Ralph McGill

Ralph McGill's life and work (1898-1969) show how an individual becomes committed to the cause of civil rights and social justice. In Vienna in 1938, while still a sportswriter, McGill felt a "calling" to fight intolerance, hatred, and racial prejudice. He assumed his eventual role of "the conscience of the South" in stages. He became an editor of the Atlanta Constitution, but for years struggled to master political and economic commentary. Until 1948 McGill believed a long period of economic prosperity and social stability would be necessary before desegregation could successfully come to…