Episode 184 Sheriff Without A Gun The Legacy of Thomas Gilmore

Southern Mysteries Podcast

Shannon Ballard

True Crime, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 16 February 2026

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1970, Thomas Gilmore became the first Black sheriff in rural Greene County, Alabama. He refused to carry a gun. How did a man of peace earn the trust to enforce the law in a place shaped by deep racial divides? And why does his story remain largely unknown? Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteriesInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Richard Bailey — Neither Carpetbaggers Nor Scalawags: Black Officeholders During the Reconstruction of Alabama, 1867–1878. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1572687 Eric Foner — Freedom’s Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction . https://uncpress.org/book/9780807858863/freedoms-lawmakers/ Alabama Department of Archives & History — Reconstruction‑era election record. https://archives.alabama.gov Greene County Historical Society. https://www.greenecountyhistoricalsociety.org University of Alabama — Black Belt Heritage Collections. https://guides.lib.ua.edu/blackbelt Birmingham Civil Rights Institute — Oral Histories. https://www.bcri.org/oral-history-project U.S. Department of Justice — Voting Rights Act historical materials. https://www.justice.gov/crt/voting-rights-act-1965 Frye Gaillard — Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement That Changed America . https://ugapress.org/book/9780820324722/cradle-of-freedom Marshall Frady — The Southerner . https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1358422 Southern Christian Leadership Conference Archives. https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/southern-christian-leadership-conference-sclc Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Digital Gateway. https://snccdigital.org Birmingham News (historical archives). https://www.newspapers.com/paper/the-birmingham-news/268/ Tuscaloosa News (historical archives). https://www.newspapers.com/paper/the-tuscaloosa-news/2681/ Equal Justice Initiative — Historical reports on policing in Alabama. https://eji.org/reports/ Douglas A. Blackmon — Slavery by Another Name. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/18327/slavery-by-another-name-by-douglas-a-blackmon/ Isabel Wilkerson — The Warmth of Other Suns. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/19076/the-warmth-of-other-suns-by-isabel-wilkerson/ This Man Stands Alone (film about Thomas Gilmore). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250463/ Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Shannon Ballard, your Southern Mysteries host.
0:03.6	Before we get to today's story, I want to say thanks to listeners who support this show on Patreon.
0:09.8	This is an independent podcast.
0:11.9	Your support helps keep this show going, and it helps cover the real world cost of making it a reality.
0:18.8	I want to say a special welcome and thanks to new patrons, Andrea Freytag
0:23.8	of Fargo, North Dakota, Tasha Boone of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, and Tracy Van Crippen of
0:30.9	Greenville, Michigan, and to Dave Horner, Vicki Lynn, and Karen Carter, who are new patrons supporting from mysterious locations.
0:41.1	Thank you so much. Now, if you'd like to join them on Patreon, you'll get access to the first
0:47.0	three seasons of Southern Mysteries. The show sounded much different in the early years,
0:51.9	but folks have asked for access to those episodes,
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1:01.2	member, you get exclusive stories through my monthly patron podcast, Audacious. The show dives into
1:08.3	some of the most mysterious crimes and scandals in American history.
1:13.0	You can learn more, join, and start listening today at patreon.com slash Southern Mysteries,
1:20.1	or if you already have the Patreon app, just search Southern Mysteries podcast.
1:33.4	Thank you. Southern Mysteries Podcast. In an era when sheriffs in the deep south often rolled through force, one in rural Alabama
1:40.0	did things differently.
1:42.1	He never drew a weapon.
1:44.0	In fact, he never wore a weapon on his belt.
1:48.2	How did a man of peace earn the trust to enforce the law in a place shaped by deep racial divides?
1:55.7	And why does his story remain largely unknown?
2:00.1	Welcome to Southern Mysteries, exploring Southern
	...

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