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A Shot in the Moonlight: How a Freed Slave and a Confederate Soldier Fought for Justice in the Jim Crow South
The sensational true story of George Dinning, a freed slave, who in 1899 joined forces with a Confederate war hero in search of justice in the Jim Crow south. “Taut and tense. Inspiring and terrifying in its timelessness.”(Colson Whitehead, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad )
Named a most anticipated book of 2021 by O, The Oprah Magazine
Named a "must-read" by the Chicago Review of Books
One of CNN's most anticipated books of 2021
After moonrise on the cold night of January 21, 1897, a mob of twenty-five white men gathered in a patch of woods near Big Road in southwestern Simpson County, Kentucky. Half carried rifles and shotguns, and a few tucked pistols in their pants. Their target was George Dinning, a freed slave who'd farmed peacefully in the area for 14 years, and who had been wrongfully accused of stealing livestock from a neighboring farm. When the mob began firing through the doors and windows of Dinning's home, he fired back in self-defense, shooting and killing the son of a wealthy Kentucky family.
So began one of the strangest legal episodes in American history — one that ended with Dinning becoming the first Black man in America to win damages after a wrongful murder conviction.
Drawing on a wealth of never-before-published material, bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist Ben Montgomery resurrects this dramatic but largely forgotten story, and the unusual convergence of characters — among them a Confederate war hero-turned-lawyer named Bennett H. Young, Kentucky governor William O'Connell Bradley, and George Dinning himself — that allowed this unlikely story of justice to unfold in a time and place where justice was all too rare.
Named a most anticipated book of 2021 by O, The Oprah Magazine
Named a "must-read" by the Chicago Review of Books
One of CNN's most anticipated books of 2021
After moonrise on the cold night of January 21, 1897, a mob of twenty-five white men gathered in a patch of woods near Big Road in southwestern Simpson County, Kentucky. Half carried rifles and shotguns, and a few tucked pistols in their pants. Their target was George Dinning, a freed slave who'd farmed peacefully in the area for 14 years, and who had been wrongfully accused of stealing livestock from a neighboring farm. When the mob began firing through the doors and windows of Dinning's home, he fired back in self-defense, shooting and killing the son of a wealthy Kentucky family.
So began one of the strangest legal episodes in American history — one that ended with Dinning becoming the first Black man in America to win damages after a wrongful murder conviction.
Drawing on a wealth of never-before-published material, bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist Ben Montgomery resurrects this dramatic but largely forgotten story, and the unusual convergence of characters — among them a Confederate war hero-turned-lawyer named Bennett H. Young, Kentucky governor William O'Connell Bradley, and George Dinning himself — that allowed this unlikely story of justice to unfold in a time and place where justice was all too rare.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2021
119 people are currently reading
2237 people want to read
About the author
Ben Montgomery
10 books208 followersBen grew up in Oklahoma and wanted to be a farmer before he got into journalism at Arkansas Tech University, where he played defensive back for the football team, the Wonder Boys. He worked for the Courier in Russellville, Ark., the Standard-Times in San Angelo, Texas, the Times Herald-Record in New York's Hudson River Valley and the Tampa Tribune before joining the Tampa Bay Times, Florida's biggest and best newspaper, in 2006.
In 2010, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in local reporting and won the Dart Award and Casey Medal for a series called "For Their Own Good," about abuse at Florida's oldest reform school. He lives in Tampa with his wife, Jennifer, and three children.
In 2010, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in local reporting and won the Dart Award and Casey Medal for a series called "For Their Own Good," about abuse at Florida's oldest reform school. He lives in Tampa with his wife, Jennifer, and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
March 27, 2021
Quick thoughts:
George Dinning of Kentucky becomes the first Black man in the US to win damages from a wrongful murder conviction.
Mr. Dinning's story is inspiring, riveting, emotional, and important. I was hooked on this book and and had to read it as fast as I could. Even though this really happened, making this nonfiction, it’s narrative nonfiction that reads as smoothly and engaging as fiction.
I received a gifted copy from Little Brown.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
George Dinning of Kentucky becomes the first Black man in the US to win damages from a wrongful murder conviction.
Mr. Dinning's story is inspiring, riveting, emotional, and important. I was hooked on this book and and had to read it as fast as I could. Even though this really happened, making this nonfiction, it’s narrative nonfiction that reads as smoothly and engaging as fiction.
I received a gifted copy from Little Brown.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 24, 2021
Sobering. Hard to read while white (truly is hard to read while human, but especially cringe-y when shared dna with the villians is present).
Still, Ben Montgomery tells a great true tale. He gets all his facts down, all the players - main and side - in order and well-drawn, he places the setting and atmosphere in context and THEN begins his story. From there I was George Dinning's fan, interested in every aspect. Especially the court work, and all the ways the law enforcement (ha!) and legal side of things unfolded.
While this was a book that showed a few heroes of white sort whose advocacy for George was crucial, it was clear that there was a thread running through this that many others who were being murdered and killed on the basis of lies, whimsy, or other evilness didn't have for their advantage: George's best defense was that he was home when the attack happened, and every one has the right to defend their own home. So few folks had their own homes, and were in them when attacked. That was the wand Bennett Young, and Governor Bradley and other helpers waved to help George out of the mess he was in.
This book has harrowing details about the treatment of black people trying to scrape out a life that was all too often deadly in Kentucky and Tennessee. Kudos to Indiana for taking George's family in, and where many of his offspring sprang. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a non-fiction account of how it went down for a freed slave who just wanted to be a regular, ordinary citizen of these United States; to raise his family, contribute to the greater good, and pursue happiness.
