Description
The doctors gathered around, passing the stethoscope from hand to hand, taking turns listening to my chest. Finally, the lead doctor said, “Now, that’s what I call a heartbeat!”
I snapped, “Whaddaya mean?”
“It’s like hearing a diesel engine inside a Mustang body,” he said.
Melvin Whitfield Carter Jr., the father of St. Paul’s current mayor, is a true son of Rondo, the city’s storied African American neighborhood. He was born in a city divided along racial lines and rich in cultural misunderstanding. Growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, he witnessed the destruction of his neighborhood by the I-94 freeway—and he found his way to fighting and trouble.
But Carter turned his life around. As a young man, he enlisted in the US Navy. He used his fighting ability to survive racist treatment, winning boxing matches and respect. And as an affirmative action hire in the St. Paul Police Department, facing prejudice at every turn, this hardworking, talented, and highly principled officer fought to protect the people of the city he calls home.
Diesel Heart is the story of a leader who created a powerful family legacy by standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity.
Review
“Wow! Bang! POW! A graphic, honest, no-holds-barred account that needs to be read by all who want to understand what it was like to be a young Black man confronting and ultimately overcoming the challenges of Rondo and the evil perversity of white supremacy and racism. This is a book that grabs you by the collar, pulls you in close, and dares you to put it down. I couldn’t, and neither will you.” Marvin Roger Anderson, cofounder Rondo Avenue, Inc.
“Melvin Carter’s autobiography not only describes his personal journey to manhood but places that journey inside of a larger movement that captures the local, national, and, to a degree, the world racial climate at the time. His honest and entertaining account reads as a bildungsroman, chronicling personal, family, city, and community evolution.” Lou Bellamy, founder and artistic director emeritus, Penumbra Theatre Company
“As a witty and passionate storyteller, Melvin has planted transformative seeds in the lives of thousands. I’m overjoyed and hopeful when I think about all of the young Black men who will read Melvin’s heart- and soul-touching literary celebration . . . as embraceable history, and a vision of their possibilities!” Robin P. Hickman, CEO and executive producer of SoulTouch Productions
“Melvin Carter’s autobiography not only describes his personal journey to manhood but places that journey inside of a larger movement that captures the local, national, and, to a degree, the world racial climate at the time. His honest and entertaining account reads as a bildungsroman, chronicling personal, family, city, and community evolution.” Lou Bellamy, founder and artistic director emeritus, Penumbra Theatre Company
“As a witty and passionate storyteller, Melvin has planted transformative seeds in the lives of thousands. I’m overjoyed and hopeful when I think about all of the young Black men who will read Melvin’s heart- and soul-touching literary celebration . . . as embraceable history, and a vision of their possibilities!” Robin P. Hickman, CEO and executive producer of SoulTouch Productions
About the Author
Melvin Whitfield Carter Jr. served as an officer in the St. Paul Police Department for twenty-eight years. He is the founder and executive director of Save Our Sons.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Sometimes the least significant thing can be most pivotal. Me ’n’ my rookie were dispatched to a domestic in progress, on the top floor of a low income apartment building. Three teenage Black males were standing in the hallway, unrelated to the call, as we made our way up the stairway. My rookie stopped to identify them as I continued upward. So now I’m in a situation where I’m handling a violent domestic alone when my rookie calls out a foot pursuit. I stop everything. He’s chasing the kids on foot while I’m racing around the neighborhood in the squad car trying to find him. In the process of backing up as I change directions, I backed hard into a foot post, causing damage to the squad car.. As it turned out, one of the Black youth had a misdemeanor warrant for some petty crime. We get through the incident, no big thing, until Sgt. Prima Donna calls me into the ol’ “Mel, come in and shut the door” routine. “Now, Mel, I’m gonna be honest with ya’. The guys complain that you treat Negroes better than you treat whites. I mean, you are good to everyone, but you’ve been here over six years and still have not quite proven yourself like . . .” He named a list of other Black police officers I was supposed to be like. I had no intention of ever being anything like them. The ones he named were particularly brutal to Black people only. The last thing Blacks needed was more iron feet of oppression. I wanted Black people to know it was a new day.
