Dear Martin Summary - Dear Martin Summary Part 1 Dear Martin is about Justyce McAllister - Studeersnel (2024)

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Dear Martin SummaryPart 1Dear Martin is about Justyce McAllister ("Jus"), a Black teenager fromAtlanta. When the novel begins Jus is starting his senior year at theprestigious Braselton Preparatory Academy ("Bras Prep"). Jus comesfrom a lower-income neighborhood in Atlanta and attends Bras Prepon a full scholarship. In Chapter 1, Jus is racially profiled by a policeofficer named Officer Castillo and wrongfully arrested. He was tryingto help his ex-girlfriend, Melo, who is very drunk. However, OfficerCastillo assumes Jus is trying to hurt Mel and uses undue force todetain him without first pausing to ask questions. In response to thisencounter, Jus writes a letter to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In theletter, he tells Dr. King about the injustice he experienced. Hewonders if he will have the same fate as Shemar Carson, a Blackteenager who was shot and killed by a white police officer earlierthat year in Nevada. He commits himself to paying more attention tohis surroundings and recording what happens to him in letters to Dr.King (who Jus calls Martin). He resolves to live according to Martin'sexample going forward.In Chapter 2, Jus is playing video games with his best friend, Manny.While he is at Manny's house, Manny's mom receives a call from hersister. She tells Manny and Jus that Manny's cousin, Quan Banks, hasbeen arrested for the murder of a police officer.In Chapter 3, Jus attends his Societal Evolution class, taught by Dr.Jarius Dray ("Doc"). In class, they discuss the phrase "all men arecreated equal" from the Declaration of Independence. Jus'sclassmates disagree over whether or not everyone is treated equallyin the United States today. The conversation makes Jusuncomfortable, particularly because his classmates use him as anexample to back up their points. In Chapter 4, Jus is sitting alone inthe senior lounge when Manny walks in with his "crew," Jared, Blake,Kyle, and Tyler. Jared expresses outrage about the fact that Docsuggested that racial inequality is still prevalent in the United Statestoday. He reiterates that everyone is treated equally, regardless ofrace. They start talking about Jus and disparaging him for his lowersocioeconomic status. Manny joins in with them, but Jus can tell thathis heart isn't in it.In Chapter 3, Jus attends his Societal Evolution class, taught by Dr.Jarius Dray ("Doc"). In class, they discuss the phrase "all men arecreated equal" from the Declaration of Independence. Jus'sclassmates disagree over whether or not everyone is treated equally

in the United States today. The conversation makes Jusuncomfortable, particularly because his classmates use him as anexample to back up their points.In Chapter 4, Jus is sitting alone in the senior lounge when Mannywalks in with his "crew," Jared, Blake, Kyle, and Tyler. Jared expressesoutrage about the fact that Doc suggested that racial inequality isstill prevalent in the United States today. He reiterates that everyoneis treated equally, regardless of race. They start talking about Jusand disparaging him for his lower socioeconomic status. Manny joinsin with them, but Jus can tell that his heart isn't in it.Following this experience, Jus writes his second letter to Martin. Hetells Martin that he feels discouraged and out-of-place at Bras Prep.He goes back home to visit his mom, and she encourages him tokeep going. Jus resolves to keep living like Dr. King, though the pathforward isn't so clear to him anymore. He wants to maintain adignified attitude, like Dr. King, but he's not sure how he is supposedto respond to the fact that some people look down on him becauseof his race.In Chapter 5, Jus attends a Halloween party with Manny and the"crew." Jared has come up with the idea for them all to go dressed as"stereotypes" to prove that inequality no longer exists. Among thecostumes, Jus is dressed as a Thug and Blake is dressed as aKlansman. When they arrive at the party, Blake is punched in theface by a group of guys from Jus's neighborhood. They recognize Jusand call him out for spending time with the "crew." Jus tries todiffuse the situation, and Trey (one of the boys from Jus'sneighborhood) tells Jus and Manny that white people will never seethem as equals. Jus writes a third letter to Martin after this scene. Inthe letter, he recounts having a phone conversation with SJ—one ofhis classmates and his debate partner—in which he told hereverything about the party. He reveals to Martin that he isdeveloping a crush on her.In Chapter 6, Jus discovers that he has been accepted for earlyadmission to Yale University. He calls SJ to tell her the news. Thenext day at school, SJ hugs Jus in the cafeteria. Melo watches theirexchange and afterward asks Jus if he wants to hang out soon. InChapter 7, Jus attends his Societal Evolution class where Jared isextremely upset that he did not get into Yale but Jus did. He arguesthat the only reason Jus got in is because of affirmative action, andthat minority students are taking the spots of white students. SJargues against Jared's assertions and makes the case for affirmativeaction. Following Chapter 7, Jus writes his fourth letter to Martin. In

