Episode 184 Sheriff Without A Gun The Legacy of Thomas Gilmore

About this episode

This episode explores the legacy of Thomas Gilmore, the first Black sheriff in Greene County, Alabama, who chose not to carry a gun.

In 1970, Thomas Gilmore became the first Black sheriff in rural Greene County, Alabama. He refused to carry a gun. How did a man of peace earn the trust to enforce the law in a place shaped by deep racial divides? And why does his story remain largely unknown? Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteriesInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Richard Bailey — Neither Carpetbaggers Nor Scalawags: Black Officeholders During the Reconstruction of Alabama, 1867–1878. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1572687 Eric Foner — Freedom’s Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction . https://uncpress.org/book/9780807858863/freedoms-lawmakers/ Alabama…

People in this episode

Host: Shannon Ballard

Topics covered

• Black history
• law enforcement
• racial divides
• Alabama history
• true crime
• community trust

Keywords

• Thomas Gilmore
• Black sheriff
• Greene County
• Alabama
• racial history
• law enforcement
• true crime

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Greene County, Alabama Department of Archives & History, Greene County Historical Society, University of Alabama, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Books & works: Neither Carpetbaggers Nor Scalawags: Black Officeholders During the Reconstruction of Alabama, 1867–1878, Freedom’s Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction

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