"Making a Way" traces the life of Ulysses Byas from childhood through his tenure as the first black superintendent of the Macon County (Alabama) Schools, as told to coauthor Marilyn Robinson. This biography relies on extensive interviews that Dr. Robinson conducted with Dr. Byas, as well as an examination of his collection of documents.

Dr. Byas' unique experiences and skills informed the strategies he used to attack the fiscal deficit, the physical plant deterioration, and the educational performance deficiencies he found as superintendent of the Macon County Schools. His professional...