During my visit to Montgomery’s National Memorial for Peace and Justice, I was devastated to see three names of murdered souls listed on the marker for my home of Lauderdale County in Alabama. As soon as I saw the names, I needed to know the stories. I needed to read with my own eyes what happened to those who died.

… AND O MY PEOPLE, OUT YONDER, HEAR ME, THEY DO NOT LOVE YOUR NECK UNNOOSED AND STRAIGHT. SO LOVE YOUR NECK; PUT A HAND ON IT, GRACE IT, STROKE IT AND HOLD IT UP.

I graduated from high school in 1995 - a Bradshaw Bruin: smart, somewhat ambivalent, and ready to get the hell out of my hometown. I was in the National Honor Society and the drama club. The worst thing I thought might happen to me at school was getting caught sneaking out to grab a burger for lunch or smoking in my car between classes. I remember a bomb threat being called in once, but it happened during exam week and we always assumed it was just a student who didn't want to take a test. Back then there were pay phones and caller ID was a pretty new feature, so we never really knew the truth. Home was safe; school was safe.