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Bending Toward Justice: The Birmingham Church Bombing that Changed the Course of Civil Rights
The story of the decades-long fight to bring justice to the victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, culminating in Sen. Doug Jones' prosecution of the last living bombers.
On September 15, 1963, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed. The blast killed four young girls and injured twenty-two others. The FBI suspected four particularly radical Ku Klux Klan members. Yet due to reluctant witnesses, a lack of physical evidence, and pervasive racial prejudice the case was closed without any indictments.
But as Martin Luther King, Jr. famously expressed it, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Years later, Alabama Attorney General William Baxley reopened the case, ultimately convicting one of the bombers in 1977. Another suspect passed away in 1994, and US Attorney Doug Jones tried and convicted the final two in 2001 and 2002, representing the correction of an outrageous miscarriage of justice nearly forty years in the making. Jones himself went on to win election as Alabama's first Democratic Senator since 1992 in a dramatic race against Republican challenger Roy Moore.
Bending Toward Justice is a dramatic and compulsively readable account of a key moment in our long national struggle for equality, related by an author who played a major role in these events. A distinguished work of legal and personal history, the book is destined to take its place alongside other canonical civil rights histories like Parting the Waters and Mississippi Burning.
On September 15, 1963, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed. The blast killed four young girls and injured twenty-two others. The FBI suspected four particularly radical Ku Klux Klan members. Yet due to reluctant witnesses, a lack of physical evidence, and pervasive racial prejudice the case was closed without any indictments.
But as Martin Luther King, Jr. famously expressed it, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Years later, Alabama Attorney General William Baxley reopened the case, ultimately convicting one of the bombers in 1977. Another suspect passed away in 1994, and US Attorney Doug Jones tried and convicted the final two in 2001 and 2002, representing the correction of an outrageous miscarriage of justice nearly forty years in the making. Jones himself went on to win election as Alabama's first Democratic Senator since 1992 in a dramatic race against Republican challenger Roy Moore.
Bending Toward Justice is a dramatic and compulsively readable account of a key moment in our long national struggle for equality, related by an author who played a major role in these events. A distinguished work of legal and personal history, the book is destined to take its place alongside other canonical civil rights histories like Parting the Waters and Mississippi Burning.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2019
About the author
Doug Jones
1 book25 followersDoug Jones is a US Senator who has made finding common ground a hallmark of his tenure. In 2017, he became the first Democrat to win a Senate election in Alabama since 1992. As U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 1997 to 2001, Jones prosecuted two former Ku Klux Klan members for their roles in the racially-motivated 1963 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing that took the lives of four girls. He also secured an indictment against Centennial Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph.
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August 27, 2019**********************
While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age During the Civil Rights Movement by Carolyn Maull McKinstry 3 stars
While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age During the Civil Rights Movement by Carolyn Maull McKinstry 3 stars
March 7, 2024
Doug Jones served as a prosecutor & defense attorney,
Alabama's Asst Attorney General & US Attorney for
Birmingham. He obtained murder convictions on 2
of 3 KKK perps who bombed the Birmingham Baptist
Church in 1963. In December 2017 he defeated contro-
versial Roy Moore for a US Senate seat.
4 black girls (1 aged 11 & the rest 14) were murdered when
a KKK planted bomb destroyed the back of Birmingham's
16th Street Baptist church. The bomb left a hole 5.5 feet
long + 2 feet deep. The motive? KKK anger over upcoming
school de-segregagation.
President Kennedy assigned the FBI as the chief law en-
forcement agency to investigate the bombing. 40 FBI men
worked 5 yrs on this case, they had 3 suspects, but FBI did
not recommend prosecution. What about the Dept. of
Justice? FBI Director Hoover assumed civil rights heroes,
such as Dr. King, were Communists. So Hoover 'dropped
the ball.' Hoover died in 1972.
KKK men associated with the bomb? Chambliss, Blanton,
& Cherry. I will not dignify them using their full names.
The author's mentor, Bill Baxley, obtained the murder
conviction on Chambliss who fancied himself a bomb/
dynamite expert after his military experience w/ these
materials. Cherry's attys claimed he was incompetent to
contribute to his defense in a trial due to his vascular
dementia. The judge gave a clever order which Cherry
could not anticipate/ defend. At one point, Cherry called
his own press conference, which backfired when wit-
nesses came forward against him. Cherry bragged about
his violent behavior. He proudly told the US attorney (the
author) that in 1957 he beat the face of civil rights icon,
the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, by use of brass knuckles.
The FBI convinced a minor local KKK guy to become an
FBI operative. The man was reluctant to become involved
until he saw the morgue photos of the 4 girls. Operative's
apt was next door to Blanton's apt. The FBI planted a bug.
They also had a bug in the operative's auto. Which resulted
in incriminating audio recordings (discovered yrs later in
police bldg. basement). In 1963 a court order wasn't required
in order for police or FBI to plant a listening device.
The author sensitively discussed the victims, the surviving
families, the witnesses, and the teamwork involved in
convicting the last 2 perps. 1977, 2001, & 2002 were the
conviction dates. We saw the roadblocks the prosecutors
encountered.
It was difficult to read of pure evil, of KKK, but ultimately,
finally the families of the 4 girls got their justice. I liked
how the evidence came together. The author could have
shortened or summarized some of the court testimony.
Jones cautioned: the Democratic Party shouldn't discount
the needs of Southerners, who Republicans assumed would
vote for them.
Alabama's Asst Attorney General & US Attorney for
Birmingham. He obtained murder convictions on 2
of 3 KKK perps who bombed the Birmingham Baptist
Church in 1963. In December 2017 he defeated contro-
versial Roy Moore for a US Senate seat.
4 black girls (1 aged 11 & the rest 14) were murdered when
a KKK planted bomb destroyed the back of Birmingham's
16th Street Baptist church. The bomb left a hole 5.5 feet
long + 2 feet deep. The motive? KKK anger over upcoming
school de-segregagation.
President Kennedy assigned the FBI as the chief law en-
forcement agency to investigate the bombing. 40 FBI men
worked 5 yrs on this case, they had 3 suspects, but FBI did
not recommend prosecution. What about the Dept. of
Justice? FBI Director Hoover assumed civil rights heroes,
such as Dr. King, were Communists. So Hoover 'dropped
the ball.' Hoover died in 1972.
KKK men associated with the bomb? Chambliss, Blanton,
& Cherry. I will not dignify them using their full names.
The author's mentor, Bill Baxley, obtained the murder
conviction on Chambliss who fancied himself a bomb/
dynamite expert after his military experience w/ these
materials. Cherry's attys claimed he was incompetent to
contribute to his defense in a trial due to his vascular
dementia. The judge gave a clever order which Cherry
could not anticipate/ defend. At one point, Cherry called
his own press conference, which backfired when wit-
nesses came forward against him. Cherry bragged about
his violent behavior. He proudly told the US attorney (the
author) that in 1957 he beat the face of civil rights icon,
the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, by use of brass knuckles.
The FBI convinced a minor local KKK guy to become an
FBI operative. The man was reluctant to become involved
until he saw the morgue photos of the 4 girls. Operative's
apt was next door to Blanton's apt. The FBI planted a bug.
They also had a bug in the operative's auto. Which resulted
in incriminating audio recordings (discovered yrs later in
police bldg. basement). In 1963 a court order wasn't required
in order for police or FBI to plant a listening device.
The author sensitively discussed the victims, the surviving
families, the witnesses, and the teamwork involved in
convicting the last 2 perps. 1977, 2001, & 2002 were the
conviction dates. We saw the roadblocks the prosecutors
encountered.
It was difficult to read of pure evil, of KKK, but ultimately,
finally the families of the 4 girls got their justice. I liked
how the evidence came together. The author could have
shortened or summarized some of the court testimony.
Jones cautioned: the Democratic Party shouldn't discount
the needs of Southerners, who Republicans assumed would
vote for them.
December 5, 2018
The story is a compelling one: the 1963 murder, by bombing, of four little African-American girls in their Birmingham church. This is Doug Jones' personal account of his prosecution, in 2001 and 2002 as U.S. Attorney in Alabama, of the last two defendants. This book centers on the crime, the tumultuous period of civil rights conflict in those early years, and, further on, the long-delayed investigation and trial.
This book is an "as told to" account, understandably, since Doug Jones is, as of late 2017, a newly-elected US Senator. Nonetheless, the narrative is readable, and seems personal, in his voice if not entirely his prose. It's not a political biography, either, though he does mention his election in the final chapters as something of an epilogue. The book is mainly about an important part of the civil rights struggle, about a dreadful terrorist crime, and about the long effort to bring about justice. The investigation and courtroom battle are central to the book and are gripping reading. Highly recommend.
(Reviewed from advance-reading copy, via Amazon Vine).
This book is an "as told to" account, understandably, since Doug Jones is, as of late 2017, a newly-elected US Senator. Nonetheless, the narrative is readable, and seems personal, in his voice if not entirely his prose. It's not a political biography, either, though he does mention his election in the final chapters as something of an epilogue. The book is mainly about an important part of the civil rights struggle, about a dreadful terrorist crime, and about the long effort to bring about justice. The investigation and courtroom battle are central to the book and are gripping reading. Highly recommend.
(Reviewed from advance-reading copy, via Amazon Vine).
March 18, 2019
I have to be honest, I could only stomach half of this book. I am glad Senator Jones has gotten all the details of this awful event recorded for generations to come. However, the subject matter is so sickening, it has put me in a very bad mood. I did not grow up in the south, so I only knew the surface of racism. I was clueless to the ugliness of racism taken to extremes. I think Senator Jones is to be commended for growing into a free thinking adult, and not letting the poison of his hometown corrupt him. He holds nothing back in this book. How he could deal with these evil people in such a professional and lawful way only proves we can't stereo type all southerners. But I assure you, after living in Alabama for 10 years, there is still so much change needing to happen. The old south from slave days and the civil war are so physically embedded, I am not sure how many decades it will take to have complete change. I do know with the current President, hate and white supremacy is alive and well. That's why it is too much for me to read the entire book. Maybe I will revisit it again some day.
August 20, 2019
4.5 stars. Full review coming soon.
March 5, 2020
To those who oppose Doug Jones, this book is almost entirely a history of the prosecution of those responsible for the 16th Street Church bombing. It’s very thorough and clear and inspiring. The book gives you sense of who Doug Jones is and not who he’s portrayed to be by his opposition. I personally learned a lot believe it is entirely worth the read not matter which side of politics you land on.
August 31, 2019
In 1963 four madmen blew up a church in Birmingham Alabama killing four girls. I was nine and remember it well although I did not understand the antecedents and repercussions of the deed. This book will fill in those blanks. It tells the sad story and chronicles the Herculean efforts to finally bring these men to justice.
The book is gripping, informational, fascinating and exacting. You also get a great feel for what the 1960 in the deep South was really like. However, It was wordy and overly detailed. It was also self.serving as the book author was also the prosecutor. None-the-less it is an excellent read.
The book is gripping, informational, fascinating and exacting. You also get a great feel for what the 1960 in the deep South was really like. However, It was wordy and overly detailed. It was also self.serving as the book author was also the prosecutor. None-the-less it is an excellent read.
June 10, 2019
Doug Jones was the prosecutor who convicted two of the Klansman for their bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham Alabama, murdering four girls getting ready for Sunday School. The bombing was in 1963, his first prosecution was 37 years later, the second prosecution after that.
I admire Jones, in both his book and in the trials, for keeping focus on the four murdered girls; Carole Robertson, Addie May Collins, Cynthia Morris Wesley, and Carol Denise McNair. Like any good prosecutor, he does not shy away from the grisly details of how they died and the descriptions of the crime scene photos. His poignant telling of the the mornings of each of the girls including the moments before the bombing and description of the effects of the murders on each family years after the bombing remind the reader why these prosecutions are so important.
There is frustration in reading this book. A key piece of evidence, a FBI tape of the one of the murderers talking about the bombing was initially kept from state authorities and then "lost" for years until the Jones team found it in their exhausting review. This was but one example of why justice was not obtained earlier.
Jones describes the legal issues in the trial in a way that satisfies the pickiest lawyer in a way easily understandable to the lay person. Jones explains the importance of a third, unidentified person on the FBI tape eliminating the marital privilege and that the inevitable discovery rule and good faith exception allowed for the tape's admissibility even though it was done without a court order. Interestingly Washington state does not allow either exception which makes me wonder if the murderers would have been brought to justice in Washington state.
My only reservation with the book is that at times Jones seems to downplay the racism that created the environment that allowed the bombings and made it so difficult to prosecute cases like this, something that I attributed to his running for re-election for the US Senate from Alabama in 2020. However there are times he does address the widespread attitudes and not just the actions of the fringe of the Klan, he noted that the first prosecutor who obtained a conviction on the case, Bill Baxley, lost his political career because so many Alabamans did not see the need for the prosecutions as it was a thing of the past.
But on the whole, the book has the suspense and story telling of a novel with a factual retelling of a true story that should never be forgotten
I admire Jones, in both his book and in the trials, for keeping focus on the four murdered girls; Carole Robertson, Addie May Collins, Cynthia Morris Wesley, and Carol Denise McNair. Like any good prosecutor, he does not shy away from the grisly details of how they died and the descriptions of the crime scene photos. His poignant telling of the the mornings of each of the girls including the moments before the bombing and description of the effects of the murders on each family years after the bombing remind the reader why these prosecutions are so important.
There is frustration in reading this book. A key piece of evidence, a FBI tape of the one of the murderers talking about the bombing was initially kept from state authorities and then "lost" for years until the Jones team found it in their exhausting review. This was but one example of why justice was not obtained earlier.
Jones describes the legal issues in the trial in a way that satisfies the pickiest lawyer in a way easily understandable to the lay person. Jones explains the importance of a third, unidentified person on the FBI tape eliminating the marital privilege and that the inevitable discovery rule and good faith exception allowed for the tape's admissibility even though it was done without a court order. Interestingly Washington state does not allow either exception which makes me wonder if the murderers would have been brought to justice in Washington state.
My only reservation with the book is that at times Jones seems to downplay the racism that created the environment that allowed the bombings and made it so difficult to prosecute cases like this, something that I attributed to his running for re-election for the US Senate from Alabama in 2020. However there are times he does address the widespread attitudes and not just the actions of the fringe of the Klan, he noted that the first prosecutor who obtained a conviction on the case, Bill Baxley, lost his political career because so many Alabamans did not see the need for the prosecutions as it was a thing of the past.
But on the whole, the book has the suspense and story telling of a novel with a factual retelling of a true story that should never be forgotten
January 14, 2021
This book was chosen for my 2021 book challenge: nonfiction book featuring the legal profession. It was quite an emotional read. Jones walks us through the chronological events of the 1963 Birmingham bombing that killed 4 little girls and how he was able to prosecute and convict two of the remaining bombers (one bomber was convicted in 1977) that occurred 37-38 years before. Piecing together old and decaying evidence let alone finding witnesses who were still alive was quite a feat. The remaining two bombers were tried separately and a year or two apart. Both were the most vile human beings you could ever encounter. And then the walk of silence the Klan imposes was something that had to be overcome. Both trials are detailed and these are some of the best parts of the book. Jones also calls the racism of the South which he is points out on page 291 “Despite the welcome election of a black president, the seeds of terrorism, political demagoguery and intransigence were disturbingly alive.” This is a book about justice and that justice should never be deferred even if it means it’s a little late in happening. This is also a book about truth. We need to tell the truth. Reading it at this moment in history seemed so prescient and a bit eerie. It’s an important read.
