In Blood Done Sign My Name the death of Henry Marrow is conveyed to the ten-year old Timothy Tyson with the words "Daddy and Roger and 'em shot 'em a n*****." Timothy Tyson tells his first-hand experience of the story of the murder of this African-American
Vietnam veteran in the late spring of 1970 in Oxford, North Carolina. Tyson tells us what happens as the small town deals with the murder, the marches, the bombings, the trial, and the acquittal of those who killed Henry Marrow. As an eight year old growing up in the state capitol of Raleigh I was unaware of what was going on just an hour north of my universe in Granville county. Later, my first appointment as a pastor was to two United Methodist Churches about ten miles from Oxford. David Graybeal taught me at Drew University that a pastor has to "pay attention to the community." I wish I had Tyson's book in hand as I cared for God's people who lived along the Vance-Granville county line.