In telling his story, Charles Scriven bears witness to history, completes the historical record, and pays tribute to the hundreds of other Black men and women who wore the uniform proudly, swore to protect and serve, and did so honorably.
CHARLES J SCRIVEN
GOD'S LITTLE HELPER
An improbable story from a small wood house on a dirt road to the upper echelons of the Jacksonville Sheriff's department and beyond.
WITH NEARLY 70 YEARS OF FIRST-HAND INSIGHT, CHARLES SCRIVEN EXPLORES THE IMPACT OF RACISM AND RACIAL BIAS IN AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT
How does a populace historically...
oppressed and discriminated against obtain and secure equal justice under law?
How does the country police...
its most marginalized residents and its citizens of color with equity?
How do people of all races enjoy their constitutional...
rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness without fear of police brutality.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
An overview of the book...
BOOK I - ORIGINS
Chapter 1: The Letter
Chapter 2: Origins
Chapter 3: A Mother’s Love
Chapter 4: Daddy
Chapter 5: Jean
BOOK II - MY EARLY EDUCATION
Chapter 6: High Price of Free Candy
Chapter 7: The Feel-up Frame Up
Chapter 8: Stanton High
Chapter 9: Stanton Sports Lesson
Chapter 10: Jeannetta
Chapter 11: The Call
BOOK III - IN THE SERVICE
Chapter 12: Korean War
Chapter 13: Enlisting
Chapter 14: Fort Jackson
Chapter 15: Integration
Chapter 16: Basic Training
Chapter 17: Living with Integration
Chapter 18: Unrest
Chapter 19: 200 Miles of Standing
Chapter 20: Military Police
Chapter 21: Black MPs
Chapter 22: Camp Stewart
Chapter 23: Out West
Chapter 24: Going Home
BOOK IV - RETURNING TO JIM CROW
Chapter 25: Returning Home
Chapter 26: Saying I Do
Chapter 27: Wedding Night
Chapter 28: Civilian Work
Chapter 29: Maxwell House Coffee
Chapter 30: The Advertisement
Chapter 31: The Test
BOOK V - POLICING AND POWER
Everyone realizes why a new common language would be desirable: one could refuse to pay expensive translators. To achieve this, it would be necessary to have uniform grammar, pronunciation and more common words.
BOOK VI - THE ROAD THE THE NEGRO PRECINCT
Chapter 38: Haydon Burns
Chapter 39: Mayor Burns’ Historic Role in Precinct Three
PHOTOS
Chapter 40: Becoming a Negro Police Officer
Chapter 41: The Rookie
Chapter 42: Policing While Black
Chapter 43: Chaos Theory
Chapter 44: Charlie Sea
Chapter 45: School Patrol
BOOK VII - LEARNING DOESN'T STOP
Chapter 46: Further Education
Chapter 47: A Student of Phi Beta Sigma Founder, Leonard Morse
Chapter 48: Sheriff Dale Carson
Chapter 49: A Pastor with a Pistol
Chapter 50: Martin P. Garris
Chapter 51: Blackballed
Chapter 52: A Bullet Above My Head
BOOK VIII - THE 60s
Chapter 53: Ax Handle Saturday
Chapter 54: The Gas Station
Chapter 55: Frank Hampton
Chapter 56: Closing the Negro Precinct
Chapter 57: Consolidation
Chapter 58: After Consolidation
Chapter 59: Lieutenant Scriven
Chapter 60: Chief Scriven
Chapter 61: Civil Rights Commission
Chapter 62: Approaching the End
BOOK IX - PAROLE AND PAROLE COMMISSION
Chapter 63: Going to Tallahassee
Chapter 64: The Last Luncheon
Chapter 65: Leaving St. Mary
Chapter 66: Alone in Tallahassee
Chapter 67: The Outsider
Chapter 68: The Knowledge of Socrates, the Wisdom of Solomon
Chapter 69: Justine and Mercy
Chapter 70: Prison Visits
Chapter 71: Chairman
Chapter 72: Murph the Smurf
Chapter 73: Crime and Punishment
Chapter 74: The Hazelton Controversy
Chapter 75: In Hindsight
Chapter 76: The Lawsuit, Still Fighting
Chapter 77: An Overdue Apology
The Journey of Charles Scriven: The First African American Officer to Advance to Chief in Jacksonville
Charles Scriven has lived a long and eventful life, witnessing 15 presidents, five wars, segregation,...
The Silver Stars and the Couple Who Served Tallahassee for Decades
Charles and Jeanetta have been married for 68 years and served the area’s homeless population...
Charles Scriven, a Lifetime of Achievement
Charles Scriven joined the Jacksonville Police Department in 1955 and was later promoted to chief,...
The Jacksonville Police Department’s First African American Officer Finally Honored
Summary of Retired Jacksonville Officer Honored by FOP After Decades of Discrimination, by Jenese Harris,...
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