Devil in the Grove

Synopsis

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize

"A must-read, cannot-put-down history." -- Thomas Friedman, New York Times

Arguably the most important American lawyer of the twentieth century, Thurgood Marshall was on the verge of bringing the landmark suit Brown v. Board of Education before the U.S. Supreme Court when he became embroiled in a case that threatened to change the course of the civil rights movement and cost him his life.

In 1949, Florida's orange industry was booming, and citrus barons got rich on the backs of cheap Jim Crow labor with the help of Sheriff Willis V. McCall, who ruled Lake County with murderous resolve. When a white seventeen-year-old girl cried rape, McCall pursued four young black men who dared envision a future for themselves beyond the groves. The Ku Klux Klan joined the hunt, hell-bent on lynching the men who came to be known as "the Groveland Boys."

Associates thought it was suicidal for Marshall to wade into the "Florida Terror," but the young lawyer would not shrink from the fight despite continuous death threats against him.

Drawing on a wealth of never-before-published material, including the FBI's unredacted Groveland case files, as well as unprecedented access to the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund files, Gilbert King shines new light on this remarkable civil rights crusader.

Summary

Chapter 1: Storm Warnings

Summary:
The chapter introduces the small town of Groveland, Florida, in the 1940s, and the racial tensions simmering beneath its surface. It introduces the main characters: the four black defendants (Charlie Greenlee, Ernest Thomas, Samuel Shepherd, and Walter Irvin), the white rape victim Norma Padgett, and Sheriff Willis McCall. The book sets the stage for the impending trial and the charged atmosphere of the time.

Example:
"Groveland, Florida, was a town like a thousand others in the Jim Crow South—a place where white supremacy ruled unchallenged and the color of a person's skin determined their destiny."

Chapter 2: A Night of Terror

Summary:
This chapter recounts the events of July 16, 1949, when Norma Padgett and her husband were robbed and assaulted by a group of black men. It vividly portrays the fear and violence experienced by the Padgett family and sets in motion the chain of events that will lead to the trial of the four defendants.

Example:
"The men came at them like demons out of hell, swinging their weapons with a ferocity that was both terrifying and exhilarating. Norma could feel the blood spurting from her husband's head as one of the assailants struck him with a tire iron."

Chapter 3: The Arrests

Summary:
The chapter describes the swift and brutal arrests of the four defendants. McCall and his deputies use intimidation, violence, and false confessions to secure convictions. The authorities' determination to find the perpetrators of the crime and the ensuing media frenzy create a climate of fear and hysteria in the town.

Example:
"Deputy Sheriff James Yates, a large, burly man with a reputation for brutality, slammed Charlie Greenlee against the trunk of his car and beat him with his nightstick until he confessed to being part of the mob that had attacked the Padgett family."

Chapter 4: The Trial

Summary:
The trial of the Groveland Four unfolds as a travesty of justice. The prosecution presents weak evidence, relies on coerced confessions, and appeals to the racial prejudices of the all-white jury. The defense attorney, George Merrell, is overwhelmed by the hostile atmosphere and fails to adequately defend his clients.

Example:
"Prosecutor J.W. Hunter's opening statement was a calculated appeal to the jury's racial fears. He described the defendants as 'beasts' who had 'savagely attacked' a 'helpless white woman.'"

Chapter 5: The Aftermath

Summary:
The defendants are found guilty and sentenced to death. The verdict shocks the nation and leads to protests and appeals. Merrell fights tirelessly for his clients, and eventually, the all-white Florida Supreme Court overturns the convictions and orders a retrial. The book concludes with the legacy of the Groveland case and its lasting impact on the fight for racial justice in America.

Example:
"The Groveland case became a rallying cry for the civil rights movement. It demonstrated the systemic racism and injustice that was pervasive in the South and inspired a generation of activists to fight for equality."