Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four by Josh Venkataraman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, Memoir
“Chase down your passion like it’s the last bus of the night.” – Terri Guillemets
“It takes but one person, one moment, one conviction, to start a ripple of change.” – Donna Brazile
Josh is a college student at the University of Florida, as part of his American History class they are assigned to read Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King, learning of the gross injustice done to the Groveland Four. A year later, as he was driving, he passed a sign for Groveland. That moment sparked a conviction to do everything he could to right this wrong.
“A cause may be worth fighting for but if it’s not causing you pain to think about it, if it’s not burrowing under your skin to take up residence in your heart and mind, it’s not for you. You can’t look for a cause, it has to find you.”
Josh starts his mission, like everyone does, with an online petition. But he doesn’t call that good enough. He reaches out to the family members of the Groveland four and Gilbert King, working together to get media attention, and support of politicians and law makers. It took four long years of dedication and much hard work but together they managed to accomplish what Josh set up out do. Justice.
“January 11, 2019 was a day of reckoning seventy years in the making. It was incredible that by just reading a book for school I found myself in Florida’s State Capitol four years later.”
“Gilbert took the podium next: “Today marks a willingness to recognize and confront a grave injustice. Sadly, for the families of the Groveland Boys this bill cannot alter the tragic course of history but it does show how we, as Americans, can respond to our past, to acknowledge a shameful part of our history and to confront it, rather than sweeping it under the rug and moving on without conversation.”
An incredible story of how one person can start the domino effect of change. Very inspirational, proving that you don’t have to be an important person to bring about change. You don’t have to be a lawyer, or celebrity, or politician. Don’t think that just because you are just a college student, stay at home mom, mechanic, banker, whatever, that you can’t bring about big changes. If you are passionate about something, stick with it, just keep swimming, and you can do whatever you set out to.
“Whatever your cause, be flexible, be passionate, and above all, be persistent and you will accomplish great things.”
I love the different quotes at the beginning of every chapter. They are so motivating. It is written in a style that flows well and is easy to follow the progression of the story. I feel that this book is good for all ages, that it can teach our younger generation that they too can be the voices of change. There is a group of young kids included in this
story who did just that.
Who would have thought that righting a wrong would be so hard and take so much convincing but unfortunately it still does, even in this day an age. We feel that our country has come so far since 1949, but have we? Based on what we are still seeing happen in our country over this last year, we have a long way to go.
“Fifty miles and sixty-three years separated the deaths of Thomas and Shepherd from the death of Trayvon Martin but how much had really changed? Not much. Black lives didn’t matter back in 1949 and they still didn’t.”
“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” – John F. Kennedy
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