Craig Garnett
Texas A&M University Press will release Uvalde Leader-News owner and publisher Craig Garnett’s book “Uvalde’s Darkest Hour” on Dec. 3.
Garnett’s firsthand experience covering the May 24, 2022, mass shooting at Robb Elementary provides critical insights for those seeking to understand the impact of the tragedy on the Uvalde community.
In over 35 chapters, Garnett chronicles the initial moments of the shooting using the Department of Justice report, which federal officials presented in January 2024. He vividly details the newspaper’s coverage, the community’s response, the experiences of the victims’ families, and how these experiences connect to Uvalde’s history.
Garnett joined the newspaper as its general manager in November 1982. He took ownership of the then-biweekly, Thursday and Sunday, publication in 1989. At the start of 2024, about a year and a half after the mass shooting, the newspaper reduced its publication to once a week, Sunday only.
Garnett has won dozens of regional and state press awards for column and editorial writing over the last four decade, and was awarded the Tom and Pat Gish award for courage, integrity and tenacity in rural journalism in 2023. His post-tragedy commentary has attracted national attention.
The book is dedicated to Alexandria “Lexi” Aniya Rubio, the daughter of longtime newspaper staff member Kimberly Mata-Rubio, and Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, Jacklyn “Jackie” J. Cazares, Jose Manuel Flores Jr., Eliahna “Ellie” Garcia, Irma Linda Garcia, Uziyah Garcia, Amerie Jo Garza, Xavier Lopez, Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, Tess Marie Mata, Maranda Gail Mathis, Eva Mireles, Alithia Haven Ramirez, Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, Layla Marie Salazar, Makenna Lee Elrod-Seiler, Jailah Nicole Silguero, Eliahana Torres, and Rojelio Fernandez Torres.
Garnett’s share of royalties from sales of the book will go to a permanent memorial for Robb School victims. The memorial’s scope and location are in development.
The New York Times, San Antonio Express-News and Editor and Publisher Magazine have already featured articles about the book. These stories are accessible on their respective websites, and The New York Times printed the feature in its Nov. 24 edition.
The book is available for purchase online through TAMU Press ([email protected]) or phone (800-826-8911), independent bookstores, and online retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart. And at the Uvalde Leader-News office, 110 N. East St. The list price is $30.
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