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Race Against Time: The Untold Story of Scipio Jones and the Battle to Save Twelve Innocent Men
Scipio Africanus Jones—a self-taught attorney who was born enslaved—leads a momentous series of court cases to save twelve black men who’d been unjustly sentenced to death.
In October 1919, a group of black sharecroppers met at a church in an Arkansas village to organize a union. Bullets rained down on the meeting from outside. Many were killed by a white mob, and others were rounded up and arrested. Twelve of the sharecroppers were hastily tried and sentenced to death. Up stepped Scipio Africanus Jones, a self-taught lawyer who’d been born enslaved. Could he save the men’s lives and set them free? Through their in-depth research and consultation with legal experts, award-winning nonfiction authors Sandra and Rich Wallace examine the complex proceedings and an unsung African American early civil rights hero.
In October 1919, a group of black sharecroppers met at a church in an Arkansas village to organize a union. Bullets rained down on the meeting from outside. Many were killed by a white mob, and others were rounded up and arrested. Twelve of the sharecroppers were hastily tried and sentenced to death. Up stepped Scipio Africanus Jones, a self-taught lawyer who’d been born enslaved. Could he save the men’s lives and set them free? Through their in-depth research and consultation with legal experts, award-winning nonfiction authors Sandra and Rich Wallace examine the complex proceedings and an unsung African American early civil rights hero.
144 pages, Hardcover
Published January 5, 2021
6 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Neil Wallace
14 books59 followersSandra Neil Wallace had a lengthy career as a news anchor and ESPN sportscaster. She succeeded in breaking a gender barrier by becoming the first female to anchor an NHL broadcast. Her books have been named to state and national awards lists, including Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Book of the Year, ALA-YALSA Quick Picks, and Booklist’s Top 10 Sports Books for Youth. She lives in New Hampshire and Maine with her husband, author Rich Wallace. To learn more about her, visit sandraneilwallace.com.
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September 17, 2021
They say history is written by the winners, but I’m not so sure about that. Sometimes the winners are entirely written out of history, even when they accomplished something extraordinary. To look at Race Against Time you would not immediately jump to the conclusion that you had a high stakes thriller on your hands. By all appearances it’s a boring old history book. Yet from the very first chapter the authors suck you into the story. It has everything! A hero facing seemingly insurmountable odds. Lives on the line. A man using practically his wits alone to fight injustice. And then to realize that it’s all true, but is a story that practically no one today knows or remembers, that gives you special knowledge. Kids love special knowledge. Adults love special knowledge. And anyone who actually sits down and reads this title will love this book. Jason Bourne has nothing on Scipio Jones.
What started as a meeting to discuss unionizing ended in blood. In October of 1919, a mob of white men descended on a church where Black sharecroppers were meeting. This massacre ended with many dead and twelve of the sharecroppers tried and sentenced to death (hastily, so that they wouldn’t be lynched first). Their fate was sealed. There was no escape. So who could have expected that a man by the name of Scipio Africanus Jones, Black and a self-taught lawyer, would be the answer to their prayers? Determined to set the men free, Scipio used all his tools, all his cunning, and almost all his money to ensure that in a unjust world, true justice would be done.
May I say some words in praise of the very fine character of Scipio Jones? First off, there’s that name. And if it sounds like the name of a hero, that’s simply because it is. Next, there are his distinctive characteristics. His Panama hat. His gold pocket watch (which graces the cover of this book). That first photograph you see of him in the book shows him completely calm and collected, leaning casually on the back of a chair, one foot crossed over the other. He is at perfect ease. But what sets Scipio apart truly are his brains, smarts, and silver tongue. After all, in this book he sets himself up to pretty much do the impossible. Twelve men are sentenced to die in Arkansas in 1920. Scipio, a Black man, is determined to save them, despite all evidence to the contrary. Now it can be difficult for an adult reader to separate what they already know about history from what a child might or might not know when reading this book. And so I wondered as I read, “Are kids reading this understanding the impossibility of Scipio’s task? Are they aware that getting these men off, every last one, could hardly work today, let alone in the early 20th century? And what the Wallaces do so well as they write this story is that they understand right off the bat that they have something rare and wonderful on their hands: an honest-to-god unsung hero. Scipio is what you wish Atticus Finch actually was. And the bonus? Scipio was real!
But as I say, after starting the book by establishing the impossibility of this case, the next job is to ratchet up the tension. That doesn’t sound like it would be hard (lives are on the line, after all) but think about it. A lot of this book hinges on legal interpretations of the law. And as much as I love kids and teens, not a whole slew of them light up like Christmas trees when you utter the words “habeas corpus” in their presence. So the challenge here is to make Scipio's legal actions interesting and immediate. And honestly, I think they do a mighty fine job of it. Take, for example, the start of Chapter 8. That’s when we learn that six of the men were executed, according to a Chicago newspaper. The catch? It’s not true. The men were alive because Scipio pulled off, what the book calls, “a brilliant ploy” and a “magnificent move”. The federal judge was absent, so Scipio appealed to the chancery court. Its judge, who liked Scipio, ordered the warden not to carry out the executions. In this way, Scipio keeps pushing things a little more, and a little more, and a little further, and further still, until finally at last the men are (spoiler alert) released! In tandem, the text follow his maneuvers. There aren’t many nonfiction stories about truly heroic lawyers out there. Just to have one feels unique.
