The USS Mason - Fighting Jim Crow

Most of America fought two different enemies in World War Two. That was hard enough. But the men of the USS Mason- DE 529, a Destroyer Escort, had the added burden of fighting a third enemy, Jim Crow.

At the outbreak of World War Two the Armed Forces were segregated, just like half the country was. This would not change until after the war was won, but during the war there were some courageous efforts on the part of some, to integrate America's fighting force. The story of the USS Mason is the story of one of those efforts.

Built in the Boston Navy Yard and launched in 1943, she was commissioned in March of 1944 under the command of Lt. Commander William Blackford, a white officer. He would command the Mason with a handful of white officers and an all-black crew.

After a successful shakedown cruise off Bermuda in the spring of 1944 the Mason headed into action. They escorted a convoy from Charleston, SC to the Azores, arriving on July 6th. The ship then put into Belfast; Northern  Ireland, for Liberty ashore. The crew was astonished at how well they were received by the locals. Even in England they were denied access to many facilities, but the Irish, albeit neutral in the war, welcomed these men as "Yanks" rather than "Tan Yankees" as they were referred to by the British.

But her greatest story was yet to come. On September 19th, 1944 the USS Mason left New York City with Convoy NY 119. They were to protect her from the German U-boats which had been sinking ships as close as 10 miles off the coast of the United States.

This convoy was done during one of the worst months of severe weather that the North Atlantic would experience in the 2oth Century. In less than a month the weather had claimed 16 of the convoys vessels. The only way to prevent more loss was to send the smaller, faster ships ahead with an escort. The USS Mason was the ship chosen for this duty.

Attempting to lead the ships into Bishop Rock, England the ship was beaten by severe weather that actually split her deck and collapsed main beams. The Mason was a step away from sinking.

Calls for assistance were ignored and the crew of the Mason were left to their own devices to stay afloat. And stay afloat she did. Within 2 hours the ship was repaired and leading the convoy safely into port. She then turned around again and returned to the remaining ships. The two British ships assigned to help in this endeavor turned back, leaving the Mason to struggle alone to bring the convoy in. It would take three more days, and nights, in harrowing weather to accomplish this task.

The ship and its crew were recommended for Unit and Individual Commendations for these efforts by their Captain, Lt. Commander Blackford, as well as Convoy Commander Alfred Lind. The crew would not learn of these nominations for almost 50 years, during research for the book "Proudly We Served."

As a result of the book the crew was awarded the Citations in 2003. Former President Bill Clinton would present the awards on the deck of the latest USS Mason in New York City.

A movie was made of this story with Ossie Davis as Signalman First Class Lorenzo DuFau. The movie was riveting, especially the storm scenes. The story is told from Mr. DuFau's perspective when his grandkids wake him up late at night with some loud music. He tells them the story in a flashback that encompasses not only the story of the Mason, but of the segregated makeup of our nation, even as we were fighting to liberate the world at large.

The Mason story has been told in other books about the war, but never so vividly as in the book and movie. And for a real quick look at what these guys did you can drop in on them at their web site www.ussmason.org/

That this crew, made up of city kids and farm boys, some of whom had never seen an ocean, banded together in facing the Germans, as well as the forces of the sea, and won, make this one of the greater sea stories ever told. That they did it while under the thumb of Jim Crow is simply incredible.

"Black and White" by Richard Williams (2014)

I only took this book out of the library because I was interested in Richard Williams’ early life growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana in the 1950’s. He was born there in 1942 and by his teen aged years was a justifiably angry young black man with very little hope for a secure future. At least that’s the way it would’ve worked out if not for two things; a strong mother and a commitment to break away from the expected outcome of his life.

On that level the book delivered beautifully, living up to my every expectation. But the real surprise of this book was that it was able to hold my attention all the way through his daughters winning their celebrated championships.

But the meat of this book is in the fact that Mr. Williams; no relation to me; had the idea of creating the award winning sisters before they were even born. He was married at the time to the woman he loved and was raising 3 step children with her. Life was perfect. Many people do not realize that Mr. Williams was already a very successful businessman before his daughters became champions. He owned a cleaning service, a car wash and some real estate. Before he was 30 he had amassed around $800,000 before giving it all away.