May 28, 2019
Part memoir of a new senator, part true crime on the investigation and prosecution of the bombers responsible for the 16th St Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, AL in 1963, and part political analysis/commentary, Jones' book is an interesting examination of both then and now in Alabama with larger national implications. Despite learning about the bombing as a child in Alabama history, this book made me realize how very little I truly know about the events or the eventually prosecutions. This was the stongest part of the book. The political commentary is thought provoking, especially when he discussed how Trump's election is much less of a surprise, wild-card when considered in context with politicians like George Wallace. Jones does drink the party Kool-aid a little too much in some areas, not unexpected given his recent election and hopes for re-election, but these were the weakest parts of the book. Rick Bragg's introduction, as is true with most all his work, is worth reading by itself.
April 4, 2022
A comprehensive look bombing of a Church in September 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama and how it shaped the career of Doug Jones. Partly biographical and filled with details on the decades long road to justice, this book is inspiring and meaningful. Jones described anguish of families of four girls who died in bombing, intense FBI investigation, the first trial he witnessed as law student and then two trials he personally prosecuted to bring other two perpetrators to finally be convicted. He’s honest about the past sins of segregation in the South and the rise of anti immigrant sentiment, undoing of voting rights and continued struggles for racial equality. He lays out the politics of his state of Alabama and what needs to be done going forward to prevent going backwards in terms of social and racial justice.
November 12, 2019
Disappointing book about the trials of the church bombings in Alabama that happened in the 1960s and was successfully prosecuted only recently. Senator Doug Jones was the Attorney General at the time. The problem isn’t the topic but how the book was written. Doug Jones was not the only writer on board but the book reads like a transcript from a tape recorder and about as interesting. Maybe a good writer will shore up this story so that it is easy to comprehend and read well. Seemed more like a gossip who doesn’t stop talking and you can’t stand it anymore.
July 13, 2020
Doug Jones does an extraordinary job explaining the objective facts of the bombing, the investigation and the trials. He bends over backwards to avoid conjecture and speculation so that the facts speak for themselves and the conclusions about the impacts and the legacy of the bombing can carry merit. However the tone shifts completely in the last 20% of the book when it becomes all about his political career.
February 23, 2020
It's not everyday you read about something so sinister & are left with such hope, but that's what Senator Jones manages to do with this book. While repetitive at times, Senator Jones does a great job keeping the tension in a story where the outcome is already known. Not easily done, believe me. I will admit, I didn't really know much about him, but after reading his story, I can say without hesitation, the World (& Washington) needs more people like Senator Jones.
June 6, 2019
Just read it.
June 3, 2019
BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019!
October 29, 2021
Excellent telling of D. Jones and his involvement and hand in bringing killers to justice for the bombing of a church in 1963 and the death of 4 black girls.
June 10, 2020
"Bending Toward Justice" is a detailed, yet highly readable account of the the righting of a terrible wrong. An untoward miscarriage of justice reflected in our nations tragic history of racism.
The crime: the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL caused the death of 4 innocent little girls and the injury of 22 others. The perpetrators were believed to be local members of the Ku Klux Klan who were unhappy about, among other things, the upcoming integration of the City’s schools who chose to express their disapproval of integration by bombing a local, highly respected African American church. The case never went to trial primarily due to a uncooperative witnesses, fear of the KKK and racial attitudes at the time. Justice was not served. Reopened in 1977, Alabama Attorney General William Baxley successfully obtained a conviction for one of the accused. Reopened again in 2001, US Attorney (now US Senator) Doug Jones and his team were able to obtain convictions for the 2 remaining, living suspects.
Part history, part memoir “Bending Toward Justice" is the story of this horrible crime, its affect on the victim’s families and the community, the people who sought to protect the perpetrators and those who fought for justice. Favorite quote: “What do two murderous Klansman who committed a terrible crime more than fifty years ago have to do with the need to renovate aspects of our political system? Everything, because they represent the ugly truth of extreme political, economic, and social division.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For more book reviews and recommendations follow me at #emptynestreader on Instagram, FB & goodreads. #bendingtowardjustice #dougjones @ussenatordougjones #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #readingbringsjoy #whatimreading #booksilove #goodreadschallenge #igbooks #bookfetish
#readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle
The crime: the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL caused the death of 4 innocent little girls and the injury of 22 others. The perpetrators were believed to be local members of the Ku Klux Klan who were unhappy about, among other things, the upcoming integration of the City’s schools who chose to express their disapproval of integration by bombing a local, highly respected African American church. The case never went to trial primarily due to a uncooperative witnesses, fear of the KKK and racial attitudes at the time. Justice was not served. Reopened in 1977, Alabama Attorney General William Baxley successfully obtained a conviction for one of the accused. Reopened again in 2001, US Attorney (now US Senator) Doug Jones and his team were able to obtain convictions for the 2 remaining, living suspects.
