For the past several years, a determined group of community activists has petitioned the governor's office and the selection committee to recognize Mabel by inducting her into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. To date, those efforts have been in vain.
We believe a national focus on Mabel will not only alert women across America to the importance of her legacy, but will inspire future generations of women to find courage in the face of fear.
Because, quite simply, Mabel was a badass.
Nominations will soon begin, and once again our efforts will be focused on circumventing political blockades with an overwhelming outpouring of support.
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MABEL FEATURED ON FLORIDA FRONTIERS
In this in-depth feature, Florida Frontiers host Ben Brotmarkle examines the life and legacy of Mabel Norris Reese who, over the course of three decades, continually placed her life at risk to seek justice and defend the civil rights of victims of a murderous sheriff. The program includes interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King whose book 'Devil in the Grove' brought the case of the Groveland Four back to life and would lead to their exoneration; with Cindy Chesley Erickson, Mabel's granddaughter and the teller of her story; and artist Jim McNalis whose passion for sculpting subjects who 'reflect the nobility of the human spirit' found him commissioned to create her portrait which is now on public display in her hometown of Mount Dora, Florida.
Click Mabel's photo to link to the feature presentation.
To learn more about the incredible story of Mabel Norris Reese and her transition from a biased journalist to one in pursuit of the truth, click the images and links below. Through panel discussions, news reports, and archival features, this is where you'll begin to discover how a small-town reporter truly found herself when she found herself tapping into the depths of her courage.
Panel Discussion with Gilbert King, Cindy Chesley Erickson, Jim McNalis, Gary McKechnie, and moderator Bob Kealing
Author Gilbert King and Gary McKechnie on Central Florida Spotlight
WKMG's Carolina Cardona covers the statue's unveiling and legacy of Mabel Norris Reese.
WFTV's Deanna Albritten covers Mabel Norris Reese sculpted portrait unveiling.
To watch the unveiling event, click the photo... or just click here.
WELCOME HOME, MABEL!
On September 24, 2021, author Gilbert King, sculptor Jim McNalis, Representative Geraldine Thompson (D-44), student Annika York, and Mabel's granddaughter Cindy Chesley Erickson came to Mount Dora's Sunset Park to unveil the bronze sculpture of Mabel Norris Reese in 'A Celebration of Courage'.
Between fundraising, commissioning the terra cotta original, raising additional funds for the bronze image, and then exploring multiple paths to figure out how to construct a pedestal, how to design a base and then compose a plaque and navigate city departments and civic boards and track down a monument company that could assemble the myriad components and create a printed program and compile a guest list and invite speakers and contact the media and then stage the dedication, it became a three-year project (the length likely doubled due to the pandemic). But it all went off perfectly and without a hitch.
Across America, there are approximately 5,200 public outdoor sculptures of individuals, just 394 of which are of women -- less than 8 percent. This non-verbal message implies that girls and women don't matter. This statue of Mabel sends a clear message: They do matter and they can make a difference.
THANK YOU! Donors from across America helped achieve multiple goals including the creation of the original terra cotta figure, its bronze counterpart, the custom-made pedestal, and a bronze plaque which details highlights in Mabel's life and career.
PREMIERE: Watch 'Evolution of a Sculpture'
Trace the development of Mabel's tribute from a 50-pound bag of clay to the final bronze likeness; the process set to Mabel's favorite passage of classical music.
Recently discovered in the Mount Dora Archives, the Donnelly Street offices of the Mount Dora Topic. Shown here, Paul Reese's print shop on the left and Mabel's office on the right.
Through MyHeritage.com/deep-nostalgia, we were able to add animation to this still image of Mabel. Even though it's artificial motion, to date we believe this reflects her only moving image.
Mabel's Story
The courage of Mabel Norris Reese may have been forgotten had it not been for ‘Devil in the Grove’, Gilbert King’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book that recounted a tragedy that occurred in Lake County, Florida...
