Rosewood
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Several years ago, I watched the movie about this town in Florida called Rosewood. A tragic event occurred there over a century ago. Please watch this ten minute video if you can find the time. It explains how the massacre of Rosewood enfolded, a terrible event that led to the burning of an entire town, in which 7 or more people were killed and all the others fled, never to return to their homes. Here is a chronology of the events leading up to the massacre and a link to the short video as well as to the movie:
http://www.displaysforschools.com/history.html
THE ten minute Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V5kEs0oNxc
Trailer for the movie: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhTg98WzH5U
The truth stood downcast in the lie,
and more than one that week would die
when someone’s wife, who feared great shame,
then gave an innocent the blame.
Her scapegoat was both young and shy.
The truth stood downcast in the lie.
Her lover beat her, so she said
it was the young shy man instead!
Her face was bruised. What could she say
to take her lover’s blame away?
The truth stood downcast in the lie.
The town took up a mob’s cruel cry!
The man accused was black of skin.
They lynched him for the woman’s sin.
The world looked on and asked not why
the truth stood downcast in the lie.
Written Aug. 3, 2016
for the Truth Stood Downcast in the Lie Poetry Contest of John Lawless
Copyright © Andrea Dietrich | Year Posted 2016
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