Author Description

Bull in a China Shop is a memoir by Kofi Annan, an immigrant from the Caribbean who despite having little foreknowledge of the inner workings of American politics, successfully challenged the inertia of the establishment political systems to generate positive changes for his community. His relative ignorance about how things "should" be done is a double-edged sword. On the one hand he quickly became president of a local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) branch, and sketched out an approach that led the branch to be recognized as the best in the nation. But on the path to doing so he created many enemies within the establishment Democratic Party and NAACP, and learns some difficult lessons that ultimately lead him to lose faith in both institutions. This memoir chronicles how his life experiences growing up in the Caribbean, coming of age in Washington, DC during the crack cocaine epidemic, and professional experience in The Army and Intelligence Community shaped his perspective and approach to the civil rights fight. The memoir can serve as an educational tool for seasoned civil rights activists who wish to become more effective, and a motivational tool for those not yet involved in the fight but have a desire to engage.