Accused of raping a white woman in 1949, black suspects who became known as “The Groveland Four” were victims of the time — and victims of Lake County Sheriff Willis McCall. One, Ernest Green, was killed by a posse before he could stand trial. The others (Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd, and Charles Greenlee) were imprisoned and brutally tortured by McCall and his deputies to coerce confessions.
Reese, owner and editor of the small town Mount Dora Topic newspaper (read David Cohea’s article here), initially sided with McCall. But when he murdered Sammy Shepherd and wounded Walter Irvin by claiming the handcuffed prisoners had tried to escape, Reese realized she had been an unwitting accomplice in his reign of terror. Despite threats to her life and her livelihood which found the KKK detonating two bombs at her home, burning a cross in her lawn, poisoning her dog, and launching a rival newspaper to drive her out of business, she spent the remainder of her career dedicated to holding the corrupt sheriff, deputies, judges, and attorneys to task. Even as she faced McCall’s wrath, she continued to write articles in support of the two surviving Groveland Boys until they were released from prison. In the 1950s, she was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her persistent attempts to gain justice for the Platt family children who were forced out of Mount Dora’s whites-only public schools when the school board and Willis McCall suspected they were “negroes” (they were later admitted into the Mount Dora Bible School to continue their education). Mabel stepped up yet again when McCall, along with the local judges and attorneys, framed a mentally disabled 19-year old for rape. Committed without trial to the state hospital for the insane, Jesse Daniels would spend fourteen years in confinement before Mabel, through articles and alliances formed with Jesse’s mother, politicians, and attorneys, would secure his release. This tragedy is told in painful detail in Gilbert King’s latest release, ‘Beneath a Ruthless Sun’.
This page will note developments related to the efforts of the Mabel Norris Reese Tribute Fund, Inc., formed to raise monies for the creation of a bust of Mabel Norris Reese to be placed on permanent public display in Mount Dora. It will be a visible reminder of the need to protect a free press, how the written word can bring justice to unjust situations, and to honor the courage of a woman who couldn’t be intimidated.
Confrontation with Ex-Sheriff is Tale of a Hero
Lake Sentinel • Lauren Ritchie • February 20, 2004
Mount Dora Resident wants Bust of Mabel Reese on Display
Daily Commercial • Roxanne Brown • August 7, 2018
Commentary: Courageous newspaperwoman Mabel Norris Reese being nominated for Women's Hall of Fame in Lake County.
Lake Sentinel • Lauren Ritchie • August 27, 2018
Mabel Norris Reese Set to be Inducted into Lake County Women's Hall of Fame
Lake Sentinel • Jerry Fallstrom • November 26, 2018
Journalist Mabel Norris Reese Inducted in Women's Hall of Fame
Daily Commercial • Roxanne Brown • December 4, 2018
Commentary: Lake County Commissioner diminishes journalist's accomplishments with watered-down version of history
Lake Sentinel • Lauren Ritchie • December 10, 2018
For Mother and Daughter, Now Both Lost in the Ink
David Cohea • December 12, 2015
Imprisoned, tortured, and murdered for a crime they didn't commit, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd, Charles Greenlee, and Ernest Thomas (The Groveland Four) were victims a sociopathic sheriff and a judicial system that enabled his brutality. Yet through a decades-long effort by their family members, determined politicians and private citizens seeking justice, and new evidence presented by authors Gilbert King and Gary Corsair, the Groveland Four received apologies from Lake County communities, local newspapers and, on January 11, 2019, pardons from the State of Florida. Notably, a pardon implies a crime had been committed, and thus efforts for full and complete exonerations remain active.