The Author’s Note at the end of the book is a humbling moment. There, you learn that these days there’s not a lot out there remembering Scipio. His house was declared a national landmark, but it’s abandoned and overgrown with no plaque. A Post Office Station was dedicated to him in 2007 but, as the authors explain, “when we visited there, people had no idea who Scipio was.” A high school was named after him but it burned down. It’s an egregious gap and lack of appreciation for someone who accomplished so much in his lifetime. It also provides a kind of learning opportunity for kids. Anyone reading this book would assume the name Scipio Jones would be well known. There should be movies about him. Picture book biographies at the very least! Instead, there’s just his simple headstone and this book. Proof that you can be a hero and be forgotten unless some investigative journalists in the future take a fancy to your tale.
Ultimately, this book faces a severe problem, so dire that it may prevent any kid, young or old, from picking it up at all. I am talking, of course, about the design. For years I have railed against brown and sepia-toned covers. I don’t care if you’re 5 or 55, nobody ever wants to pick up a book with a jacket the color of weathered cardboard. Let’s say a kid gets past the cover of Race Against Time, though. Maybe they flip through the book. Maybe they start at the beginning. However they do it, they’re going to notice pretty early on that though this book is chock full of photographs and primary source documents, everything is in black and white. Now this is an issue that a lot of children’s informational books have to deal with. How do you show images from the past when color photography wasn’t widely available? Some books find eclectic ways to tackle this problem. Alas, Race Against Time may have had limited funds with which to purchase color printing. The end result is a book coming in at 9 ½ ” X 6 ½ ” that fails to properly distinguish between images that are there just to support the text and images that are key emotional tie-ins. For example, when you finally see that photograph covering two pages of The Elaine Twelve, each man named with information about his life up to that moment, you are first struck by the narrative weight of this image. Then you realize that you have no idea which man is which. Their names and descriptions are not clearly stated in such a way where you can know which face goes with which name. These elements aren’t deal breakers. They’re just avoidable annoyances that should have been dealt with from the start.
It is my sincere hope that Scipio Jones doesn’t end up forgotten for a second time. And so, I’d like to offer some advice to any adults that are trying to figure out how to sell this book to kids. First off, this is a booktalk book, pure and simple. That is to say, this is a book that needs you to stand in front of a group of kids and give the best booktalk of your career. Make it clear that this is a thriller. It starts with Scipio racing to these men and then racing to save them by any means necessary. It doesn’t look it, but show (don’t tell) how gripping the plot can be. And if you want to end it on a cliffhanger, definitely consider ending it when the Chicago newspaper says the men are dead . . . but it’s a lie. A thoroughly rousing story, deserving of wider acclaim. The package may be lacking but the contents are gold.
What started as a meeting to discuss unionizing ended in blood. In October of 1919, a mob of white men descended on a church where Black sharecroppers were meeting. This massacre ended with many dead and twelve of the sharecroppers tried and sentenced to death (hastily, so that they wouldn’t be lynched first). Their fate was sealed. There was no escape. So who could have expected that a man by the name of Scipio Africanus Jones, Black and a self-taught lawyer, would be the answer to their prayers? Determined to set the men free, Scipio used all his tools, all his cunning, and almost all his money to ensure that in a unjust world, true justice would be done.
May I say some words in praise of the very fine character of Scipio Jones? First off, there’s that name. And if it sounds like the name of a hero, that’s simply because it is. Next, there are his distinctive characteristics. His Panama hat. His gold pocket watch (which graces the cover of this book). That first photograph you see of him in the book shows him completely calm and collected, leaning casually on the back of a chair, one foot crossed over the other. He is at perfect ease. But what sets Scipio apart truly are his brains, smarts, and silver tongue. After all, in this book he sets himself up to pretty much do the impossible. Twelve men are sentenced to die in Arkansas in 1920. Scipio, a Black man, is determined to save them, despite all evidence to the contrary. Now it can be difficult for an adult reader to separate what they already know about history from what a child might or might not know when reading this book. And so I wondered as I read, “Are kids reading this understanding the impossibility of Scipio’s task? Are they aware that getting these men off, every last one, could hardly work today, let alone in the early 20th century? And what the Wallaces do so well as they write this story is that they understand right off the bat that they have something rare and wonderful on their hands: an honest-to-god unsung hero. Scipio is what you wish Atticus Finch actually was. And the bonus? Scipio was real!
But as I say, after starting the book by establishing the impossibility of this case, the next job is to ratchet up the tension. That doesn’t sound like it would be hard (lives are on the line, after all) but think about it. A lot of this book hinges on legal interpretations of the law. And as much as I love kids and teens, not a whole slew of them light up like Christmas trees when you utter the words “habeas corpus” in their presence. So the challenge here is to make Scipio's legal actions interesting and immediate. And honestly, I think they do a mighty fine job of it. Take, for example, the start of Chapter 8. That’s when we learn that six of the men were executed, according to a Chicago newspaper. The catch? It’s not true. The men were alive because Scipio pulled off, what the book calls, “a brilliant ploy” and a “magnificent move”. The federal judge was absent, so Scipio appealed to the chancery court. Its judge, who liked Scipio, ordered the warden not to carry out the executions. In this way, Scipio keeps pushing things a little more, and a little more, and a little further, and further still, until finally at last the men are (spoiler alert) released! In tandem, the text follow his maneuvers. There aren’t many nonfiction stories about truly heroic lawyers out there. Just to have one feels unique.
