Courageous Judicial Decisions in Alabama
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In his new book, "Courageous Judicial Decisions in Alabama", author Dr. Jack Kushner relates how four Alabama judges made a difference and made decisions that affected the citizens of Alabama in a positive manner. The book is about the transformation in Alabama and the South from the years of slavery to the years of the Jim Crow laws and the convict lease system, and to the struggle for civil rights. Initially there is a discussion of the definition of courage and what makes a courageous judge. From there the conversation moves on to the discussion as to how judges should be elected or appointed. Then the book discusses judicial behavior and how judges think. Judge George Stone, Judge Thomas G. Jones, and Judge Frank M. Johnson and some of their cases are discussed in detail after a thorough review at the Alabama Supreme Court Library. Judge James E. Horton said from the beginning that he thought the Scottsboro boys were innocent and the tragedy comes to life for everyone to see. These men in particular were in large part responsible for the transition from the Heart of Dixie to the new South in which all citizens enjoy the American dream of freedom and democracy.
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About the Book
When one reads the history of the state of Alabama, “courageous judicial decisions” appears to be an oxymoron because there have not been many such decisions. Most that did occur were related in some fashion to the racial problems that have existed in Alabama from the very beginning of statehood. It is important that we understand just what we mean when we speak of courage. Sustained courage emanates from character, which in itself takes a lifetime to build. Courage can be defined as the moral strength that permits one to face fear and difficulty. Courage requires a certain amount of leadership, and this leadership behavior is admirable and excellent. Making judicial decisions that changed ways of living in Alabama during the days of segregation required courage. These decisions could have severe consequences for one’s safety and could affect one’s family. Yet despite the potential consequences, there were at least four judges in Alabama who made decisions based on what they thought was the right thing to do and would lead Alabama in the right direction. The judges whose names come immediately to the forefront are George Stone, Thomas G. Jones, James E. Horton Jr., and Frank M. Johnson.
About the Author
Dr. Jack Kushner, a native of Montgomery, Alabama, grew up in the Jim Crow South, where he attended a segregated school and lived a segregated life. He attended Tulane University in New Orleans and the University of Sheffield in England; he then practiced neurosurgery for twenty-five years. He later earned a master’s degree in finance from the University of Maryland, and he serves on the Tulane Associates Board of Directors.