Watching TV one day with his adopted daughters he saw a young woman winning $20,000 for a tennis match. He was instantly seized with the vision of raising 2 girls to become champion players. His adopted children were too old at the time to train adequately. So he proposed the idea of having 2 more daughters to his wife. Whether she believed in the idea, or was just enthusiastic about “trying” we will never know for sure.

 

Shortly after the girls were born, about a year and a half apart, Mr. Williams moved his family from a comfortable home in Long Beach to the crack infested neighborhood of Compton in Los Angeles. He wanted his daughters to be strong and independent, and to that end he showed them the prostitutes, the drug slingers, the gangs hanging on the corners; all in an effort to show them what they should aspire not to be.

He literally fought the street gangs to regain control of the local park tennis courts; which were on the “turf” of the gangs. He lost 10 teeth and had countless ribs cracked; and he even chased them down with a shotgun before finally winning.

In short; this is a book which will surprise you. If you think you know enough about Venus and Serena Williams from reading the headlines and the magazines; think again. Until you have gotten to know their father, you haven’t even scratched the surface.

Alabama Voter's Literacy Test - 1965

Lately there have been a lot of people; both Liberal and Conservative; who have called for the return of “literacy tests” to become eligible to Vote. This is in addition to the Conservative movement to roll back the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The photograph above was taken just after LBJ signed that bill into law in August 1965.  Among the people in the photograph are MLK and Rosa Parks.

Most people that call for the return of literacy tests are speaking in jest; more like exasperation at the views of the people who hold different political views than they themselves have. But, just for fun, I’d like everyone to take this 1965 Alabama test and see how they would score. Keep in mind that your level of education is far greater than that of the average African-American who would have been required to take this test in the 1960’s. And remember, in Alabama at the time education was a privilege and not a right for the people required to take this test.

The next time you hear someone talk about how “there ought to be a test for voting” whip this out and see how they would fare. You have about 15 minutes to complete the test and one wrong answer is a failing grade. You will be surprised at how little you think you know.

1. Which of the following is a right guaranteed by the Bill of Rights?

 _____Public Education

 _____Employment

 _____Trial by Jury

 _____Voting

 2. The federal census of population is taken every five years.

 _____True _____False

 3. If a person is indicted for a crime, name two rights which he has. ______________________ ________________________

 4. A U.S. senator elected at the general election in November takes office the following year on what date? _________________________________________________

 5. A President elected at the general election in November takes office the following year on what date? ______________________________________________________________________

 6. Which definition applies to the word "amendment?"

 _____Proposed change, as in a Constitution

 _____Make of peace between nationals at war

 _____A part of the government

 7. A person appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court is appointed for a term of __________.

 8. When the Constitution was approved by the original colonies, how many states had to ratify it in order for it to be in effect? _________________________________________

 9. Does enumeration affect the income tax levied on citizens in various states? __________

 10. A person opposed to swearing in an oath may say, instead: I (solemnly) ______________________________________________________________

 11. To serve as President of the United States, a person must have attained:

 _____25 years of age

 _____35 years of age

 _____40 years of age

 _____45 years of age

 12. What words are required by law to be on all coins and paper currency of the U.S.? ________________________________________________________________________

 13. The Supreme Court is the chief lawmaking body of the state.

 _____True _____False

 14. If a law passed by a state is contrary to provisions of the U.S. Constitution, which law prevails? ________________________________________________________________________

 15. If a vacancy occurs in the U.S. Senate, the state must hold an election, but meanwhile the place may be filled by a temporary appointment made by ________________________________________________________________________.

 16. A U.S. senator is elected for a term of _____ years.

 17. Appropriation of money for the armed services can be only for a period limited to _____ years.

 18. The chief executive and the administrative offices make up the ___________________ branch of government.

 19. Who passes laws dealing with piracy? ________________________________________________________________________

 20. The number of representatives which a state is entitled to have in the House of Representatives is based on _________________________________________________

 21. The Constitution protects an individual against punishments which are _______________ and _______________________.

 22. When a jury has heard and rendered a verdict in a case, and the judgment on the verdict has become final, the defendant cannot again be brought to trial for the same cause.

 _____True _____False

 23. Name two levels of government which can levy taxes: ________________________________________________________________________

 24. Communism is the type of government in: _____U.S.

 _____Russia

 _____England

 25. Cases tried before a court of law are two types, civil and _________________________.

 26. By a majority vote of the members of Congress, the Congress can change provisions of the Constitution of the U.S.

 _____True _____False

 27. For security, each state has a right to form a _________________________________.

 28. The electoral vote for President is counted in the presence of two bodies. Name them: _____________________________________________________________________

 29. If no candidate for President receives a majority of the electoral vote, who decides who will become President? ___________________________________________________

 30. Of the original 13 states, the one with the largest representation in the first Congress was ______________________________________________________________________.

 31. Of which branch of government is the Speaker of the House a part? _____Executive

 _____Legislative

 _____Judicial

 32. Capital punishment is the giving of a death sentence.

 _____True _____False

 33. In case the President is unable to perform the duties of his office, who assumes them? ___________________________________________________________________

 34. "Involuntary servitude" is permitted in the U.S. upon conviction of a crime.

 _____True _____False

 35. If a state is a party to a case, the Constitution provides that original jurisdiction shall be in ______________________________________________________________________.

 36. Congress passes laws regulating cases which are included in those over which the U.S. Supreme Court has ____________________________________________ jurisdiction.

 37. Which of the following is a right guaranteed by the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution.

 _____Public Housing

 _____Education

 _____Voting

 _____Trial by Jury

 38. The Legislatures of the states decide how presidential electors may be chosen.

 _____True _____False

 39. If it were proposed to join Alabama and Mississippi to form one state, what groups would have to vote approval in order for this to be done? ________________________________________________________________________

 40. The Vice President presides over ____________________________________________.

 41. The Constitution limits the size of the District of Columbia to ______________________________________________________________________.

 42. The only laws which can be passed to apply to an area in a federal arsenal are those passed by ___________________________________________ provided consent for the purchase of the land is given by the _________________________________________.

 43. In which document or writing is the "Bill of Rights" found? ______________________.

 44. Of which branch of government is a Supreme Court justice a part?

 _____Executive

 _____Legislative

 _____Judicial

 45. If no person receives a majority of the electoral votes, the Vice President is chosen by the

 Senate. _____True _____False

 46. Name two things which the states are forbidden to do by the U.S. Constitution. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

 47. If election of the President becomes the duty of the U.S. House of Representatives and it fails to act, who becomes President and when? _______________________________________________________________________

 48. How many votes must a person receive in order to become President if the election is decided by the U.S. House of Representatives? _______________________________

 49. How many states were required to approve the original Constitution in order for it to be in effect? ______________________________________________________________

 50. Check the offenses which, if you are convicted of them, disqualify you for voting:

 _____Murder

 _____Issuing worthless checks

 _____Petty larceny

 _____Manufacturing whiskey

 51. The Congress decides in what manner states elect presidential electors.

 _____True _____False

 52. Name two of the purposes of the U.S. Constitution. _________________________________________________________________________

 53. Congress is composed of __________________________________________________.

 54. All legislative powers granted in the U.S. Constitution may legally be used only by ______________________________________________________________________.

 55. The population census is required to be made very _____ years.

 56. Impeachments of U.S. officials are tried by ___________________________________.

 57. If an effort to impeach the President of the U.S. is made, who presides at the trial? _____________________________________________________________________

 58. On the impeachment of the chief justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S., who tries the case? ________________________________________________________________

 59. Money is coined by order of:

 _____U.S. Congress

 _____The President's Cabinet

 _____State Legislatures

 60. Persons elected to cast a state's vote for U.S. President and Vice President are called presidential _________________________________________________________.

 61. Name one power which is exclusively legislative and is mentioned in one of the parts of the U.S. Constitution above______________________________________________.

 62. If a person flees from justice into another state, who has authority to ask for his return? _____________________________________________________________________

 63. Whose duty is it to keep Congress informed of the state of the union? _____________________________________________________________________

 64. If the two houses of Congress cannot agree on adjournment, who sets the time? _____________________________________________________________________

 65. When presidential electors meet to cast ballots for President, must all electors in a state vote for the same person for President or can they vote for different persons if they so choose? _____________________________________________________________________

 66. After the presidential electors have voted, to whom do they send the count of their votes? _____________________________________________________________________

 67. The power to declare war is vested in ________________________________________.

 68. Any power and rights not given to the U.S. or prohibited to the states by the U.S. Constitution are specified as belonging to whom? ______________________________

Here are the answers;

1. Trial by Jury only

 2. False (every 10 years)

 3. Habeas Corpus (immediate presentation of charges); lawyer; speedy trial.

 4. January 3

 5. January 20

 6. Proposed change, as in a Constitution

 7. Life (with good behavior)

 8. Nine

 9. Yes

 10. Affirm

 11. 35

 12. In God We Trust

 13. False

 14. U.S. Constitution

 15. The governor

 16. Six

 17. Two

 18. Executive

 19. Congress

 20. Population (as determined by census) less untaxed Indians

 21. Cruel and unusual

 22. True

 23. State and local

 24. Russia

 25. Criminal

 26. False

 27. Militia

 28. House of Representatives, Senate

 29. House of Representatives

 30. Virginia

 31. Legislative

 32. True

 33. The Vice President

 34. True

 35. The Supreme Court

 36. Co-appellate

 37. Trial by Jury

 38. True

 39. Congress and the legislatures of both states

 40. The Senate

 41. 10 miles square

 42. Congress; state legislatures

 43. Constitution

 44. Judicial

 45. True

 46. Coin money; make treaties

 47. The Vice President, until the House acts

 48. 26

 49. 9

 50. Murder

 51. False

 52. (Preamble statements) "to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity."

 53. House of Representatives and Senate

 54. Congress

 55. 10

 56. The Senate

 57. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

 58. The Senate

 59. The U.S. Congress

 60. Electors

 61. Pass laws, coin money, declare war

 62. The Governor

 63. The President

 64. The President

 65. They can vote for different people

 66. Vice President (President of the Senate)

 67. Congress 

 68. The states; the people

An Image of Justice - Deaf, Dumb and Blind (1944)

They say that Justice is blind. That needs to be amended. At times, justice can be plain deaf and dumb. I don’t mean that as an affront to people who have difficulty with hearing and speaking. I mean it in the worst possible way - as in ignorance.

George Stinney, Jr. was 14 years old in March 1944 when he was arrested and charged with the murder of 2 white girls; Betty June Binnacker and Mary Emma Thames, aged 11 and 8 respectively. The girls had gone looking for wildflowers along the railroad tracks which divided the town of Alcolu, South Carolina by race and never made it home.  

During the subsequent search for the missing girls; which young Mr. Stinney participated in; he happened to mention that he had seen the girls earlier that day. He was immediately arrested and charged with their disappearance. When the bodies were found in a drainage culvert; bludgeoned to death; Stinney was charged with their murder.

Detectives; possibly the two in the photograph above; extracted a confession from the boy with the promise of ice cream. No legal representative was present when he allegedly confessed to the crime. To make matters even worse his parents were not permitted to see him between the time of his arrest in March and his execution in the electric chair that June. Even by the standards of the time, this was beyond the pale. That is, unless you were a 14 year old black kid in Alcolu, South Carolina in 1944.

George Stinney was 5’1” tall and weighed 95 pounds. They had to stack books on the seat of the electric chair in order to kill him. Kind of like a booster seat at the barber shop when I was a kid. That photo above was taken as Stinney, and a 21 year old named Bruce Hamilton, were being taken into the death house in Columbia, South Carolina for their executions.