The Author’s Note at the end of the book is a humbling moment. There, you learn that these days there’s not a lot out there remembering Scipio. His house was declared a national landmark, but it’s abandoned and overgrown with no plaque. A Post Office Station was dedicated to him in 2007 but, as the authors explain, “when we visited there, people had no idea who Scipio was.” A high school was named after him but it burned down. It’s an egregious gap and lack of appreciation for someone who accomplished so much in his lifetime. It also provides a kind of learning opportunity for kids. Anyone reading this book would assume the name Scipio Jones would be well known. There should be movies about him. Picture book biographies at the very least! Instead, there’s just his simple headstone and this book. Proof that you can be a hero and be forgotten unless some investigative journalists in the future take a fancy to your tale.
Ultimately, this book faces a severe problem, so dire that it may prevent any kid, young or old, from picking it up at all. I am talking, of course, about the design. For years I have railed against brown and sepia-toned covers. I don’t care if you’re 5 or 55, nobody ever wants to pick up a book with a jacket the color of weathered cardboard. Let’s say a kid gets past the cover of Race Against Time, though. Maybe they flip through the book. Maybe they start at the beginning. However they do it, they’re going to notice pretty early on that though this book is chock full of photographs and primary source documents, everything is in black and white. Now this is an issue that a lot of children’s informational books have to deal with. How do you show images from the past when color photography wasn’t widely available? Some books find eclectic ways to tackle this problem. Alas, Race Against Time may have had limited funds with which to purchase color printing. The end result is a book coming in at 9 ½ ” X 6 ½ ” that fails to properly distinguish between images that are there just to support the text and images that are key emotional tie-ins. For example, when you finally see that photograph covering two pages of The Elaine Twelve, each man named with information about his life up to that moment, you are first struck by the narrative weight of this image. Then you realize that you have no idea which man is which. Their names and descriptions are not clearly stated in such a way where you can know which face goes with which name. These elements aren’t deal breakers. They’re just avoidable annoyances that should have been dealt with from the start.
It is my sincere hope that Scipio Jones doesn’t end up forgotten for a second time. And so, I’d like to offer some advice to any adults that are trying to figure out how to sell this book to kids. First off, this is a booktalk book, pure and simple. That is to say, this is a book that needs you to stand in front of a group of kids and give the best booktalk of your career. Make it clear that this is a thriller. It starts with Scipio racing to these men and then racing to save them by any means necessary. It doesn’t look it, but show (don’t tell) how gripping the plot can be. And if you want to end it on a cliffhanger, definitely consider ending it when the Chicago newspaper says the men are dead . . . but it’s a lie. A thoroughly rousing story, deserving of wider acclaim. The package may be lacking but the contents are gold.
August 11, 2021
It's important to learn about people like Scipio Jones who take big strides to make monumental changes that benefit all. This is a short read packed with a ton of photographs and research. This book discusses heavy topics but doesn't go into gruesome detail for teen audiences. At the risk of oversimplifying, readers will learn about how Scipio Jones, a formerly enslaved man who became an attorney, fought the law to exonerate twelve men sentenced to the electric chair for crimes they did not commit.
Scipio Jones faced and overcame obstacles put in place by white supremacy. The authors tell his story, and the story of those he defended, and the event of the Elaine Massacre all in 100 pages. This is an important read, and would be a great addition to any library YA collection.
Scipio Jones faced and overcame obstacles put in place by white supremacy. The authors tell his story, and the story of those he defended, and the event of the Elaine Massacre all in 100 pages. This is an important read, and would be a great addition to any library YA collection.
April 25, 2021
An engrossing account of how the formerly enslaved and self-educated lawyer Scipio Jones dedicated five years of his life and spent much of his personal fortune to saving twelve innocent Black sharecroppers from execution following the Elaine Massacre in 1919 Arkansas in what would become a landmark Civil Rights case.
December 6, 2021
Well written, well documented. It includes interesting primary source photographs.
The story of Scipio Jones was not one I had ever heard of--another example of the racism we live with. He was the first black man to argue a case in front of the Supreme Court. And he won.
This is a quick read, which is good.
The story of Scipio Jones was not one I had ever heard of--another example of the racism we live with. He was the first black man to argue a case in front of the Supreme Court. And he won.
This is a quick read, which is good.
June 18, 2021
Interviews with descendants from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...
