On his 1964 "Times They are a Changin'" album, Bob Dylan included "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll". It's a wonderfully poetic song that tells the sad and frustrating story of Hattie Carroll. Here is the story in short (and not really checked for errors--so don't footnote it).So in 1963, there was a black-tie party at a hotel in Baltimore. Attending the party was 24-year-old William Zantzinger, son of a super rich tobacco plantation owner with hundreds of acres in the south. He got really drunk and was trying to get a laugh out of some buddies and hit one of the black waitresses, Hattie Carroll, with a cane. She left the party shortly after, feeling "deathly ill" and died several hours later.
William Zantzinger was arrested for homicide, and a long trial brought his bigotry into light. Many witnesses recalled him calling her and other servants "stupid niggers", etc. He spoke once of segregation to the jury, saying something like, "Well I don't think you would want to use the same facilities as niggers either." So the guy was obviously a totally unrepentant bigot in the courtroom. He was found guilty, and the southern, white judge sentenced him to 6 months in prison with a $500 fine.
As it turns out, William Zantzinger died only a few days ago at the age of 69. For the story of his death click here .
The irony? And maybe this is a stretch, but I think it's cool. William Zantzinger died only a few days before we will inaugurate our first black president. In only 46 years we have come from sentencing an upper-class white man to 6 months in prison for killing a black servant to electing a black president. Now that's pretty cool, I think. Obviously racism is everywhere and it's still a huge problem, to say the least, but all in all I think we've come a pretty long way.
Click here for "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" lyrics, and I've got it playing on my playlist thing. Enjoy.
7 comments:
Excellent post. Good food for thought--great song to boot.
Also, in honor of the hugeness that is Obama's electio, we're having a Presidential Party on Tuesday with some friends and all of our kids. Care to join us? Sure it's a 7ish hour drive but there's sure to be good food and good times for all. ;)
Cuz I'm a loser, I've never even heard of this tragedy. And I suppose I would have had I listened to Dylan.
Right on, man.
Roses out of rubble, thanks.
cool brotha.
Awesome story that provokes thought and makes you pause to watch as history occurs. But you left out one crucial element to the story. Who is Bob Dylan?
He's the quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals...and you call yourself a fan.
HA! waves of hearty laghter shake my bountiful belly!
hey, BEN KWELLER is playing THIS friday the 13th....ooooohh, scary, anywhay you should come to the show bro! peace
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