Ben Montgomery had pleased me with his book, Grandma Gatewood's Walk, and I was more than willing when the publisher of A Shot in the Moonlight sent me a copy to read and review.
Still, Ben Montgomery tells a great true tale. He gets all his facts down, all the players - main and side - in order and well-drawn, he places the setting and atmosphere in context and THEN begins his story. From there I was George Dinning's fan, interested in every aspect. Especially the court work, and all the ways the law enforcement (ha!) and legal side of things unfolded.
While this was a book that showed a few heroes of white sort whose advocacy for George was crucial, it was clear that there was a thread running through this that many others who were being murdered and killed on the basis of lies, whimsy, or other evilness didn't have for their advantage: George's best defense was that he was home when the attack happened, and every one has the right to defend their own home. So few folks had their own homes, and were in them when attacked. That was the wand Bennett Young, and Governor Bradley and other helpers waved to help George out of the mess he was in.
This book has harrowing details about the treatment of black people trying to scrape out a life that was all too often deadly in Kentucky and Tennessee. Kudos to Indiana for taking George's family in, and where many of his offspring sprang. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a non-fiction account of how it went down for a freed slave who just wanted to be a regular, ordinary citizen of these United States; to raise his family, contribute to the greater good, and pursue happiness.
Ben Montgomery had pleased me with his book, Grandma Gatewood's Walk, and I was more than willing when the publisher of A Shot in the Moonlight sent me a copy to read and review.
March 14, 2021
Several years ago I went to a local church to hear a Metro Detroit fiber artist talk about her quilt. The quilt was huge, a stark black with thousands of names embroidered on it.
April Anue, the artist, told us how God hounded her to make this quilt, and what it cost her, the anguish and tears that accompanied every name she embroidered. She talked about the horror of making the nooses that ornament the quilt.
The 5,ooo names on the quilt are those of African Americans who had been lynched in America between 1865 and 1965. The title of the quilt is Strange Fruit.
Strange Fruit by April Anue
Five thousand human beings, beaten, tortured, and murdered. Anue researched every name, now memorialized for all to read.
In the Jim Crow South there were black Americans who were harassed, beaten, their homes and livelihoods taken from them, their families traumatized; they were denied protection under the law by the authorities and the courts. How many tens of thousands have been forgotten, their names lost?
Ben Montgomery has brought one man back to life. A freed slave whose white neighbors gathered on moonlit night to demand he leave his hard-earned, modest home and farm. Twenty-five men who claimed to be 'friends.' A man who disguised his voice and wore a handkerchief to hide his identity called to him to come out of his home. When this black man had the audacity not to comply, shots bombarded his home, wounding him. And to protect his home and family, this man shot out his window into the crowd, killing a white man.
His name was George Dinning. He fled into the fields to hide as the white men took their fallen comrade away. The next morning, Dinning's house and barn were burned to the ground. George turned himself into the authorities when he heard that he had killed a man.
The story of that night, Dinning's trial, and what happened afterwards is devastating and moving. And, it is perplexing, for the story of Dinning protecting the sanctity of his home brought a surge of support, including that of a prominent veteran of the Confederate Army who built memorials to Confederate heroes while supporting organizations to benefit freed slaves. He was "foremost in work of charity among our race," one black minister said.
A Shot in the Moonlight incorporates historic documents in a vivid recreation of the events of that night, the trial, and the unexpected twists of fortune afterward. Dinning stood up to power in the courtroom, asking for reparation for his loss. Everything was stacked against him, and when he was denied justice, a deluge of editorials were printed in his defense.
In his book What Unites Us, Dan Rather talks about building consensus on the shared values we all hold dear. The sanctity of home and a man's right to protect his home and family raised sympathy of for Dinning, for every American could sympathize with protecting one's home and family.
This is an amazing story of a brave man, a horrendous tale of hate and racism, and a revelation of race relations in America that brought chills and tears.
I received a free book from Little, Brown Spark. My review is fair and unbiased.
April Anue, the artist, told us how God hounded her to make this quilt, and what it cost her, the anguish and tears that accompanied every name she embroidered. She talked about the horror of making the nooses that ornament the quilt.
The 5,ooo names on the quilt are those of African Americans who had been lynched in America between 1865 and 1965. The title of the quilt is Strange Fruit.
Strange Fruit by April Anue
Five thousand human beings, beaten, tortured, and murdered. Anue researched every name, now memorialized for all to read.
In the Jim Crow South there were black Americans who were harassed, beaten, their homes and livelihoods taken from them, their families traumatized; they were denied protection under the law by the authorities and the courts. How many tens of thousands have been forgotten, their names lost?
Ben Montgomery has brought one man back to life. A freed slave whose white neighbors gathered on moonlit night to demand he leave his hard-earned, modest home and farm. Twenty-five men who claimed to be 'friends.' A man who disguised his voice and wore a handkerchief to hide his identity called to him to come out of his home. When this black man had the audacity not to comply, shots bombarded his home, wounding him. And to protect his home and family, this man shot out his window into the crowd, killing a white man.
His name was George Dinning. He fled into the fields to hide as the white men took their fallen comrade away. The next morning, Dinning's house and barn were burned to the ground. George turned himself into the authorities when he heard that he had killed a man.
