Mabel Norris Reese: Fearless Voice for Truth (Virtual Event)
Thursday, March 18, noon
Mabel Norris Reese: Fearless Voice for Truth will highlight Reese's career at the helm of the Mount Dora Topic, a small weekly newspaper in Lake County, as she investigated the case of the Groveland Four and other instances of grave injustic. She withstood violent threats, including the firebombing of her home, in her efforts to present the truth and expose her powerful opponents.
In 2018, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King brought renewed attention to Reese in his book Beneath a Ruthless Sun: A True Story of Violence, Race, and Justice Lost and Found, which followed Devil in the Grove, about the Groveland case.
Presented in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Orange County, the online program follows last year's inaugural Women's History Month Breakfast, which honored Mary McLeod Bethune, educator and civil rights activist. In addition to highlighting the significance of women's contributions to history, the program also underlines the importance of determined local journalists defending democracy.