Aside from Mr. Stinney’s diminutive stature the thing that most captures my attention are the two officers who are standing on either side of the boys. Those two are never named. I have looked for their names and come up empty. I’m sure that if I worked at it hard enough and long enough I could find out. They were, after all, the authority in the town. They had the power, and the license, to put people to death if they ran afoul of the law. These were the respectable ones

Here's Mr. Stinney's mug shot. It will give you a better idea of just how young he was. He was, truly, just a boy. There is no written record of his supposed confession. His trial lasted a mere hours. There was no appeal and he had no representation to speak of.

So, you have to wonder; most people take great pains to tell you that someone in their families have been in the news; especially when it's something historical. I’m sure those two officers names were in the paper that day. That begs the question of just why those two men are never named in the photograph anymore, and why no one claims them as their own. Which is all you need to know to understand just how wrong this was.

Note: I am not against the death penalty. I just think you should have to prove it first.

"Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom" with (2013)

No movie can ever effectively encompass the life of Nelson Mandela. There simply is not enough time to spend on any one portion of his life, and 2 hours is hardly representative of all which he accomplished in his struggle to free his country. That said; this movie shines brightly as a tribute to what one man will endure to breathe life into his dream of being free.

Beginning with memories gleaned from a childhood of tribal rituals, the young Mandela leaves home in the early 1940’s to seek his fortune. In a racially restricted environment which can only be called “Nazi-Lite”, he encounters all of the racial segregation of the Jim Crow south at the time. The only real difference between South Africa and the United States was that the Federal government in South Africa was part of the problem; unlike in America where the central government would eventually become an ally of the oppressed.

Mandela was a skilled legal representative for the poor and oppressed before he became involved in politics. As a matter of fact you could say the his advocacy for the poor was the very thing which made him hyper aware of the abuses heaped upon the African citizens in their own country by the 10% minority, which was composed of the descendants of the original British and Dutch colonists. Working with youth groups and teaching them the skill of boxing brought him into close everyday contact with the people he would someday inspire to take the freedom so long denied  them.

As Mandela became more involved in the political struggle he turned to violence as a means to an end. If the white rulers would not respect the rights due native African peoples, then the people would not recognize the government which so brutally oppressed them. This made Mandela extremely dangerous to the power structure. By 1964 he was granted “mercy” in a court case which gripped the world. That “mercy” consisted of a life sentence with no chance of parole. Moreover, he would serve that time, along with his co-defendants, on an island; basically exiled from his native soil.

The years rolled by, but Mr. Mandela didn't lose his edge; he simply changed directions. An early victory in prison came when he was able to confront the sadistic Commander of the island prison and demand; of all things; long pants for the prisoners. The reason for the request was simple; making prisoners wear short pants made them “boys” rather than men; by demanding long pants they were in effect taking back their manhood. This was the first step in the path of non-violence which changed Mr. Mandela’s life.

Naomie Harris is excellent in the role of Winnie Madikizela, who would later become his 2nd wife. The film does not flinch from showing her as becoming overly militant after her brutal treatment at the hands of her husband’s oppressors. It is highly doubtful that any marriage could have survived these years intact. And her emotional unraveling is yet another result of the inhumanity of the apartheid system which was still in place.

As the 1970’s came to a close, a movement was begun to free Nelson Mandela. That movement was worldwide. Due to the spotlight being shone on the racial inequalities of South Africa, Mr. Mandela was transferred to a prison on the mainland where he was allowed to see his wife for the first time in years and his teenage daughter for the first time.

By the time the 1980’s came to a close Mr. Mandela would be granted his freedom. But if President Botha; or later DeKlerk; thought that this would silence the force that had become Mandela, they were wrong. Instead, he used his freedom to begin the truth and reconciliation committees, which were set up to study the mistakes of the past in order to keep them from happening again. And when these committees were finished with their work a new political era was born in South Africa; and one of the first things to occur was the election of Nelson Mandela as President of the South African Republic.

