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The Eyes of Willie McGee: A Tragedy of Race, Sex, and Secrets in the Jim Crow South Audiobook
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(3.01) - 88 listener ratings
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“A memorable narrative of a civil rights case that deserves a larger place in American memory.” —Jon Meacham
“Riveting. . . . It’s like a real-life To Kill a Mockingbird, but with even more subtlety and complexity.” —Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein
In this gripping saga of race and retribution, Alex Heard tells a moving and unforgettable story of the deep South that says as much about Mississippi today as it does about the mysteries of the past. In doing so, he evokes the bitter conflicts between black and white, north and south in America.
In 1945, a young African-American man from Laurel, Mississippi, was sentenced to death for allegedly raping Willette Hawkins, a white housewife. The case was barely noticed until Bella Abzug, a young New York labor lawyer, was hired to oversee Willie McGee's appeal. Together with William Patterson, a dedicated black reformer, Abzug risked her life to plead the case. “Free Willie McGee” became an international rallying cry, with supporters flooding President Truman's White House and the U.S. Supreme Court with clemency pleas and famous Americans—including William Faulkner, Albert Einstein, and Norman Mailer—speaking out on McGee's behalf. By 1951, millions worldwide were convinced of McGee's innocence—even though there were serious questions about his claim that the truth involved a secret love affair.
In this unforgettable story of justice in the Deep South, Mississippi native Alex Heard reexamines the lasting mysteries surrounding McGee's haunting case.
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"Very fascinating yet troubling read, its amazing that this happened in the last 70 years. "
— Tamara (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The case of Willie McGee is an enduring mystery, but there’s no doubt he was the victim of a primitive and unfair judicial system. Alex Heard’s excellent account of his life and death is tragic, sad, and very compelling.”
— John Grisham -
“In this riveting personal journey, Alex Heard explores the political and social forces at play and then reveals the fascinating human drama underneath it all. It’s like a real-life To Kill a Mockingbird, but with even more subtlety and complexity.”
— Walter Isaacson, New York Times bestselling author -
“Heard succeeds impressively…Through gritty, precise reporting, he reveals the human cost of mob violence and ‘legal lynchings’ in Mississippi…Heard tells of those who fought against lynchings and of those who died in their midst…A rich narrative.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“The Eyes of Willie McGee should be must reading for serious students of twentieth century US history…A vivid, and essential, story of a rape trial and conviction, lynch mobs and complex personal relationships.”
— Chicago Tribune
Awards
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A 2010 Washington Post Best Book for Nonfiction
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A 2011 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominee for Best Fact Crime
The Eyes of Willie McGee Listener Reviews
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" Very fascinating yet troubling read, its amazing that this happened in the last 70 years. "
— Tamara, 12/13/2013 -
" Disjointed, repetitive, and lacks a conclusion. "
— Kate, 3/28/2013
About Alex Heard
Alex Heard is the editorial director of Outside magazine. He has worked as an editor and writer at The New York Times Magazine, Slate, Wired, and The New Republic, and is the author of Apocalypse Pretty Soon. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
About JD Jackson
JD Jackson is a theater professor, aspiring stage director, and award-winning audiobook narrator. He is a classically trained actor, and his television and film credits include roles on House, ER, Law & Order, Hack, Sherrybaby, Diary of a City Priest, and Lucky Number Slevin. He is the recipient of more than a dozen Earphones Awards for narration and an Odyssey Honor for G. Neri’s Ghetto Cowboy, and he was also named one of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voices of the Year for 2012 and 2013. An adjunct professor at Los Angeles Southwest College, he has an MFA in theater from Temple University.