Mabel Norris Reese

(0000- 0000)

"The truth is my weapon, and I’ll wield it against any injustice."

Mabel Norris Reese was a courageous journalist whose pen became her sword in the battle for civil rights in Florida. Based in Lake County, Reese used her platform as a newspaper editor to confront the racist practices of the county’s infamous sheriff, Willis McCall, during the 1950s. Her relentless coverage of cases involving racial injustice—especially the wrongful prosecution of the Groveland Four, four young Black men falsely accused of rape—placed her at the center of the fight for racial equity. Despite threats, bombings, and arson attempts on her home, Reese refused to back down. Her investigative work exposed the gross miscarriages of justice in Lake County, and her commitment to truth helped pave the way for changes in Florida’s legal and civil rights landscape. Reese is remembered as a testament to the power of truth and accountability in journalism, illuminating a path for future generations of advocates and journalists.

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