Hattie DeBardelaben’s tragic story from the Jim Crow era highlights a painful chapter in American history. On March 23, 1945, Hattie was killed in Autaugaville, Alabama, by officers who claimed to be searching for illegal whiskey. For nearly 80 years, details of her death were shrouded in mystery until her grandchildren, Mary and Dan DeBardelaben, obtained federal records through the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018.
Mary expressed both relief and sorrow after uncovering the truth. “I cried for a couple of days because I couldn’t believe what had happened to my grandmother,” she said. The documents revealed harrowing details of Hattie’s assault and subsequent death. Witnesses, including Hattie’s children, described officers striking her, causing her to fall into boiling water before being beaten further. One of her sons, Edward, recounted how officers ignored her pleas for help as she grew increasingly ill during a forced car ride. Her last words were, “that’s my baby,” spoken to Edward before she died in his arms.
The case was covered up, with a white doctor citing a heart attack as the cause of death despite evidence of a broken neck. A grand jury declined to indict the officers, and one, Clyde White, later became sheriff. Mary described the cover-up as deeply disturbing. “Not just the people who killed her, but those in official positions clearly saw what happened but preferred to protect their own,” she said.
Trauma and fear silenced Hattie’s family. “Seeing that, I’m sure, was so traumatic for my father,” Dan explained, noting that his father and relatives never spoke of the incident. The fear of retaliation led their father to change his name and relocate shortly after Hattie’s death.
The Civil Rights Cold Case Act provided long-awaited answers. Mary hopes for posthumous accountability for those involved and encourages other families to persist in seeking justice. “You couldn’t help rescue your mom,” Dudley reflected, “but you can tell her story.”
Link: AL.com
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