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The Price of Borrowed Coffee
The Eighty-Year Pursuit of Justice for Charlie Lee Price
Published by Indigo River Publishing
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
For those who’ve read By Hands Now Known, dive into a singular case of hidden injustice after eighty years of silence from the Jim Crow South.
In the summer of 1945, the law in Cooktown, Georgia, didn’t seek the truth—it sought a scapegoat.
When “Mae” Cook was found murdered, the town’s rage fell onto Charlie Lee Price, a young Black man whose speech disorder left him defenseless against a mob. He was accused, hunted, and killed without trial after already enduring a lifetime of abuse.
This is his story, decades later. His family refuses to let his name be forgotten.
Inside The Price of Borrowed Coffee, join his family in shattering the silence with a blend of oral history, archival research, and personal testimony. The true events of the murder behind “Mae” Cook unravel within the pages in more than just a true crime story.
Uncover and confront the legacy of Jim Crow, explore the effects of generational and racial trauma, and give honor to the man who was unable to speak for himself.
In the summer of 1945, the law in Cooktown, Georgia, didn’t seek the truth—it sought a scapegoat.
When “Mae” Cook was found murdered, the town’s rage fell onto Charlie Lee Price, a young Black man whose speech disorder left him defenseless against a mob. He was accused, hunted, and killed without trial after already enduring a lifetime of abuse.
This is his story, decades later. His family refuses to let his name be forgotten.
Inside The Price of Borrowed Coffee, join his family in shattering the silence with a blend of oral history, archival research, and personal testimony. The true events of the murder behind “Mae” Cook unravel within the pages in more than just a true crime story.
Uncover and confront the legacy of Jim Crow, explore the effects of generational and racial trauma, and give honor to the man who was unable to speak for himself.
Product Details
- Publisher: Indigo River Publishing (August 25, 2026)
- Length: 154 pages
- ISBN13: 9781969935442
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Raves and Reviews
"Drawing from careful historical research and the heartfelt recollections of family and friends, Price crafts a narrative that captures both the hardships and humanity of the Jim Crow era in South Georgia... The Price of Borrowed Coffee is more than a historical account; it is a testament to memory, survival, and the enduring power of storytelling."
– – Dr. Lusharon Wiley, Doctor of Education, University of West Florida Pensacola, FL, Specialization Diversity Studies
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