Zora Hurston and the Strange Case of Ruby McCollum

The doctor WAS NOT Ruby's "lover", he was RAPING HER. A very, very common practice at that time in southern states. From 1619 well into the 1970s white men enjoyed the privileged of raping Black women at will with impunity.

A solid pick for true crime enthusiasts, March 8, 2009 By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) Sometimes people just need shooting. "Zora Hurston and the Strange Case of Ruby McCollum" is the true story of Zora Hurston, a woman who covered an important case. Ruby McCollum, a colored woman in the early twentieth century, shot a white man who stole from her and sexually abused her for the longest time - and the white man was a noted politician. Self-defense wasn't as open and shut as it seemed, and Zora Hurston's notes on the case make the case an utterly intriguing read. "Zora Hurston" is a solid pick for true crime enthusiasts, and recommended as a picture of justice in early twentieth century America.

Sometimes people just need shooting. "Zora Hurston and the Strange Case of Ruby McCollum" is the true story of Zora Hurston, a woman who covered an important case. Ruby McCollum, a colored woman in the early twentieth century, shot a white man who stole from her and sexually abused her for the longest time - and the white man was a noted politician. Self-defense wasn't as open and shut as it seemed, and Zora Hurston's notes on the case make the case an utterly intriguing read. "Zora Hurston" is a solid pick for true crime enthusiasts, and recommended as a picture of justice in early twentieth century America.

ZORA HURSTON AND THE STRANGE CASE OF RUBY MCCOLLUM by C. Arthur Ellis, Jr., PhD is the gripping story of what really happened in Live Oak, Florida in 1952 to Ruby McCollum. Ms. Hurston was hired by the Pittsburg Courier to cover the story of a wealthy Black female on trial for murdering the most prominent White man in Suwannee County. It was the Jim Crow South and everyone knew for a crime such as this, the only outcome would be the death penalty. Zora Hurston was hoping the judge would at least be fair, and the reasons behind the killing would surface. The prosecution objected to almost everything the defense offered and the judge sustained it. The prosecution's witnesses seemed to have been closely coached so their testimonies were almost exactly the same. One of the women who claimed to have heard so much was deaf in one ear. What would become of Ruby? As Zora attempted to talk with the local people, both Black and White, she discovered that no one was saying anything. Dr. Adams was a most beloved man in the community and helped everyone, Black, White, rich, poor and never expected money from those who could not pay. Why then, had Ruby killed him? In her search, and with the very few people who would talk with her, she discovered illegal gambling, drugs and an illicit affair. This is a fascinating book that describes the situation Black people were faced with in the Jim Crow South. They were terrorized and afraid to talk because the Ku Klux Klan was a regular entity on the scene. White men were allowed to force Black women to submit to their sexual advances, have children and were not allowed to complain or to speak out and say whose baby it really was. The characters are very well-developed and it is easy to identify with them. The court room scenes are superbly handled and what could have been boring is a real page turner. There is tension, suspense, relationships and familial love. I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone. Reviewed by Alice Holman of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book teleports the reader back over a half a century into the past to see, hear and almost taste and touch the experience of an African American woman who was raped and forced to have the child of a white physician who stole her money to sponsor his campaign for the Florida state senate. Zora Hurston covered the case for the Pittsburgh Courier, and the story is told in her voice. A real page turner--highly recommend.