The story of that night, Dinning's trial, and what happened afterwards is devastating and moving. And, it is perplexing, for the story of Dinning protecting the sanctity of his home brought a surge of support, including that of a prominent veteran of the Confederate Army who built memorials to Confederate heroes while supporting organizations to benefit freed slaves. He was "foremost in work of charity among our race," one black minister said.
A Shot in the Moonlight incorporates historic documents in a vivid recreation of the events of that night, the trial, and the unexpected twists of fortune afterward. Dinning stood up to power in the courtroom, asking for reparation for his loss. Everything was stacked against him, and when he was denied justice, a deluge of editorials were printed in his defense.
In his book What Unites Us, Dan Rather talks about building consensus on the shared values we all hold dear. The sanctity of home and a man's right to protect his home and family raised sympathy of for Dinning, for every American could sympathize with protecting one's home and family.
This is an amazing story of a brave man, a horrendous tale of hate and racism, and a revelation of race relations in America that brought chills and tears.
I received a free book from Little, Brown Spark. My review is fair and unbiased.
August 16, 2021
The inspiring true story of George Dinning, a former slave who fought for justice and won, becoming the first Black man in America to win damages after a wrongful murder conviction. On a brightly light night, a mob of restless white men attacked Dinning in his home, while he and his wife and eleven children slept. After the crowd fires shots into the Dinning home, wounding Dinning, he fired back and hit the son of a wealthy landowner. The next day, Dinning learned that the man he shot had died, so he turned himself in to the law right away. His family's home was burned to the ground, his family sent packing without a chance to even dress for the winter weather, with small children walking barefoot into the next county and safety with family. It was 1897, and you might think that a Black man who shot and killed a white man, even in self-defense, would be doomed to hang. Instead, George Dinning stood up to injustice. You won't be able to put this one down until you see how Dinning managed to pull off a historical triumph, with the help of some unlikely allies.
January 30, 2021
Inherited Hatred
Ben Montgomery's "A Shot in The Moonlight" shines a light from our past on the ugly and prevalent race hatred that still exists in the 21st century in the Divided States of America. His book unearths not just one family's sad story a century ago, but tragedy after tragedy of horrors followed by redemption on the edge of insanity. To live in relative freedom, while constantly watching for bad trouble from dark corners, is no way to live. Kneeling on necks in a big city is no less spiteful than a noose and a tree on the lonely edge of town.
Ben Montgomery's "A Shot in The Moonlight" shines a light from our past on the ugly and prevalent race hatred that still exists in the 21st century in the Divided States of America. His book unearths not just one family's sad story a century ago, but tragedy after tragedy of horrors followed by redemption on the edge of insanity. To live in relative freedom, while constantly watching for bad trouble from dark corners, is no way to live. Kneeling on necks in a big city is no less spiteful than a noose and a tree on the lonely edge of town.
February 16, 2021
Halfway through reading this book, I direct messaged a friend of mine on Instagram who is an attorney in Louisville and lives in New Albany, Indiana, right across the Ohio River. I wrote to him:
"I'm tearing through this book .. I feel like it's one I wanted to specifically recommend to you bc it's part courtroom drama, part peek at the 19th century social justice movement, part history of Kentucky—all reasons why I thought you might especially be intrigued by it."
He affirmed that it did sound like a great pick for him. And to me, that is the kind of book "A Shot in the Moonlight" is—one that I might not recommend to everyone, but if you are the type of person for whom any of the above sounds interesting, you will find this to be a page-turner, too.
As I read it, I couldn't help thinking how George Dinning's story (a former Kentucky slave who, in defending his home from a mob of angry white men, shot and killed one of the men "kuklux"ing) paralleled Breonna Taylor's (an innocent Black woman living in Kentucky whose door was knocked on by a mob of angry white men). Their stories—and fates—are obviously different, but parallels exist in how both captured the nation's attention in a way that made a difference to the fight for social justice for Black women and men who have been the victims of white supremacy.
Along with George Dinning, other fascinating figures in this historical drama include Bennett Henderson Young, the Louisville lawyer and former Confederate soldier who chose to represent Dinning in a lawsuit the men filed on his behalf against the mob who forced Dinning and his family to flee their home (which they then burned) and Bill Bradley, Kentucky's progressive governor who gained a reputation at the turn of the 20th century for standing up against white mobs brutalizing Blacks. (He also pardoned Dinning after his trial, in which he was accused of manslaughter.)
"I'm tearing through this book .. I feel like it's one I wanted to specifically recommend to you bc it's part courtroom drama, part peek at the 19th century social justice movement, part history of Kentucky—all reasons why I thought you might especially be intrigued by it."
He affirmed that it did sound like a great pick for him. And to me, that is the kind of book "A Shot in the Moonlight" is—one that I might not recommend to everyone, but if you are the type of person for whom any of the above sounds interesting, you will find this to be a page-turner, too.
As I read it, I couldn't help thinking how George Dinning's story (a former Kentucky slave who, in defending his home from a mob of angry white men, shot and killed one of the men "kuklux"ing) paralleled Breonna Taylor's (an innocent Black woman living in Kentucky whose door was knocked on by a mob of angry white men). Their stories—and fates—are obviously different, but parallels exist in how both captured the nation's attention in a way that made a difference to the fight for social justice for Black women and men who have been the victims of white supremacy.
