The last of the Black emperors
Subtitle: the hollow comeback of Marion Barry in the new age of Black leaders
By: Jonetta Rose Barras ; photos by Darrow Montgomery.
Publisher: Bancroft Press
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Baltimore, Md
Language: eng
Number of pages: 309
Subjects: Barry, Marion, 1936-; Mayors -- Washington (D.C.) -- Biography; Washington (D.C.) -- Politics and government -- 1967-
Description: In The Last of the Black Emperors, author Jonetta Rose Barras explains the many paradoxes of Marion Barry's career, and documents the growth of his racial and political identities parallel with those of his largely black constituency. Barras places the D.C. mayor in context, comparing him with politicians - black and non-black - of his generation, and with "the new black leaders" who have rendered his style obsolete.

Focusing on the period from Barry's 1992 prison release, through his 1994 mayoral victory, and the subsequent erosion of his influence in the nation's capital, Barras's study traces the uneven trajectory of a wily, controversial, but captivating personality.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 305-306) and index.