October 10, 2021
The summer of 1919, known as the Red Summer, was not a very good one in any respects for anyone Black in the United States. There were a series of acts of violence that bubbled up in the nation's cities and rural areas. In the small town of Hoop Spur, Arkansas, a group of sharecroppers gathered together to form a union so that their cotton crops would earn them what they were worth. Instead, they were attacked by a white mob, including law officers, outside their meeting place, and forced to flee for their lives. The number of Black men and women who died is uncertain, but five white men died. Eventually, twelve Black men were rounded up, tried, and found guilty of murder. This book contains the story of what would come to be called the Elaine Massacre, but it's primarily the story of Scipio Jones, a self-taught lawyer, who gave everything he had to prove that those 12 men were not guilty. He is certainly a civil rights hero, one whose case went all the way to the Supreme Court, and had repercussions for cases that followed it. This book kept me riveted on every page since the men's lives were at risk for much of the book, and they came close to execution more than once. Jones wasn't even supposed to be the lead attorney since Arkansas did not allow Blacks to do so in a court of law at that time, and when the case finally wended its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, a miscommunication caused him to be unable to arrive in Washington, D.C. in time. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court's ruling in his favor in Moore v. Dempsey held state courts accountable and protected the rights of defendants, thus, setting a legal precedent on which other civil rights cases could be built. His dedication to civil rights and social justice was lifelong, and interestingly, his last case had to do with insuring that Black teachers and administrators in the Little Rock school district received equal pay, a case that would be eventually tried by Thurgood Marshall, who was a part of his legal team before Jones died in 1943. This well-researched account contains source notes, an index, and archival photographs. Sadly, most of the twelve men who were incarcerated for so long moved away from the area to protect themselves or their families or there whereabouts are unknown. Jones's home, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is now abandoned, and his story seems to have been forgotten. But now, thanks to the thorough investigatory digging of this writing team, maybe not for long. I knew very little of this story, but it's told in a breathless fashion that makes readers feel as though all these events are unfolding right in front of their eyes. Scipio Jones is a hero for the ages.
August 31, 2023
I read this for possible curriculum adoption. This would be great paired with Just Mercy as it gives information regarding foundational Civil Rights legislation. It is SO important that we know and celebrate Scipio Jones. He was such a pioneer in Civil Rights, and he has been forgotten!
November 8, 2020
I want to first say that this book belongs in all libraries, both public, private, and school. It is an important story from our history that I am sure many were and are unaware of, and its importance to Civil Rights.
Written by authors Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, Race Against Time is a researched historical story about Scipio Africanus Jones, a Black lawyer from Little Rock who made it a mission to save twelve Black sharecroppers from death.
In October of 1919, Black sharecroppers wanted a union to guarantee fair prices for their harvests and met at the Hoop Spur Church in Elaine, Arkansas. While the sharecroppers were meeting, carloads of white men showed up, not only to intimidate this meeting which contained Black men, women, and children, but also to massacre them. As the massacre occurred, five white men died (as a result of their own doing) and because of this, law enforcement arrested twelve Black men stating they were involved in the deaths of the white men, and thereby calling them the Elaine Twelve.
Scipio faced a lot of challenges and hurdles trying to save these men. During this time, Black lawyers could not present their own cases, and were forced to have a white lawyer present and to do the presentation of the case. He also faced numerous amounts of intimidation, threats and more causing him to bounce from place to place to stay while he was trying to save the men. Despite all these obstacles, Scipio did not stop.
Eventually the Elaine Twelve turned into two separate groups of Black men (six in each group): The Ware Six (those convicted of murder without degree) and the Moore Six (those convicted of first degree murder) and Scipio represented them all.
Many battles in court ensued and Scipio finally got his appeals sent for the Moore Six to the U.S. Supreme Court in the famous “Moore V. Dempsey” case. He won and all the original Elaine Twelve were released to live out their lives. Most moved far away for fear that they would be killed and never returned.
“Moore V. Dempsey” ended up ensuring the integrity of the Fourteenth Amendment. It was used for decades to defend constitutional rights in Civil Rights cases.
Two-hundred and thirty-seven Black Americans died in the massacre, but the full count will never be known. No one was charged with the murder of any of these murdered Black Arkansans.
Race Against Time is a must read for all adults, young adults and anyone interested in learning more about an especially important figure from early Civil Rights who is important to American and Black American history.
I gave this book five stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Expect this book to be released around January 5, 2021.
Written by authors Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, Race Against Time is a researched historical story about Scipio Africanus Jones, a Black lawyer from Little Rock who made it a mission to save twelve Black sharecroppers from death.
In October of 1919, Black sharecroppers wanted a union to guarantee fair prices for their harvests and met at the Hoop Spur Church in Elaine, Arkansas. While the sharecroppers were meeting, carloads of white men showed up, not only to intimidate this meeting which contained Black men, women, and children, but also to massacre them. As the massacre occurred, five white men died (as a result of their own doing) and because of this, law enforcement arrested twelve Black men stating they were involved in the deaths of the white men, and thereby calling them the Elaine Twelve.
Scipio faced a lot of challenges and hurdles trying to save these men. During this time, Black lawyers could not present their own cases, and were forced to have a white lawyer present and to do the presentation of the case. He also faced numerous amounts of intimidation, threats and more causing him to bounce from place to place to stay while he was trying to save the men. Despite all these obstacles, Scipio did not stop.
Eventually the Elaine Twelve turned into two separate groups of Black men (six in each group): The Ware Six (those convicted of murder without degree) and the Moore Six (those convicted of first degree murder) and Scipio represented them all.
Many battles in court ensued and Scipio finally got his appeals sent for the Moore Six to the U.S. Supreme Court in the famous “Moore V. Dempsey” case. He won and all the original Elaine Twelve were released to live out their lives. Most moved far away for fear that they would be killed and never returned.
“Moore V. Dempsey” ended up ensuring the integrity of the Fourteenth Amendment. It was used for decades to defend constitutional rights in Civil Rights cases.
