About This Book

Learn How a Superhero Shaped American History! In this page-turning nonfiction book, author and newspaper reporter Rick Bowers explains in clear and compelling detail how the "Man of Steel" inspired a generation during a dark time in American history and then helped turn the tide against the evils of racism. In the 1930s, when teens Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were coming of age, jobs were scarce, Nazis were on the rise in Europe, and the KKK was terrorizing innocent American families. The world needed a hero, one who would fight for the rights of all people, stomp out oppression, and restore hope. Together they created the character Superman, who became an enduring figure in comic books, newspapers, radio, television, and movies, as well as a force for real, positive change. Superman's influence was never more groundbreaking than in the spring of 1946. Millions of children and adults tuned their radios to the Adventures of Superman radio show entitled "Clan of the Fiery Cross," crafted from secret information given to the show's producers by spies inside the Klan. The shows strategically aired just as the KKK was attempting a major revival with high-profile cross burnings, renewed recruiting efforts, and death threats against its enemies. Superman's fictional battles helped pave the way for the real civil rights crusaders of the 1950s and 60s. Some mature content.