The film is beautifully directed by Justin Chadwick, and the screenplay by William Nicholson stays true to the basic tenets of Mr. Mandela’s extraordinary autobiography. This is a film well worth seeing, made from a book well worth reading and a life well served.

  

"The Dixie Fryer" - Foghorn Leghorn (1960)

When I was a kid Foghorn Leghorn was my favorite Merrie Melodies character. Well, actually, they all had their good points, but perhaps it was because Foghorn seemed emblematic of what was happening in America at the time in regards to Civil Rights. It was also the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. So, to me, Foghorn Leghorn “was” the Southern Dixiecrat; and although in reality his ilk would repulse me; as a cartoon there was an attraction borne of having seen this guy on the evening news.

In this 6 minute cartoon I’m not really sure who gets lampooned the most; the Southerners or the “Hillbillies” who are represented by chicken hawks, but are probably supposed to be African-Americans. But, at the same time, they bear all of the trappings of the stereotypical “Hillbilly.” 

So, if you are offended by this type of humor, remember that this cartoon came out just 2 years BEFORE “The Beverly Hillbillies” appeared on CBS, and which would run for 7 more years after. The Andy Griffith Show had already begun its classic run, and “Green Acres” wasn't even on the drawing board yet. At the same time, most television shows were white, and shows like “Julia” were still almost a decade in the future. And, it would be a full 10 years before Archie Bunker made a fool of himself each week in your living room.

The voices in this cartoon are, of course, Mel Blanc. Foghorn is hitchhiking south; presumably from D.C.; to spend the winter, being pulled by a flock of birds. When he catches scent of the magnolias, he knows he is back down South. Unfortunately for him, just as he is finished setting up camp for the winter, “Elvis” and “Pappy”; the aforementioned chicken hawks; catch his scent, and the race is on to see just who will be having who for dinner.

Forget the political correctness, and enjoy this cartoon for what it really represents. What is that? I’m not sure, but it looks an awful lot like most of us to me.

Carl Ford and Harry Warren. It CAN Happen Here.

For those of you who live elsewhere and may not have heard this story, there are 2 North Carolina State Representatives; Harry Warren and Carl Ford, both pictured below; who wish to establish a State Religion. Harry Warren represents Rowan County, which is a few miles up the road from me. He, and his cohort, Carl Ford, are both working hard for the elimination of religious freedom in America.

I don’t mind Mr. Warren so much; as he is from Rowan County and that explains an awful lot about him and his views. Mr. Ford however, is from my county and has just lost a vote with his mindless ramblings about the Constitution not applying in the separate states, as it says that only "Congress shall make no laws" concerning religion. Apparently Mr. Ford and Mr. Warren think that we are separate fiefdoms from the rest of the country, and as such, the citizenry here are not under the protection of the nations laws.

I try very hard not to let this blog devolve into politics very often, but when you attack; as these two fine examples of what is wrong with America have done; the very basis of the freedoms which we still enjoy here, I can no longer hold myself silent. It becomes incumbent upon me to ask questions of these two stalwart examples of representation about their proposal.

But, that is only possible if they would answer their phones. I have tried; without success; all day Thursday
to reach either of these individuals; ever since breakfast when I saw the article on the front page of the Charlotte Observer. But, just as slugs hide beneath rocks, these two have chosen to hide behind their answering machines.

So, I will ask the questions here; and then forward this via e-mail. I will happily post their individual responses, in the event that either one would care to do so. I will not be holding my breath.

Just what part of the First Amendment do you two not understand? And if you do understand it, then why would you deny this protection to your own citizens?

If it is true, as you state, that the First Amendment doesn't apply to the states, then what other parts of our national Constitution do you hold in contempt?

How can you, as either private citizen’s, or elected officials, hold in such contempt the constitution you honor when you wave the flags at the “pep” rallies to support our troops who fight overseas to protect the very Constitutional rights which you wish to eradicate?

What religion will be the state religion? Will it be mine; which is Jewish; or yours, which is Christian? And what sect of Christianity will be the one selected? Will there be fighting in the streets in the name of God?

