Big Ralph: Reflections of a Black Police Chief

By Carl A. Patton

Big Ralph is a life of struggle against the odds. Big Ralph never gave up and his spirit will live on. The life of Big Ralph is centered in the southern city of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is for sure... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 096564670X
• ISBN13: 9780965646703
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Psyche Pub
• Length: 359 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.0" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

The Censored Truth About The Civil Rights Movement

The biography of Ralph (Big Ralph) Cothran is the exciting and revealing story of a foot patrolman who rose to be Chief of Police in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Big Ralph reveals his true feelings on many social problems of our day. For example the following questions are just samples of the questions Big Ralph seeks to answer: Who set the precedent for Black leadership? Did busing Black children render them quality education? Why did Thurgood Marshall conclude that declaring Black people inferior would persuade the Supreme court to vote to desegregate public schools in America? Has the Back intellectual community sold out the Black community? Are there any independent Black Studies Departments in any University in America? Who controls the NAACP, the Urban League and SCLC? How can the word of God be best understood? What is the relationship between independent thinking, academic freedoms and freedom of expression and those lost in a dilemma of dependency? Did Integration, Civil Disobedience Cause Crime? Is there a relationship between civil disobedience and crime? Did civil disobedience cause a distrust for authority and society's basic institutions? This book seeks to answer many questions that have caused a dilemma for the American people. Big Ralph is a book that tells the story of a man who fought against the odds. Big Ralph was a man who gave his life for his city and is remembered for the peace and harmony he brought to his beloved city, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ralph Henry (Big Ralph) Cothran joined the Chattanooga Police Department in 1964. By 1989 Big Ralph was appointed Chief. Thus, he became the first Black Chief in the history of the Chattanooga Police Department. As an intellectual law enforcement officer Big Ralph developed various theories over the years. These theories related to law enforcement and the social problems of society. Crime and it's relationship to Civil Rights were some deep concerns for the Chief. He also took a serious look at welfare, the removal of prayer from the schools, busing, family values and the respect for authority. Thus, the book to logically deal with these questions seeks to historically review the Civil Rights movement. For example the historical development of Black leadership styles and Black organizations are brought up for review. The book Big Ralph: Reflections of a Black Police Chief seeks to fill a void in the literature. There is a need to evaluate all aspects of society. This includes the Black experience. Many questions and concerns relating to the Civil Rights Movement have not been evaluated. This book seeks to evaluate concerns like, what is integrationist philosophy? Also did the conclusions by the Thurgood Marshall legal team cause more Black inferiority?