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Scullars
Newbie Poster
Username: Scullars
Post Number: 15
Registered: 02-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 30, 2004 - 12:21 pm: | 
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Came across a story about this book today. Was written by the white son of a Methodist preacher who was an anti-segregationist during the early 70's. However, in the author's small town, racial crimes against blacks were still being committed with impunity.
The catalyst for change came after white murderers were acquitted by an all-white jury for the beating and murder of a young black boy who had the "impunity" to say something sassy to a white woman (reminiscent of Emmett Till). One of the perpetrator's son bragged to the then ten-year-old author that 'Daddy and Roger and 'em shot 'em a nigger.' After the acquittal, many of the young blacks as well as a few veterans just returned from Vietnam decided they couldn't remain passive and nonviolent anymore, and engaged in a well-planned engagement of firebombings. The author points out that those occasions of violence did more to turn the clock forward in his town than any nonviolent stance taken by the do-gooders and the well-meaners. The author "concedes that the actions of white moderates like his father did little to advance racial equality in the South."
This is one book I'm going to be sure to pick up. Here is a link to the chicago tribune article; i think you have to register, but it is free.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/booksmags/chi-0405290073may30,1,6622574.s tory?coll=chi-leisurebooks-hed
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Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 511
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 01:30 pm: |
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I just read a review of this book in the Chicago Tribune's Sunday book section, and I found the subject matter extremely interesting the way it debunked many myths about the civil rights movement, confirming how laws to end segregation did not change the hearts of whites at all levels of society who continued to resist integration. Funny, I recently heard from my niece, who lives just outside of Atlanta, that newspapers there reported a story about how this one high school had 3 senior proms; one for whites, one for blacks and one for Hispanics. That's what the kids wanted to do, and everything went just fine. |
Emanuel
Regular Poster
Username: Emanuel
Post Number: 29
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 11:21 pm: |
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I just read a positive review of this book in the hard copy of June's Bookpage (http://www.bookpage.com/0406bp/nonfiction/blood.html). Sounds like the book is gaining lots of interest.
-Emanuel |
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