Summary Justice

Sarah Akers Brown was likely born in Columbia, MO in 1865.  She was married three times. Her first husband was James T. Scott. There were two children born from that marriage, Akers Scott and  James Scott.  Her second husband was Charles Clemens, whom she married after moving from New Mexico  to Chicago after her first husband died. After Clemens died, she moved home to Columbia where she met and married her third husband, James Brown, to whom she was married for the rest of her life. (There were no children produced from Sarah’s second and third marriages.)

Sarah died in 1940 after a fire at her house. She was badly burned and taken to a local hospital where she died a few days later.

Character Sketch

Sarah loves her two sons. James and Akers,  more than anything, but she slightly favors James because he has brought her three grandchildren that she can share her life with.  

Sarah is comfortable, now living with her third husband James Brown, after her first two husbands died.  She has no problem working – and she has experience as a hat maker – but her life with James Brown has been good enough for her to live without working.

Sarah is shocked to see her son charged with raping a young white girl.  She knows it just cannot be possible that he is the assailant. When she hears from Rev. Caston that James does NOT want her to visit him in jail she immediately dismisses his wishes and goes to visit him anyway.

Sarah is religious and she counts Rev. Caston as one of her very best friends.  She feels their values point in the same direction.

Upon hearing about James’ lynching, Sarah is completely beside herself, collapsing on the floor. She is crushed.

But Sarah is a good Christian woman and – perhaps with the help of Rev. Caston – when she hears that Regina has now identified another man as her attacker, she realizes that Regina is very sheltered, probably having very rarely seen black people up close in her young lifetime, and she forgives her. But Sarah also sees herself as the lone qualified spokesman for her son James, and she openly criticizes the DA, the Sheriff and those who allowed the mob to take her son from the jail and kill him.

Sarah is a lady, a proud black woman who – when pushed far enough – will forget “her place” and  very clearly and loudly speak her mind.  When the trial ends in a “Not Guilty” verdict, Sarah’s glance at Ruby Hulen says it all -  “See, I told you, I’ve lived too many years and never seen anything resembling justice in my lifetime – unless, of course, you’re white.”