James Rape
who later changed his name to Reeb was born on January 1,1927 in Wichita,
Kansas. He was married and a father of four children. He became an assistant
pastor in Washington DC but later moved to Boston. He bought a house
in the Negro section and sent his children
to a public school.
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After the attack by the
state troopers on the civil right marchers in Selma, Alabama, Dr. King
sent telegrams to religious leaders across the United States asking
ministers of all faiths to join in a voting rights march from Selma
to Montgomery. On the next morning Rev. Reeb took a flight and met a
few other white ministers. They were also join by rabbis, priests and
nuns.
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Rev. Reeb and a couple
of white ministers Olsen and Miller went to eat at a Negro restaurant
in Selma named Eddie's Place. After eating dinner he and the other two
white ministers left at 7:30.
As they were passing a store the owner Elmer Cook and two other white
men were yelling and calling the white ministers "niggers".
One of the men hit Rev. Reeb with a three foot pipe on the head above
the left ear and beat the other two ministers, but they protected their
heads.
When Olsen and Miller were able to stand they had to help Rev. Reeb
stand to his feet. They walked up the street to a black owned insurance
office and called for help. They were carried to the Burwell Infirmary
which was run by a black doctor.
When the doctor saw that the injury was too bad for him to treat he
called an ambulance to take him to Birmingham University Hospital which
is almost three hours away. Then the hospital told them that they would
need cash so the others drove around getting donations.
When the ambulance came it was followed by a policeman, as they drove
a few blocks the police car left and the ambulance had a flat tire.
As another ambulance was called a mysterious car drove around watching
everything that was going on.
Finally, they arrived in Birmingham at 11 pm on March 11, 1965 Rev.
James Reeb died.
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There were four white men
arrested for the death of Rev. Reeb. Miller and Clark the two white
ministers identified Elmer Cook as one of the murderers. One of the
attackers was moved to Mississippi and didn't show up and the judge
disqualified the other on grounds of mental incompetence.
The all white male jury took only 90 minutes to find the men NOT
GUILTY after hearing the verdict the
courtroom burst in applause.
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http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAreeb.htm
http://bob.swe.uni-linz.ac.at/EUU/Unifier200006/selma.html
http://www.bauuc.org/sermons/Compassion.htm
http://unitytemple.org/sermons/rightrsk.htm
http://www.ptsem.edu/read/inspire/6.2/feature_4/feature4_index.htm
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