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Chris Crowe

Author of Mississippi Trial, 1955

13+ Works 942 Members 41 Reviews

About the Author

Includes the name: ChrisCrowe

Also includes: Crowe (1)

Image credit: Brigham Young University

Works by Chris Crowe

Associated Works

Enter to Learn: Writing and Research at Byu (1999) — Contributor — 7 copies
BYU Studies Vol. 60 No. 4, 2021 (2021) — Contributor — 3 copies
When Words Collide: May the Fourth Be with You (2021) — Contributor — 1 copy

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
20th Century
Gender
male
Nationality
USA
Birthplace
Danville, Illinois, USA
Places of residence
Provo, Utah, USA
Education
Brigham Young University
Arizona State University
Occupations
teacher
young adult writer
Professor of English
Organizations
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Brigham Young University
Awards and honors
Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Teacher Award (BYU, 2020)
Agent
Patricia J. Campbell
Short biography
Chris Crowe is a professor of English at Brigham Young University, and a specialist in young adult literature.    The father of four children, Chris Crowe lives with his family in Utah. [adapted from Getting Away with Murder (2003)]

Members

Reviews

Reason Read; alpha, ROOT
Fiction about nonfiction event. Jim Crow in the south and the distortion of justice by social pressure.
 
Flagged
Kristelh | 6 other reviews | May 26, 2023 |
Full disclosure: I'm crying.
 
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Mrs_Tapsell_Bookzone | 5 other reviews | Feb 14, 2023 |
Like his newfound friend Emmett Till, Hiram hails from the north and is visiting relatives who live in small-town Mississippi. It is through his interactions with Emmett that Hiram is able to see the difference between how he is treated as a white person, and Emmett is treated so very differently because of his skin color. Surprised at the bigotry, this young man will soon experience a life-changing event.

In particular, Hiram is ashamed to observe that his grandfather is also racist, noting that blacks need to "know their place. " This story is told from the perspective of Hiram who is confused about why the hatred of blacks is so embedded in the southern culture.

Emmett Till perhaps made a mistake in touching the hand of a white woman when he paid for his purchases at the Bryant small store. Perhaps he whistled at her to showing off to his southern cousins. But, Emmett was a stutter, and to stop stuttering, Emmett whistled.

Emmett is new to the ways of the south. Living in Chicago is far less bigoted. No one was in the store to observe Emmett's actions with Carolyn Bryant. The boys with Emmett may have heard a whistle, but even they were not sure if it was intentionally given to Mrs. Bryant.

The depth of the story lies with the ethics of Hirim, who was concerned when Emmett Till went missing. And then, days later, boys fishing found Emmett's dead body. It was floating in the top of the river and a large object was holding him there.

When the sheriff arrives to get the body, he sees a bloated, severely beaten young boy who was so battered his eye was not in the socket, he could only be identified by a ring he wore.

The dilemma that Hirim faces is trying to find the culprit who so brutally killed his friend. His journey to find who did this takes Hirim to the deep bigotry of the town, and the price Emmett had to pay for not obeying the rules of the south, was that he lost his life.

And now, if Hirim continues to dig into the truth, he too may pay a heavy price, and the information he knows is not easy to carry.
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Whisper1 | 6 other reviews | Dec 10, 2022 |
NOT SURE OF SOURCE, GREAT REVIEW: Victor Bevine's steady narration brings an air of gravitas to this compelling story, which focuses on the 1955 murder of Emmett Till. While visiting his grandfather in Mississippi, 16-year-old Hiram is horrified to discover that a childhood friend may have been involved in the brutal slaying of 14-year-old Till. Bevine deftly conveys Hiram's tortured thoughts as he agonizes over whether to reveal his knowledge. As the Till trial unfolds, Bevine sensitively describes Hiram's dawning understanding of the deep-rooted racism that has corrupted the community. This understanding is complicated by his tender relationship with his stubbornly racist grandfather.

FROM SYNC & AMAZON: At first, Hiram is excited to visit his hometown in Mississippi. But soon after he arrives, he crosses paths with Emmett Till, a black teenager from Chicago who is also visiting for the summer. Hiram sees firsthand how the local whites mistreat blacks who refuse to "know their place". When Emmett's tortured dead body is found floating in a river, Hiram is determined to find out who could do such a thing. But what will it cost him to know?
… (more)
 
Flagged
Gmomaj | 6 other reviews | Jun 30, 2022 |

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Statistics

Works
13
Also by
5
Members
942
Popularity
#27,279
Rating
4.1
Reviews
41
ISBNs
43

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