Author Archives: William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Unknown's avatar

About William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Award-winning poet, playwright, and essayist. Author of three books of poetry, "Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass: Remembrance of Things Past and Present"; "Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats"; "The Black Feminine Mystique," and a novel, "Streets of Rage," written under his pen name Easy Waters. All four books are available on Amazon.com. Waters has over 25 years of experience in the criminal legal system. He is a change agent for a just society and a catalyst for change.

On this day in American history, August 4, 1964 — Bodies of Murdered Civil Rights Workers Found in Mississippi

Posted on August 4, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In 1964, Michael Schwerner, a white New Yorker working with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), traveled to Mississippi to organize black citizens to vote. Schwerner worked extensively with James Chaney, a black CORE member from Meridian, Mississippi. The activist … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On this day in American history, August 3, 1919 — Race Riots End in Chicago, Illinois, with 38 Dead

Posted on August 3, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

During the Great Migration, Chicago, Illinois, was a popular destination for many black migrants leaving the South in search of economic opportunity and escape from racial violence. The city’s black population swelled from 44,000 in 1910 to 109,000 in 1920, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On this day in American history, August 2, 1964 — Claims of Police Brutality Spark Riots in Jersey City, New Jersey

Posted on August 2, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

The Jersey City Riots began on August 2, 1964, when police attempted to arrest Dolores Shannon, a 26-year-old black woman, in the Booker T. Washington housing project for alleged disorderly conduct. Walter Mays, 34, a black man sitting on his … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On this day in American history, August 1, 1944 — White Philadelphia Transit Workers Strike to Protest Promotion of Black Employees

Posted on August 1, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

As the United States entered World War II, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, quickly became one of America’s largest war production sources. As many as 600,000 workers relied on the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) for transportation to factories and other workplaces. On August … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On this day in history — July 31, 1919 — White Mobs Set Over 30 Fires in Chicago’s Black Communities

Posted on July 31, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Before noon on July 31, 1919, angry white mobs had started more than thirty fires in the African American residential area of Chicago. Far from an isolated incident, these instances of arson were part of an extended barrage of violence … Continue reading →

Posted in crime, Lest We Forget | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

On this Day in History, July 4, 1910 — Jack Johnson Wins Fight of the Century Against “Great White Hope” Jim Jeffries

Posted on July 4, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Jack Johnson, an African American man born in Galveston, Texas, in 1878, began a professional boxing career in 1897. At the turn of the 19th century, boxing was new on the commercialized sports scene and racial discrimination permeated the sport … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Prison Walls v. Love — Review of “Memoirs of a Prison Lawyer/Prison Wife,” by Claudette Spencer-Nurse

Posted on June 25, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Memoirs of a Prison Lawyer/Prison Wife, by Claudette Spencer-Nurse, is a love story.  It is an improbable love story.  It is a love story that has defied the odds.  It is a love story for the ages.  It is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Amadou Diallo, Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, crime, Family, Justice Chronicles, Life Sentences, Parole, parole board, police involved shooting, police-involved killing, race, Reentry, Relationships, remorse | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On this day in history, June 9, 1963 –Fannie Lou Hamer Arrested and Beaten in Winona, Mississippi

Posted on June 9, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On June 9, 1963, while returning from a voter registration workshop in South Carolina, Fannie Lou Hamer and other civil rights activists were arrested in Winona, Mississippi. Ms. Hamer and the other activists had been traveling in the “white” section … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

On this day in history, June 8, 2016 — No Indictment For Police Officer Who Shot Texas College Student

Posted on June 8, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On June 8, 2016, the grand jury voted not to indict Brian Miller, a white police trainee, for shooting and killing Christian Taylor on August 7, 2015. Taylor, a 19-year-old black man, was a student and football player at Angelo … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

On this day in history, June 8, 1966 — Former Klansman Indicted for 30-Year-Old Mississippi Murder

Posted on June 8, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On June 8, 2000, Ernest Henry Avants was indicted by a federal grand jury for the 1966 murder of Ben Chester White in Natchez, Mississippi. Avants, James Jones, and Claude Fuller – all believed to be members of the Ku … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment