The Reckoning by Wade Hudson

Author:Wade Hudson [Hudson, Wade]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2024-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

WE DEMAND JUSTICE.

MURDER IS ILLEGAL!

JUSTICE FOR MR. PHILLIPS.

ANOTHER BLACK PERSON MURDERED!

Someone yelled out, “No justice, no peace!” The protestors picked it up, and quickly a chorus belted out the words that had become familiar from other protests. No justice, yelled one group. No peace, responded another.

And on it went as the protestors made their way down the sidewalk and back.

No justice!

No peace!

No justice!

No peace!

No justice!

No peace!

Lamar videotaped it all, following the protestors as his camcorder rolled. He made sure he captured Kyra, who, assisted by several other organizers, kept the protestors in line. He noticed sheriff’s deputies standing near the window of the courthouse. He wondered if they were going to come out or remain inside. They stayed inside.

As the protestors continued to march, Lamar noticed a small group of neatly dressed men approach. He recognized one of them. It was Reverend Thurmond. Lamar assumed they were members of the ministers’ group Kyra mentioned. Reverend Thurmond mounted a portable stage, and Kyra handed the megaphone to him.

“Listen! Listen!” he called as the protestors gathered around the stage. “I have some important information I need to share with you.

“For those of you who may not know me, I am Reverend Thurmond, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church here in Morton. I was Brother Joshua Phillips’s and his family’s pastor. I and the Morton Ministerial Alliance worked with the Students for Freedom at Morton High School to organize this protest. Our group has had an opportunity to speak with the district attorney this morning, and he told us that no charges will be filed against the man who shot Brother Phillips, because all evidence indicates it was self-defense.”

Booooo­ooooo­o, came the collective response. Raised fists and other protestations augmented the frenzied reaction.

“You’re right! We can’t and we won’t accept that,” Reverend Thurmond declared, raising his voice louder so he could be heard. “We don’t believe it was self-defense. And we can’t allow them to let this drop. We’ve got to keep pushing them to do a real investigation. I know they want this to go away. But we aren’t going to let it, are we?”

“NOOOOOOOO!”

Reverend Thurmond continued. “Now, you all know that the district attorney is an officer of the parish. He’s not a part of the Morton town government. So the mayor and the town council have no say in what the district attorney does or does not do. Not even the police chief here in Morton does.”

“So we get screwed again?” someone yelled. “Is that what you’re leading to?”

“No, we’re not going to let this go,” Reverend Thurmond answered quickly. “We’re going to keep demanding justice for Brother Phillips. And we will get justice.”

“But they’re not going to arrest a White man for killing a Black man!” another student shouted. Lamar moved in so he could get a close-up. The cameraman from WKCU stood opposite him.

“When was the last time that happened?” the student continued, his voice getting even louder.

“This will be different,” Reverend Thurmond responded in a more determined voice. “We’re not going to be alone.

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