Portrait of a Racist: The Man Who Killed Medgar Evers? [Hardcover]

Reed Massengill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1994

Casting new light on the murder of Medgar Evers and on the troubled history of Byron De La Beckwith, his alleged killer, a revelatory biography by Beckwith's nephew probes the dark story of Southern white supremacists. 25,000 first printing. $25,000 ad/promo.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

There is a morbid fascination to this biography of Byron De La Beckwith, the white supremacist charged (but not convicted) in the murder of Mississippi civil rights activist Medgar Evers (1925-1963). Massengill, who has written for Vanity Fair and Forbes , is Beckwith's nephew and had his uncle's cooperation for two years--until his uncle insisted that he wanted a book that "would call attention to what he viewed as past legal injustices he had suffered at the hands of the Jews." But Massengill did have the full cooperation of his aunt Mary, who lived through three stormy marriages with Beckwith (the last ending in 1965). With the Medgar Evers case reopened in 1990, Massengill does not offer any new evidence of Beckwith's guilt, but Massengill's aunt Mary is convinced of it. In highly readable detail, Massengill portrays the life and trials of his uncle, who progressed from 1960s arch segregationist to a role in the right-wing Christian Identity movement. Beckwith, who served a Louisiana prison term from 1977 to 1980 for his involvement in a bomb plot, still awaits a third trial in the Evers case. Photos not seen by PW .
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

While in jail in 1963, accused of the murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers in Mississippi, Byron de La Beckwith was treated as a hero by fellow white residents anxious to see segregation upheld; by the 1980s, in prison for a weapons violation, he was largely forgotten by all but the most diehard of white supremacists. Massengill, Beckwith's nephew, traces Beckwith's history, beginning with his service in battle during World War II continuing through his activism in groups such as the white-supremacist Citizens' Council and later the Klan. The chapters depicting Beckwith's various trials for Evers' murder (hung juries were the result) are the most compelling, although a later, ill-fated run for lieutenant governor, fueled by his growing resentment of blacks and Jews during the 1970s and 1980s, comprises a masterly portrait of a man unable to cope with events passing him by. In addition, the in-depth look at the Klan and other white-supremacist groups during the turbulent 1960s and beyond is top-notch. Did Beckwith kill Evers? We may never find out, but this first-rate look at a troubled man symbolizing a chilling underground movement answers many questions while raising countless others. Joe Collins

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 403 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (January 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312093659
• ISBN-13: 978-0312093655
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,294,008 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inside view of a murdering racist, May 13, 2007

By 

Susan Klopfer "Susan" (Gallup, New Mexico where I enjoy the beauty of the high desert) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Portrait of a Racist: The Man Who Killed Medgar Evers? (Hardcover)

Reed Massengill tells the story of Byron De La Beckwith from an intimate look that few authors would be able to provide. Because of a familial relationship, Massengill was able to put together the important history of this man who will be remembered for what he did. It is an important read for any student of modern American history.