Retired United States Marshal Robert Moore, a Vietnam-era War veteran, is set to share his remarkable story in a powerful new memoir titled "Off My Neck." It is scheduled for release on Aug. 1, 2025, through Blackmarshallpublishing.co.
Moore's journey began on a 40-acre family farm in Algoma, Miss., purchased by his father in 1907. His life’s work has been a trailblazing effort that took him to some of the highest echelons of American law enforcement. His autobiography vividly illustrates nearly five decades of public service, social transformation and personal reflection.
The courage to lead in uncharted territory
Moore’s story is about the courage to lead without rank and getting the yolk of racism off his neck so he could climb through the rinks. He was successful at both. It’s about redefining what leadership looks like. He became the first Black Illinois State Trooper to serve as the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) director with only three years of seniority and no rank. The president of the United States later appointed him as U.S. Marshal, making him only the second Black citizen in Illinois to hold that position.
His career also led him to the historic role of chief of detectives in Savannah, Ga., and later to chief of police in Jackson, Miss., where he served under the state’s first Black mayor. Along the way, Moore earned a master of public administration (MPA) from the University of Illinois at Springfield and turned to writing to extend his legacy beyond the badge.
More than a mirror--a mirror for society
"Off My Neck" is Moore - rather than a personal account, which reflects America’s ongoing journey toward equity and inclusion - more of an account of the institutional resistant racial, isolation and social pressures he endured while advocating for reforms that continue to shape the conversation around justice and representation. His unwavering commitment to fairness has influenced agencies to adopting the 10 shared principles he helped develop with the NAACP and Illinois Association of Chiefs to POLICE.
Legacy on the page
His literary contributions go far beyond this memoir. He is also the author of "The President Men: Black, United States Marshal in America," a pioneering article that became a national blueprint for increasing Black leadership and law enforcement.
His international travels to Vietnam, Cambodia and Cuba as part of the People to People Ambassador program was insightful.
