Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era
On June 21, 1964, more than twenty Klansmen murdered three civil rights workers. The killings, in what would become known as the “Mississippi Burning” case, were among the most brazen acts of violence during the Civil Rights Movement. And even though the killers’ identities, including the sheriff’s deputy, were an open secret, no one was charged with murder in the months and years that followed.
It took forty-one years before the mastermind was brought to trial and finally convicted for the three innocent lives he took. If there is one man who helped pave the way for justice, it is investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell.
In Race Against Time, Mitchell takes readers on the twisting, pulse-racing road that led to the reopening of four of the most infamous killings from the days of the Civil Rights Movement, decades after the fact. His work played a central role in bringing killers to justice for the assassination of Medgar Evers, the firebombing of Vernon Dahmer, the 16th Street Church bombing in Birmingham and the Mississippi Burning case. Mitchell reveals how he unearthed secret documents, found long-lost suspects and witnesses, building up evidence strong enough to take on the Klan. He takes us into every harrowing scene along the way, as when Mitchell goes into the lion’s den, meeting one-on-one with the very murderers he is seeking to catch. His efforts have put four leading Klansmen behind bars, years after they thought they had gotten away with murder.
Race Against Time is an astonishing, courageous story capturing a historic race for justice, as the past is uncovered, clue by clue, and long-ignored evils are brought into the light. This is a landmark book and essential reading for all Americans.
Reviews (88)
Brilliant and disturbing. Mitchell is a hero of justice.
Jerry Mitchell's account of going after these unsolved, or rather un-prosecuted, cases is remarkable. The shocking reality of the involvement, not only of the clan, but the police, state and government officials is appalling. Mitchell sought the truth and found it. The dirty little secrets that they tried to hide were torn wide open. Finally there would be some justice.
A Must read for anyone interested in the Civil Rights movement
This book details the re-opening of 4 murder cases from the civil rights era: the case of Chaney, Goodman & Schwerner who were working for civil rights, the case Medgar Evers who was assassinated, shot in the back, in his own driveway, the case Vernon Dahmer who died when the KKK firebombed his house, and the 4 young girls (Collins, McNair, Robertson and Wesley) who were killed when their church was bombed. The book is well written and explores how the murderers of all these people walked free for years escaping justice due to the stacked juries and a biased criminal justice system. It then details how the cases were re-opened and at least some of the perpetrators were brought to justice. If you're interested in social justice and those who gave their lives for it, this is a must read.
BRILLIANT!
This incredible book reads like the best legal thriller-fiction, but it's true, and the real-life hero who solves crimes and hunts down killers and sees justice done is Jerry Mitchell. This is nothing short of remarkable. A big hat tip to RACE AGAINST TIME--it's easily the best non-fiction book I've ever come across.
A must read and very important book
I couldn't put this book down until I finished it, It's such an important read, extremely well written, and details the horrors of the many murders in the civil rights era and the failure and corruption of the police and justice system during that time all the way forward to 2005 when Edgar Ray Killen was finally convicted and sent to jail for his involvement in the killing of three civil rights workers in Neshoba County, MS over 40 years earlier.
Tenacity cannot be underrated
I am young enough not to remember the murders of Medgar Evers, Vernon Dahmer, or the Neshoba County murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner....however; I am old enough to remember when the men primarily responsible for their deaths were finally held accountable, due in large part to the efforts of the author of this book, Jerry Mitchell. Mississippi is full of residents who would rather not "open old wounds." My wife is a native, and it was not until she was an adult, with a decade of post-secondary education, that she first learned about the Freedom Riders or Neshoba County or many of Mississippi's (my adopted home-state) worst moments. (Her Mississippi History class in high school spent its time making sure the students could memorize the names of the 82 counties, instead.) Thankfully, Mitchell was not raised to let bygones be bygones and refused to allow the power structure in place, at the relevant time, to let the men responsible for these terrible deaths do so either. I am not convinced that all of the prosecutors in each of the different trials would have pushed as hard, had they themselves not been pushed. I'd recommend this book to any fellow Mississippian, any person at all interested in the Civil Rights era, any trial attorney (or would-be trial attorney) and especially to any journalism student. This book is a ready reminder of the ultimate power of ability of a free press to effectuate change for good. Excellent work.
A Real Race Against Time
In 1989, Jerry Mitchell went to see the controversial film “Mississippi Burning,” the movie based on the real-life murders of civil rights workers Mickey Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney. By happenstance, an FBI agent working the case sat next to Mitchell and added his insight into the movie’s series of events. What Mitchell learned from the FBI agent that the “Mississippi Burning” case was never solved, which sent Mitchell into investigative mode, which helped solved the case and get convictions after so many decades. What Mitchell didn’t know was that the Mississippi Burning case was only the beginning of his quest to open other cold cases, before it was too late. “Race Against Time” is the story of one journalist’s persistence, patience, and tenacity in making sure civil rights cold cases see the light of day. One of the first cold cases Mitchell investigated was the 1964 murder of Medgar Evers, and how Mississippi’s highest officials sought to silence Evers and his civil rights activities. The paper trail led back to Byron De La Beckwith, an odd man with a gift of gab. Though Mitchell’s investigations and reporting, the State of Mississippi convicted De La Beckwith of murder. Other cold cases “Race against time” which were solved through Mitchell’s investigative journalism was the death of Vernon Dahmer, Sr. a Mississippi civil rights worker who died after his home was firebombed, the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, where four young girls were murdered in 1963. It is quite possible had Mitchell not worked on these cases, they would have died with the suspects. “Race against time” is an imperative call to justice, because as years go by, the civil rights movement and its cold cases will fade with time, and die through the perpetrator’s death. This book was good, but not a great read. At times it was repetitive and meandering and could have used better editing. “Race against time” also rehashed information that is already well-known and documented, and I found the book somewhat boring. Despite its flaws, “Race against time” is how one courageous reporter, one who risked his own life, believed that justice could be served through the power of investigative journalism.
Exceptional book.
I have studied American history for many years, including the various times of racial strife in this country and was amazed at the additional information provided in this well written book. The author miraculously initiated investigations into four of the worst racial crimes in our history and the results were outstanding, despite his own possible fear of injury or death from some of the terrible individuals who caused said crimes. One of the best books I have ever read.
JUSTICE SERVED, JUSTICE WON
Thus book is a phenomenal read!!! I could not put this book down!!! I read this book in just a few nights. If I could give this book ten stars, I would. I wanted to read a book about the Mississippi Burning case. I'm so glad I ordered this book, I got so much more than what I expected. I cannot recommend this book enough!!! I'm so glad that JUSTICE prevailed after all these years for the victims, their families, and for this Country. Good, Truth, and Justice SHALL ALWAYS PREVAIL over evil. ALWAYS!!!
A must read for all humanity! This kind of human failure is a failure of conscience.
We must bring the blinding light of day to this kind of malignant human behavior so that it can be fully exposed for its horror, terror, and human devastation. We must also understand that this human evil exist because good people fail to take appropriate measures to destroy its bidding places. This kind of evil isn't exclusive to any political thought (including nationalist beliefs), nation, religion, religious sect, culture, or race. This is a human failure of conscience, a evil virus that has existed throughout human history.
This book is a must-read
If you don’t know the history that spurred the Civil Rights Movement in the 60s, you will be stunned by this book, the personal account by investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell of how he brought racist killers to justice decades after their crimes. Even though I knew how his investigations eventually succeeded, I felt I was reading a thriller, not a book of nonfiction. It’s a page-turner, and at the end you might want to stand up and cheer.
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