American Reckoning: Introduction (03:59)

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This segment orients viewers to the topic of the Civil Rights Movement and the ongoing federal effort to resolve the murders of leaders. African Americans march in protest of Wharlest Jackson Sr.'s murder.

Natchez, Mississippi (532:40)

The community was tight knit in the 1960s, but racial tensions are flaring. Bob Moses of The Freedom Summer Project announces an influx of young people to the area to try to force change. (Credits)

NAACP in Natchez (00:0-31500)

Charles Evers becomes the field director in Mississippi for The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He helps Jessie Bernard, Jackson Sr., and George Metcalfe organize a local branch.

Community Relations (09:32)

Prof. Akinyele Umoja discusses the KKK's relationship with the police. Wharlest is a decorated Korean War veteran. In August 1965, the NAACP files a lawsuit against the schools. On August 27th, a car bomb wounds Metcalfe, sparking a rally; James Jackson arms himself.

Self-Defense and Demonstrations (07:35)

In Natchez, African Americans take up arms. The Deacons for Defense and Justice receive money and guns. The Black community makes 12 demands of the city council. The governor calls in the National Guard after they are rejected. Evers calls for a boycott of shops.

Imprisonment and Concession (06:19)

Marches lead to arrests. Once imprisoned, protestors are stripped naked, sprayed with water, and force-fed laxatives. The boycott is impactful, and Mayor Nosser gives in to the 12 demands. Businesses and the police agree to hire Black employees.

Assassination of Wharlest Jackson Sr. (06:22)

In 1967, Wharlest worked three jobs including an overnight shift at Armstrong Tire and Rubber. As a result of the Civil Rights Act, Wharlest received a promotion that would help his family. He was murdered by a car bomb.

Cold Case (10:29)

The community boycotts Armstrong Tire and Rubber. The FBI investigates the bombing, but the case ends without indictments or arrests. In 2008, the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act is signed into law.

KKK Involvement (12:58)

Journalist Stanley Nelson and Prof. Paula Johnson apply for FBI files; they reveal klansmen among the Armstrong Rubber Company employees. Nelson discovers that FBI informants reported a nefarious sect within the Klan called the Silver Dollar Group.

Main Suspect (11:14)

Armstrong employee Red Glover was the leader of the Silver Dollar Group. In 2015, Wharlest's family connects with Nelson to hear his account of events. Glover dies in 1984 of a brain tumor.

Crimes and Remembrance (05:30)

Wharlest's family speaks at the Atlanta Civil Rights Museum hate crimes panel. Sr. Clifford Boxley leads a tour of the Natchez area. Wharlest Jackson Jr. points to a historical marker honoring his father at the bombsite.

Credits: American Reckoning (03:02)

Credits: American Reckoning