Shout So Hard to Heaven

Shout So Hard to Heaven: A Portrait of Robert Charles tells the true story of an extraordinary man who was not afraid to stand tall in the face of extreme racism at the turn of the twentieth century in New Orleans. Robert Charles dared to defend his life against an unprovoked and unjust attack by city policemen, even though he was very aware of the horrific and all-too-common threat of lynching that probably awaited him. What ensued was the New Orleans Race Riot of 1900, which was among the most violent events in the city's history. Charles evaded the police and mobs of thousands who terrified, injured, and murdered New Orleans's black citizens for nearly four days before ending in an heroic showdown by Charles. One of the nation's most respected historians called Robert Charles "the first fully self-conscious black militant in the United States." However, in the days, weeks, and years following the riot and Charles's stand against the city, Robert Charles was demonized by the New Orleans press, the city's officials, and whites throughout the nation while blacks looked to him as a hero, until it became too dangerous to do so. Using accurate historical research by noted historians and personal in-depth knowledge and experience with Southern race relations, history, and folklore, author J. H. Clark brings this historic event and the man at its center to life with an historic narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats while bringing Robert Charles back to life with an accurate, compelling, and humanizing portrait of a remarkable man.