Details
- Publisher : Minnesota Historical Society Press (February 1, 2019)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1681341255
- ISBN-13 : 978-1681341255
- Item Weight : 14.9 ounces
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.9 x 8.9 inches
RKGreen –
This magnificent book, well-told, was quite the read. My father served in the same Navy, and bore some of the same scars from his service. I was taken into the daily life of a young black sailor, who had to fight the daily indignities and double-dealing of his “shipmates,” while trying to do a good job, learn a trade, and serve his country. I found this book difficult to read, because of my own service which began a few years after his ended. I am so proud of the fact that he was able to overcome the trials of serving both in and out of uniform while so many tried to make him fail.I highly recommend this book to all, especially young black men who can’t see a way out of where they are. Melvin did it when it almost couldn’t be done. His honesty and forthright telling of his story is impressive. I lost track of how many times I busted out a big laugh as I read something funny. Glad I read it.
T. Hinton –
I met the author at his niece’s baby shower and heard about the book thru that interaction. Once I started reading, it was hard to put down. I loved not only reading the personal story of this incredible man looking to make a difference for his community, but also the history of the St Paul Rondo Community.As a white woman, I am on a quest to understand the black experience in America & know what I can do to help others understand. Mr Carter grew up at a very volatile time in history and it was eye opening (& sad to know what he experienced) for me to see how he has been key to pave the way for African Americans to gain a seat at the table at every level.
Dave Nelson –
Wow! A conversation last Thurs with a Black Man (I’m White) while waiting for my granddaughter at a local YWCA led to my reading this book. I went home and looked to see if Amazon had the book and then I found out that I had been talking to the author. I ordered it Thurs eve and it arrived late Sat afternoon. Late Sat eve after reading the first 190 pages non-stop (I couldn’t stop) I had to put the book down since I was getting up at 5 AM. Tonight, Sunday, I finished the book. A marvelous read by a wonderful story teller described in the previous reviews. This one rates an A+. The author is an inspiration to humanity!
Tom Coleman, Pawsitivity –
I’m still in shock after having read this book non-stop cover to cover…this incredible story of a young man’s journey from Saint Paul, Minnesota to Africa (via the U.S. Navy) to his rise within the police department, fighting racism the whole way just blew my mind.
BABS –
Great storyteller! I could see the fist fights, blazing fires, wandering mind in class and the stern Sisters of St Peter Claver. Sometimes I got a little lost as he jumped around some. But what a treasure for me as an AAF transplanted to MN by marriage. I could identify with his beloved Mother. Kudos to have met the author. A very kind and funny man with a lot of heart and still gives service every day to his community. This book is a keepsake and should be in the Minnesota Historical Archives & at the MN History Museum. Book keeps you involved.
Daria Jmill –
Diesel Heart: An Autobiography by Melvin Whitfield Carter, Jr. Reviewed by Daria JmillSeveral times I had to set this aside and take deep breaths as I felt my heart pound. After reading it I find myself re-reading parts of it over and over. This is a beautifully written literary work that describes how this man lived through virulent racial hatred as a black policeman in a bigoted hostile environment without succumbing to bitterness.I read over and over again one line (q.v.) “Forgiving those who deserved it least was my best revenge.” I keep reading it again and again as I struggle with my own battles.The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is required reading for Russian majors. Diesel Heart: An Autobiography by Melvin Whitfield Carter, Jr. should become required reading for English majors in other countries whose first language is not English.
Elen Bahr –
Diesel Heart is a book of authentic humanity. It’s a brave thing to embrace the entirety of who we are and it’s even braver to share that publicly. As he tells his story, Melvin brings us into a world I could never imagine. He shares a part of himself that seems very different from the man I know today. But, he’s not a different person. He’s the same heart and soul who, like each of us, makes choices based on what we know at the time. We might not make the same choices later in life but each of them is important to our personal journey. Thanks, Melvin, for letting me know you and thanks for the reminder that we are all perfectly imperfect humans doing the best we can in a complicated world.
S. Steve Adkins –
I’m amazed to be writing the first review for Melvin Carter’s autobiography. Like one editorial reviewer, I could not put the book down … finding myself reading at 4:00 A.M. Melvin (not Mel !) survived life-threaten hazing and racism in both the Navy and the police department. Police officers were relentlessly trying to drive Melvin out of the force. “Fellow” police officers often placed him in very dangerous situations then failed to provide backup. His excellent physical condition, limited boxing training, quick reflexes and ability to size up situations and opponents kept him alive. As a young man, he was often a “superman” rescuing fellow blacks and women from dangerous situations. As a result, he was convinced to join the police force where he could do more good and get paid for it. While suffering relentless racism, Melvin raised a fine son who became the first African American Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota. By reading this book, white people will realize that racism goes far deeper than they (and I) realized.