of acting like a gestapo but if we can bring in the killers i am willing to take all the criticism, and this is just after world war ii, so being accused like the gestapo is a significant presence system. it was a reign of terror in the black neighborhood the police went out and brought people in for questioning and they saw how they did, how they responded under questioning. when they brought the people in they would put them in a fairly small room surrounded by at least for large policemen with a gun and a club. the men who wound up being sentenced to death here were all

rather small. thomas' english was the first one the police got to break. the men ultimately gave concessions the were then used in the trials. his own father had him brought in for using his car without permission. the father was imprisoned, in jail for attempting to raise his and stepdaughter she had had a [inaudible] in service in world war ii. this caused heart damage and he was so afraid of anything when he got under stress she then confessed to the skilling.

mckinley was next. he was the brother-in-law and he came to the police station to find out why she didn't return. they just put him in a cell. mckinley walked in and they didn't see anything to him. they just put him in a cell. the next was ralph cooper who had no family or friends and just moved to trenton. wilson was aliterate, james had a serious speech impediment and so did mckinley so when the police did this killing, two of the men actually had a speech defects and couldn't easily talk back. james had his arm amputated above his elbow two weeks before the killing.

no one mentioned a one armed murder. this doesn't give you any idea of what they went through, going to rebuild it from the book. the first line is through james mackenzie who was brought in the blast, she was the only one who could read, write, and had no physical problem. the reason he was brought in is because they lived in the same house so she was easy to find. before the first trial, there was the jury sitting in the jury box, there were the six black defendants, the jury was all white, all middle class so before the trial, john mckenzie said on a new we were cooked when i saw the jury.

i hope he didn't mean that literally were sentenced to be electrocuted after all. the next is september 19th, 1948. on this day the trenton six waited to die. no lawyers, judges, prosecutors or jail guards ever told the men that their sentences had been saved when their appeal was filed. they have their heads shaved and their pants split in preparation for their electrocution. this was incredibly cruel because the jail guards who did this knew there would be no execution this day. when they finally got out of the house and were interviewed by journalists about their time in the death house, cooper spoke up

first and said it wasn't so bad x have to come september 19th it wasn't so bad. the added september 19th was rough. questioned about this reply, cooper explained that's the day we thought we were going to be taken to the electrocution chair we waited all day and all night expecting to be electrocuted. cooper felt the pressure so acutely didn't utter a word for the next two months. in question asked the reporters why couldn't they tell us? my cell was right next to the execution room. i saw them take three men in there. i saw them carrying three men right past me.

it was rauf. the next thing i want to read was a letter written by bitsy mitchell, the sister of thomas' english determined to find them help. this is when they were in the death house. she wrote a letter to eleanor roosevelt. my name is bessie mitchell. my brother, my brother-in-law and four other men are sentenced to the electric chair and are in the death house. maybe you have heard or read of the murder case for better known as the case of the trenton six in trenton and new jersey. these men are innocent, and the record shows that. since the time my brother was arrested life in fighting for him and the other men.

i did the police to let me see my brother and they wouldn't let me. i went to several organizations, newspapers, federal and administration and even the fbi. i also wrote to the governor come supreme court and many other rich people. if they refuse to me in a nice way of them i lost faith in the united states of america. i have always believed before that the people from the justice when they couldn't anywhere else in the world. she then learned about the civil rights conference and begged them to help me. then they gave me courage to keep funding to win. i remember you when i was a girl how interested you were in negro

people. please help me now. my people can't stand these police brutality is much longer. please answer. eleanor roosevelt wrote to several people she knew in new jersey and putting the attorney-general, they all assured the supreme court in the appeal would treat this case and a very fair manner and see that justice was done so eleanor roosevelt wrote that back bessie mitchell. the next bit was after the convictions were overturned on all six by the new jersey supreme court is that the

speaker is paul robeson. i think some of you may know who he was, a fantastic human being, a huge black guy. he could sing, he could act, he was an athlete who was very active in civil rights and his time. the wealth of the u.s.a. was built on the backs of people. not to those that do great my people. 1% of the american population get 59% of the national income. i am a radical and i am going to stay one until my people get free to walk the earth.

the last person i'm going to introduce you to briefly is raymond alexandre. he was a black lawyer who was recruited for the second trial. he was recruited by the n.a.a.c.p. by surrogate marshall who of course leader was on the supreme court. raymond alexander for the first time after a very long trial, three months, i forgot to mention both trials took three months, 15,000 pages of testimony that i had to go through and my eyes still haven't quite recovered from this experience. but raymond alexander in 1950 was hired by the u.s. state department to travel western

europe to see the the african-american soldiers are being treated fairly. he was doing this in paris when he saw front-page newspaper headlines about trenton six pictures everything to have further stories about the trend in sex. he was amazed the story would be all over europe. the civil rights conference for getting lawyers for the men's appeal also had political machines. they also literally made the trenton six case known worldwide, and in 1950, this was a very hard thing to do.

raymond alexander didn't like the publicity they created because they said blacks were treated unfairly in the united states. folks, this is one opportunity that you have to set at rest the malicious propaganda which has spread not to new jersey, not to america put the whole world america doesn't treat its minorities right there. after the trial results remain known, the men were acquitted. these included the to the raymond alexander represented. they got a final opportunity to address the court and he did so.

i want to express to your honor and the members of this jury on behalf of the 15 million people of color america who i represent the two men that represented or even the six said all 15 million he was representing in the trial. he thanked them for their deliberations in which they gave very minute studies in the case. she was able to recover himself to finish his remarks. it is a remarkable tribute to the state of new jersey that the members of the jury that have upheld the great tradition of

american justice and just in new jersey. my book is about the great tradition of american justice as it intersected the lives of six african-americans in the 1950's i think cases such as this in the 50's that are not known at all today laid the groundwork for the civil-rights era of the 1960's. thank you. [applause]

his book on world war i is called to end all war.

ayaan the hid book a signer of politics and prose. a vibrant city that celebrates the cultural arts we're pleased to bring the and free of charge things to the generous support our sponsors a couple quick announcements. for the consideration of everyone here police are listening devices that make any noise. at the information booths and online at the website defaults are important to us so please take a couple minutes to fill one out and submit it. adam will be signing books immediately after the presentation. copies of his book are on sale

in the politics and prose tend. an audience microphone is in the center of the room and after the talk, adam will be engaged in questions from the audience. as evidence in his award winning bouck, adam's nonfiction in history have the mayor of sweet manager mike impact in the novels. the bookies here to talk about today to end all wars of the history of rebellion, 1914 to 1918 succeed similarly the captivating story invented on the forgettable characters. some of these historical figures are well known. generals, politicians, intellectuals, writers many were ordinary people swept up in the war and protest available. as all of you are gathered here in the pillion decoupling and it is an amazing book one that honors the sacrifice of those

that fought with those that stood up for what they believe it is my honor to introduce adam hochschild. [applause] to have a chance to talk about my book to end all wars with you. i'm going to show some slides from it. but i can barely see what is on the screen. you may have to tell me what is on there because i can't see at.