Two-hundred and thirty-seven Black Americans died in the massacre, but the full count will never be known. No one was charged with the murder of any of these murdered Black Arkansans.
Race Against Time is a must read for all adults, young adults and anyone interested in learning more about an especially important figure from early Civil Rights who is important to American and Black American history.
I gave this book five stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Expect this book to be released around January 5, 2021.
July 5, 2023
Hair raising thriller about a massacre and "mob conviction" of twelve innocent black men (the Elaine Twelve) in the murderous, racist ruled state of Arkansas one hundred years ago (1919).
I'd recommend this for savvy readers (7th-12th grade) who are interested in thrilling court cases. Wallace and Wallace's predictably thorough research reveals how Scipio, an African American lawyer and one of Thurgood Marshall's mentors, developed and fought cases with technicality in mind.
To get students interested in picking this up, BOOK TALK by reading aloud the first page of text (which quickly reveals the tension, the urgency, the lives at stake) and sharing the premise. This would make for interesting BOOK CLUB discussions as part of a unit on civil rights. (Scipio, an African American lawyer, was one of Thurgood Marshall's mentors.)
For older readers, PARTNER THIS TEXT WITH ACCUSED! The Trials of the Scottsboro Boys: Lies, Prejudice, and the Fourteenth Amendment by Larry Dane Brimner. This trial occurred about twelve years after the Elaine Twelve's. As I read Race Against Time, I honestly thought I'd already read it because it felt so familiar - blatant lies, rampant racism, unbelievable danger and numerous obstacles. Then I realized I was thinking about Brimner's book - different case, same problems. CRAZY how awful this was for both sets of defendents.
BTW Sandra and Neil Wallace are "go to" authors for me. I've heard them talk about the research they put into each book (three years for this one), the accuracy they seek and so forth. They try to be very thorough in an effort to develop books with authority.
I'd recommend this for savvy readers (7th-12th grade) who are interested in thrilling court cases. Wallace and Wallace's predictably thorough research reveals how Scipio, an African American lawyer and one of Thurgood Marshall's mentors, developed and fought cases with technicality in mind.
To get students interested in picking this up, BOOK TALK by reading aloud the first page of text (which quickly reveals the tension, the urgency, the lives at stake) and sharing the premise. This would make for interesting BOOK CLUB discussions as part of a unit on civil rights. (Scipio, an African American lawyer, was one of Thurgood Marshall's mentors.)
For older readers, PARTNER THIS TEXT WITH ACCUSED! The Trials of the Scottsboro Boys: Lies, Prejudice, and the Fourteenth Amendment by Larry Dane Brimner. This trial occurred about twelve years after the Elaine Twelve's. As I read Race Against Time, I honestly thought I'd already read it because it felt so familiar - blatant lies, rampant racism, unbelievable danger and numerous obstacles. Then I realized I was thinking about Brimner's book - different case, same problems. CRAZY how awful this was for both sets of defendents.
BTW Sandra and Neil Wallace are "go to" authors for me. I've heard them talk about the research they put into each book (three years for this one), the accuracy they seek and so forth. They try to be very thorough in an effort to develop books with authority.
October 16, 2021
10/13/2021 ~ Have you heard of Scipio Jones? No? Neither had I. His achievement should be shouted far & wide. This self-educated, formerly enslaved Black lawyer successfully defended and saved the lives of 12 Black men accused of participating in a "race riot" in a small town in Arkansas in 1919! We should all know this man's story and accomplishments.
Book talk, book talk, book talk. Sadly, I don't think this book is going to walk off the shelves on it's own.
This is an incredible book: the topic is fascinating and the authors did a remarkable job distilling a very complicated and lengthy legal process into a relatively brief (144 pages), compelling middle grade/YA narrative nonfiction account.
Many thanks to Betsy for bringing this book to my attention through her GoodReads review ( https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ).
Book talk, book talk, book talk. Sadly, I don't think this book is going to walk off the shelves on it's own.
This is an incredible book: the topic is fascinating and the authors did a remarkable job distilling a very complicated and lengthy legal process into a relatively brief (144 pages), compelling middle grade/YA narrative nonfiction account.
Many thanks to Betsy for bringing this book to my attention through her GoodReads review ( https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ).
October 16, 2023
Grading this on a curve since I'm a little older than the intended audience.
Factually correct, but kind of repetitive. It's also a fractured telling that obviously needs to step around some pretty horrifying and violent history. So, while it gets the history of the massacre and legal battle across and accurately, it is frustratingly vague at the same time, feeling detached from the events and persons at the heart of the story.
I was about halfway through the book when I noticed something else that simply annoyed me. Everyone is referenced by their last name throughout, with the significant exception of Scipio Africanus Jones, who is Scipio in every mention after the first.
Anyway, an excellent YA history of terrible events and injustices leading to a tiny step forward in justice for all.
Factually correct, but kind of repetitive. It's also a fractured telling that obviously needs to step around some pretty horrifying and violent history. So, while it gets the history of the massacre and legal battle across and accurately, it is frustratingly vague at the same time, feeling detached from the events and persons at the heart of the story.
I was about halfway through the book when I noticed something else that simply annoyed me. Everyone is referenced by their last name throughout, with the significant exception of Scipio Africanus Jones, who is Scipio in every mention after the first.
