Devil in the Grove

Winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. I believe the value in any book comes from its ability to change the reader’s perspective. Prior to reading Devil in the Grove I had a cursory understanding of the Jim Crow laws in the south and the oppressive effects they had on blacks. But it wasn’t until I read this book that I truly felt the evil that existed in our country at that time, and opened in me a feeling of compassion for the plight of blacks. I know that these topics are emotionally charged as we as a society argue about the repercussions of these types of acts years later. I cannot help but feel that justice hasn’t been served to make things right for those who suffered so greatly.

Gilbert King tells the heart-breaking story of the Groveland Boys, four men falsely accused of rape, and the fight that Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP undertook for justice on their behalf. I could not fathom the pain and suffering inflicted on these poor young men as they fought for their freedom. I could not imagine the courage it took for Thurgood Marshall to journey into the south to fight for the principles of equality. He truly placed his life on the line to stand up for what was right. My respect for Thurgood Marshall, our first black Supreme Court Justice, runs deep.