The Lena Baker Story

Lela Bond Phillips's recounting of this once forgotten miscarriage of justice is a gripping story well told in its sparse yet lively style covering barely 120 pages. While others would have padded the book with trial transcripts and other ephemera Phillips sticks to the facts of the case painting a warts and all portrait of Lena Baker, the accused murderer and her relationship with Ernest White, the victim. Phillips is unsparing in the depiction of the events leading to the murder as well as well as providing background information on all the major characters as events unfold. Phillips does an outstanding job of explaining how the standards of crime scene investigation and forensic evidence of the era were not as rigorous as they are now and points out the inherent contradictions in the testimony and evidence presented at trial. Phillips studiously avoids making judgments and is careful to point out that readers should not use contemporary standards to judge the characters and their actions. The unflattering and unemotional depiction of an interracial relationship gone wrong in the Jim Crow South has the potential for overwrought prose, but Phillips keeps that in check, largely due to her writing ability (she has an MA in English). In fact her style of writing is well suited for historical writing even though here she is writing out-of-field. When printed in 1998 this book generated renewed interest in the case and efforts to mark Ms. Baker's grave and obtain a pardon from the Board of Parole and Pardons was undertaken. Those efforts bore fruit on August 15, 2005 when the Board posthumously pardoned Ms. Baker. The pardon is a small consolation as she was electrocuted 60 years ago in Georgia's electric chair; the only woman to be put to death. This book is highly recommended for those interested in exploring the Jim Crow era of the South, Georgia History, and real life crime stories. Phillips's style of writing is very enjoyable and this book is a lively page turner that will give you a better understanding of the times.

This book is very short at 103 pages, but it makes one feel so much for the subject of it. Misery and then unjustly tried and executed over a matter in which she was only trying to protect herself. Deep South politics and racism strongly at play.

The story was excellent and it tells the truth how justice is blind when it comes to a black woman being traumatized by a white man in this country during the 1940;s and she was innocent of the crime of murder . She was within her right to kill this man because of the things that he did to her and threatening her family . The justice system should pay her children for a wrongful death and apologize to he family. Lena Baker was not judge by a juror of her peers but by a group of racist white men who knew very well what Ernest Knight did to her keeping her as a slave and using her as he saw fit. She should have been given a medal for killing the man who as she stated was self defense or he would have killed her and her family. Lora Neal

I saw the movie and had question on Lena Baker's life. I got the book and after reading it, I still had the same question. So many questions were unanswered and I know why. People were unaware how importance her like lessons could be. The movie made up part of her life, the book told it as facts uncovered.

This book is a story about a women who was abused beat and got the electric chair all because of the color of her skin! Her only crime was defending her self from her white abuser that might have went on abuseing not only her but maybe her children! America has come along way from that time but not far enough! Now thank GOD that we now have DNA testing may all the innocent men and women sitting in prison be set free! But time ticks slow when you sit in an over croweded prison waiting for that to happen! America needs to wake up and get the innocent out! It should not take 19 years for a man to be set free because of DNA evidence! Read this book!!!

True murder story from South Georgia and a book about the lack of justice for Lena Baker.

The movie was captivating and I had to have the book. Although there were slight differences in the book and movie I thoroughly enjoyed them both. The only problem I had with the book was it was not long enough. Awesome, wonderful read. I couldn't put it down. I have told everyone I know to read the book and buy the movie.

Very empowering story. I brought a copy for all my sisters and their friends to read. It only cost $5.00 at Walmart.