How I Became Civil

By Kristen L. Hodge

Throughout his childhood, Jimmy Wells has been raised to believe that whites are superior to blacks in all things. This comes as no surprise, for Jimmy is growing up in the 1950's, in Montgomery, Alabama, the "cradle of the Confederacy" and a hotbed of racial contentions. But, something begins to stir in this pastor's kid's heart as he witnesses the atrocities blacks around him experience on a daily basis. Jimmy begins to ask many soul-searching questions: If God loves everyone the same, why would He favor one race over another? If God is a God of justice, why is Montgomery rampant with injustice while the Church looks on with a nod of approval?

This book takes you along on Jimmy's journey to civility, where he begins to develop a worldview in stark contrast to that of his parents as well as his white peers. He will face grave consequences for his decisions and will learn what it essentially means to "count the cost". Along the road, Jimmy will cross the color "line" and befriend a black boy named Jesse. Their relationship will grow despite the odds being against them. But, will Jimmy be able to stand for what he believes against all opposition, even if it's his own parents? Can a white boy and a black boy truly be friends in a white supremacist society?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FJ686PKK
• ISBN13: 9798293108763
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"