Anyway, an excellent YA history of terrible events and injustices leading to a tiny step forward in justice for all.
February 27, 2023
I liked the story and it was a nice break from my usual genre but it was very much written at a middle grade level. It didn’t go into very much detail at some points and the writing seemed very stilted and simple at times. That’s probably just because it’s a MIDDLE school book on a HIGH school level book list.
3.5stars purely bc of the writing but overall it was an interesting bit of history.
3.5stars purely bc of the writing but overall it was an interesting bit of history.
May 4, 2022
It's funny: I can't read adult horror, because, in my own words, I'm a wimp. But I'll read historical accounts of horrific true events in an attempt to learn more about them and I'm grateful for the opportunity. I took a whole honors seminar in college about genocide for that reason: there are real monsters who do real evil in this world, and they look a whole lot like our neighbors. If we're not careful, we'll wind up on their side, simply by allowing things to remain "the way they've always been." That's something we all need to KNOW.
This book lays that out. How mindless hatred on a community level leads to mass murder and an attempt to cover it up and kill more people. How much bravery, work, intelligence, and eloquence (and money) it takes to stop even a small portion of that evil from happening. These are stories that people, of all ages, need to learn. The fact that it's well told, with the information sensibly, intelligently, and engagingly laid out for young readers to understand is icing on the cake. I also appreciated all the end notes, and the photos and so forth that were included.
An excellent addition to library collections. A natural read-alike for true crime fans or those interested in history or historically based adventure stories.
Political Rant:
These are the stories that certain people are trying to ban, because they know how it makes their ancestors look, and they're too cowardly to face the truth dead-on. They'd rather keep believing the lies their families invented to cover up the facts. I don't have patience for that attitude. These stories won't make kids "hate themselves for being white," or whatever tripe they're peddling. These stories will help kids make choices that are right, and on the side of good, so they can be proud of themselves for their own merits, as opposed to myths about white supremacy. Furthermore, for the kids that aren't white, they'll finally get a chance to learn about some of their own history, heroes included. That's a cause worth celebrating.
Clearly, I'm feeling a bit salty this morning. But this is my review, and I refuse to apologize.
Rant Over.
This book lays that out. How mindless hatred on a community level leads to mass murder and an attempt to cover it up and kill more people. How much bravery, work, intelligence, and eloquence (and money) it takes to stop even a small portion of that evil from happening. These are stories that people, of all ages, need to learn. The fact that it's well told, with the information sensibly, intelligently, and engagingly laid out for young readers to understand is icing on the cake. I also appreciated all the end notes, and the photos and so forth that were included.
An excellent addition to library collections. A natural read-alike for true crime fans or those interested in history or historically based adventure stories.
Political Rant:
These are the stories that certain people are trying to ban, because they know how it makes their ancestors look, and they're too cowardly to face the truth dead-on. They'd rather keep believing the lies their families invented to cover up the facts. I don't have patience for that attitude. These stories won't make kids "hate themselves for being white," or whatever tripe they're peddling. These stories will help kids make choices that are right, and on the side of good, so they can be proud of themselves for their own merits, as opposed to myths about white supremacy. Furthermore, for the kids that aren't white, they'll finally get a chance to learn about some of their own history, heroes included. That's a cause worth celebrating.
Clearly, I'm feeling a bit salty this morning. But this is my review, and I refuse to apologize.
Rant Over.
March 10, 2025
First, Scipio Jones's story is amazing, and he should be more well-known. But I didn't think this book did him justice. It was heavy on "telling" instead of "showing" as well as oversimplification. For instance, the authors say the all-white jury convicted the Black men because the jury members were "enemies of humanity." I'm not trying to justify the jury's decision - obviously they were motivated by racism - but I doubt they woke up that morning and said, "I'm going to convict those guys because I'm an enemy of humanity." Some of them probably did want revenge as the authors suggest, but maybe some were afraid to speak out against powerful community leaders. Maybe some were afraid of what would happen if the status quo changed. And then later everyone is suddenly willing to sign a petition in favor of the Black men? Because Scipio Jones is good at convincing people? He obviously has some excellent persuasion skills, but there are clearly things missing from this story. I know it's meant for kids, but kids aren't stupid. They don't have to be told what to think about a situation that's obviously unfair, and they can understand a little nuance. I think young readers would get more out of this story if it showed how entrenched racism functions in a society (with racism ranging from those who are actively and violently racist to those who are probably less racist but go along with the more outspoken racism for various reasons) - and then showed how Scipio Jones broke through that (and maybe how they can, too).
September 28, 2021
I picked this up after reading Betsy Bird's review of it, and I have to agree with her about the cover. Other than the pocket watch, it's not designed to attract the eye of a potential reader.
Still, it tells a powerful and unusual story of a clever attorney working to save a group of men from a judicial lynching, after a rigged trial over a crime they didn't commit.
A couple of very minor flaws [other than the cover] kept me from giving this book a fifth star. First is that it's format as a children's book kept the authors from going into more detail, but in such a way as to make the reader wonder if any more information actually exists. The second is the title, as it was not so much a race as a struggle of pushing that big rock up the hill. The case took so long that one of the offers from the prosecution was to let men out for time served.
The early NAACP doesn't come out of this story looking good, and it would be nice to know their side of that story. Did they even HAVE more money to put into the case? Again, something that might have been researched for an adult book on the subject.