a little bit of perspective on Manny's point of view: like Manny, hegrew up in a mostly-white environment, and didn't really have toface issues of race until he moved to a magnet high school.In Chapter 12, Jus realizes that neither Manny nor Jared are at schoolon Monday. He goes back to his dorm at the end of the day andManny comes to see him. Manny tells Jus that he's realized that the"crew" were never really his friends. On Monday morning, Manny andJus came to blows. Manny apologizes to Jus for what happened afterBlake's party and thanks Jus for helping open his eyes. After thisconversation, Jus writes his seventh letter to Martin. In the letter, herecounts that Mr. Julian, Manny's father, told Manny and Jus that oneof his employees referred to him using a racist slur at work. Mr.Julian also expressed concerns about not having prepared Manny forthe realities of racism in the United States. Jus wonders what thepoint is of is working so hard to get ahead in life, if someone with asmuch authority as Mr. Julian is still getting disrespected. At the endof the letter, he also reveals that SJ is still ignoring him.In Chapter 13, Manny picks Jus up in his car. He is extremely upsetbecause Jared's father is pressing charges against Manny for assault.Manny asks Jus if they can drive around so that he can clear hishead. They play loud music, and a white man driving next to themgets angry about the music's volume. He follows Manny's car andyells racial slurs at them. Manny responds by turning the music up,and then he yells "OH sh*t" right before the chapter ends (119).Chapter 14 is just three words: "BANG. BANG. BANG" (120).Part 2At the opening of Part 2, a news transcript tells us that the whiteman from the previous chapter was an off-duty police officernamed Garrett Tison. We also learn what happened after Manny'sscream: Tison shot at Manny and Jus, and Manny was killed.In Chapter 15, Jus attends Manny's funeral. The entire community isgrieving Manny's death. Jus's arm is in a sling because Tison shotJus's shoulder, and Jus has just been released from the hospital. Atthe funeral, Jus has a conversation with SJ and he tells her that hemisses her. Jus reveals that there is a swarm of reporters waiting totalk to him outside. A news article appears after Chapter 15 that tellsus that a Georgia grand jury has decided to indict Garrett Tison. Hiscommunity, as a result, is in an uproar.In Chapter 16, Jus attends dinner at the Rivers household tocommemorate the fact that Tison has been indicted. Jus and Manny's

parents eat silently together. After dinner, Manny's parents tell Justhat Quan Banks wants to see him and they also give Jus a valuablewatch. The watch is a family heirloom, and the Riverses meant togive it to Manny on his eighteenth birthday.In the next chapter, 17, Jus goes to visit Quan in juvie. Quan tells Justhat Officer Castillo and Tison were partners, and Tison was there thenight Quan killed Officer Castillo. Quan was with members of theBlack Jihad (a gang from Jus's neighborhood) when he shot OfficerCastillo. He tells Jus that being in a gang is about survival; in order tosurvive in this world, you need a group of people who will alwayshave your back. He encourages Jus to reach out to Martel, the leaderof the Black Jihad. Quan asks Jus, "What's the point of doing rightwhen everyone expects you to do wrong?" Jus has been thinking thesame thing.In Chapter 18, Jus is hanging out in Doc's classroom after schoolwhen SJ bursts in and turns on the news. The newscasters arediscussing a photo of Jus in his "Thug" costume from Halloween. Theanchor suggests that Jus is involved with gang activity. Jus worriesthat this photo will turn public opinion in Tison's favor. He asks Docwhy he should choose to do the right thing if it's always going to beassumed that he is doing wrong. Doc tells him that the only personhe can control is himself; it is up to him to decide what kind of manhe wants to be. Afterward, Jus and SJ reconcile. A news article tellsus following Chapter 18 that Mr. Rivers has been fired from his jobbecause he was participating in a protest in support of Justyce andManny.In Chapter 19, Jus goes to see Martel. Martel tells Jus that Blackpeople have grown accustomed to the lie of white superiority, but infact they have royal blood flowing through their veins. He also tellsJus that the struggle of their ancestors is their legacy. Heunderstands his gang as a continued struggle against oppression. Heasks Jus if he wants to join, but Jus eventually leaves before he canbe brought into the gang.In Chapter 20, Jus shows up unannounced at SJ's house. He tells herabout how he has been feeling and starts to cry. After he is donecrying, they talk about their feelings for each other and decide tostart dating. Following Chapter 20, we are given a transcript fromthe nightly news in which the news anchor announces that a fire wasstarted at Tison's house, leaving his wife with multiple second-degree burns. The police have already apprehended three teenagersthat were seen in the area the night of the fire.

achievements, and hopes for the future: "My name is JustyceMcAllister. I'm a 17-year-old high school senior and full-scholarshipstudent at Braselton Preparatory Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. I'mranked fourth in my graduating class of 83, I'm the captain of thedebate team, I scored a 1560 and a 34 on my SATs and ACTsrespectively, and despite growing up in a 'bad' area (not too far fromyour old stomping grounds), I have a future ahead of me that willlikely include an Ivy League education, an eventual law degree, anda career in public policy" (10).Justyce is an observant and empathetic person who is trying to findthe best path for himself. He struggles with the realities of racism inthe United States as well as among his own community at Bras Prep.He butts heads with his friend Manny's friends, the "crew"—fourwhite teenagers named Jared, Blake, Kyle, and Tyler, who arecovertly, and sometimes overtly, racist. He writes about the systemicracism that he faces on a daily basis in letters to Dr. Martin LutherKing Jr. and tries to apply Dr. King's teachings to his life.In Chapter 6, Jus learns that he has been accepted to Yale. InChapter 9, Jus wins the state debate tournament with his debatepartner, SJ. In Chapter 14, at the end of Part 1, Jus's best friend,Manny, is shot and killed by an off-duty police officer. Jus, who wassitting in the car with Manny, gets shot in the shoulder but survives.He spends the rest of the novel dealing with the grief of losing hisbest friend and the anger at this senseless act of violence. He isattending Yale by the end of the novel.MannyManny is Justyce's best friend. Like Jus, Manny is Black, but he comesfrom a very wealthy background. Manny often has the newest gamesand most expensive toys: in Chapter 2, he and Jus play the newMadden game, which "doesn't even hit the shelves for anotherweek" (15). Manny's father is the VP of a major financial corporation.His mom is a psychologist. In Jus's eyes, Manny lives a happy,privileged life: "There's a lot of stuff Many has that Justyce doesn't—two parents with six-figure salaries, a basem*nt apartment, a badasscar, crazy confidence" (17). He is a loyal and supportive friend to Jus.He is the captain of the basketball team at their high school and"one of the best-looking guys Jus knows" (17). He has been acceptedto Morehouse College and plans to attend following the completionof his senior year of high school.As Part 1 progresses, Manny has a political awakening and becomesmore aware of the systemic racism that surrounds him. At the end of

Part 1, Manny is shot and killed by an off-duty police officer, GarretTison, following an argument about the volume of Manny's music.Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Throughout Dear Martin, Justyce writes letters to Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. Justyce feels close to this historical figure and earnestly triesto find guidance by writing him letters and, through that, imagininghis response. In the first letter to Martin, Jus wonders if he wouldmind that they are addressed to "Martin" rather than "Dr. King":"First and foremost, please know I mean you no disrespect with thewhole 'Martin' thing. I studied you and your teachings for a project inthe tenth grade, so it feels most natural to interact with you as ahomie. Hope you don't mind that" (10). The fact that Jus includes thisprelude to the letter tells us that he knows a lot about Dr. King'steachings and feels close to him, as if he and Dr. King are"homie[s]." Throughout the novel, Dr. King (for obvious reasons)never responds to Jus, which means that as a character he mostlyexists inside of Jus's head. Despite this, the Dr. King in Jus's headcarries with him the messages and teachings from when he wasalive. This means that Jus's letters are not completely one-sided.Through Dr. King's legacy, Jus and Dr. King have a conversationabout the current events of Jus's life as Jus tries to process theseevents himself. Dr. King becomes Jus's confidant and role model. Hetells Dr. King, "I wanna try to live like you. Do what you would do.See where it gets me" (13).Sarah-Jane "SJ" FriedmanSarah-Jane "SJ" Friedman is Jus's friend from school. Her mom, Mrs.Friedman, drove Jus back to his dorm after Officer Castillo stoppedhim in Chapter 1. She is the lacrosse team captain and futurevaledictorian. She has been Jus's debate partner since sophom*oreyear. She has been accepted to Columbia University and plans toattend following the completion of her senior year of high school.She is outspoken against racism and supports Justyce through manydifficult moments.SJ is Jewish. She has had a crush on Jus since the 10th grade, thoughshe does not reveal this fact until the end of the novel. Jus discoversthat he has feelings for SJ in Chapter 5 and tries to kiss her aftertheir debate tournament win in Chapter 9. However, SJ turns himdown and ignores him until Chapter 15, when they talk duringManny's funeral service. Justyce and SJ start officially dating inChapter 20 and are still together by the end of the novel.