To the Community and Families of the Groveland Four: We're Sorry
Editorial, Orlando Sentinel • January 10, 2019
Groveland Four Get Justice 70 Years Later
Orlando Sentinel • Stephen Hudak, Ryan Gillespie, Beth Kassab and Gray Rohrer • January 11, 2019
Accused of Florida Rape 70 Years Ago, 4 Black Men Get Posthumous Pardons
National Public Radio • Ian Stewart • January 11, 2019
'Miscarriage of Justice': Florida Finally Pardons Four Black Men Accused of Rape in 1949
Washington Post • Katie Mettler Brown • January 11, 2019
Florida Governor Pardons Groveland Four, Wrongly Convicted of Rape in 1949
CNN • Amir Vera • January 11, 2019
Florida Pardons the Groveland Four, 70 Years After Jim Crow-Era Rape Case
New York Times • Jacey Fortin • January 11, 2019
Florida Pardons Groveland Four: 'This was a miscarriage of Justice'
Tampa Bay Times • Samantha J. Gross • January 11, 2019
Editorial: Finally, a Pardon for the Groveland Four
Tampa Bay Times • Editorial Board • January 11, 2019
Florida Pardons Groveland Four: 'This was a miscarriage of Justice'
Tampa Bay Times • Samantha J. Gross • January 11, 2019
Groveland Four Pardons came too late for Four Innocent Black Men:
Miami Herald • Bea Hines • January 16, 2019
DeSantis, Florida Cabinet, pardon four black men, known as Groveland Four, accused of 1949 Rape
USA Today • Brendan Farington • January 11, 2019
Florida Pardons Wrongly Accused Groveland Four after 70 Years
BBC • January 12, 2019
Groveland Four Granted Pardons by Clemency Board
WESH-TV • January 11, 2019
Groveland Four: Who Were They?
Orlando Sentinel • Stephan Hudak • January 11, 2019
Groveland Four Accuser Norma Lee Padgett Speaks Publicly for the First Time Since 1952
Orlando Sentinel • Stephan Hudak • January 11, 2019
Groveland Four Pardoned Decades After False Rape Claim
CBS News
As the case of the Groveland Four was being argued in courtrooms, in the mid-1950s Mabel stepped up once again – this time to defend the Platts, a poor family whose children were suspected of being ‘negroes’ who were not allowed to attend Mount Dora’s whites-only public schools. Mabel’s extensive coverage on the Platt children and their legal battle to remain in school earned the attention of the national media, led to a nomination for a Pulitzer Prize for her articles in the Mount Dora Topic, and infuriated Sheriff McCall and his allies in the Ku Klux Klan who launched a campaign of terror and intimidation to get her to back down.
Naturally… she didn’t.
Suspicion of 'Nigra' Blood Racked Family: Lake County Racial Case Captured National Attention
Orlando Sentinel • Steve Berry • February 10, 1991
‘White Family’ Barred from Schools During Jim Crow because White People Thought They Were Black. The Story of the Platt Family.
Black History Forum • Agnes Gooch • August 3, 2015
As with the case of the Groveland Four, the story of Jesse Daniels might have faded from memory had it not been for Gilbert King’s recent work ‘Beneath a Ruthless Sun’ which revealed the harrowing story of a poor, mentally disabled teenager being framed for a crime he didn’t commit. When he was committed without trial to the Florida State Hospital for the Insane, Mabel joined forces with Jesse’s mother and used the power of the printed word in a quest for justice.
