On the Beat of Truth is utterly engaging. The intimate details about the author’s family life were presented in a dynamic storytelling mode that compelled me to recall similar moments of amazement and discovery from my own childhood experiences. I could not put this book down. Take your own journey and let the stories tug at your heart!
— Carolyne S. Blount, Executive Editor, About...Time Magazine
(Childress Brown's) book is a candid and vivid memoir of the challenges and triumphs that she and her sisters, Shirley and Barbara, faced as hearing children...On the Beat of Truth has been well received ...by national and local educators of deaf students.
— Meredith Low, Democrat and Chronicle
This book immerses the reader in the challenges and triumphs of Maxine's and her family's lives as well as the importance of family relations, communication, and respect for cultural diversity. It beautifully introduces Black Deaf culture to new parents of Deaf children and their siblings, students in the field of Deaf Education, new friends of Deaf people, and anyone who enjoys a good story. I expect this book to not only introduce Black Deaf culture to folks but also allow Deaf people and their hearing counterparts to reflect on their own experiences as they read it.
— T. Alan Hurwitz, President Emeritus, Gallaudet University
On the Beat of Truth is a delightful memoir written by a superb storyteller. Ms. Brown takes the reader on a deeply moving and insightful journey into the world and life experiences of an African American Deaf family and their three hearing children residing in the south during the early to mid-twentieth century. I applaud Ms. Brown on this valuable contribution to literature about Deaf history and culture.
— Glenn B. Anderson, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Maxine Childress Brown is a gifted storyteller and a wonderful human being. On The Beat Of Truth kept me fascinated from the very first page. It is easy to read, and it can be appropriate for almost any age group. I felt a closeness to the Childress family and recognized many places in Washington, DC. This gave me a feeling of inclusiveness and, more than once, brought a smile to my face. I'm honored to highly recommend this book.
— Shirley J. Allen, Retired Professor, National Technical Institute for the Deaf
This book epitomizes the never-told stories of the experiences of hearing children of Black Deaf parents, particularly during the era of segregation. A must read book that illustrates the trials and tribulations of Black children of Deaf adults (CODAs).
— Benro Ogunyipe, former President and Board Chair, National Black Deaf Advocates, Inc., and President Barack Obama's appointee to the National Council on Disability
Maxine Childress Brown, a child of deaf parents, understands how lack of education and access affects the opportunities available to deaf families. Her candid and poignant memoir reminds us that the deaf community’s achievements in the struggle for equal recognition, rights, and self-determination owe a debt of gratitude to those who came before us. I am delighted to recommend her book.
— Gerard Buckley, President, National Technical Institute for the Deaf