Jus's MomJus's mom lives in Atlanta. She has raised Jus by herself since Jus was11 years old, when his father died in a drunk driving accident. She isa kind and supportive mother who wants what's best for her son. Shecomforts Jus when he feels discouraged about the racism he faces atBras Prep. Later, when Jus is caught in a media maelstrom followingManny's death, she stands up for him against reporters and policeofficers. She stands next to Jus through every struggle he faces inlife.Jus's mom is not supportive of Jus dating a white girl, so she takesissue with his relationship with SJ in the final chapters of the novel.Jarius "Doc" DrayDr. Jarius "Doc" Dray is Justyce's Societal Evolution teacher. He isJus's favorite teacher and the debate team advisor. Jus introduceshim in Chapter 3: "He's the only (half) black guy Jus knows with aPhD, and Jus really looks up to him" (20). Doc helps Jus throughmany difficult moments and watches out for him. Jus spends a lot oftime with Doc, even when class is not in session.In Chapter 11, Doc reveals to Jus that he, like Manny, grew upattending a predominantly white school. When he transferred to amore integrated high school, he felt out of place and unable to standup to expectations from both white and Black students. Later, whenworking for his PhD, Doc had to deal with a racist advisor who toldhim that he would never succeed. Nevertheless, Doc got his PhDthanks to his own confidence in himself and determination of will.Quan BanksQuan Banks is Manny's cousin. He grew up in Jus's neighborhood andwas Jus's childhood friend. He is part of a gang called the Black Jihad.Quan has been accused of shooting and killing Officer Castillo. He iscurrently in juvenile detention awaiting charges. In Chapter 17, Jusvisits Quan at juvie, and Quan explains his motivation for killingOfficer Castillo—namely, because one of his gang-mates told him to.As he explains to Jus, Quan joined a gang because he felt like it washis only path for survival: "where I come from, resistance isexistence, homie. Every day I woke up in my hood coulda been mylast... My dudes... they're like family to me. They've got my backas long as I have theirs. Somebody tells you to make a move, youmake a move. No questions asked" (143).Quan is kind to Jus and understanding of the emotional turmoil thatJus feels. He convinces Jus to meet with Martel, the leader of theBlack Jihad.

Kyle BerkleyKyle is part of Jared and Manny's "crew" of friends. He is a wealthywhite kid from Atlanta. Kyle dresses up as a redneck for Halloweenas part of Jared's idea to dress up as stereotypes.Tyler CleppTyler is part of Jared and Manny's "crew" of friends. He is a wealthywhite kid from Atlanta. He dresses up as a surfer dude forHalloween.Blake BensonBlake is part of Jared and Manny's "crew" of friends. He is a wealthywhite kid from Atlanta. He dresses up as a Klansman for Halloween,which earns him a punch in the face. During his birthday party inChapter 10, Jus is outraged to find that Blake's family uses racisthousehold decorations. He and Jus end up getting in a fight, whereJustyce punches both him and Jared in the face.MartelMartel is the leader of the gang called Black Jihad. He is older thanJus and is currently under house arrest. Jus goes to speak to Martelin Chapter 19. Jus describes Martel's appearance when he firstenters Martel's home: "His gaze roams the space until it lands on ayoungish, bearded black man in a dashiki shirt and kufi hat. He'ssitting cross-legged in a papasan chair with kente-cloth cushion.Most notable is the black tracking device strapped to his ankle"(160). Martel dresses in and surrounds himself with African items toremind himself and the rest of the Black Jihad "of ancient Kemet" sothat they don't forget "our imperial roots" (160). "Kemet" is one wordthat Ancient Egyptians used to refer to Africa before Europeancolonizers arrived. Martel believes that all Black people have royalblood in their veins. He uses this ideology to combat "the lie of whitesuperiority" that the United States was founded on (161).TreyTrey is another member of the Black Jihad. Because they grew up inthe same neighborhood, Jus has known Trey since they were kids.Trey first appears in Chapter 5, during the Halloween Party. He andhis friends punch Blake in the face because of his Klansmancostume.us later reveals in his fourth letter to Martin that he ran into Treywhen he went back home to tell his mom about his acceptance toYale. During their encounter, Jus tells Trey that he got into Yale, andTrey tells him that he will never be able to escape theirneighborhood. He also tells Jus that white people don't want Blackpeople at the top; they will push Justyce back down soon enough.

felony murder—and cannot come to a consensus on the murdercharge. It is declared a mistrial. Before it can be retried, however,Tison is killed in his jail cell by three other inmates.