About the Author

Howard Ball, presently professor of law at Vermont Law School and professor emeritus of political science at the University of Vermont, is a veteran of the civil rights movement and for many years taught at Mississippi State University. He is the author of two dozen books including The Bakke Case: Race, Education, and Affirmative Action (see page 51) and A Defiant Life: Thurgood Marshall and the Persistence of Racism in America.

Reviews

"A crucial book for those interested in a detailed account of how and why the federal government became involved in the 1960s civil rights movement."--Journal of Southern History"Ball offers a superb account of United States v. Price. . . . He tells this sad story with grace and quiet passion. The book reveals the fragility of law. Well written and accessible. Highly recommended. General audiences; lower-division undergraduates through researchers."--Choice"Well worth reading for an understanding of a key decade in the history of civil rights in America."--New York Law Journal"A compelling story of bigotry, judicial power, constitutional law, Congressional power, federalism, and civil rights."--Law and Politics Book Review"In time for the 40th anniversary of these infamous murders, this is another gem in the "Landmark Law Cases" series and deserves a place in any serious collection on U.S. history, law, civil rights, and race relations. Highly recommended."--Library Journal"A powerful look at the forces that forged the civil rights movement."--Booklist

"A Gothic journey into the racist nightmare of state-sponsored terrorism and murder, Ball's definitive account also reveals the redemptive power of American democracy and the rule of law."--William Doyle, author of An American Insurrection: The Battle of Oxford, Mississippi, 1962"A powerful evocation of a tragic time and place in our national history, Ball's book captures the moment brilliantly and tells an important story."--Neil McMillen, winner of the Bancroft prize for Dark Journey: Black Mississippians in the Age of Jim Crow"A superb account of man's inhumanity to man, Ball's work has the insider's touch and makes gripping reading throughout."--Tinsley Yarbrough, author of Race and Redistricting: The Shaw-Cromartie Cases