Jimmie Lee and James: Two Lives, Two Deaths, and the Movement That Changed America

Adar Cohen · Steve Fiffer

Jun 2015 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Tom Perkins

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7 hr 44 min

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About this audiobook

"Bloody Sunday"-March 7, 1965-was a pivotal moment in the civil rights struggle. The national outrage generated by scenes of Alabama state troopers attacking peaceful demonstrators fueled the drive toward the passage of the Voting Rights Acts later that year. But why were hundreds of activists marching from Selma to Montgomery that afternoon? Days earlier, during the crackdown on another protest in nearby Marion, a state trooper, claiming self-defense, shot Jimmie Lee Jackson, a twenty-six-year-old unarmed deacon and civil rights protester. Jackson's subsequent death spurred local civil rights leaders to make the march to Montgomery; when that day also ended in violence, the call went out to activists across the nation to join in the next attempt. One of the many who came down was a minister from Boston named James Reeb. Shortly after his arrival, he was attacked in the street by racist vigilantes, eventually dying of his injuries. Lyndon Johnson evoked Reeb's memory when he brought his voting rights legislation to Congress, and the national outcry over the brutal killings ensured its passage. Most histories of the civil rights movement note these two deaths briefly, before moving on to the more famous moments. This book gives listeners a deeper understanding of the events that galvanized an already-strong civil rights movement to one of its greatest successes, along with the herculean efforts to bring the killers of these two men to justice-a quest that would last more than four decades.

About the author

Adar Cohen is an educator, organizer, and researcher in conflict resolution, youth empowerment, and nonviolent social change. As director of programs for the Civic Leadership Foundation, he supports young people in preparing to be successful in school, work, and civic life.

Steve Fiffer is the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including Tyrannosaurus Sue and A Lawyer's Journey. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Slate. Steve lives in Evanston, Illinois.

An award-winning audio engineer for over forty years, Tom Perkins has expanded his skills to narrating and has more than sixty titles to his credit. He learned by working with the world's best voice talent during his career, and he continues to engineer a variety of projects.

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