"Every Man Should Try": John L. LeFlore and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Alabama, 1919-1956

The article discusses the life and career of civil rights worker John L. LeFlore, with a particular focus on his work with the Mobile, Alabama branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). It is suggested that although LeFlore held more conservative beliefs than younger civil rights leaders and black power activists who became prominent during the 1950s and 1960s, he played a significant role in the achievement of integrative equality in Alabama. Details on the roles of LeFlore's historical context and life experiences in his political beliefs and aspirations are presented. Topics discussed include the role of the middle class in the NAACP, the murder of black soldier Henry Williams, and labor relations.