- Author
- Sgt Ron Stallworth
- ARRSE Rating
- 4 Mushroom Heads
In 1979 an audacious young black cop from Colorado Springs was scanning the small ads in the local newspaper, and an advert caught his attention. It didn't give much away, just "Ku Klux Klan -for information contact P O Box 4771" At first Stallworth thought it was a prank, then on a whim he decided to answer the ad, to see if there was really a threat from the white supremacist group in his home town.....
Most of you will be aware of the film released this summer, based on Sgt Stallworth's book, so I won't give too much detail, except to say it is well worth a read in order to appreciate a bit of the history of the Civil Rights movement, and just how terrified a lot of the black population were of the KKK at that time.
Young Stallworth took great pride in his police uniform and was dedicated to his job, if somewhat cocky! - he was frequently pestering his superiors to "make me a narc" - in other words an undercover narcotics investigator. At the time of his joining the police, ostensibly with "equal opportunities" there were still unspoken prejudices within the dept. regarding just how far a young black man could push himself. Ron kept his own counsel and managed to get himself membership of the KKK (albeit with a white colleague as his "body double" for the face-to-face meetings) - something which amused him and his colleagues greatly!
Had Ron Stallworth obeyed orders at the conclusion of his investigation, this story would never have seen the light of day. Luckily he felt his historic investigation too important to be shredded....
In short, it is an informative and easy read.
Amazon product
(This is the first "official" review I've been invited to submit, so if anyone feels there's something I've left out, or not expressed properly, do let me know - happy reading, bibliophiles).
Most of you will be aware of the film released this summer, based on Sgt Stallworth's book, so I won't give too much detail, except to say it is well worth a read in order to appreciate a bit of the history of the Civil Rights movement, and just how terrified a lot of the black population were of the KKK at that time.
Young Stallworth took great pride in his police uniform and was dedicated to his job, if somewhat cocky! - he was frequently pestering his superiors to "make me a narc" - in other words an undercover narcotics investigator. At the time of his joining the police, ostensibly with "equal opportunities" there were still unspoken prejudices within the dept. regarding just how far a young black man could push himself. Ron kept his own counsel and managed to get himself membership of the KKK (albeit with a white colleague as his "body double" for the face-to-face meetings) - something which amused him and his colleagues greatly!
Had Ron Stallworth obeyed orders at the conclusion of his investigation, this story would never have seen the light of day. Luckily he felt his historic investigation too important to be shredded....
In short, it is an informative and easy read.
Amazon product
(This is the first "official" review I've been invited to submit, so if anyone feels there's something I've left out, or not expressed properly, do let me know - happy reading, bibliophiles).