Part history, part memoir “Bending Toward Justice" is the story of this horrible crime, its affect on the victim’s families and the community, the people who sought to protect the perpetrators and those who fought for justice. Favorite quote: “What do two murderous Klansman who committed a terrible crime more than fifty years ago have to do with the need to renovate aspects of our political system? Everything, because they represent the ugly truth of extreme political, economic, and social division.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For more book reviews and recommendations follow me at #emptynestreader on Instagram, FB & goodreads. #bendingtowardjustice #dougjones @ussenatordougjones #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #readingbringsjoy #whatimreading #booksilove #goodreadschallenge #igbooks #bookfetish
#readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle
May 22, 2019
What I Liked:
- fairly easy to read
- it goes beyond just the trials, Jones talks about his early life and his life after the bombing trials
- not super long
What I Wasn’t A Fan Of:
- although I enjoyed the parts about things outside of the trials, the book was completely marketed as the story of the trials so I feel it was a little misleading to not market it as more of a memoir about Jones’ career that was mostly focused on the trials rather than a history book about just the bombing and trials
- I really admire Senator Jones but so much of this was like good ole boy talk, not in the hateful way towards anyone but just lots of “well hell” and what not. Just tell the story, it doesn’t need all the extra stuff.
- it took a while for me to get into the writing style. I’m not sure how easy it would be for someone who doesn’t regularly read books along this line of nonfiction based in the court system or just historical books in general (shoutout to my history major and pre-law interest because I have to read like 3-4 books a semester set up like this one and I feel that helped me get through this pretty quickly)
- the ending dragged a lot to me
Overall, I enjoyed this and think it is an important look into the importance of these huge court cases that really have the power to tear a community apart and have so much weight on them. I know it was written with a co-writer, but I am very impressed by the writing of this book. Along with showing the behind-the-scenes of a prosecutors journey in two huge trials, it also just shows the story of a white man who grew up in Birmingham during the civil rights movement and the story of a Democrat trying to make political waves in a deep red state.
- fairly easy to read
- it goes beyond just the trials, Jones talks about his early life and his life after the bombing trials
- not super long
What I Wasn’t A Fan Of:
- although I enjoyed the parts about things outside of the trials, the book was completely marketed as the story of the trials so I feel it was a little misleading to not market it as more of a memoir about Jones’ career that was mostly focused on the trials rather than a history book about just the bombing and trials
- I really admire Senator Jones but so much of this was like good ole boy talk, not in the hateful way towards anyone but just lots of “well hell” and what not. Just tell the story, it doesn’t need all the extra stuff.
- it took a while for me to get into the writing style. I’m not sure how easy it would be for someone who doesn’t regularly read books along this line of nonfiction based in the court system or just historical books in general (shoutout to my history major and pre-law interest because I have to read like 3-4 books a semester set up like this one and I feel that helped me get through this pretty quickly)
- the ending dragged a lot to me
Overall, I enjoyed this and think it is an important look into the importance of these huge court cases that really have the power to tear a community apart and have so much weight on them. I know it was written with a co-writer, but I am very impressed by the writing of this book. Along with showing the behind-the-scenes of a prosecutors journey in two huge trials, it also just shows the story of a white man who grew up in Birmingham during the civil rights movement and the story of a Democrat trying to make political waves in a deep red state.
July 22, 2019
Senator Doug Jones' memoir is not always an easy or pleasant read. He takes us deep into the hearts and lives of Bobby Frank Cherry and Tom Blanton, the two KKK members whom he successfully prosecuted for their roles in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that killed Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, and Carole Robertson.
We see a lot about the racial politics of the 1960s, in which all four perpetrators were set free by a white jury, and how those politics had not changed nearly as much as one would have hoped in the 1990s when the two still-living participants in the crime were sent to jail.
Jones also writes (briefly) about his campaign for senate against disgraced judge Roy Moore ... and ties the situations together with a look at the racial politics being spurred today by white nationalist elements within the Republican party ... all the way to the top of the ladder.
This was a tough book to read. It took me more than a month, because I had to take breaks from it. I have given up on the idea that we're doing better as a country than we were in the past. My privilege doesn't blind me anymore. However, the hatred is exhausting to deal with, and I could only read so much at a time about men who were proud to kill four little African-American girls and lament that their crime didn't take more lives.
The heroes in the story are not Jones and his prosecutorial team, from his perspective. The heroes are the families and investigators who never gave up and never forgot.
Like I said, it's a tough read. However, it's an important one. Highly recommended.
We see a lot about the racial politics of the 1960s, in which all four perpetrators were set free by a white jury, and how those politics had not changed nearly as much as one would have hoped in the 1990s when the two still-living participants in the crime were sent to jail.
Jones also writes (briefly) about his campaign for senate against disgraced judge Roy Moore ... and ties the situations together with a look at the racial politics being spurred today by white nationalist elements within the Republican party ... all the way to the top of the ladder.
