Willie Edwards Jr. was a nice and charming guy. He was married and had children whom he loved very deeply. He took care of his wife, children and his sisters who lived in the house with him. He lived a good life for a Black man during the fifties. He drove trucks that transported goods for Winn-Dixie.

In 1957 he was mistaken for a Black guy who dated a white woman. This mistake led to the tragic death of Willie Edwards Jr. This paper will analyze the life of Willie Edwards Jr., the act that brought an end to his life and those who were involved, the life of Sarah Jean afterwards, the body that was found, and also we’ll see if this was mere sport and play.

I. Willie Edwards Jr. life in the thirties seemed good.

A. The school days of Willie was different from ours.

1. The school was located on a hill.

a. What the school of Willie Edwards looked like.

B. The early relationship with Sarah Jean was a beautiful.

1. Willie taught Sarah how to swim.

2. Willie shares his dreams with Sarah.

II. Willie was called to work at an unusual time that he never was called in on.

A. The call that Willie received was a conspiracy.

B. The Ku Klux Klan had stuck their hands in this conspiracy.

C. It was said that Willie was dating a white woman.

III. There was no true meaning behind the death of Willie Edwards Jr.

A. Could this act be mere sport and play?

1. After all the brutality he would have confessed to dating a white woman, any man would confess if he was pressured.

B. What would cause this act to take place?

1. Was it because Willie had a good paying job?

2. Was it because he is Black?

3. Maybe it is all of the above?

IV. On April 23, 1957 Willie Edwards body was found.

A. Willie’s body was found in a river.

1. His body was caught in branches on the riverbank.

B. There was evidence that this was Willies body.

1. He was missing a finger

2. He had two gold caps in his mouth.

3. He had red yarn in his pants.

4. He had a lighter with him. (Sarah bare witness to these things.)

V. Sarah Jean prepares to leave Montgomery.

A. People begin telling Sarah to move away from her pain.

1. Even though she finds it hard to leave she does.

B. She meets a friend who wants to take her away from her pain and sorrow.

1,2, & 3. Montgomery Advertiser, article by Jannel Mcgrew Jan. 16, 2000

Work site page

Bullard, Sarah. Free at Last A History of the Civil Rights movement and those who died in the Struggle.

The Southern Poverty Law Center. The Civil Rights Memorial.

McGrew, Jannel. (2000). “The Willie Edwards Story.” Montgomery Advertiser Jan. 16, 2000

Bradley, David. (1998). The Encyclopedia of Civil Rights in America. Volume 1. Hough Mifflin. Boston.

Sigler, Jay. (1998). Civil Rights in America 1500 to the pre

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