{"product_id":"american-scare-floridas-hidden-cold-war-on-black-and-queer-lives-hardcover","title":"American Scare: Florida's Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eRobert W. Fieseler\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA vital exposé for both our history and our present day, \u003ci\u003eAmerican Scare\u003c\/i\u003e tells the riveting story of how the Florida government destroyed the lives of Black and queer citizens in the twentieth century.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In January 1959, Art Copleston was escorted out of his college accounting class by three police officers. In a motel room, blinds drawn, he sat in front of a state senator and the legal counsel for the Florida Legislative Investigation Committee, nicknamed the \"Johns Committee.\" His crime? Being a suspected homosexual. And the government of Florida would use any tactic at their disposal--legal or not--to get Copleston to admit it. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Using a secret trove of primary source documents that have been decoded and de-censored for the first time in history, journalist Robert Fieseler unravels the mystery of what actually happened behind the closed doors of an inquisition that held ordinary citizens ransom to its extraordinary powers. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The state of Florida would prefer that this history remain buried. But for nearly a decade, the Florida Legislature founded, funded, and supported the Johns Committee--an organization using the cover of communism to viciously attack members of the NAACP and queer professors and students. Spearheaded by Charley Johns, a multi-term politician in a gerrymandered legislature, the Committee was determined to eliminate any threats to the state's white, conservative regime. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Fieseler describes the heartbreaking ramifications for citizens of Florida whose lives were imperiled, profiling marginalized residents with compassion and a determination to bring their devasting experiences to light at last. A propulsive, human-centered drama, with fascinating insight into Florida politics, \u003ci\u003eAmerican Scare \u003c\/i\u003eis a page-turning reckoning of our racist and homophobic past--and its chilling parallels to today.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRobert W. Fieseler\u003c\/b\u003e is a journalist investigating marginalized groups and a scholar excavating forgotten histories. A National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Journalist of the Year and recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship, his debut book \u003ci\u003eTinderbox\u003c\/i\u003e won seven awards, including the Edgar Award, and his reporting has appeared in \u003ci\u003eSlate\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCommonweal\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eRiver Teeth\u003c\/i\u003e, among others. Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is pursuing a PhD at Tulane University as a Mellon Fellow. He lives with his husband on the gayest street in New Orleans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 496\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.7 x 9 x 6.3 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e June 17, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51978313269549,"sku":"9780593183953","price":32.19,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/lgEp6cR09i9780593183953.webp?v=1775801569","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/american-scare-floridas-hidden-cold-war-on-black-and-queer-lives-hardcover","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}