Freshly Printed - allow 7 days lead
Couldn't load pickup availability
Be not Afraid
A Southern Journey Through Law, Liberty, and Civil Rights
Jack Drake (Author)
9780817362423, The University of Alabama Press
Paperback / softback, published 28 February 2026
204 pages, 16 b&w figures
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.368 kg
"Be Not Afraid is a well-written, rare, honest, and revealing memoir on how a poor white southerner came to reckon with the unextinguished presence of race and racism in his heart, mind, and soul through his experiences, interracial friendships, and life's work." —Steve Suitts, author of Overturning Brown: The Segregationist Legacy of the Modern School Choice Movement "Drake lays out the issues in crucial legal cases and highlights colorful encounters along the way. In the process, he illuminates behind-the-scenes details that might be surprising. . . Drake was a force during a pivotal time in the story of the United States, and particularly of Alabama. His awakening and action should strike a chord with those who lived through those turbulent times and ring alarms for the turbulent times we face today." —Alabama Writers Forum "Be Not Afraid is an exceptionally interesting book, told with candor and wit, about the remembrance of the author's stages of life in Alabama, his legal career, and the role of his religious faith." —Kendal Weaver, author of Ten Stars: The African American Journey of Gary Cooper "A Birmingham native, Drake offers an insider's view of the quiet negotiations, courtroom battles, and pivotal protests that reshaped the state during the fight for racial justice. Written with clarity and conviction, this compelling memoir is essential reading for anyone interested in the ongoing struggle for equality in America." —John M. Giggie, author of Bloody Tuesday: The Untold Story of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa
A civil rights attorney's unflinching memoir about the fight against segregation and systemic racism through landmark legal battles in Alabama. Be Not Afraid: A Southern Journey Through Law, Liberty, and Civil Rights is a timely and unflinching memoir from civil rights attorney Jack Drake, who has spent decades on the front lines of Alabama's legal battles for racial justice. Raised in a segregated community in Gardendale, Alabama, Drake came of age during the Civil Rights Movement and became a pivotal figure in cases that reshaped the state's legal and moral landscape. Drake helped reform Alabama's grossly inadequate mental health system and supported voting rights efforts throughout Alabama. His career underscores the crucial role private attorneys and grassroots advocates played in enforcing civil rights laws long after their passage. Through vivid recollections of courtroom battles, civil rights alliances, and personal transformation, Be Not Afraid offers an intimate view into the persistence and courage required to challenge systemic injustice. At a time when debates over equity and democracy remain pressing, Drake's story is both a powerful reflection on the past and a call to action for the present. It speaks to the enduring importance of legal advocacy and community solidarity in the fight for a more just society, making it essential reading for those engaged in civil rights history, law, or social change.
1. A Roadside Reckoning 2. A Childhood in Gardendale 3. Never Said Things 4. Chalkboards and Crossroads 5. Awakenings 6. Law School 7. Tuscaloosa and Black Belt Politics 8. The Draft and the Bar 9. Early Law Practice 10. Wyatt v. Stickney 11. Lost-Found Nation 12. Caliph Washington 13. Wilcox County 14. Camden Demonstrations and Choctaw County 15. Against the War 16. Alabama Black Liberation Front 17. Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. 18. Academic Freedoms 19. Prisons and Jails 20. The Right to Sue State Employees 21. Labor Unions 22. William Mitch 23. First Amendment and Election Litigation 24. 1986 Democratic Party Gubernatorial Contest 25. Absentee Voting 26. Faith Epilogue Acknowledgments Index