The civil rights era, although it was last century, many of the same issues that were being fought for then, are still being fought for now.   Was recently asked by a friend, if we still need affirmative action because in their minds, institutional racism has gone away. Of course, my friend, has never been stopped by the police because he matched a description or have a whole room pause their discussions when they realize he was the only person of color. There is no way, these are close to what the type of discrimination, people of color faced after the Civil War through the Reagan era.

Even then, discrimination has never really ended, it just became not as obvious and even more insidious, which brings us to today’s climate, where faces of hatred are not hiding anymore. Ava DuVernay’s 13^th, which was released a few months ago, highlights this vicious cycle, as the racism, obvious and not obvious, disclosed how this has affected the prison industrial system, and how the justice system is not necessarily formed to work in the name of justice. Cases like those shown in the documentary and recent release of the Central Park Five, shows a system where people of color are in constant danger. In The Silence of Our Friends by Mark Long, Jim Demonakos and Nate Powell, it weaves a tale where justice was this one time, righteous.

It is the summer of 1967 and we meet a white family in Texas, where the trial of Samuel Otis, has gripped the state and has them divided along racial lines. Because of the trial, both KKK and SNCC, have made their presence known. The other family that are our main characters are black, and face a drastically different and uglier life in Texas. Eventually, a peaceful protest turns violent, where a police officer gets killed and five black college students are put on trial for his murder. By book’s end, justice is served but a tragedy has taken a national hero, these two families are stronger than ever, as they are joined by their commonalities and their differences, as they understand at the end of the day, they are human.

Overall, an excellent book, which shows how hate can be overcome by love. The story by Long and Demonakos, is relatable, at time funny, and accurate to history. The art by Powell, is engaging. Altogether, a book that will make you rethink, the word” progress”, as there are some familiar scenes of recent events in this book, as it shows we have truly have not come as far as we think we have.

Story: Mark Long and Jim Demonakos Art: Nate Powell
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy