It is easy to shrink from our country’s brutal history of lynching. Lynching is called the last great skeleton in our nation’s closet: It terrorized all of black America; claimed thousands upon thousands of victims in the decades between the 1880s and the Second World War; and leaves invisible but deep scars to this day. The cost of pushing lynching into the shadows; however—misremembering it as isolated acts perpetrated by bigots on society’s fringes—is insupportably high: Until we understand how pervasive and socially accepted the practice was—and; more important; why this was so—it will haunt all efforts at racial reconciliation.“I could not suppress the thought;†James Baldwin once recalled of seeing the red clay hills of Georgia on his first trip to the South; “that this earth had acquired its color from the blood that had dripped down from these trees.†Throughout America; not just in the South; blacks accused of a crime—or merely of violating social or racial customs—were hunted by mobs; abducted from jails; and given summary “justice†in blatant defiance of all guarantees of due process under law. Men and women were shot; hanged; tortured; and burned; often in sadistic; picnic-like “spectacle lynchings†involving thousands of witnesses. “At the hands of persons unknown†was the official verdict rendered on most of these atrocities.The celebrated historian Philip Dray shines a clear; bright light on this dark history—its causes; perpetrators; apologists; and victims. He also tells the story of the men and women who led the long and difficult fight to expose and eradicate lynching; including Ida B. Wells; James Weldon Johnson; Walter White; and W.E.B. Du Bois. If lynching is emblematic of what is worst about America; their fight may stand for what is best: the love of justice and fairness and the conviction that one individual’s sense of right can suffice to defy the gravest of wrongs. This landmark book follows the trajectory of both forces over American history—and makes the history of lynching belong to us all.
#513869 in Books Nicholas Lemann 2007-08-21 2007-08-21Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .61 x 5.50l; .55 #File Name: 0374530696272 pagesRedemption The Last Battle of the Civil War
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Highly RecommendedBy BrandoA wonderfully readable and informative book. If you do not know much about the reconstruction period this book is both entertaining and enlightening. It is entirely focused on the breakdown of reconstruction in Mississippi and the political and military strategy and actions of the conservative white democrats of the state in their effort to wrest power away from the freedmen; carpetbaggers; and scalawags.I would have liked to have more details about reconstruction in other states; especially in such a readible narrative but mississippi is important because the strategies used here were replicated in other states. For this reason; I did not reduce the amount of stars. A top rate book for amateur historians. Those wanting a scientific academic treatment may be disappointed; but there are plenty of footnotes for you to continue investigation.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Another great historical book of great significance that all should readBy Christopher BAnother great historical book of great significance that all should read! This book gives a better account of the Geo-Political atmosphere during Reconstruction; one of the most trying times in American History.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Revealing HistoryBy GreyfoxWell written book that describes the social conditions in the south concerning relationships between the races in the years after the war. The book sheds light on a important period in American history that is still influencing society today.
