Bibliograph

Unexampled courage, the blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard and the awakening of President Harry S. Truman and Judge J. Waties Waring, Richard Gergel

Type

Label

Unexampled courage, the blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard and the awakening of President Harry S. Truman and Judge J. Waties Waring, Richard Gergel

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 275-304) and index

resource.biographical

contains biographical information

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Unexampled courage

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

1082266686

Responsibility statement

Richard Gergel

Sub title

the blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard and the awakening of President Harry S. Truman and Judge J. Waties Waring

Summary

Sgt. Woodward, an African American World War II veteran, was on a bus back to his home in Georgia in February 1946 when he was arrested in Batesburg, South Carolina. He was beaten by Batesburg police chief Lynwood Shull so badly he was left blind. President Truman urged a federal response and Shull was arrested on civil rights charges. Truman went on to establish a presidential committee on civil rights and eventually integrate the American armed forces. Shull was acquited by an all-white jury, which greatly influenced the presiding judge, J. Waties Waring. Waring went on to rule many times against segregation and black disenfranchisement that were entreanched in South Carolina

Table Of Contents

A collision of two worlds -- Tragic detour -- Wave of terror -- "The place was Batesburg" -- Bystander government -- "My God... we have to do something" -- The Isaac Woodard Road Show -- The gradualist -- "A baptism in racial prejudice" -- "I shall fight to end evil like this" -- "We know the way. We need only the will." -- Confronting the American dilemma -- There will be no fines -- Fighting the "battle royal" -- Driving the "last nail in the coffin of segregation" -- Conclusion: Unexampled courage

Classification