Along with George Dinning, other fascinating figures in this historical drama include Bennett Henderson Young, the Louisville lawyer and former Confederate soldier who chose to represent Dinning in a lawsuit the men filed on his behalf against the mob who forced Dinning and his family to flee their home (which they then burned) and Bill Bradley, Kentucky's progressive governor who gained a reputation at the turn of the 20th century for standing up against white mobs brutalizing Blacks. (He also pardoned Dinning after his trial, in which he was accused of manslaughter.)
January 7, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy for review.
A Shot in the Moonlight follows the story of former slave, George Dinning, and his trial against the mob that tried to murder him in Jim Crow South. Along the way he finds allies in some unexpected places, from the sheriff of the county, to Bennett Young, his lawyer, to the Governor of Kentucky. I had a hard time putting this one down. The tension throughout the story kept me turning the pages. The Dinning case was the first of its kind in the South. A freed slave successfully fights his would be lynchers and wins in federal court. The amount of research Ben Montgomery had to do is pretty impressive. The fact that were so many first hand accounts just goes to show how much of an impact this case had on the nation. I also found the dichotomy of his Confederate veteran lawyer to be interesting. Here is a man who fought for the South in the war, then fought for statues of Confederate soldiers to be erected, while at the same time funded and helped operate multiple charities and foundations to help the Black community. He took on cases for many Black people, including George Dinning, for free, and was viewed as a friend by the Black community in Kentucky. This is definitely worth the read, if for no other reason then it shows how much has changed, and also just how little has changed.
A Shot in the Moonlight follows the story of former slave, George Dinning, and his trial against the mob that tried to murder him in Jim Crow South. Along the way he finds allies in some unexpected places, from the sheriff of the county, to Bennett Young, his lawyer, to the Governor of Kentucky. I had a hard time putting this one down. The tension throughout the story kept me turning the pages. The Dinning case was the first of its kind in the South. A freed slave successfully fights his would be lynchers and wins in federal court. The amount of research Ben Montgomery had to do is pretty impressive. The fact that were so many first hand accounts just goes to show how much of an impact this case had on the nation. I also found the dichotomy of his Confederate veteran lawyer to be interesting. Here is a man who fought for the South in the war, then fought for statues of Confederate soldiers to be erected, while at the same time funded and helped operate multiple charities and foundations to help the Black community. He took on cases for many Black people, including George Dinning, for free, and was viewed as a friend by the Black community in Kentucky. This is definitely worth the read, if for no other reason then it shows how much has changed, and also just how little has changed.
February 20, 2021
It was ok, but I felt that the word-by-word court transcript was overdone...it just went on and on and on. And the connection between a freed slave and a Confederate soldier wasn't exactly as sensationalized as the title suggested it to be. In other words, Mr. Denning didn't seek out this person for assistance, it was more a shared acquaintance where one needed the other to reap the benefits that each wanted.
February 26, 2021
Montgomery did a phenomenal job recreating the story of George Dinning’s criminal and civil cases. It’s sad how 100+ years later there are still vigilantes (e.g. George Zimmerman) that go unpunished for murdering POC’s. This book was reminiscent of some cases discussed in “Stand Your Ground” by Caroline E. Light. I must accept I don’t understand how Col. Young could be a Confederate sympathizer while supporting the rights of minorities.
February 26, 2021
Ben Montgomery tells a great story here, one that's part tragedy, part hopeful triumph and part exploration of one very complex character. A white mob descends on George Dinning, the freed slave, in the middle of the night, ordering him to leave his Kentucky home. Dinning defends himself with birdshot, which kills one of his assailants, and is arrested for murder. His family is forced to flee and his home is burned to the ground.
What makes this true story different from so many horrific tales of mob rule, lynching and incarceration in the Jim Crow south, is that Dinning and his allies fought back, winning political support and a precedent-setting legal victory.
His chief supporter was that complex character, Dinning's lawyer, Bennett H. Young. Young somehow managed to be both a champion of the lost cause of the Confederacy and the welfare of freed Black people.
Montgomery has a gift for telling the stories of people history has largely forgotten. I think this is his best book yet, although Grandma Gatewood's Walk will always be my favorite.
What makes this true story different from so many horrific tales of mob rule, lynching and incarceration in the Jim Crow south, is that Dinning and his allies fought back, winning political support and a precedent-setting legal victory.
His chief supporter was that complex character, Dinning's lawyer, Bennett H. Young. Young somehow managed to be both a champion of the lost cause of the Confederacy and the welfare of freed Black people.
Montgomery has a gift for telling the stories of people history has largely forgotten. I think this is his best book yet, although Grandma Gatewood's Walk will always be my favorite.
January 25, 2021
A fascinating book about former slave George Dinning's arrest, trial and acquittal in Kentucky during the late 1800's.
It seems impossible that a black man during this time period would get a fair trial nonetheless get set free, and what makes it even more incredible was the number of white men that helped make this happen. The book used a contained a number of court transcripts to tell the story and that was interesting also. It really put the reader right in the courtroom to follow along with the trial.
All and all a very well researched and very interesting.
It seems impossible that a black man during this time period would get a fair trial nonetheless get set free, and what makes it even more incredible was the number of white men that helped make this happen. The book used a contained a number of court transcripts to tell the story and that was interesting also. It really put the reader right in the courtroom to follow along with the trial.
All and all a very well researched and very interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2022
Three stars because of the worthiness of the subject matter. I mean, a Black man in the 19th century who sued his persecutors and won? That’s something I wanted to know about. Otherwise, I found this book frustrating due to frequent digressions where the author would spend entire chapters on tangential history that had virtually nothing to do with the main storyline. I ended up liberally skimming.
January 20, 2022
This book was excellent! It gave great information regarding a pivotal case I'd never heard of from a time where TRUE justice was almost non-existent in the American South.
It's fast paced, informative and essential reading for anyone interested in law, court cases in the late 19th-early 20th century, mob violence and Kentucky history. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
It's fast paced, informative and essential reading for anyone interested in law, court cases in the late 19th-early 20th century, mob violence and Kentucky history. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
February 4, 2021
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A Shot in the Moonlight: How a Freed Slave and a Confederate Soldier Fought for Justice in the Jim Crow South by Ben Montgomery tells the true story of George Dinning, a freed slave in the American South and the way he made history. Mr. Montgomery is an award winning reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist.
This was one of these books that you find once in a while which you simply cannot put down. Mr. Montgomery knows how to tell a story, building a narrative, and tension while keeping the narrative flowing.
A Shot in the Moonlight: How a Freed Slave and a Confederate Soldier Fought for Justice in the Jim Crow South by Ben Montgomery follows a freed slave, George Dinning, an honest, hardworking family man by all accounts. Mr. Dinning lives in Kentucky, the Jim Crow South, and prospering via his work ethic, brains, and good nature. One evening a mob comes to his farm demanding he’d leave town or be lynched. Mr. Dinning was accused of stealing meat and burning a smokehouse – with absolutely no evidence and no history of doing anything even remotely close. The mob shot at the house, Mr. Dinning returned fire and killed one of them, a prosperous white man.
Mr. Dinning, not a stupid man by any means, rode miles away and handed himself into a sheriff he knew would try to protect him. This was dangerous as law men were intimidated by mobs and often gave into lynching to save their own skins. His case would have to be tried in federal court though, since he didn’t have any rights in Kentucky to sue white people. Mr. Dinning made history by being the first freed slave to successfully fight his would be white killers.
The research Mr. Montgomery has put into this book is impressive, the writing even more so. As a true reporter, the author relies on first-hand accounts, while describing the far reaching implications for Kentucky, African-Americans, and the nation as a while.
This book has many fascinating characters, George Dinning of course, but also his lawyer Bennett H. Young. Mr. Young was a man of contradictions. A Confederated soldier, who simultaneously fought for the erection of Confederate monuments, while at the same time operating charities to help the African-American community as well as working pro-bono in the courts, being viewed as a friend for the community.
A fantastic book, telling an amazing story of an important chapter in American history. An important book to read, especially at these trying times.
A Shot in the Moonlight: How a Freed Slave and a Confederate Soldier Fought for Justice in the Jim Crow South by Ben Montgomery tells the true story of George Dinning, a freed slave in the American South and the way he made history. Mr. Montgomery is an award winning reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist.
This was one of these books that you find once in a while which you simply cannot put down. Mr. Montgomery knows how to tell a story, building a narrative, and tension while keeping the narrative flowing.
A Shot in the Moonlight: How a Freed Slave and a Confederate Soldier Fought for Justice in the Jim Crow South by Ben Montgomery follows a freed slave, George Dinning, an honest, hardworking family man by all accounts. Mr. Dinning lives in Kentucky, the Jim Crow South, and prospering via his work ethic, brains, and good nature. One evening a mob comes to his farm demanding he’d leave town or be lynched. Mr. Dinning was accused of stealing meat and burning a smokehouse – with absolutely no evidence and no history of doing anything even remotely close. The mob shot at the house, Mr. Dinning returned fire and killed one of them, a prosperous white man.
Mr. Dinning, not a stupid man by any means, rode miles away and handed himself into a sheriff he knew would try to protect him. This was dangerous as law men were intimidated by mobs and often gave into lynching to save their own skins. His case would have to be tried in federal court though, since he didn’t have any rights in Kentucky to sue white people. Mr. Dinning made history by being the first freed slave to successfully fight his would be white killers.
The research Mr. Montgomery has put into this book is impressive, the writing even more so. As a true reporter, the author relies on first-hand accounts, while describing the far reaching implications for Kentucky, African-Americans, and the nation as a while.
This book has many fascinating characters, George Dinning of course, but also his lawyer Bennett H. Young. Mr. Young was a man of contradictions. A Confederated soldier, who simultaneously fought for the erection of Confederate monuments, while at the same time operating charities to help the African-American community as well as working pro-bono in the courts, being viewed as a friend for the community.
A fantastic book, telling an amazing story of an important chapter in American history. An important book to read, especially at these trying times.
April 24, 2021
Well written history of a black man who survived an attempted lynching and successfully sued the mob who burned his house down. With a confederate veteran as his lawyer
May 14, 2021
An incredibly tragic story, but one that shows the strength and resilience of good people. Definitely a great read.
May 18, 2022
A story of justice for a black man in the years after the Civil War. The sad thing was that things haven’t gotten much better since then.
September 10, 2024
Sobering. Oh how I wish white people were different..
George Dinning is one very brave man who deserved a hell of a lot better than he got
George Dinning is one very brave man who deserved a hell of a lot better than he got
August 6, 2024
*audiobook!
September 19, 2021
A Shot in the Moonlight is one of those books that is so well researched, it's hard to imagine anyone but author Ben Montgomery writing the story.
I had never heard of George Dinning, sadly, and now I feel like I know him and his family. Because I know anyone can read the blurb and understand the book's content, I'd like to give a different review.
Wildest Piece of Knowledge: I had no idea that people in Kentucky and elsewhere were telling citizens that the KKK was nothing but a hoax. Seeing how they formed and how leaders in southern towns reacted is an important and fascinating foundation to this story.