“…In her efforts to free her son, Pearl Daniels had help. A journalist by the name of Mabel Norris (Reese) Chesley took an interest in what she quickly determined to be a grave injustice, and she began a years-long crusade, writing more than a hundred stories about Jesse’s case. As a journalist, Mabel could not accept Jesse Daniels falling through the cracks. Mabel and Pearl became fast friends. Neither of them would back down from a fight.” Gilbert King
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King researching second Lake book
Lake Sentinel • Lauren Ritchie • July 24, 2014
Review: Gilbert King’s Beneath a Ruthless Sun a Compelling, Horrifying Look at Florida’s Racist History
Tampa Bay Times • Collette Bancroft • April 20, 2018
Beneath A Ruthless Sun, Cruelty and Injustice Burn Hot
National Public Radio • Jean Zimmerman • April 24, 2018
How a Racist Sheriff Railroaded a Disabled Teenager and Got Off
New York Times • Jeffrey Toobin • May 3, 2018
Pulitzer Winner Returns to a Florida County Controlled by a Monstrous Sheriff in Beneath a Ruthless Sun
Dallas Morning News • Chris Vognar • May 15, 2018
Chronicling Florida's Racist Past: An Interview with Gilbert King
Sarasota magazine • David Hackett • May 8, 2018
Gilbert King Talks Race, Injustice in 1950s Florida
Tallahassee Democrat • Randy Skerritt • May 11, 2018
Beneath a Ruthless Sun - Fearless Women, Bizarre Injustice
Orlando Sentinel • Hal Bodeker • May 18, 2018
Disabled Man Framed for Rape in 1950s Lake County Dies
Daily Commercial • Gilbert King • June 22, 2018
Main character in Pulitzer Prize-winning author's story of miscarriage of justice dies in Daytona Beach
Orlando Sentinel • Lauren Ritchie • June 22,2018
Service Held for Man Falsely Accused in Lake County Rape
Daily Commercial • July 9, 2018
After artist Jim McNalis accepted the commission to created a tangible message of courage, persistence, and determination, he consistently provided images of the work from its origins as a 50-pound bag of Italian terra cotta and an armature to support it to what became the completed clay original. More about the Artist
THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS
Art of Medicine Foundation: “I was born and raised in Eustis in Lake County as was my wife, father and father-in-law. I remember the “White” and “Black” drinking fountains and bathrooms in the Lake County Court House. As a 7-year-old, I just couldn’t figure it out. The more the horrific racism in this county can be exposed the better in order to try to end the racism that is rampant in this county still!”
Kathleen Sullivan: “She could not, would not suffer wrongs in silence. She was incredibly and relentlessly courageous in her fight for justice.”
Anonymous: “It is important to honor those who stand up for justice, especially racial justice.”
Aimee Fenneman
Eric Santella
Linda Hull: “When I was a junior at EHS in 1969, Sheriff McCall came on campus, with deputies and dogs, in response to a misguided report of racially-charged violence on campus. I was naive enough to approach him with the real story. I didn't realize then how bold I had been.”
Farley Chase
Anonymous: “She was a woman of integrity and bravery.”
Dorothy Tellin
Janice Streeter
Shan and Chuck Linn
Ann and Steve Koziol
Lisa French
Ilene Rand
Mary Ann Anerio
Brian Buchner: “Mabel Norris Reese's story of bravery in the pursuit of truth, justice, and humanity must be known, and must be remembered. Superheroes may not exist, but real heroes do. We should honor them.”
Jill Greenberg
Nancy McCullough
Anonymous: “I care about social injustice and I want the world to be a better place.”
Well Red Book Club: “We believe in Mabel's goals for a free press and applaud her courageous actions on behalf of the Platt family, the Groveland Four and Jesse Daniels.”
Peggy Smith-Herbst: “A brave, tenacious, and smart woman who fought injustice against tremendous odds.”
Alma Otwell
GoFundMe Team: “A donation as part of our Gives Back program. Thanks for being a part of our community.”
Mary Miller: “Thanks to Gary and all involved with making Mabel's story as important as it should be!”
Lisa Jones: “Women like Mabel should be recognized to help remind us and inspire us.”
Susan Carol McCarthy: “As a girl growing up in rural Plymouth, women like Jean Yothers of the Orlando Sentinel, Mabel Norris Reese of the Mount Dora Topic, and the fictional Brenda Starr were my personal super heroes. They provided me with proof that my dream of growing up to be a published writer could, with a lot of hard work, become a reality. After my first novel was published, I had the privilege of thanking Jean Yothers in person. Although Mabel Norris Reese was gone by the time I wrote my second novel, she was its inspiration, and I was honored to express my heartfelt thanks to her daughter and granddaughter for Mabel's sterling example and courage.”
Laurie Tillett: “The value of a free press cannot be underestimated. It is the underpinning of our democracy.”
Cynthia Chesley Erickson: “My grandmother was a wonderful person!”
Ann Whittington-Neely: “It was very difficult, but she stood against the establishment. Her memorial will have great educational value.”
Kim Norberg
Dorothy Tellin
Maria Slaby
Kate Johnson
Natalie Jones
William Carpenter: “A free press is vital to our democracy and Mabel Norris Reese is an exemplary member of that critically important society. She was courageous, a professional journalist, and an outstanding citizen of Lake County.”
