Blood Brother is a new book about the short life of Jonathan Daniels. Published in 2016 it was cataloged in the Teen section at the Gates(NY)Public Library. It tells the story of Jonathan Daniels life and his work on the 1965 voter registration campaign in Alabama. After spending just a few months in Alabama Daniels was murdered by a segregationist white irregular deputy sheriff. Though charged with murder his killer was found not guilty by an all white jury. I have known about Jonathan Daniels since he was placed on the Episcopal Church's Calendar of Saints in 1991. It is such a sad story but at the same time his life was a triumph of love or hate.

The book is full of photos, some taken by Daniels himself, which show the Civil Rights struggle and the segregationists who opposed it. I was struck by the symbols of confederate flags and nazi swastikas which are used so much today by the so called alt-right. If there is any question about the symbolism of confederate flags and monuments this book answers that.


While written for younger adults there is much that is worthwhile for those of us who are a bit older too. I find myself wondering what else Jonathan Daniels would have accomplished if his promising life had not be cut short by murder. He would be 78 this year if he had lived. ( )