Heartwarming Moment: When, at the end, we meet a close relative to George Dinning and find that he is still on the hunt to find George's headstone in a cemetery.
Best Moment: "It’s fair to wonder if their hearts sank that day, if in that moment they pictured lives without their land or livestock, without their homes, without any money. It’s fair to wonder whether they felt any shame, or whether they believed their story about going to Dinning's as friends. It’s fair to wonder if buried inside their silence in court that day was a violent explosion of anger, for they, white men, were now heavily indebted to a black man. Denning had been born below them, but now they each owed him $8,333.33."
Amazing Research Moment: Reading the newspaper clippings from people who thanked and applauded Governor Bradley for doing the right thing and pardoning George Dinning.
Why You Should Read It: It's true. This is history, and it's important to know these stories.
Bonus: Loved the actual photos from the different historical societies.
I had never heard of George Dinning, sadly, and now I feel like I know him and his family. Because I know anyone can read the blurb and understand the book's content, I'd like to give a different review.
Wildest Piece of Knowledge: I had no idea that people in Kentucky and elsewhere were telling citizens that the KKK was nothing but a hoax. Seeing how they formed and how leaders in southern towns reacted is an important and fascinating foundation to this story.
Heartwarming Moment: When, at the end, we meet a close relative to George Dinning and find that he is still on the hunt to find George's headstone in a cemetery.
Best Moment: "It’s fair to wonder if their hearts sank that day, if in that moment they pictured lives without their land or livestock, without their homes, without any money. It’s fair to wonder whether they felt any shame, or whether they believed their story about going to Dinning's as friends. It’s fair to wonder if buried inside their silence in court that day was a violent explosion of anger, for they, white men, were now heavily indebted to a black man. Denning had been born below them, but now they each owed him $8,333.33."
Amazing Research Moment: Reading the newspaper clippings from people who thanked and applauded Governor Bradley for doing the right thing and pardoning George Dinning.
Why You Should Read It: It's true. This is history, and it's important to know these stories.
Bonus: Loved the actual photos from the different historical societies.
May 7, 2021
The story of George Dinning and the Confederate Soldier is a good one. What flabbergasted me was Chapter 17, the story of the death of one man and the lynching of the man alleged to be responsible. The dead man's wife was alleged to have been raped. This all happened in Coweta County, GA in 1899.
There was no trial or due process.
I was born in 1953 in Coweta County and have lived here a good portion of my life. I was not familiar with the lynching, which occurred 1+ miles from the house where I grew up. The importance of remembering such events cannot be overstated. Lynching is the South's own holocaust on a smaller scale. We are destined to repeat such acts if they are forgotten or denied. I was glad to see a page devoted to remembrance of the 1899 events in the May 5, 2021 edition of The Newnan Times Herald, the local newspaper. A Shot in the Moonlight may have contributed to the current remembrance of this story.
There was no trial or due process.
I was born in 1953 in Coweta County and have lived here a good portion of my life. I was not familiar with the lynching, which occurred 1+ miles from the house where I grew up. The importance of remembering such events cannot be overstated. Lynching is the South's own holocaust on a smaller scale. We are destined to repeat such acts if they are forgotten or denied. I was glad to see a page devoted to remembrance of the 1899 events in the May 5, 2021 edition of The Newnan Times Herald, the local newspaper. A Shot in the Moonlight may have contributed to the current remembrance of this story.
April 29, 2021
In 1897, a band of "regulators" come to a black Kentucky farmer's house late at night and threaten him. The men allege the farmer is a thief and fire guns into his home. The farmer fights back and kills one of the men, a prominent white resident. State troops have to protect him from lynching before and during the trial, which results in him being found guilt and sentenced to prison. It sounds like the typical Southern story of racism, but the book reveals many white southerners who believe in justice and that the farmer is innocent. These include the commander of the state troops and the Kentucky governor who almost immediately pardons him. Even more interesting is a prominent former Confederate officer who brings a civil case on the farmer's behalf. The former Confederate enjoys participating in Confederate veterans groups and helping erect Confederate monuments across the South. But he also supports many causes that aid Black people and represents them in court, often without charge. It's refreshing to read of Southerners who embraced the "new order of things" during the years following the Civil War and helped the South enjoy a brief time of progress. I would have liked this book to have delved more deeply into what made these people tick.
December 5, 2020
One night around midnight, George Dinning's house is surrounded by a gang of white men who shoot into his house, and in return, Dinning fires back and kills one of the white gang members. "A Shot in the Moonlight" details Dinning's trial and the efforts of one side to get him convicted through a false narrative of what really happened that night. On the flip side, through the trial and once Dinning is convicted, he finds many surprising allies that fight for his freedom. The amount of material that Ben Montgomery was able to access to tell this story is pretty amazing. The book is definitely worth a read.
March 24, 2021
I actually went and knocked a star off this book because while I like the story and it was well-written, the author didn’t have enough material for a good book. What he had was a long form magazine article, but added a ridiculous amount of block quotes and pages of court transcripts to fill out a book. Hey. I get it. Books make more money, but I’m finding most literary nonfiction I pick up has this problem and it’s really starting to annoy.
August 27, 2021
Tragedy or triumph? The story of George Dinning contains elements that reflect our shared values but also undeniable racism that stacked the deck against a black man in 1897.
