Creative Loafing, January 20-26, 2011
NEWS ARTICLE: The Mourning After
by Wyatt Wiliams
In completing our assignment, I have selected Wyatt William's review of The Mourning After, a powerfully written depiction of the immediate events after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, leading up to his funeral, written by Rebecca Burns.
I was drawn to the article not only for its cultural and historic appeal; but also for the sophisticated, the graphicly rich and well written, manner that Williams and Creative Loafing approached a simple book review and book signing. Each paragraph is well written, although they vary greatly in length.
Throughout the article Williams gives us a glimpse at each speaker. However, he given a more in depth look at Burns, a former editor-in-chief of Atlanta Magazine, an how the influences of her childhood in India caused her to be "struck by the parrallels between Jim Crow segregation and [India's] caste system."
The "topic" sentence of the article is found in the first paragraph: "Rebecca Burns' new book, Burial for a King, begins that day in Atlanta, as the news passes through restaurants and telephones, from radios and televisions, over symphonies and street corners, and ends as his body is laid in the ground the following Tuesday, April 9 (page 23)."
Burns, in her first of many quotes, is the first person quoted in the second line of paragraph two. In this lengthy article, Williams confidently uses the quotes of four different speakers [not including that of Dr. King] instead of paraphrasing. In the instances of three of the speakers, the writer uses location as the introductory element to those particular quotes.
In Rebecca Burns' first quote, paragraph two starts with a leading sentence which sets the tone for the first quote. Williams uses the introductory element of a location : 'In Washington D.C.'," to the quote itself. The actual quote describes the lightening speed of the reaction to King's murder in the Black community, and the widespread rioting and violence that ensued within a few hours of his death.
A similar technique is employed in the quotes of Gov. Lester Maddox, as well as,
Stokley Carmichael. Both quotes are introduced by citing the speakers location.
In the case of Maddox, his quote exposes him as being an unsympathetic racist,
"In Atlanta, tensions were high that similar violence would break out. Gov.
Lester Maddox refused to lower the flag at the State Capital in honor of King,
and reportedly ordered troops to 'shoot them down and stack them up' if protestors
tried to enter the building."
Maddox later agreed to lower the U. S. flag after being told that he was federally
required to do so. In contrast, the quote by Stokley Carmichael conveys to the
reader that he is not only an author, but a activist prepared for revolution.
William writes, "Black Power author Stokley Carmichael addressed a memorial at
Howard University by waving a pistol and repeating,'Stay off the streets if you
don't have a gun, beause there's going to be shooting.'"
Throughout the article Williams gives us a glimpse at each speaker. However,
he given a more in depth look at Burns, a former editor-in-chief of Atlanta Magazine,
an how the influences of her childhood in India caused her to be "struck by the
parrallels between Jim Crow segregation and [India's] caste system."
The last paragraph of the article brings the attention squarely back to Martin
Luther King, Jr., although his personage only "appears as a corpse lying in a
coffin." The writer invites the reader to imagine what it would have been like the
day of King's funeral hearing his recorded voice.
The article ends with a rather long but eloquent quote, in which Dr. King explained
what he would liked to have said about him at his funeral, describing himself as a
"drum major" for peace and justice.
To read William's review of The Mourning After, visit:
