesn't always
root for them.