Still, it's a very good book, and worth reading, for older kids, teens and adults.
Still, it tells a powerful and unusual story of a clever attorney working to save a group of men from a judicial lynching, after a rigged trial over a crime they didn't commit.
A couple of very minor flaws [other than the cover] kept me from giving this book a fifth star. First is that it's format as a children's book kept the authors from going into more detail, but in such a way as to make the reader wonder if any more information actually exists. The second is the title, as it was not so much a race as a struggle of pushing that big rock up the hill. The case took so long that one of the offers from the prosecution was to let men out for time served.
The early NAACP doesn't come out of this story looking good, and it would be nice to know their side of that story. Did they even HAVE more money to put into the case? Again, something that might have been researched for an adult book on the subject.
Still, it's a very good book, and worth reading, for older kids, teens and adults.
May 2, 2021
I have a new hero. His name was Scipio Jones and thanks to the always stellar writing time of the Sandra and Rich Wallace, I have learned his inspiring story. I have also learned for the first time about the tragedy of the Elaine Massacre in Arkansas in 1919, the more than 200 men, women and children killed in church and the 12 innocent men wrongly condemned to the electric chair. With the clock ticking, Scipio Jones risked his own life to fight to save the men, eventually taking the complex case to the Supreme Court. Dedicating his life, his wealth and his energy, Scipio Jone and this story is one that should be widely read!
As always the Wallaces write with clarity, carefully research, documenting their sources and citing the sources. This is a compelling and suspenseful story of the clock ticking and lives in the balance, including that of the lawyer himself. Short, powerful and totally memorable!
As always the Wallaces write with clarity, carefully research, documenting their sources and citing the sources. This is a compelling and suspenseful story of the clock ticking and lives in the balance, including that of the lawyer himself. Short, powerful and totally memorable!
October 17, 2021
I'm wavering between a four and five star. I loved the information in this book -- I knew almost nothing about this and it's really important. I was really invested -- in fact I skipped to the end to see if Jones was successful so that I would take the time to check references while reading. I liked the writing and the tone, and the format with text and pictures worked really well.
But I want more -- I want more background on the legal moves that Jones made. I want more context around the repercussions of the supreme court decision that gave the men a chance at life. I want the details of why the NAACP kept pushing white lawyers and even kept Jones from appearing at the supreme court. But I think this book did what it meant to do, and then gave me resources to get the other stuff I want. Because sending kids out for more information is a great ending, and leaving them with this information is also a good idea.
But I want more -- I want more background on the legal moves that Jones made. I want more context around the repercussions of the supreme court decision that gave the men a chance at life. I want the details of why the NAACP kept pushing white lawyers and even kept Jones from appearing at the supreme court. But I think this book did what it meant to do, and then gave me resources to get the other stuff I want. Because sending kids out for more information is a great ending, and leaving them with this information is also a good idea.
October 26, 2022
This is an important book that should be mandatory to read or a least the story be taught in schools.
Privileged white racist white males, are the worst. I am white and I am ashamed of those in the South part of America, who treated black people badly because they were a certain race. News flash stupid racist white males, under the skin, we are all the same. Some people just have more melanin in their skin.
It is insecure, small men who are intimated by someone and instead of being a good human being, you try to oppress anyone they can oppress.
This is a very important book about racism, and the incalculable injustices black people have felt at the hands of white people.
This is a valuable book, I hope at some point this a book kids read in schools, because this story is so important.
Scipio Jones is a story of one of the most amazing men (besides, MLK) in the civil rights era. We should think of him on MLK Day.
Privileged white racist white males, are the worst. I am white and I am ashamed of those in the South part of America, who treated black people badly because they were a certain race. News flash stupid racist white males, under the skin, we are all the same. Some people just have more melanin in their skin.
It is insecure, small men who are intimated by someone and instead of being a good human being, you try to oppress anyone they can oppress.
This is a very important book about racism, and the incalculable injustices black people have felt at the hands of white people.
This is a valuable book, I hope at some point this a book kids read in schools, because this story is so important.
Scipio Jones is a story of one of the most amazing men (besides, MLK) in the civil rights era. We should think of him on MLK Day.
Want to read
November 2, 2021Publisher's Description: Scipio Africanus Jones -- a self-taught attorney who was born enslaved -- leads a momentous series of court cases to save twelve Black men who'd been unjustly sentenced to death.
In October 1919, a group of Black sharecroppers met at a church in an Arkansas village to organize a union. Bullets rained down on the meeting from outside. Many were killed by a white mob, and others were rounded up and arrested. Twelve of the sharecroppers were hastily tried and sentenced to death. Up stepped Scipio Africanus Jones, a self-taught lawyer who'd been born enslaved. Could he save the men's lives and set them free? Through their in-depth research and consultation with legal experts, award-winning nonfiction authors Sandra and Rich Wallace examine the complex proceedings and an unsung African American early civil rights hero.
In October 1919, a group of Black sharecroppers met at a church in an Arkansas village to organize a union. Bullets rained down on the meeting from outside. Many were killed by a white mob, and others were rounded up and arrested. Twelve of the sharecroppers were hastily tried and sentenced to death. Up stepped Scipio Africanus Jones, a self-taught lawyer who'd been born enslaved. Could he save the men's lives and set them free? Through their in-depth research and consultation with legal experts, award-winning nonfiction authors Sandra and Rich Wallace examine the complex proceedings and an unsung African American early civil rights hero.
