Devil in the Grove facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Gilbert King |
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| Published | 2012 |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America is a non-fiction book written by American author Gilbert King. It was published in 2012. The book tells the true story of lawyer Thurgood Marshall. He defended four young Black men in Lake County, Florida, who were wrongly accused of a crime in 1949. These young men became known as the Groveland Boys.
Marshall led a team from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The book won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction. The Pulitzer Committee called it a "richly detailed chronicle of racial injustice."
Contents
About the Book
This book explores a very important time in American history. It shows how people fought for fairness and equality. The story highlights the challenges faced by African Americans. It also shows the bravery of those who stood up for justice.
The Groveland Case
In 1949, the orange industry in Florida was growing fast. Many African-American workers helped make citrus barons rich. However, these workers lived under Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced segregation and made life unfair for Black people. They had very few rights and struggled to find justice.
Sheriff Willis V. McCall was in charge of keeping order in Lake County. He was known for being very harsh towards Black people. One day, a 17-year-old white girl from Groveland claimed she had been attacked. Soon after, McCall arrested four young Black men.
Thurgood Marshall's Fight
Thurgood Marshall was a famous lawyer. He was known as "Mr. Civil Rights." He was one of the most important American lawyers of the 20th century. Marshall decided to represent the accused men. He worked with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
The US Supreme Court later overturned the original convictions. This meant the case had to be tried again in Florida. Members of the Ku Klux Klan came to town. They burned the homes of Black families. They also chased many people into the swamps. They wanted to harm the young men, who were now called "the Groveland Boys." The Ku Klux Klan started a wave of violence. Some of the accused faced further violence, and one tragically died.
People close to Marshall worried about his safety. This period was called the "Florida Terror." They knew he was vital to the growing Civil Rights Movement. But Marshall was determined to fight for the case. One of his NAACP associates, Harry T. Moore, was involved in the case in Florida. He was tragically killed. Marshall also received many threats.
What the Book Explores
Gilbert King used many new materials for his book. These included files from the FBI about the Groveland case. He also had special access to the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund files.
King explored Marshall's important work. He also set his story against the backdrop of the case. US Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson once called this case "one of the best examples of one of the worst menaces to American justice." The book helps readers understand this difficult time. It shows the brave efforts to bring about change.
Movie Plans
In 2013, Lionsgate bought the rights to make a movie based on this book. They considered it a very important project. Anton Corbijn is planning to direct the film.
