John Atlas's Blog

John Atlas

Birthday: July 13

Bio: John Atlas is president and founder of the National Housing Institute which publishes Shelterforce magazine.His book about democracy, poverty and progressive politics, Seeds of Change: The Story of ACORN, America’s Most Controversial Anti-Poverty Community Group will be out in June. (Available atAmazon.com http://www.amazon.com/John-Atlas/e/B002QNVLA2 and Vanderbilt University Press http://www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/books/387/seeds-of-change) “There is more value on a single page of Seeds of Change than in a year’s worth of Rush Limbaugh screeds combined with a lifetime of Sarah Palin sneers at community organizers.”—Todd Gitlin, Columbia University "...an exceptionally important book--a vivid, honest, and gripping look at the front lines, warts and controversies and all.” --Harry C. Boyte, author, founder and co-director, Center for Democracy and Citizenship "Atlas deploys his journalistic skills beautifully in this powerful portrait of people working to realize a vision of social prosperity. Add this to the already growing collection volume of writings on housing, politics and urban affairs that has now become the Atlas oeuvre.” ----Sudhir Venkatesh, author of Gang Leader for a Day "John Atlas combines scholarship, political insight, and powerful narrative writing in this essential book.” --Robert Kuttner, author and founder of The American Prospect “A must read...The reader gains an understanding not only of ACORN's success in the fight for social justice, but also why its efforts to empower ordinary people are viewed with alarm and have come under attack by conservative and reactionary forces." --William Julius Wilson, Harvard University "Atlas has now written the definitive work on ACORN.” --Samuel G. Freedman, author of Letters to a Young Journalist For over 35 years, John has been a public-interest lawyer, activist, radio talk-show host, and organizer. Holding a law degree from Boston University and a master of law from George Washington Law Center, he is an alumnus of Columbia University and recipient of the Charles Revson Fellowship.