A Murder In Virginia Word Doc
Abbey Bosley
February 13,2015
Long Civil Rights Movements
Dr.Ringel
A Murder In Virginia
When reading A Murder in Virginia many questions arise about why this book is important and even why the story about Lucy Pollard death mattered in 1895 let alone why it matters to us now in 2015. Suzanne Lebsock doesn't come right out and tell you the answers to these questions, rather she leaves subtle hints throughout the book and tells you why she thinks it is important to learn about in the last chapter of the book. I think she does it this way so you can formulate your own ideas and your own reasons on why the Lucy Pollard case is an influential piece of history. In the introduction to the book Lebsock says “ Time and time again in the Lunenburg case, people acted bravely and against type” (Lebsock,19). Throughout the book she reminds us of this idea that the Lunenburg case went against the script of the time period. The defendants receive protection during their 1st trials that normally black folks would not receive in the 1890’s.They received white lawyers which is alone would have been a big deal back then but even more shocking a poor black newspaper writer was able to get them a rich white lawyer.There were black jurors, they received 2nd trials, and there were white suspects. All of these examples prove just how different this case was than most during its time period. The Lucy Pollard case is important because its proof that there really was a moment in between emancipation and Jim Crow laws where things were getting better. After the Jim Crow laws set in the Lucy Pollard case was forgotten because it showed how white and black people worked so hard together to free these innocent people. The white people didn't like that in this particular case the whites didn't take the lead. Once Jim Crow laws were put into place no one wanted to hear a story about the two groups of people working together. When we
February 13,2015
Long Civil Rights Movements
Dr.Ringel
A Murder In Virginia
When reading A Murder in Virginia many questions arise about why this book is important and even why the story about Lucy Pollard death mattered in 1895 let alone why it matters to us now in 2015. Suzanne Lebsock doesn't come right out and tell you the answers to these questions, rather she leaves subtle hints throughout the book and tells you why she thinks it is important to learn about in the last chapter of the book. I think she does it this way so you can formulate your own ideas and your own reasons on why the Lucy Pollard case is an influential piece of history. In the introduction to the book Lebsock says “ Time and time again in the Lunenburg case, people acted bravely and against type” (Lebsock,19). Throughout the book she reminds us of this idea that the Lunenburg case went against the script of the time period. The defendants receive protection during their 1st trials that normally black folks would not receive in the 1890’s.They received white lawyers which is alone would have been a big deal back then but even more shocking a poor black newspaper writer was able to get them a rich white lawyer.There were black jurors, they received 2nd trials, and there were white suspects. All of these examples prove just how different this case was than most during its time period. The Lucy Pollard case is important because its proof that there really was a moment in between emancipation and Jim Crow laws where things were getting better. After the Jim Crow laws set in the Lucy Pollard case was forgotten because it showed how white and black people worked so hard together to free these innocent people. The white people didn't like that in this particular case the whites didn't take the lead. Once Jim Crow laws were put into place no one wanted to hear a story about the two groups of people working together. When we