Pam Jennelle
Cindy Duane
Savina Schoenhofer
Charlene Griffin: “Her integrity and courage need to be publicly honored and her story shared. We need this kind of role model for our children. Mabel Norris Reese is my hero.”
Rosella Todd Valentine: “Mabel is a real hero of our LLL group and she represents the very embodiment of the importance of a free press. I am so pleased to contribute to this fund to honor a true ‘Shero’ of Lake County, Florida!”
Jill Moss Greenberg: “Mabel's writing and advocacy for civil rights is still relevant to freedom of the press today.”
Janet Manchon
Anonymous
Laura Lambert
Constance Albright
Ricardo Rodriguez
Robert Schmidt: “We need more people like Mabel Norris Reese. She is a hero.”
Kathleen Weaver: “Mabel Norris Reese, a journalist who had the courage to write about the injustice in Lake County at the hands of the Sheriff Willis McCall.”
Howard Pospesel: “A hero who deserves to be honored.”
Sam King: “She is an American hero.”
Choice Edward: “Everyone in Lake County that seeks justice should donate something. This is my anti-Willis McCall gesture!”
Helen Huntley: “Mabel was a real hero and an inspiration to all who seek truth and justice.”
Helen Cutshaw: “When I worked with her at The News-Journal in Daytona Beach, I had no idea I was in the presence of such a brave woman.”
Laurie and Ed Tillett: “The truth will always be known.”
Rose Fitzpatrick: “Proud to contribute to a true heroine.”
Lauren Randel
John Tucker
Marc Crail
Doug Bryant
Judy Maylie
Susan Fetter: “I learned something today! Thanks!”
Crissy Stile: “It's time we celebrate this amazing woman’s accomplishments.”
Nancy Hurlbert: “Soooo much better than having a Confederate statue in our area!!!”
Charlene Griffin: “Her integrity and courage need to be publicly honored and her story shared. We need this kind of role model for our children. Mabel Norris Reese is my hero.”
Cheri Pierce
Patricia Spear
Christopher Timmons
Susan Maloy
Thomas Smith
Patricia Jackson
Bill L.: I care about social injustice and I want the world to be a better place
Bill & Beth Forbes
Mindy Stokoszynski
Mabel Inducted into the Lake County Women's Hall of Fame
Committed to Memory
Orlando
Gary McKechnie and Nancy Howell
Devil in Lake County
Lake & Sumter Style
Gary McKechnie and Nancy Howell
Additional donations can be made at any Seacoast Bank, with deposits made
to the account of the Mabel Norris Reese Tribute Fund.
In this in-depth feature, Florida Frontiers host Ben Brotmarkle examines the life and legacy of Mabel Norris Reese who, over the course of three decades, continually placed her life at risk to seek justice and defend the civil rights of victims of a murderous sheriff. The program includes interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King whose book 'Devil in the Grove' brought the case of the Groveland Four back to life and would lead to their exoneration; with Cindy Chesley Erickson, Mabel's granddaughter and the teller of her story; and artist Jim McNalis whose passion for sculpting subjects who 'reflect the nobility of the human spirit' found him commissioned to create her portrait which is now on public display in her hometown of Mount Dora, Florida.
Click Mabel's photo to link to the feature presentation.
To learn more about the incredible story of Mabel Norris Reese and her transition from a biased journalist to one in pursuit of the truth, click the images and links below. Through panel discussions, news reports, and archival features, this is where you'll begin to discover how a small-town reporter truly found herself when she found herself tapping into the depths of her courage.
Panel Discussion with Gilbert King, Cindy Chesley Erickson, Jim McNalis, Gary McKechnie, and moderator Bob Kealing
Author Gilbert King and Gary McKechnie on Central Florida Spotlight
WKMG's Carolina Cardona covers the statue's unveiling and legacy of Mabel Norris Reese.
WFTV's Deanna Albritten covers Mabel Norris Reese sculpted portrait unveiling.