Reform School from Hell

 "The Nickel Boys" by Colson Whitehead reminded me of Lisa Wingate's "Before We Were Yours." Both are southern horror stories concerning children and the horrendous events that altered their lives.

The Nickel boys were the boys who were in a reform school named Nickels. The major character, Ellwood was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. and read just about every speech he wrote. Ellwood was hitchhiking to college when he was picked up in a stolen car. Ellwood got involved as an accessory and was sent to Nickels. The boys were tortured, raped, mutilated, and even killed. Bodies were hidden in unmarked graves.
But these boys are black. Racial injustice put Ellwood there. Racial injustice was the norm at Nickels. And racial injustice hid the atrocities that were committed there. As Colson Whitehead says, "It doesn't stop when you get out."
I hope we are better than that, now. Let's keep vigilance to never let racial injustice appear on our watch.