CARROLLTON — With skills honed as a criminal investigator, and all the skepticism of a man who’s worked with politicians and murderers, Rick Ward likes to get to the bottom of a story and tell it — with no spin.
Ward’s third book, “Blood for Molasses: A Mississippi Massacre,” tells the story of the bloody shootings of more than 20 black men and youths by 100 or more white men at the Carrollton courthouse in 1886. Newspapers around the world reported the incident, but little has been written about it in Mississippi histories. Ward says it’s time the men who died are given their due recognition.
Some descendants of those on both sides of the incident still live around Carrollton. “The Cains have no place to put flowers, since the blacks were buried in unmarked graves,” he said.
Ward, who said he didn’t want the book to be “just a dry history,” wrote it in “narrative non-fiction” style. This style blends fiction techniques of dramatic narrative with historical accuracy and tells the story of people who died.
Although there is not much in Mississippi books about that day, there is a great deal in newspaper clippings of the time, especially in New Orleans newspapers, he said. “The New Orleans papers did a fabulous job of the story. They drew pictures of the courtroom like in a police report.”
They documented 175 bullet holes in the north wall of the courthouse, 35 in the pew seats and 10 in the stairway. The bullet holes remained until a courthouse remodeling done in 1994.
Ward, who was born and reared at Tunica, parlayed a degree in criminal justice into a varied career that carried him around the world in naval security and undercover drug operations for federal and state government. He also worked in fraud investigations for the Mississippi Attorney General’s office under Mike Moore and was charity gaming division director for the Mississippi Gaming Commission for two years.
He has experience digging for facts, whether it’s white-collar crime, undercover narcotics, or gaming violators.
Ward says he has always been a good storyteller, but according to his relatives and friends, he began to write just three years ago. All of his life experiences go into his writing, as John Grisham’s legal background goes into his. Ward’s first two books were novels: “The Lawmaker” and “Blood-stained Justice.”
He likes to debunk myths about people in power — especially those “put on pedestals” — and does so in the new book, which he expects to be out in August.
If there’s anything Ward can’t stand, it’s a one-sided, usually squeaky-clean view of a historical figure. “History books have sugar-coated bad things,” he said. “I’m always suspect of what I’m told from media and politicians. I think everyone ought to know the truth.”
Ward said it isn’t hard to find another side of famous politicians such as James Z. George, Choctaw Chief Greenwood Leflore, and President Abraham Lincoln. “Blood for Molasses” shows the “dark side” of these three celebrated men. “I enjoy uncovering these things nobody knows,” he said.
Columnist and broadcaster Sid Salter hailed Ward’s storytelling and writing ability in an interview on Supertalk Mississippi radio network, in which he said Ward has “the same discipline as John Grisham, and understands political power structure in Mississippi.” Salter said many books are sent to him, and many of them are poorly written, but that’s not the case with Ward’s.
Former news editor Pam McPhail of Calhoun City, who has read the new book, said that “all Mississippi’s students should be required to read Ward’s book before graduating.”
Ward is trying to get an agent to represent him and has received recent response from an agent who is interested in his book.
In the meantime, he is writer, publisher, and marketer. “It’s hard to do it all,” he said.
To further sharpen his craft, he has applied to enter a master’s program of creative writing at either Johns Hopkins University in Maryland or Spalding University in Louisville, Ky. He is also attending writers’ seminars at the University of Mississippi and will soon go to a screenwriters’ class in the Hamptons.
Ward has written an outline for a script of “Blood for Molasses,” which he would like to see made into a movie. He said writing for the big screen is actually easier than writing a book.
Ward’s book will be available through all major online booksellers. He expects to hold signings at Carroll County Market in Carrollton and at Turnrow Books in Greenwood. Those dates will be announced when the book comes out in August.
