On May 8th 2023, a native of New Orleans was released after being wrongly convicted of a crime and spending 29 years in jail. He was sentenced to life in prison at the age 15 for a crime that he did not commit. He is now 45 years old.
In 1988, Walter McMillan was wrongly convicted of murder, despite numerous eye witness testimonies supporting his alibi. He was originally sentenced to life in prison, but his sentence was changed to the death penalty through the process of judicial override. He spent 6 years on death row before his sentence was overturned.
In 1993, five teenagers in New York were wrongly convicted of several crimes in 1993.Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana and Antron McCray were sentenced 5-10 years in juvenile detention due to illiteracy and coercion. Kory Wise, 16 years old at the time, received a 15-year prison sentence All charges were overturned in 2002.
In 1946, Willie Francis murdered a store owner whom he accused of sexual abuse. After a short two-day trial Willie Francis, 16-year-old, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. Due to a malfunction in the electric chair, known as “Gruesome Gerti,” he was sent to be executed again only a year later.
As time passes, the details of these cases may fade. One person's story may become intertwined with another’s, names may be forgotten, and specific details become unclear. However, these stories are remembered in fragments, combined, and retold. They become part of American folklore and serve as reminders of the injustices endured by Black people.
Folklore is often described as the stories passed down through generations of a community. These stories are usually rooted in reality and carry a message. “A Lesson Before Dying” is rich with stories of American history and sheds light on the experiences of Black people and the history of injustice in the judicial system.
In “A Lesson Before Dying,” a 16-year-old boy named Jefferson is a witness to the death of 3 people, including a store owner. He is put on trial for murder in front of an all-white jury. During the trial Jefferson is demeaned and compared to a hog. He is wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to be executed by electric chair for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Jefferson, a 16 year old, was a witness to the death of three people, including a store owner. He is put on trial for murder in front of an all-white jury. He is wrongly sentenced to death for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. 6 months later, he was executed by an electric chair. Does this sound familiar?
Jefferson’s story represents more than just the story of Willie Francis; his story symbolizes the experiences of all Black men who have been mistreated by America’s criminal justice system. Throughout history, Black men have been disproportionately criminalized and imprisoned. In the criminal justice system Black men have been portrayed as “black beast” and “super predators.” These racist ideals have disrupted the Black community due to over policing, wrongful convictions, and extreme sentencing.
These stories served as a warning of the cruelty of the world when I was growing up. Every day, before leaving the house, my parents would remind me to be safe. I could see the fear in their eyes fueled by these stories. They fear that like Jefferson, being in the wrong place and the wrong time will unjustly cost me my life.
The novel is set in the late 1940s in the fictional town of Bayonne, Louisiana. After Jefferson’s sentencing, his godmother Miss. Emma and Tante Luo enlist a schoolteacher named Grant to help teach Jefferson that he is a man that deserves dignity in his last six months to live. In the novel, the author Earnest Gaines tackles difficult topics that all fall in the realm of American folklore such as unjust sentencing, dehumanization and sacrificing oneself for the greater good.
Over 3 days of travel across southern Louisiana I unpack the story of Jefferson and dive deep into the generational trauma that is shared in the Black experience in the American South. During this journey I aim to uncover the ways these lessons have impacted my life and how they continue to be shared in the Black community.
Day One - The Courthouse
The Romanesque courthouse is made of baked red masonry. Just as it was described in the book, “it looks like a small castle you might see in the countryside somewhere in Europe.” Yet, this is not Bayonne; it is New Roads, Louisiana. The resemblance between New Roads and the fictional town Bayonne is no coincidence. In fact, New Roads is only a short distance away from the plantation that the author Earnest Gaines spent his childhood years. The location of this story is deeply intertwined with Gaines' own life and the experiences that shaped him.
The grim interior of the jail house is a stark contrast to the vibrant red brick exterior. There is a long hallway complete with a metal detector and a guard wearing a blue grey uniform. As our group of ten people approach the metal detector, the guard stops our professor and inquiries about his purpose. Immediately, a rush of unease washes over me, fueled by the stories I have heard about unjust questioning by law enforcement. While the guard talks to our professor, I twist my mouth into an uncomfortable smile and make jokes with my classmates.
There is an underlying fear within the Black community surrounding interaction with law enforcement. This fear is exemplified by Grant, who instinctively lowers his head whenever questioned by someone in power. It is a learned behavior, born out of the power dynamic that was prevalent on plantation. Black people were expected to lower their heads, avoiding direct eye contact with white individuals unless explicitly instructed otherwise. and not look a white person in the eyes unless instructed to do so. This behavior is replicated in Grant's actions and even in my own forced smile.
Fortunately, Tammy intervenes and rescues us from further conversation with the guard. She guides us upstairs to the courthouse proper, where peeling paint and scratched benches adorn the space. Much like Grant, I did not need to be physically present in the courthouse to know what to expect. Through the book and other stories, I have heard, I had already formed a mental image of this room. Standing within its walls, listening to our guides' intellectual discourse, I envision the all-white jury occupying the box to the right of the judge. I imagine Jefferson seated among the audience, awaiting the pronouncement of his sentence.
Fortunately, Tammy, an employee at the sheriff's office intervenes and saves us the conversation with the guard. She guides us upstairs to the courtroom. The ceiling of the room is peeling toward the ground and the benches are full of scratches. Similar to Grant, I did not need to be in the courthouse to know what to expect. Through the book and related stories, it felt like I had already visited this room. While standing in the front row I imagine the all-white jury in the box to the right of the judge. I imagine Jefferson sitting in the seats waiting for the sentence to be declared.
Leaving the courtroom, we proceed to the jail cells. Tammy takes us in the elevator that would separate the guard from the convict. Upon reaching the top floor, the first thing that strikes me is the heat. The lack of air conditioning makes the cells feel even smaller. Some of these cells would hold four people at a time chained next to each other. At the end of the hall there is a room that is fully enclosed. Its door creates a barrier from the other inmates with the exception of a small window used for delivering food.
This is the cell that I imagine Jefferson would stay in. The room has nothing but a dirty toilet and barred window. The cell remains unchanged from the time the building was built. Even without a bed the space is tight and leaves extremely little room for standing. I imagine Jefferson in the room contemplating being called a “Hog,” while Miss Emma and the Reverend huddle in a corner. I think about how a small radio would echo off the walls, even at a low volume. The share the history etched into them by the former prisoners who documented their stories while incarcerated.
America has the largest prison population in the world. Like Jefferson, countless people in America spend years of their life confined in cells similar to the ones found in the Pointe Coupee Courthouse. Unfortunately, for Black men, it is more likely that they will receive harsher punishments for the same crimes as others. The prevalence of all white juries, mandatory minimums and judge overrides has eroded the Black communities trust in the judicial system.
Day 2 - The Schoolhouse
The church located on the plantation quarter appears smaller in person than I imagined. Inside, eight wooden pews fill the space, while an elevated stage occupies the front. In the book, Grant describes in the book how students were divided by grade and assigned separate areas within the room. However, standing in the room now, it feels too cramped to fit a whole class, let alone six grades of students. If I were a child in this room, it would have been easy to become distracted from the other class and students' conversations.
In the schoolhouse, Grant feels a responsibility to teach children survival lessons alongside the curriculum. He teaches the children how to act in the presence of authority figures, such as the superintendent. He emphasizes that even small actions done incorrectly could potentially lead to outcomes similar to Jefferson.
The strict rule enforcement and emphasis on respect that Grant instills in the children feel eerily familiar my experiences in elementary school at Bethlehem Christian Academy. My elementary school prided itself on its high academics and commitment to discipline. These two factors are what drew my parents to the school. They believe that education and discipline will help me to be successful and safe in my future. I recall being in first grade and being forced to stand after reciting my weekly Bible verse incorrectly. Respect for elders and teachers was ingrained in us, and any form of talking back was disciplined and deemed unacceptable.
In many Black households, parents and guardians feel the need to teach their children the lessons of surviving as a Black person in America. These teaching are direct responses to the overt systems of oppression that have shape the Black experience. While common example included guidance on interacting with police officers during traffic stops, there are numerous lesser known lesson on navigating life as a Black person.
Throughout the novel, Grant plays the role of educator and mentor. Having grown up on a plantation and had a college education, he has learned how to navigate the world. However, it is evident that he resents having to abide by the rules imposed by people in power. He also recognizes the dangers of neglecting not teaching the children how to react and the possible harmful implication it could have on their lives. Grant carries a heavy expectation of educators on his shoulders and many times he considers running away because of it.
Day 3 - The Ernest Gaines Center
At 10am I arrived at the campus of University of Louisiana Lafitte to visit the Ernest Gaines Center. Cheylon, the archivist for the Ernest Gaines Center and doctoral student in Folklore, welcomes our group. Cheylon’s research focuses on Gaines’ novels, arguing that they serve as acts of historic preservation, capturing the stories of Black individuals growing up in the rural areas of Southern Louisiana. She emphasizes that while fictional, each of Gaines’ stories contain underlying truths preserved through the art of storytelling.
Our conversation contemplated the ways Gaines' life story is expressed through his novels. We draw parallels between the plantation quarter where he spent his childhood and the plantation quarter described in “A Lesson Before Dying.” As a young boy, Gaines himself worked in the sugarcane fields and was raised by his aunt when his parents moved to California. His aunt was known for disciplining the children and keeping the children of the quarter in line. She mirrors the portrayal of many women in “A Lesson Before Dying” who cook, clean and care for Grant.
In the Gaines Center, we explore the recurring theme of sacrificing oneself for the greater good. In the text, Grant dreams of leaving the small town in Louisiana to join his parents in California. However, his commitment to teaching the children, driven by love and a sense of obligation, keeps him rooted in the community. In this way, Grant sacrifices potential personal opportunities to serve and uplift his community.
In the novel, north Grant and Jefferson are put into positions where they feel the weight of representing all Black people. Jefferson must walk to the execution chair with dignity to prove to the jury that he is deserving of human treatment. After he dies, he will serve as a martyr for the and people will retell his story with honor.
These ideas continue today in the notion of “Black excellence.” From an early age, I have been taught that I must strive to be the best, as my achievement will be a reflection of my family and the Black community. Reading the text, I realize how the concept of Black excellence stems from the desire to counter stereotypes surrounding Black people and prove that we are capable and deserving of equal opportunities.
Exploring Southern Louisiana with the guidance of Gaines' novel provided an insight into lived experiences in the American South. The experiences of Grant and Jefferson reflects broader realities of the experiences in the Black community. Through their stories he highlights the complex history of survival that gets passed down through generation in Black households. “A Lesson Before Dying” speaks on American history and its relevance lies in its reflection of ongoing struggle with American society.