Born in a roach-infested tenement in South Philadelphia, Carl Upchurch's life epitomized the tragedy of inner-city America. In this explosive look at racial injustice, Upchurch, the executive director of the Council for Urban Peace and Justice, argues that it is time for a new generation of leaders, drawn from the masses, to overcome America's political and economic apartheid.
An unforgettable true story of gang warfare and a bold manifesto for addressing racial injustice, from a former gang member and renowned lecturer

"An inspiring personal litany of human renewal and accomplishment. Upchurch gives us hope that we can change society."--Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson, author of The Assassination of the Black Male Image

Once Carl Upchurch was an elementary school dropout fighting for survival on the streets of South Philadelphia, a gang member wedded to a life of violence, a bank robber facing a future in federal penitentiaries. Now he is a respected community organizer and one of the most compelling and visionary leaders of the civil rights movement.

Catapulted into the national spotlight following his organization of a summit that brought together the country's most notorious gangs, Carl Upchurch has found himself in direct conflict with other African American civil right leaders. This is his scathing critique of the established civil rights movement and his plan for solving the critical problems facing today's urban American.