Title: Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
Author: Dr. Frank L. Douglas
Publisher: Frank Douglas Books
ISBN: 978-1948828703
Genre: Biographies/Black & African American
Pages: 388
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
Racism and race-motivated violence continue to plague our world, creating some of the most hateful and devastating moments in our world’s history. Never before has there been a time when this was as prevalent today as it was during the Civil Rights Movement. As the late and great Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
In author Dr. Frank L. Douglas’s Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream, a young black man who grew up in poverty in the nation of Guyana sought to better his life through hard work and determination, despite his search for purpose within his own life. After gaining a scholarship to the United States, the author faced intense racism from White Americans and cultural prejudice from Black Americans. Determined to find his place, he worked tirelessly to not only earn his PhD, but his M.D. from Cornell University and earned a residency in medicine at Johns Hopkins, eventually making great strides and renown within the field of pharmacology. This is the story of his struggles, his life and his work against the backdrop of racism and hatred within the United States and beyond.
A truly memorable and detailed memoir, author and Dr. Frank L. Douglas does a tremendous job of not simply highlighting his life, but weaving together the struggles and hardships faced throughout his life, and showing the struggle and victories that would come of those hardships through determination and hard work. The focus on the theme of being true to oneself and finding meaning in something greater than ourselves is a message many of us can relate to, whether the reader follows a similar path in the medical profession or even those seeking a life in business or creative pathways. For to believe in ourselves is to believe in our dreams, our hopes, and that through hard work, love and hope anything is possible. From his early years in Guyana and finding his place after dealing with so many harsh struggles in his childhood to the intense balance of social struggle and scholarly struggles as he worked through his years as a student in the United States and beyond, the author’s life is a tremendous example of what determination and grit in the face of outside forces can accomplish.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy memoirs, in particular memoirs that showcase the lives of those in the medical field, pharmacology, and non-fiction reads that deal with the themes of racism, pain, loss and survival. One thing that stood out was his determination to live his life his way thanks to his relationship with “moms,” a woman who would turn out to be someone very important in his life. Her words would allow a twelve-year-old boy to stand up to an abusive mother and aunt and refuse to be hit anymore. That point on leads to a year’s long battle to be his true, authentic self and become his own person, something many of us can respect.
An emotional, thought-provoking and highly engaging yet evenly-paced read, author and Dr. Frank L. Douglas’s Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream is a must-read book. A world-class look into the rise of one man from a childhood in poverty to a life as a respected and passionate leader in the field of pharmacology, this is a great look into the pursuit of dreams and the battle against racism, and the pursuit of the dream Dr. King sought so many years ago.