When author Montgomery stuck to facts, this story was riveting and yeasty and as pertinent today as the distant past. Dinning’s courage was as recognizable as his luck; but what I really enjoyed was the set of unusual white men that led Dunning to overcome odds and get a measure of justice.
But not full justice because it never should have happened. Of course, you could say that of thousands of black men lynched by white mobs in the south.
Dinning, a former slave, saved his money and bought farm property in Kentucky. Then, at midnight on Jan. 21, 1897, Dinning wakes to a knock on the door. Outside, he sees 25 white men - some armed - who say they are "friends" and want to question him about thefts in the neighborhood.
When bullets are fired, Dinning fights back and kills a prominent white man with a well-placed shotgun round. After Dinning turns himself in, the men return a day later, force his family to leave and burn down his house.
Based on sworn testimony of the white men who concoct a version of the events, Dinning is charged with murder and likely faces the death penalty. The governor calls out the militia to prevent any attempt on his life before and during the trial, which results in a manslaughter conviction and a seven-year prison sentence.
Kentucky Governor William Bradley issued a pardon.
“While I am governor,” Bradley wrote, “ no man, however obscure or friendless, shall be punished for killing a member of a mob who comes to take his life or drive him from his home.”
Bradley certainly is interesting, so too is attorney Bennett Young, who takes Dinning’s case for free and convinces Dinning to do the unthinkable: File a civil suit against the men who tried to lynch him.
Young fought with the Confederacy, raised money for confederate monuments, but he also gave his money and his time to support black community causes. What an unusual man.
A jury of white men voted Dinning a substantial award, which marked the first time a black man sued his would-be lynch mob and won.
I highly recommend this book, but with a few warnings. It’s puffed up and overwritten with long, redundant excerpts from the various trials. Montgomery does not always stick to the facts, but gets preachy to make political points.
February 22, 2023
A Shot in the Moonlight is a stark, humbling, and depressing reminder that there are so many names critical to American history that I have never heard of.
George Dinning’s (later Denning’s) story is painful — from losing his home, to an eye when a mob beats him, to having to uproot his entire family for survival — and full of ripple effects.
While George was arrested and put on trial, his whole family suffered. The home that his father purchased — and then George had to still pay a remainder when his family was wrongfully accused of not finishing payments — was burned; his family had nowhere to go; and they had no main source of income with George in custody.
However, despite the importance of this story, I found myself wanting more from this book. Montgomery chose to make courtroom transcripts into dialogue, which was an interesting style choice that I would have enjoyed more if it were edited. I think the effect would be the same, but there was a lot of repetition as I imagine is common in court cases. For instance, pages 130 through 149 was just George’s testimony.
My other qualm is the dual title. Honestly, I’m still not convinced that the his lawyer Bennett Young was truly in the “fight for justice.” Compared to Gov. Bradley, his motivations are less clear. In reading, I know that he chose to take on these multiple suits to get George some money back (unfortunately, the $50,000 ruling was largely unpaid since the farmers did not have the money to pay him back and some opted for jail time instead). But I am left wondering why he received top billing. Indeed, reading other reviews, it’s hard to find any that mention this second part of the subtitle. To me, the title implied that I was about to read something more along the lines of The Long Pursuit, a dual Lincoln and Douglas biography. This assumption could have been avoided if the title was changed to balance expectations. In many ways, I cannot imagine that it should have been a dual biography, but I went in expecting more interplay in that relationship.
At the end of the day, this is George’s story.
George Dinning’s (later Denning’s) story is painful — from losing his home, to an eye when a mob beats him, to having to uproot his entire family for survival — and full of ripple effects.
While George was arrested and put on trial, his whole family suffered. The home that his father purchased — and then George had to still pay a remainder when his family was wrongfully accused of not finishing payments — was burned; his family had nowhere to go; and they had no main source of income with George in custody.
However, despite the importance of this story, I found myself wanting more from this book. Montgomery chose to make courtroom transcripts into dialogue, which was an interesting style choice that I would have enjoyed more if it were edited. I think the effect would be the same, but there was a lot of repetition as I imagine is common in court cases. For instance, pages 130 through 149 was just George’s testimony.
My other qualm is the dual title. Honestly, I’m still not convinced that the his lawyer Bennett Young was truly in the “fight for justice.” Compared to Gov. Bradley, his motivations are less clear. In reading, I know that he chose to take on these multiple suits to get George some money back (unfortunately, the $50,000 ruling was largely unpaid since the farmers did not have the money to pay him back and some opted for jail time instead). But I am left wondering why he received top billing. Indeed, reading other reviews, it’s hard to find any that mention this second part of the subtitle. To me, the title implied that I was about to read something more along the lines of The Long Pursuit, a dual Lincoln and Douglas biography. This assumption could have been avoided if the title was changed to balance expectations. In many ways, I cannot imagine that it should have been a dual biography, but I went in expecting more interplay in that relationship.
At the end of the day, this is George’s story.
September 25, 2021
A well researched but interesting story of semi-justice for a man who was born a slave and now lived the life of a free man after the Civil War. One night around midnight, about 20+ white men surrounded George Dinning's house for a "friendly" chat to accuse him of being a thief and giving him 10 days to clear out, leaving his land, farm animals and relatively good living and reputation to start afresh. The house held George, his wife and 6 of their young children. When the shots rang out, including a shot to Dinning's arm and head, he returned fire with buck shot leading to the death of a wealthy and well connected man. When George heard of the death, he immediately when to the police and turned himself in relying on the government to keep him safe which was not a sure thing in Jim Crow Kentucky. Too many black men were taken from jails to torture and kill without a trial or evidence. This story is interesting in that George had white men actually take up his story and press for his freedom. Somehow at that time, the thought of not being able to defend one's home far outweighed the issue of race.