December 12, 2021
The cover is misleadingly dull: in reality, this is a true crime type of thriller. I read it to my parents, and it kept them on the edge of their seats to the very end. I had never heard of this incident, where sharecroppers trying to unionize were gunned down and then charged with murder, and then a black lawyer (Scipio Jones) took their case all the way to the US Supreme Court *and won*. Forget "To Kill a Mockingbird" with its white savior trope, this ups the ante because more blacks faced execution, it really happened, AND the silver-tongued lawyer who saved them was black, risking his life, career, and nearly bankrupting himself to save them in the South of the 1920s. The author's note does a good job of explaining their research, and the bibliography is a classic example for teens to follow - even divided by type of source. Highly recommend.
July 1, 2021
I was actually headed for the checkout desk at our local library when I glimpsed the cover of this book on the new nonfiction shelf and was intrigued by the title. I skimmed through the blurb and realized that I had never heard anything about the people and events in Race Against Time. So I quickly grabbed the book and headed out. Wow, am I glad I found and read this book. Scipio Jones is someone I am guessing most of my fellow Americans have never been taught about, and the Elaine massacre is an event rarely spoken about, but we should all know this story and learn about this brilliant, brave, selfless, and determined lawyer. The book itself is very suspenseful, particularly because it's a true story. I highly recommend this for everyone, ages 12& up.
February 3, 2021
Riveting! I could not put this book down. Living in Little Rock, AR, I was aware of the Elaine Race Riots and that Scipio A. Jones was an accomplished Black Attorney who worked tirelessly for the freedom of the twelve innocent men all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The details in this book made their journey more poignant for me and raised Scipio A. Jones to a new level of admiration. This is an important event in Black History that must be shared to middle/high school students, as well as adults. My hope is that a brilliant person who is involved in making movies will scoop this story up and give this story the justice it deserves.
April 21, 2021
I didn't know anything about Scipio Jones and the sharecroppers he defended. I picked up this book because I love the books the Wallaces collaborate on (Blood Brother, The Teachers March); they are local authors, and they are fantastic people.
This is an excellent story about justice and determination. I love the photos and the author's note and references/additional readings at the end. This is a great introduction for young readers to learn about Black history and to make connections to BLM. The language, writing, and style are definitely suited for middle school readers, but all ages will enjoy this story.
This is an excellent story about justice and determination. I love the photos and the author's note and references/additional readings at the end. This is a great introduction for young readers to learn about Black history and to make connections to BLM. The language, writing, and style are definitely suited for middle school readers, but all ages will enjoy this story.
April 5, 2022
An exemplary YA nonfiction account of a little known hero and champion against injustice and racism. Sciopio Jones was a self-learned attorney who took on the case of 12 African American men accused of murdering white men during a alleged riot in 1920's Arkansas. The truth was that the white men murdered scores of African American men, women, and children because they had the audacity to ask for fair prices for the cotton they harvested in their share croppers' farms. An eye-opening and heart felt story. This slim nonfiction volume would be an excellent complement reading to students studying To Kill a Mockingbird.
April 21, 2021
This book highlights the first United States Supreme Court case, Moore V. Dempsey, which was the first favorable ruling in a criminal case against twelve Black defendants accused of murder, previously convicted by all white juries, and the lawyer who fought to free them. The men attended a union meeting, and were subsequently accused and convicted of murder, sentenced to die by electrocution in the Arkansas electric chair. This is a short but excellent read. If human rights and social justice is your passion, it is a must read.
May 3, 2022
This is a powerful, well-researched, and well-presented story about a little known early Civil Rights case and the extraordinary measures that attorney Scipio Jones took to save unjustly accused men's lives. The book includes photographs, a clear sense of time and place, key historical context, and detailed source notes, and the authors refrain from pontificating about current issues, letting history speak for itself without making the past a means to an end. This is YA nonfiction at its finest.
May 5, 2021
Excellent! I'm a librarian for young adults, so I'm always on the lookout for engaging, well-researched middle grade and YA nonfiction. Race Against Time is everything I want for my nonfiction collection--illuminating, compelling, well researched with great citations, engaging historical images, and a dynamic layout that complements the propulsive storytelling. This is a book that will make teens want to read more nonfiction; every library that serves young people should have a copy!
June 3, 2021
Although designed as a youth or young adult book its chocked full of extensive well explained information about the Elaine Twelve, yet another piece of history that has previously been conveniently buried. It is part of what is considered the red summer of 1919. Thank you to the author for the research completed to unearth this horrific injustice.
January 7, 2023
Everyone should know who Scipio Jones is given the the work he did with the Elaine Twelve and the legal precedent he set as a result. As a teacher, I’m always looking to teach Black History by amplifying unknown stories. If I taught teenagers, this would be it. A nonfiction book written like a thriller would engage any young reader.
February 25, 2023
The Elaine Massacre and the subsequent trials of the Elaine Twelve are not a well-known part of our history, but it should be and this book explains what happened and how Little Rock lawyer Scipio Jones helped to advance civil rights in the justice system for not only the Elaine Twelve but also for all US citizens who are denied due process and fair trials in their state courts.
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