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Summary Of John Perkins 'Let Justice Roll Down'

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John Perkins’ autobiography, Let Justice Roll Down, shares the intimate, raw and candid memoir of a man who was born into a racially-torn world who survived racial injustice and found forgiveness. The front cover of his book summaries the treacherous yet miraculous life of Perkin’s: “His brother died in his arms, shot by a deputy marshal… he was beaten and tortured by the sheriff and State Police… but through it all he returned good for evil, love for hate, progress for prejudice and brought hope to black and white alike” Perkins opens his autobiography with the graphic death of his brother who was the victim of racial injustice towards blacks in Mississippi. The death of his older brother, Clyde would forever define Perkins early life. Perkins …show more content…

He instead decided to leave his job in search for a more promising and righteous future. He recalled after leaving his job, “I told myself, … ‘if you’re going to make it in this society, you’ve got to somehow or other get your hands on the means of production” (Perkins 1976). Eventually, he fled the South, and gradually climbed the ladder into a good-paying job, and, by the 1950s, he established a middle-class life in Southern California with his wife, Vera Mae. In 1957, Perkins became a Christian, effectively altering his priorities in his life forever. Much like Moses, he strongly felt God calling him to leave his comfortable life in California and return to his racially-torn home state. Back in Mississippi, Perkins contributed a huge positive influence into the state. Gradually, his ministry began to turn around the state’s depressed opportunity for black. One evening in 1970, racial anger erupted, and Perkins was almost killed by white Mississippi police officers. Months after, he would fight for injustice in the system, combat aggressive depression, and sadly even stand firm in the face of persecution from white Christians. Although, Perkins could have collapsed into anger, Perkins’ intense suffering became his sanctification. The 41-year-old emerged with a renewed spirit and vision for the

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