Catholic University professor Renate L. Chancellor has offered not only an excellent biography of a legendary library activist but also a well-crafted lesson in African-American history with her succinct, easy-to-read E.J. Josey: Transformational Leader of the Modern Library Profession. This six-chapter work documents the life and accomplishments of Elonnie Junius "E.J." Josey, principal founder of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), longtime University of Pittsburgh LIS professor, and second Black president of the American Library Association.Chapter 1 serves as a setup for the remainder of the book's contents, providing a concise yet thorough overview of Josey's character and resolve as a leader. This brief chapter first acquaints the reader with Josey by supplying essential biographical information about his formative years in Portsmouth, Virginia, and how his adolescence bridged him into the civic involvement that he participated in for the rest of his life.Chancellor then brilliantly explains the concept of "transformative leadership," originally posed by James Downton and later refined by scholars James MacGregor Burn and Bernard Bass. Chancellor includes an illustration of the Transformational Leadership Model as posed by Bass, which details four qualities of the transformative leader: Idealized Influence, Intellectual Stimulation, Individualized Consideration, and Inspirational Motivation. Chancellor posits Josey's philosophies and actions within each of these four qualities throughout the remainder of the first chapter, hooking the audience into wanting to learn more about this civil rights leader by demonstrating just how tactical Josey's methods were.In the second chapter, entitled "A Dreamer with a Tiny Spark," Chancellor elaborates on the history of Portsmouth, Virginia. We are treated to a historical narrative that illustrates the ups and downs that Portsmouth experienced from its 1752 incorporation up until roughly the beginnings of World War II. Like many southern cities, Portsmouth experienced turbulent times during Reconstruction. While the city maintained a significant Black population throughout its history, its Black population contended with struggles and second-class citizenship due to segregation and racism well into the 1940s.It was during these tumultuous times for Portsmouth that Josey would grow up. Born in neighboring Norfolk, Virginia, in 1924, Josey lived in an impoverished area of Portsmouth's Mount Hermon community. In childhood, Josey was quickly recognized in this community as "studious," "inquisitive," and "very smart," among other accolades. It was through this humble upbringing that he developed his Christian faith through the Black church. The book posits that the Black church "provided the solid foundation for [Josey's] spiritual and personal development" (20). Josey attended then-segregated Mt. Hermon Elementary School and I.C. Norcom High School before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. Josey's military service