Author Raleigh Sutton’s New Book, "My Life With and About African-Americans 1944-2024," Explores the Impact African-Americans Have Had on the Author’s Life

Elgin, IL, July 22, 2025 --(PR.com)-- Raleigh Sutton has completed his new book, “My Life With and About African-Americans 1944-2024”: a poignant autobiographical account that shows how the author’s relationships with various African-American individuals throughout his life has helped to shape his worldview and reflections on racism and diversity.

“I was born in 1939 in Alton, Illinois,” writes Sutton. “Alton was the home of Elijah Lovejoy, the famous abolitionist who was killed there by a proslavery mob while he was defending his printing press. It was his fourth press, the other three having been dumped into the Mississippi River to prevent him from publishing his antislavery newspaper, ‘The Defender.’

“After three days, my mother and I returned to our apartment in Gary, Indiana. Gary was a steel manufacturing town and was an attraction for many Black families who couldn’t find jobs in the South. Many poor Whites did the same. When World War II broke out, Gary became even more of an attraction and was one of the main focal points for the Great Migration from the South to the North.

“My mother supported us by working at G. C. Grant, one of the largest five- and ten-cent stores in the country. Consequently, I became a ‘latchkey kid’ at the tender age of five years.

“My father and mother were divorced at an early age, and I seldom saw him during my very early age, but from five years old on, I saw quite a bit of him, and I became the object of a bitter, ongoing custody battle that lasted until I was in high school.

“During that time, we moved a lot, and from first grade until I graduated from high school, I went to fourteen different schools. Consequently, I knew many kinds of people of differing complexions and religions. When I joined the Air Force, I couldn’t help but notice the many ethnic groups filing past the examining doctors.

“The story of my first encounter follows.”

Published by Newman Springs Publishing, Raleigh Sutton’s engaging memoir will resonate with readers from all walks of life, revealing how a life lived around culturally and ethnically diverse communities can help to create more open and accepting individuals later in life.

Readers who wish to experience this inspiring work can purchase “My Life With and About African-Americans 1944-2024” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iBooks Store, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Newman Springs Publishing at 732-243-8512.

About Newman Springs Publishing:

Newman Springs Publishing is a full-service publishing house for serious authors. Each title produced by Newman Springs Publishing undergoes every step of the professional publishing process, including editing, layout, cover design, circulation, distribution, and publicity. All titles are made available in both eBook and print formats. Newman Springs Publishing distributes to tens of thousands of retail outlets throughout North America and internationally. All manuscripts in any genre are welcome to be submitted for review; If the manuscript meets the necessary criteria and is accepted for publication, Newman Springs Publishing will work closely with the author to bring the book to the retail market for a relatively inexpensive initial investment.