She was only 13 when he was gunned down. "Willie was a good man who took care of his family," said Shirley Jones, a member of Kelly Springs Missionary Baptist Church on Curry Station Road in Munford.
Willie Brewster was gunned down in 1965, not for money, but because of the color of his skin.
During a time of racial tension and integration efforts, Brewster’s death united both black and white in the Anniston area.
Jones said Gary Sprayberry, assistant professor of history at Miles College in Birmingham, wrote a book about the incident, saying the incident spurred changed in Anniston during the civil rights era.
"It made a big change," said Jones, who was Brewster’s sister-in-law.
Brewster was married to Jones’ older sister.
Brewster, a father of two, was shot and killed by Damon Strange as he drove home from work with friends. The murder was racially motivated.
"I remember Dr. (Martin Luther) King called my mama’s house and told her he was going to attend his funeral, but the pastor (of the church) was scared that the church would be bombed."
Strange was later convicted of Brewster’s murder.
"He was the first white man to be convicted by an all white jury for the murder of a black man (in Alabama)," Jones said.
She said her brother-in-law was a member of Kelly Springs Missionary Baptist Church, and it’s only appropriate that Jones talk about the incident he has written about and researched so thoroughly.
"His (Brewster’s) funeral was there (at the church). The family belonged there," Jones said.
She said Sunday’s program, in conjunction with the church’s Black History Month program, will begin at 2:30 p.m., and the public is invited to attend.
"I want to encourage everyone to attend," Jones said. "I want people to know and to hear Dr. Sprayberry."
She said many people don’t know about Brewster’s murder or the significant role it played locally during the civil rights era.
"None of our kids know anything about it," Jones said.
She said she had tried to reach Sprayberry for two weeks to see if he would speak at Kelly Springs Missionary Baptist Church.
Jones’ persistence paid off when Sprayberry returned one of her calls.
"The night he called, I was elated," Jones said.
Jones said Kelly Springs Missionary Baptist Church, 351 Curry Station Road, Munford, will hold about 800 people.
She said the church welcomes all visitors to the Sunday afternoon program.
