Mary Meyer was dead. An avid drug user who cheated on her husband with powerful men, she was rich, well-known, and privy to government secrets.
Her murder sparked a massive controversy - and not just among white socialites.
That’s because she was John F. Kennedy’s lover - as in the President of the United States! The first person to be blamed for her death was, of course, a Black man: Ray Crump, Jr.
He didn’t match the description of witnesses, and was too “feeble-minded” to have organized such a crime. Prosecutors didn’t care, but one brilliant lawyer did.
The case against Crump was ridiculous, but Rev. Dovey Johnson Roundtree knew he was innocent. She was fighting an all-white system ready to find him guilty - but against all odds, she won Crump’s case with a brief, masterful argument!
But that’s not where this story ends.
For the rest of her career, Roundtree took high-profile cases, winning them against racist judges, juries, and prosecutors.
She also became a minister to address the spiritual needs of our people suffering from the effects of racism. Her work helped us avoid the murder of our bodies AND our spirits.
Roundtree was an extraordinary activist, and we are still inspired by her today.
Her contributions constantly remind us that even when the odds are stacked against us, we must still fight against the racist status quo!