This was a tough book to read. It took me more than a month, because I had to take breaks from it. I have given up on the idea that we're doing better as a country than we were in the past. My privilege doesn't blind me anymore. However, the hatred is exhausting to deal with, and I could only read so much at a time about men who were proud to kill four little African-American girls and lament that their crime didn't take more lives.
The heroes in the story are not Jones and his prosecutorial team, from his perspective. The heroes are the families and investigators who never gave up and never forgot.
Like I said, it's a tough read. However, it's an important one. Highly recommended.
April 11, 2019
Sen. Doug Jones offers a fascinating insider look at prosecuting two of the three KKK members convicted for involvement in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963. Unlike many books by national political figures, Jones avoids falling into self-congratulations and instead does a fine job of explaining the racial-political climate of Birmingham at the time, then following the long slog of time that passes before the victims' families see any justice.
February 13, 2021
This was a great story covering the bombing and the activities that brought the bombers/killers to justice. As a teenager, I recall that the inability of the system to charge the KKK members who committed this heinous act was damning of the South. The absence of justice for such a terrible act went a long way in galvanizing support Nationwide, but especially and even in the South, to changing the practices through the Civil Rights movement. Jones begins the biography with his childhood in Birmingham and suggests how he could grow up largely unaware of the terror inflicted on the black community by the KKK. It was one of the consequences of segregation. He also shows the terror inflicted by the KKK on the community and their resulting sense of invulnerability to prosecution. He credits the work of Baxley to convict Chambliss in 1977 with inspiring him to work in this area. --- The book is full of details about how and why people responded the way they did or failed to respond. Fear of the KKK. It lays out the difficulties and careful approaches taken in the first trial for Blanton then the later trial for Cherry. --- Much of the evidence was circumstantial and the prosecution needed to overwhelm the jury with details to avoid "reasonable doubt". On the otherhand, the defense pointed out the circumstantial aspect of the evidence and suggested the motivation was to obtain closure on the horrific crime. Jones countered by making the actual crime, the murders, the focus of the trial.
Nevertheless, there was closure. --- It took a long time. However, the theme of the book was that even justice delayed is justice.
The story of the bombing and subsequent trials took 2/3 of the book. The remainder was about Doug Jones' subsequent career in politics. I am not enough of a political junky, nor an Alabaman, such that I found that so interesting. I liked what he had to say but it was off topic for me. The book was over. I skimmed through that section. I recommend the first two-thirds of the book and not so much the last.
Nevertheless, there was closure. --- It took a long time. However, the theme of the book was that even justice delayed is justice.
The story of the bombing and subsequent trials took 2/3 of the book. The remainder was about Doug Jones' subsequent career in politics. I am not enough of a political junky, nor an Alabaman, such that I found that so interesting. I liked what he had to say but it was off topic for me. The book was over. I skimmed through that section. I recommend the first two-thirds of the book and not so much the last.
April 3, 2022
I picked up this book awhile ago after Jones won over Roy Moore and thought it'd be an interesting read. Jones sounds like an interesting fellow and while I wasn't familiar with his work, it seemed like this would be another good read, especially as the now-former Senator has been working on the nomination process of the Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.
This book is mostly a recounting of the process to convict the still living suspects of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. There's also a little bit about Jones's personal life and his eventual Senate win over Moore, although the majority of the book is dedicated to his work regarding the prosecution.
Personally for me I found this to be a tough read. I'm not sure if it's because of his writing style, the topic, or something else but overall I found it dry. That said, it is an extremely important book and sometimes it's important to get a perspective like his, if only to recount his process for future generations.
Definitely a read for someone with a specific interest in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, legal scholars, future lawyers, etc. I wouldn't recommend this if you're looking to take a similar path to politics like Jones did (only because this book really isn't about that), but for the right person it would definitely be a good purchase to have as a reference. For a lay person it might be better as a library borrow.
I bought this as a bargain book, which was fine for me since I didn't get to it until many years later. I think it's a pity he's no longer in the Senate but am glad we got him for the KBJ nomination and would be happy to read any other book he chooses to write about his political career or his work on the nomination.
This book is mostly a recounting of the process to convict the still living suspects of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. There's also a little bit about Jones's personal life and his eventual Senate win over Moore, although the majority of the book is dedicated to his work regarding the prosecution.
Personally for me I found this to be a tough read. I'm not sure if it's because of his writing style, the topic, or something else but overall I found it dry. That said, it is an extremely important book and sometimes it's important to get a perspective like his, if only to recount his process for future generations.
Definitely a read for someone with a specific interest in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, legal scholars, future lawyers, etc. I wouldn't recommend this if you're looking to take a similar path to politics like Jones did (only because this book really isn't about that), but for the right person it would definitely be a good purchase to have as a reference. For a lay person it might be better as a library borrow.
I bought this as a bargain book, which was fine for me since I didn't get to it until many years later. I think it's a pity he's no longer in the Senate but am glad we got him for the KBJ nomination and would be happy to read any other book he chooses to write about his political career or his work on the nomination.
March 20, 2021
Over 30 years after the infamous bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama that killed four little girls, then-US Attorney Doug Jones took over and led the investigation and prosecution of two Klansmen who took part in the bombing, bringing justice before the last of the witnesses and parents of the four victims were forever gone.
While undoubtedly written to help Jones candidacy for the U.S. Senate, this book hits important themes on three fronts. First, it is a historical reminder of the awful consequences of hatred, bigotry and racism, something which once again seems on the rise in this country.
Second, it is a detailed account of the processes inside a major trial -- the investigation, the discussions of strategy, the handling of witnesses. It's well-worth reading just for this.
Finally, it is a personal account of the sacrifices and dedication it takes to fight for justice and the personal toll it takes on everyone involved.
Jones is a direct storyteller, but not skilled in the art of building tension. The book lacks the page-turning tension that perhaps a more skilled writer (or editor) could have infused into the book. It took awhile for me to get through the book because it didn't keep drawing me back as it sat on my nightstand.
For readers interested in the history of that time, this book of perhaps the last prosecution from the murders of the Civil Rights era perhaps puts a final stamp on that era. Unfortunately, it isn't the last time in our history we have to deal with bigotry, hatred and violence.
While undoubtedly written to help Jones candidacy for the U.S. Senate, this book hits important themes on three fronts. First, it is a historical reminder of the awful consequences of hatred, bigotry and racism, something which once again seems on the rise in this country.
Second, it is a detailed account of the processes inside a major trial -- the investigation, the discussions of strategy, the handling of witnesses. It's well-worth reading just for this.
Finally, it is a personal account of the sacrifices and dedication it takes to fight for justice and the personal toll it takes on everyone involved.
Jones is a direct storyteller, but not skilled in the art of building tension. The book lacks the page-turning tension that perhaps a more skilled writer (or editor) could have infused into the book. It took awhile for me to get through the book because it didn't keep drawing me back as it sat on my nightstand.
For readers interested in the history of that time, this book of perhaps the last prosecution from the murders of the Civil Rights era perhaps puts a final stamp on that era. Unfortunately, it isn't the last time in our history we have to deal with bigotry, hatred and violence.
May 4, 2019
Set in the volatile atmosphere of Birmingham Alabama sparked by change with a 1954 Supreme Court ruling on the unconstitutional precedent of black and white separate schools, “Bending Towards Justice” follows the racial anxiety and unrest that finally burst with the bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963 that killed 4 young black girls. Reopening the case years later, Alabama Attorney General William Baxley sought justice for the murdered girls with the conviction of Klu Klux Klan suspect “Dynamite Bob” in 1977. Yet the wound never healed in the Black Community for 40 years until the final two Klan suspects were tried by US Attorney Doug Jones and convicted.
Very readable and utterly fascinating the novel draws us into the struggle to bring justice to a community in the horrendous aftermath of a bombing that took innocent lives during a period in history filled with inequality, unrest, and violence. An important and captivating cold case in the fight for civil rights, U.S. Senator Doug Jones in “Bending Towards Justice” gives an insightful look into the crime, investigations and courtroom battles that ensued until the final two Klan members were convicted. Gripping the reader from beginning to end, this is an inside look at a struggle for fairness and equality that you won't put down until finished.
Very readable and utterly fascinating the novel draws us into the struggle to bring justice to a community in the horrendous aftermath of a bombing that took innocent lives during a period in history filled with inequality, unrest, and violence. An important and captivating cold case in the fight for civil rights, U.S. Senator Doug Jones in “Bending Towards Justice” gives an insightful look into the crime, investigations and courtroom battles that ensued until the final two Klan members were convicted. Gripping the reader from beginning to end, this is an inside look at a struggle for fairness and equality that you won't put down until finished.
August 21, 2022
When the Birmingham church bombing took place, I had just started my junior year in high school. Living in Utah I was very insulated from the Civil Rights issues going on in the South and other parts of the country. I knew about them from reading the newspaper and watching coverage on TV news. I think I was too immature and sheltered to truly understand what these horrible acts of violence did to the communities where they happened. I am no longer a naive high school student. I have studied marginalized populations, worked with students belonging to these populations, and read rather extensively about the atrocities that minorities have experienced.
One of the most poignant parts of the book was when the author makes the connection to the divisiveness, hatred and political extremism found in the 60s to what is happening in the 20s. It is frightening that as a nation we are no longer able to work together for the common good; rather, political parties only care about grabbing and retaining power. I am appalled at what happened in the 60s and what is happening now.
This was a fabulous book. It chronicles how two of the bombers were brought to justice decades after they committed the deed.
One of the most poignant parts of the book was when the author makes the connection to the divisiveness, hatred and political extremism found in the 60s to what is happening in the 20s. It is frightening that as a nation we are no longer able to work together for the common good; rather, political parties only care about grabbing and retaining power. I am appalled at what happened in the 60s and what is happening now.
This was a fabulous book. It chronicles how two of the bombers were brought to justice decades after they committed the deed.
