The Sword That Heals Summary and Analysis

The author claims several psychological and social conditions underlie the Revolution in the summer of 1963. A common understanding that the Negro is willing to patiently wait is not fully accurate. The Revolution is not about a sudden loss of patience that is never there. Slavery suppresses the Negro with physical force. Resistance is punished by physical threat with methods from mutilation to death. Negro families are separated from family members and then sold by slaveholders to keep them emotionally and physically defenseless. The Civil War ends slavery but segregated schools, hospitals and cemeteries "keep the Negro in his place." White men see patience in deep-seated Negro impatience. A Negro politely answers an employer to keep a job and a southern policeman to stay out of jail.

MLK claims jailing threatens the Negro in both North...