Reviewed by: Forgotten Legacy: William McKinley, George Henry White, and the Struggle for Black Equality by Benjamin R. Justesen Adam Burns Forgotten Legacy: William McKinley, George Henry White, and the Struggle for Black Equality. By Benjamin R. Justesen. (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2020. Pp. xvi, 349. $55.00, ISBN 978-0-8071-7385-5.) Benjamin R. Justesen is perhaps best known for his biography of the last Black U.S. congressman of the post-Reconstruction era, George Henry White: An Even Chance in the Race of Life (Baton Rouge, 2012). Therefore, it is no surprise that the exploration of George Henry White's role in local and national affairs during his time in office (1897–1901) is this book's strongest suit. The author sets out the complex political position of the Republican Party in the South at the turn of the twentieth century particularly well and [End Page 409] explores in detail many of the challenges facing African Americans in sixteen, chronologically organized chapters. Of particular note, the book gives excellent coverage to debates over the appointment of African American officeholders, the systematic disenfranchisement of Black voters, and the scourge of lynching. Given Justesen's previous work on White, it is perhaps the additional titular focus on President William McKinley that one might have expected to mark this book out. Yet, though the reader gains a strong sense of White's actions through the author's artful interweaving of available sources, McKinley's role seems somewhat a supporting one here. While many Republican politicians in this period courted African Americans' votes come election time, but otherwise did little of substance, Justesen feels this characterization does not apply to McKinley. He argues that "McKinley's role as a sincere friend and benefactor of African Americans may be among the best-kept secrets of American political history" (p. 2). Although the book provides ample evidence that McKinley did make moves that support this interpretation, it is harder to gauge how convincingly McKinley is portrayed as more sincere in this regard than his near predecessors or successors as president. In the introduction, Justesen suggests that he will assess not only the "public politics" of White and McKinley but also their "private dreams" (p. 11). However, this approach poses quite a challenge, given that neither figure blessed historians with particularly rich sets of resources from which to paint a detailed picture of their thoughts. This book is thoroughly researched—without a doubt—but strong evidence of the two men's private opinions is hard to find. As such, the volume relies primarily on the skillful use of government documents, newspaper reportage, and public speeches. Sadly, even with all of these sources, a sense of a strong and developing relationship between White and McKinley never fully emerges. Even when their paths crossed directly, one feels the author's frustration at the lack of firsthand records of dialogue between the two: "precisely how the two men interacted during and after their initial meeting is not clear"; "Depending on their conversation's length"; "Details of White's April 16 conversation with the president were never disclosed" (pp. 21, 197, 231). As a result, Justesen veers into speculation in places due to a sparsity of evidence. Though this is understandable, it might also explain why the "brief and complicated alliance" between the two men has not previously been explored in any depth (p. 11). This book is a thoroughly enjoyable read and would benefit both history students and general readers interested in this understudied period of African American history. The story of White has long been overlooked, and Justesen should be praised for continuing to add detail to our understanding of this noteworthy politician. The volume also provides useful additional coverage of McKinley's often-downplayed views and actions on matters of racial justice. However, the book is not altogether convincing as an exploration of the two men's relationship and may have been framed better as an exploration of two parallel careers, rather than an "unparalleled relationship" (p. 1). [End Page 410] Adam Burns University of Wolverhampton Copyright © 2022 The Southern Historical Association