Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America

Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America

by Gilbert King

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	23386 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	453 pages

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The story of Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the dawn of a new America is one of hope, justice, and perseverance. It is a story that begins in the segregated South of the 1940s and 1950s, a time when racial violence and discrimination were rampant.

The Groveland Boys

In 1949, four young black men—Ernest Thomas, Samuel Shepherd, Charles Greenlee, and Walter Irvin—were falsely accused of raping a white woman in Groveland, Florida. The accusation was based on little more than the woman's word, and the men were quickly arrested and charged with the crime.

The trial that followed was a sham. The all-white jury convicted the men despite the lack of evidence, and they were sentenced to death. The NAACP, led by Thurgood Marshall, took on the case and appealed the conviction to the Supreme Court.

Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall was a brilliant lawyer and civil rights activist. He was the first African American to graduate from the Howard University School of Law, and he went on to become a leading advocate for civil rights. Marshall argued numerous cases before the Supreme Court, including Brown v. Board of Education, which outlawed segregation in public schools.

Marshall's work on the Groveland Boys case was a major turning point in the civil rights movement. The Supreme Court overturned the convictions of the Groveland Boys, and the case helped to expose the racism and injustice that was prevalent in the South.

The Dawn of a New America

The Groveland Boys case was a watershed moment in the civil rights movement. It helped to galvanize support for the movement and led to the passage of landmark legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The story of Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the dawn of a new America is a reminder of the power of hope, justice, and perseverance. It is a story that inspires us to continue to fight for a more just and equitable world.

Additional Resources

• The NAACP's website on the Groveland Boys
• PBS's American Experience documentary on the Groveland Boys
• The Groveland Four: The Sad Saga of a Legal Lynching, by Gilbert King

Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America

by Gilbert King

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	23386 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	453 pages

FREE