Assault at West Point; The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker

New York: Collier Books, 1994. First Collier Books Edition [stated]. Second printing [stated]. Trade paperback. Very good. xv, [3], 330, [4] pages. Illustrations. Notes. Index. Ink notation on the title page. Cover has slight wear and soiling. John F. Marszalek, Ph.D., is an American historian. He taught at Canisius College, Gannon University and Mississippi State University, where he earned the distinction of being the William L. Giles Distinguished Professor in 1994. After twenty-nine years as a professor, Dr. Marszalek retired in 2002 to become a Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Today, he serves as the Director of the Mississippi State University Distinguished Scholars Program where he has made a significant contribution to the development of Mississippi State's most distinguished scholars. Over the course of his career, Dr. Marszalek has published more than 150 articles and written or edited at least 11 books. On April 13, 2018, Marszalek won the Nevins-Freeman Award, the most prestigious honor given out by The Civil War Round Table of Chicago. In "Assault at West Point", John F. Marszalek, the highly acclaimed author, has written a dramatic account of one of the most momentous trials in American history. Set in the 1880s, this riveting story focuses on Whittaker, a former slave who became the third black to enter West Point. Like his two predecessors, he was ostracized for the entire three years of his training. One morning Whittaker didn't show up for drill. He was found in his room, unconscious, tied tightly to the bed, with blood streaming from his head. In a trial that received major attention from the press, Whittaker was accused of faking the crime to get sympathy from the public and from his professors. Author Marszalek weaves his rich narrative from historical records to tell how Whittaker sought justice against all odds. This compelling work brings to life a case that rocked the country and involved the highest reaches of power-- and vividly demonstrates the impact of racism on the fabric of American society.