39 pages 1 hour read

Susan Carol McCarthy

Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2002

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Revelation and EpilogueChapter Summaries & Analyses

Revelation Summary

The federal judge ultimately let the Klansmen go, saying the federal government had no jurisdiction over their alleged crimes. The Klan never again bothered neither the McMahon family nor the community in which they lived. Though Emmett Casselton was supposed to disband the Klan, Luther’s church ladies reported that the wives of the Klansmen probably did the most to bring it down. 

The emerging river became a swimming hole for all the neighborhood children, and one day, Maybelle came to visit. Reesa pointed to the heart carvings on the tree, and Maybelle shyly acknowledged she recognized them. Years later, Reesa hears that Maybelle had warned Emmett Casselton that if he harmed a hair on anyone else’s head, she would report the discrepancies in his waybills to the IRS.

Warren became the community sage, and he received visits by members of the Black and White community alike.

Epilogue Summary

The murder of Melvin Womack, who inspired this story, was never officially investigated. Harry T. and Harriette T. Moore were among the first Civil Rights leaders to die for the cause. Though the materials so carefully gathered by Warren and Luther and the church choir were never used, Agent James “Jim” Jameson remained true to his word in not revealing his sources.