Unpunished Murder: Massacre at Colfax and the Quest for Justice (Scholastic Focus) 12+: The Colfax Massacre

About this book

The riveting story of how the Supreme Court turned a blind eye on justice, stripped away the equal rights promised to all Americans, and ushered in the era of Jim Crow.

On Easter Sunday of 1873, just eight years after the Civil War ended, a band of white supremacists marched into Grant Parish, Louisiana, and massacred over 100 unarmed African Americans. The court case that followed reached the highest court in the land. Yet, following one of the most ghastly incidents of mass murder in American history, not one person was convicted.The opinion issued by the Supreme Court in US v. Cruikshank set in motion a process that would help create a society in which black Americans were oppressed and denied basic human rights -- legally, according to the courts. These injustices paved the way for Jim Crow and would last for the next hundred years. Many continue to exist to this day.In this compelling and thoroughly researched volume for young readers, Lawrence Goldstone traces the evolution of the law and the fascinating characters involved in the story of how the Supreme Court helped institutionalize racism in the American justice system.

Reviews

Praise for Unpunished Murder:

A Booklist Youth Editors' Choice selection

* "A gripping story and a well-informed perspective on American history. Spotlighting an event seldom discussed in books for young people, Goldstone provides a complex, useful historical context for understanding issues surrounding race and justice." -- Booklist, starred review

* "The book is, in large part, the story of how racism evolves, persisting in laws and politics despite major social advances." -- The Horn Book, starred review

"This book shines a light on a shameful sea change moment in U.S. history... Difficult and necessary." -- Kirkus Reviews

"This is a unique look at not only the massacre in question, but also at the history and workings of the Supreme Court of the United States... This work shows a more complete history of the Reconstruction era and the way the highest levels of government were affected by a country trying to heal and make amends." -- School Library Connection


Praise for Higher, Steeper, Faster:

* "For those who love history, aviation, or stories of great daring, this is pure pleasure." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Readers will breathlessly follow the race to conquer the sky." -- School Library Connection, starred review

* "Goldstone deftly combines captivating descriptions of the personalities -- male and female -- with discussion of the many improvements and ever-present hazards of early flying." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review


"This look at the early days of the industry highlights the thrill and awe of a watching public as well as the fact that the sky was no longer any sort of boundary." -- Booklist


"Armchair thrillseekers will settle in and read this one straight through." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books