There Is a Deep Brooding in Arkansas

In "The Rape Trials of Jim Crow Southern Arkansas," Scott W. Stern explores the deeply entrenched racial and economic inequities of rape law through two pivotal court cases in early twentieth-century Mississippi County, Arkansas. The narrative examines how the Jim Crow legal system selectively prosecuted rape to maintain oppressive hierarchies, sending innocent Black men to death row while white perpetrators evaded justice. Through meticulous archival research, Stern highlights the resilience of ordinary women and includes insights into the early careers of figures like Thurgood Marshall and Maya Angelou, illustrating their role in advocating against sexual violence in a deeply divided society.