The research was impressive if not overly extensive. The court transcripts were painfully repetitive but truly brought the mindset and proceedings to life. There was somewhat random sidetrack of white lawyer taking the Civil War to northern Vermont attacking via Canada in the most northerly Confederate "battle" in the war. Random and not exactly pertinent other than to show his allegiance to the Confederates. I learned from this slice of history.
The research was impressive if not overly extensive. The court transcripts were painfully repetitive but truly brought the mindset and proceedings to life. There was somewhat random sidetrack of white lawyer taking the Civil War to northern Vermont attacking via Canada in the most northerly Confederate "battle" in the war. Random and not exactly pertinent other than to show his allegiance to the Confederates. I learned from this slice of history.
March 30, 2021
Montgomery did his subject incredible justice in this book that is told forthrightly and succinctly. George Dinning was a freed slave in 1897 Kentucky, a father of twelve who lived on his own land and managed his own farm and day labor, free and clear of debt and ill will. But on a January night in that year, a mob of white men, armed and with obviously bad intentions, rode up to his door and told him to come out, that they knew he was behind a string of local thefts and he had limited time to get out of town before they would return. Dinning, unlike most black men one hears of in this time period, refused. The mob began shooting, wounding Dinning in the scalp and arm as he ran upstairs with his gun to shoot back out of his children's bedroom window. In the darkness, raining down buckshot, Dinning managed to kill one of the men, though he didn't know at the time that he had done any such thing. He eventually ran off in the dark; the mob came back in the following days and burned his house and outbuildings to the ground. Amazingly, Dinning went on to escape conviction for the death, as a jury found that he had acted in self-defense and in protection of his home. Furthermore, he went on, with the help of a former Confederate solder-turned-lawyer, to successfully sue for damages against all of the men who comprised the mob that night. It was an inspiring story, all the more so as Montgomery avoided unnecessary hyperbole. He told the story straight, as it should have been told. Dinning did not need aggrandized accolades to come across as a good, honest man who did what was right. He won in a time when most men his color did not.
March 28, 2025
This an illuminating story of the horror of Southern brutality against former slaves, and a portrait of one man who suffers through his own racist attacks with dignity and honor. Worthy of 4 or 5 stars, were it not for the shortcomings of the author. He does well when recounting these events, but throughout the book goes off on tangents that interrupt the flow. They often feel like filler that doesn't support the narrative as intended.
Sometimes a paragraph consists of a long list of items that display the commendable research the author has done, but which is a chunk of text seemingly plopped in there to make use of his notes but in an inartful way. The narrative sometimes strays from the chronology of events without making clear that this has been done. Clarity is also absent at times when there's confusion about who the author is referring to in a particular paragraph or passage of text. A few times, a character is referred to without being introduced until further down in the page.
Such jarring practices made me wonder why his editor didn't see to it that the book read better. Quibbles all? No. Most readers of history expect better writing for such an insightful and compelling subject.
Sometimes a paragraph consists of a long list of items that display the commendable research the author has done, but which is a chunk of text seemingly plopped in there to make use of his notes but in an inartful way. The narrative sometimes strays from the chronology of events without making clear that this has been done. Clarity is also absent at times when there's confusion about who the author is referring to in a particular paragraph or passage of text. A few times, a character is referred to without being introduced until further down in the page.
Such jarring practices made me wonder why his editor didn't see to it that the book read better. Quibbles all? No. Most readers of history expect better writing for such an insightful and compelling subject.
February 14, 2021
I actually give this book 3.5 stars but rounded up. Here’s the reason:
Though the story is very compelling in the beginning and end, the middle of the book seems like it can be covered in the span of a New Yorker article. It unfortunately is not surprising all the violent racist behavior that plagued the civil war era. The lynchings and systematic racism is disturbing, but I’m not sure it needs the multiple examples as laid out in the novel in order to get the point across. That said, it is very well written - so even though I thought it was going nowhere further than outlined on the covers subtitle, the authors style kept me fully engrossed (hence a 4 instead of a 3.5).
As we discover toward the end of the book, the distinction between this horrendously racist journey and others is the precedent that was set. I won’t spoil it here but I am surprised the incident hasn’t been passed down to the elementary school history books.
We have an ugly past in this country. The author does a stellar job painting the picture of that ugliness and the struggle for a lower castes truth to over power the upper castes lies.
#netgalley #ashotinthemoonlight
Though the story is very compelling in the beginning and end, the middle of the book seems like it can be covered in the span of a New Yorker article. It unfortunately is not surprising all the violent racist behavior that plagued the civil war era. The lynchings and systematic racism is disturbing, but I’m not sure it needs the multiple examples as laid out in the novel in order to get the point across. That said, it is very well written - so even though I thought it was going nowhere further than outlined on the covers subtitle, the authors style kept me fully engrossed (hence a 4 instead of a 3.5).
As we discover toward the end of the book, the distinction between this horrendously racist journey and others is the precedent that was set. I won’t spoil it here but I am surprised the incident hasn’t been passed down to the elementary school history books.
We have an ugly past in this country. The author does a stellar job painting the picture of that ugliness and the struggle for a lower castes truth to over power the upper castes lies.
#netgalley #ashotinthemoonlight
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