drawn attention from local authorities, and

they have used extreme force to end them. 

While these protests may have started peacefully, 

many have taken advantage of them to 

loot and riot, causing the need for police 

intervention.

government has been tracking our records,

internet history, online conversations, ETC. Many

Americans are upset about this and believe it

should stop. But back in the time when this book

was set, they weren't as interested in the records

of the public as they are nowadays. For instance,

when Michele was looking for her dads records and

the history of what had happened, the records had

"mysteriously disappeared" therefore leading us

to conclude that the records were either hidden

or destroyed.

information that her dad had been shot in his ‘past life’. “‘You know, your father was shot’ six 

shattering words uttered in a matter-of-fact way before Joe shoved a spoonful of oatmeal into his

mouth.” (p 61. chp 6.) After that news had hit her like a ton of bricks, she wanted to know more.

Throughout the rest of the chapter she tries to get as much information from her uncle as possible.

The real pressing matter to her though is, how had she never found out until now? and how could

the father she knew ever have gotten into a violent act with the authorities? “How could a man who 

always observed stop signs, a man who filed his taxes early and preached that jaywalking proved a

weakness of character have been involved in an altercation with the police?” (p 67. chp 6.)

was shot, to investigate further. “I had little to go on. No date of the shooting;

no location; no names other than woody’s and my father’s” (p 71. chp 7.) She

went to the Birmingham Public Library first to look through Department Archives

and Manuscripts. Most records were missing from the peak of the civil rights 

stand off, in the spring of 1963. She ended up leaving empty handed. Then, on 

July 7th, 2009, she received mail. “‘Your father.’” “‘Michele,... found that Belvin 

and Woodrow Norris were arrested February 7th,1946, for drunkenness, robbery,

and resisting arrest. They were convicted of drunkenness and resisting arrest 

the following day in recorders court... found the info in jail and court dockets. 

There you go.Talk soon.’” She finally knew what happened, but she couldn’t 

believe it. She then, traveled back to Birmingham and reviews  the dockets 

Jim had found.