The Eyes of Willie McGee

A Tragedy of Race, Sex, and Secrets in the Jim Crow South

By: Alex Heard

Narrated by: JD Jackson

“A memorable narrative of a civil rights case that deserves a larger place in American memory.” —Jon Meacham

“Riveting. . . . It’s like a real-life To Kill a Mockingbird, but with even more subtlety and complexity.” —Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein

In this gripping saga of race and retribution, Alex Heard tells a moving and unforgettable story of the deep South that says as much about Mississippi today as it does about the mysteries of the past. In doing so, he evokes the bitter conflicts between black and white, north and south in America.

In 1945, a young African-American man from Laurel, Mississippi, was sentenced to death for allegedly raping Willette Hawkins, a white housewife. The case was barely noticed until Bella Abzug, a young New York labor lawyer, was hired to oversee Willie McGee's appeal. Together with William Patterson, a dedicated black reformer, Abzug risked her life to plead the case. “Free Willie McGee” became an international rallying cry, with supporters flooding President Truman's White House and the U.S. Supreme Court with clemency pleas and famous Americans—including William Faulkner, Albert Einstein, and Norman Mailer—speaking out on McGee's behalf. By 1951, millions worldwide were convinced of McGee's innocence—even though there were serious questions about his claim that the truth involved a secret love affair.

In this unforgettable story of justice in the Deep South, Mississippi native Alex Heard reexamines the lasting mysteries surrounding McGee's haunting case.

How Far Have We Come

Having grown up in the south during the 1950s and 1960s, I must admit that I had not heard this story. We are still needlessly killing African-American men, but now by the gun in the hands of policemen.
We may never know the complete truth but, Alex Heard's outstanding research gives us insight into a very dark, brutal, and lawless time. If you are the father of a African-American son, or daughter for that matter, it's your duty to make them aware of the hidden history of this "great" nation.

Saddening! Same thing going on today just in a different way!

Haunting; I had never heard of Willie McGee now I have. Over come with sadness and in the past several years it has felt like we are going backwards from where we should have come so far. Saddening as the story is black people are still being murdered even if they committed no crime. The legal system is still broken and attempts at genocide are still on going into today’s USA. Even more saddening and shameful in 2020

Deep history

Such a thorough history and devastating story. It cleared up why many of my family refuse to go back to MS. I enjoyed hearing the multiple perspectives. This story could've really been told with from a single sided view.

Excellent

Loved the story and history. Sad but true unbiased account of southern justice. This audio had me looking up the other cases mentioned and finding other books related. 5 stars all the way!