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People Wasn't Made to Burn
A True Story of Housing, Race, and Murder in Chicago
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Check link for latest rating. ( 150 ratings, 23 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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See moreThe long-buried story of a Chicagoan's struggle for justice after four of his children perished in a tragic fire.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
In 1947, James Hickman shot and killed the landlord he believed was responsible for a tragic fire that took the lives of four of his children on Chicago's West Side. But a vibrant defence campaign, exposing the working poverty and racism that led to his crime, helped win Hickman's freedom.
With a true-crime writer's eye for suspense and a historian's depth of knowledge, Joe Allen unearths the compelling story of a campaign that stood up to Jim Crow well before the modern civil rights movement had even begun. As deteriorating housing conditions and an accelerating foreclosure crisis combine to form a hauntingly similar set of circumstances to those that led to the Hickman case, Allen's book restores to prominence a previously unknown story with profound relevance today.
People Wasn't Made to Burn is both a riveting historical narrative and a reminder of the deep-seated issues that continue to echo in contemporary society.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
People Wasn't Made to Burn by Joe Allen has been praised for its powerful storytelling and thorough historical research. Reviewers highlight the depiction of James Hickman's story, a striking example of resilience against racial injustice in post-war America. The book is acknowledged for shedding light on the harsh realities of racial segregation, economic exploitation, and the power of community activism to effect change, offering a poignant reminder of the fight for social justice.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781642593754
Publisher: Haymarket Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 08 December 2020
Country: United States
Imprint: Haymarket Books
Illustration: Illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 139.0mm
Height: 215.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 328
About the Author
Joe Allen worked for nearly a decade at UPS between its Watertown, Massachusetts and Chicago, Illinois Jefferson Street hubs. Starting out as a part-time loader he worked his way through a series of part-time sorting and driving jobs until his final year at UPS where he was a package car driver in Chicago's Loop. Allen's work life has largely revolved different sections of the freight and logistics including for such major employers as A.P.A Transport (Canton, Mass.), Yellow Freight (Maspeth, NY), and UPS. He has been a member of several Teamster local unions and a member of Teamsters for a Democratic Union. He campaigned for Ron Carey's reelection in 1996, and for Tom Leedham in the two following Teamster elections. Joe Allen lives in Chicago, IL.
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