January 15, 2023
Doug Jones' recounting of the 1963, 16th Street church bombing is fascinating and enlightening. I definitely remember learning about the bombing in history class, however lessons usually focused on the overall role the bombing played in the larger Civil Rights Movement. While Jones does touch on that and acknowledge it, this book gives a more in depth look at the events. I learned a lot more about the bombing than I had ever known. I also found the found the chapters detailing the trials of two of the bombers to be particularly interesting. Jones really paints a clear picture of what the trials were like as they happened.
This book doesn't stop with the end of the trials though. Jones connects the lessons he learned by prosecuting the bombers with modern issues concerning race and politics in the US. Including his own eventual bid for the US Senate. I distinctly remember when he was running, since it was all over the news, and it was interesting to get a behind the scenes look at something I remembering hearing about as current events. Although the writing can feel a bit dry at times, Jones' book really brings to light the importance of justice and facing difficult or tragic past events head on. I definitely recommend it, especially for anyone who has an interest in US history or social justice.
This book doesn't stop with the end of the trials though. Jones connects the lessons he learned by prosecuting the bombers with modern issues concerning race and politics in the US. Including his own eventual bid for the US Senate. I distinctly remember when he was running, since it was all over the news, and it was interesting to get a behind the scenes look at something I remembering hearing about as current events. Although the writing can feel a bit dry at times, Jones' book really brings to light the importance of justice and facing difficult or tragic past events head on. I definitely recommend it, especially for anyone who has an interest in US history or social justice.
June 3, 2019
This was a great read - pick it up whether you're an American and this is your civil rights history (worryingly, a history repeating itself), a history buff generally, or (without wishing in any way to downplay the significance of the events) someone who likes the 'true crime/courtroom drama' genre.
I guess that's why this is such a great book... it has an important story but far from being merely 'worthy', it lays this out in an absolutely gripping way.
(An aside, as a former court reporter I found the insights into the legal team's strategising fascinating.)
Don't be worried (as I was) that the lead author is (now) a politician. It doesn't show in the writing (which is excellent, in collaboration with Greg Truman) and it never overtakes the heart of the story even when we reach recent years and Jones' election to the US Senate. Yes, the last couple of chapters are more 'political' but always in the context of the murder of four girls in a Klan church bombing and the continuing need to fight violence and racism.
A last note: I'm a reader in Australia and wasn't all that familiar with the history, but was still totally drawn in...
I guess that's why this is such a great book... it has an important story but far from being merely 'worthy', it lays this out in an absolutely gripping way.
(An aside, as a former court reporter I found the insights into the legal team's strategising fascinating.)
Don't be worried (as I was) that the lead author is (now) a politician. It doesn't show in the writing (which is excellent, in collaboration with Greg Truman) and it never overtakes the heart of the story even when we reach recent years and Jones' election to the US Senate. Yes, the last couple of chapters are more 'political' but always in the context of the murder of four girls in a Klan church bombing and the continuing need to fight violence and racism.
A last note: I'm a reader in Australia and wasn't all that familiar with the history, but was still totally drawn in...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2021
It's often said that justice delayed is justice denied. However, "Bending Toward Justice" illustrates that it is not always the case. Sometimes a city and its leaders after years of indifference can rise up and bring guilty parties to justice even if it's more than three decades after the incident.
Doug Jones has done an exhaustive job of reconstructing some of the challenges he faced in prosecuting two of the bombers of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham which claimed four young lives.
He does mix the courtroom drama with a little political intrigue but both are part of the story. It would have been an incomplete story if he had ignored the political ramifications on his career.
What is clear about the story is that the passage of time can indeed change a community's view of racism. Birmingham is a perfect example of what has happened in many Southern communities which have come to realize the injustice of Jim Crow laws and anti-integration campaigns of the past.
Doug Jones has done an exhaustive job of reconstructing some of the challenges he faced in prosecuting two of the bombers of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham which claimed four young lives.
He does mix the courtroom drama with a little political intrigue but both are part of the story. It would have been an incomplete story if he had ignored the political ramifications on his career.
What is clear about the story is that the passage of time can indeed change a community's view of racism. Birmingham is a perfect example of what has happened in many Southern communities which have come to realize the injustice of Jim Crow laws and anti-integration campaigns of the past.
April 1, 2019
When the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church happened in 1963 I was the same age as two of those girls- fourteen. In fact they were born the same month as I was - April. At the time it was a horrible thing which I did not understand how or why anyone could do such a thing.
By the time of the trials I was living in Alabama and had a better idea of the why and how. When I read Doug Jones was presenting his book in Birmingham in that very church I knew I had to be there. It was an informative discussion and very enjoyable. The book is no different and is in a conversational style; that is I felt as though Doug were sitting across the table from me.
Jones relates his desire to prosecute the men responsible for the murders of those girls and thereby gain some justice. None of the men ever expressed remorse which still haunts Jones.
By the time of the trials I was living in Alabama and had a better idea of the why and how. When I read Doug Jones was presenting his book in Birmingham in that very church I knew I had to be there. It was an informative discussion and very enjoyable. The book is no different and is in a conversational style; that is I felt as though Doug were sitting across the table from me.
Jones relates his desire to prosecute the men responsible for the murders of those girls and thereby gain some justice. None of the men ever expressed remorse which still haunts Jones.
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