Thunder of Angels: The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the People Who Broke the Back of Jim Crow by Donnie Williams, Wayne Greenhaw

From the Publisher

The heroism of those involved in the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott is presented here in poignant and thorough detail. The untold stories of those, both black and white, whose lives were forever changed by the boycott are shared, along with a chilling glimpse into the world of the white council members who tried to stop them. In the end, the boycott brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to prominence and improved the lives of all black Americans. Based on extensive interviews conducted over decades and culled from thousands of exclusive documents, this behind-the-scenes examination details the history of violence and abuse on the city buses. A look at Martin Luther King Jr.'s trial, an examination of how black and white lawyers worked together to overturn segregation in the courtroom, and even firsthand accounts from the segregationists who bombed the homes of some of Montgomery's most progressive ministers are included. This fast-moving story reads like a legal thriller but is based solely on documented facts and firsthand accounts, presenting the compelling and never-before-told stories of the beginning of the end of segregation.

Montgomery Advertiser

"A wonderful collaboration. This is a fascinating new look at the story."

The Decatur Daily

"A powerful, fact-filled narrative. . . A first-rate book."

Montgomery Independent

"A must read for every Montgomerian."

Library Journal

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks's refusal to give up her seat on public bus #2857 in Montgomery, AL, prompting the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955-56. Williams's father purchased the bus in the 1970s to ensure its preservation. He and coauthor Greenhaw (Beyond the Night: A Remembrance) aim not simply to tell the story of the protest but also to cast light upon E.D. Nixon, an organizer in Montgomery for many years before the boycott. They contend that the boycott does not owe its beginnings simply to Rosa Parks or to Martin Luther King Jr. but to Nixon's tenacity, explaining that it was Nixon who picked King to lead the protest. King's Stride Toward Freedom doesn't deny Nixon's galvanizing force but doesn't quite say what Williams and Greenhaw are saying here. Through extensive interviews, the authors uncover significant personal histories of the boycott, including, quite unsettlingly, those of KKK members who terrorized Montgomery at the time. Vividly narrated, though at times slowing for biographical background on the main figures, this work is compelling and brilliantly accomplished, giving Nixon deserved recognition. Recommended for public and academic libraries.-Jim Hahn, Harper Coll. Lib., Palatine, IL Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

What People Are Saying

The State
"A detailed, immediate, you-are-there approach makes for a great read."

Denver Post
"A thoroughly researched and meticulously written account."

The Anniston Star
"A compelling read."

The Bulletin
"A powerful, behind-the-scenes view."

BooksandWords.com
"Poignant and thorough."

The Mississippi Link
"Moving testimonies, accurate accounts and fascinating photographs."

The Birmingham News
"A comprehensive, behind-the-scenes look."

Alabama Public Radio
"Williams and Greenhaw tell a good story."

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