by Kevin Boyle
In 1925, Dr. Ossian Sweet makes a decision that will change his life forever. The grandson of a slave, Sweet purchases a house in an all-white Detroit neighborhood and moves his family there. His white neighbors refuse to accept their presence. They gather outside his home, determined to force the family out. Sweet prepares to defend his property and his right to live where he chooses. The confrontation escalates until Sweet fires his weapon, killing a white man. The doctor faces murder charges in a trial that draws national attention. Legal legend Clarence Darrow takes his case. The newly formed NAACP throws its support behind Sweet. The courtroom becomes a battleground where the future of civil rights hangs in the balance. This forgotten case would become one of the most significant legal battles in American history, testing whether a Black man could defend his home and family against a hostile white mob.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, legal-thriller, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: legal-drama, social-justice
Setting: Detroit
Period: 1925
Audio CD
Content warnings: murder, racism