Upcoming Events
Sunday, September 27, 2026 5pm on Zoom
Join us Sunday September 27, 2026 at 5pm on Zoom as the ILHS hosts Dr. Forest Jones on his book Good Trouble: The Selma, Alabama and Derry, Northern Ireland Connection 1963-1972
Date: Sunday, September 27 at 5pm on Zoom
Good Trouble shows the strong connection between the Black Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the Catholic Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland – specifically the influence of the Selma to Montgomery march on the 1969 Belfast to Derry march through oral history, based on numerous interviews of people leading up to both marches and afterwards.
Award winning author Julieann Campbell (On Bloody Sunday) wrote the introduction for Good Trouble, looking back at her times growing up in Derry, in the heart of the Catholic Civil Rights Movement.
Jones travelled to Dublin, Belfast, and Derry to conduct interviews for the book. In all, he did fifteen interviews with people who were involved in the movement in Northern Ireland (including Billy McVeigh – featured in the BAFTA winning documentary, Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland) and in the United States (including Richard Smiley and Dr. Sheyann Webb-Christburg – both were at Bloody Sunday in Alabama and on the Selma to Montgomery march among others). Jones was also able to talk with Eamonn McCann (he took part in the Belfast to Derry march in 1969 and was at Bloody Sunday in January 1972; he was the John Lewis of Northern Ireland).
Forest Issac Jones is an award-winning author of non-fiction and essays, specializing in the study of Irish History, the US Civil Rights Movement and Northern Ireland. His latest essay, ‘The Civil Rights Connection Between the USA and Northern Ireland’ was awarded honorable mention in the category of nonfiction essay by Writer’s Digest in their 93rd annual writing competition in 2024.
Over the years, Jones has won awards from Writer’s Digest in 2022 and 2023. His award-winning essay about African Americans at D-Day was published in 2024 by WWII History Magazine.
In addition to writing, Jones is a sought-after speaker on African Americans at D-Day and the Civil Rights movement in the United States and Northern Ireland.
His first nonfiction book, ‘Good Trouble: The Selma, Alabama and Derry, Northern Ireland Connection 1963-1972’ was released by Anthem Press on April 1, 2025.
He is a member of the James River Writers, American Conference for Irish Studies, African American Irish Diaspora Network, and the Historical Writers Association.
Dr. Jones holds a doctorate degree from Virginia Tech in education and a master’s degree from Hollins University in history (focusing on Northern Ireland history and South Africa history). He currently is an adjunct professor for James Madison University and has held positions at Hollins
University.
Date: Sunday, September 27 at 5pm
Zoom link here: