Bruce Watson wrote this book in order to give in detail the story of the savage season of 1964 that made Mississippi burn and made America a democracy. The authors purpose is to share the horrific stories of this summer and tell anyone who will listen what these people really went through. “...forever democrats with a small d, and forever touched by this single season of their youth. But, first they had to survive Freedom Summer.”(14) This Summer changed Mississippi forever and it changed everyone involved in this rebellion. The blacks were ready for change but they needed help to get the job done. The race relations in Mississippi in 1963 was definitely not the best. Some blacks were scared to go out and even scared to vote. They knew if they did that they were be terrorized by the whites. The whites viewed the blacks as the lower class. “73 percent thought blacks less intelligent, 88 percent thought they “smelled different,” and 89 percent thought they had “looser morals.”(9). Whites clearly did not like or think of blacks as equals, they thought of …show more content…
On July 16th was “Freedom Day” before July 16th every one hung onto the 50s. The drag races every night, the Yankees still the best team, the old movies and doo-wop music. Everyone was satisfied with the now and did not forsee any changes that should be made. Now Freedom Day was here and people were nervous, excited, and scared. Picket lines making there way to the courthouse and others making there way to the courthouse steps. The cops stood in front of court house with there weapons and buses waited to take people to jail. The police sherrif told them they could register but the picketers need to leave. Then people cops came down and escorted people to buses, beat the others and dragged them to the buses. July 16th was just another day but now the 50s were fading away and America was not as peaceful as they made themselves