Do neither of you see the similarities in your reasoning with that of the terrorists who would impose Sharia law on the entire world? And, will you be content with only having North Carolina under the banner of a State Sponsored religion, or will you look to export your goals to other states under the guise of State’s Rights?

Are either one of you Veterans of the Armed Forces? If not, then back off of my Constitution. If you are Veterans, then please tell me how you can square your belief in a state sponsored religion with the oath you swore when entering the service; which said that you would protect this nation from all enemies, both foreign and domestic?

These are simple questions which deserve some straight answers. Obviously there is an agenda at work here. And, as a citizen of the state of North Carolina; which is part of the United States of America; I demand to know what that agenda is.

Readers, feel free to contact these two misguided individuals using the information listed below. It’s too important an issue to hope that it will go away. It won’t. Unchecked, it will only grow and grow, kind of like a cancer. 

Harry Warren’s Contact Information

Phone:

919-733-5784

704-603-8898

Email:

Harry.Warren@ncleg.net

Legislative Mailing Address:

NC House of Representatives

300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 611

Raleigh, NC 27603-5925

704-603-8898

Carl Ford’s Contact Information

Phone:

919-733-5881

704-305-3541

Email:

Carl.Ford@ncleg.net

Legislative Mailing Address:

NC House of Representatives

300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 607

Raleigh, NC 27603-5925

_______________________________________

THANKS FOR STANDING WITH ME!

Thanks to all those who made calls and wrote letters, just as I did. We, the People, can prevail when we put our collective shoulders to the wheel.

"L.A. '56" by Joel Engel (2012)

This book has it all. Los Angeles in the 1950’s was not a great place to be black, or Mexican. It was the City of the Angels, caught in the Devils Grip. Danny Galindo was a Hispanic Detective working for the LAPD at the time. He was only a handful of blacks and Mexicans on the force, which was known for its racism and brutality. Still, Danny Galindo was no ordinary man, and as the old saying goes, the cream always rises to the top. So it went with Danny Galindo.

This is also one of those stories that almost escaped being written down. The author, Joel Engel, became sidetracked with many other projects over the years, but this story always hung in the back of his mind. He began to write it all up in 1990, but then became sidetracked again when he was called upon to work; pro-bono; on a rape case in which the man was innocent, and Mr. Engel, along with a team of lawyers, worked successfully to free him. During that time, he became aware of the many similarities in the mishandling of the latter case to that of the earlier one from 1956. This was the catalyst which moved Mr. Engel to finish writing this book. That case almost sent an innocent man to his death for crimes he did not commit. That the man was a former police officer was no help to him at all in 1956. He escaped the ultimate penalty only through the hard work of Detective Galindo at a time when minority officers were mere tokens.

In the summer of 1956 there was someone roaming the lover’s lanes of the Los Angeles area impersonating a police officer. He was a big man, and black. His usual way of operating involved a phony police badge and a flashlight, which he used as props to separate young couples he found necking in cars. Posing as a police officer he would order the young man to get in his car; an old Desoto; and then drive him a distance away before letting him out. He would then return to the woman and rape her.

The attacks escalated and soon came to involve a handgun as one of the props. The rapist, Willie Fields, bought the gun from a friend who was a World War Two combat veteran and had taken the German luger pistol from a dead Nazi. It was clear to Detective Galindo that the criminal was becoming more bold and daring in his crimes, and that only a short time existed before he graduated to murdering his victims.

Detective Danny Galindo was an unusual man for the LAPD in the 1950’s. As a Mexican-American he was tolerated by his colleagues, but never encouraged. In spite of that he continued to move forward in his career, even helping Jack Webb with the television series “Dragnet.” If you are a fan of the original TV show then you will recall that many times Joe Friday was always telling someone to give certain cases to another Detective, sating, “Give it to Galindo.”  This was an inside joke between the two men who had formed an unlikely friendship. That their friendship would help to solve this case was probably the furthest thing from Detective Galindo’s mind as he struggled with the crimes.

Complicating matters is the fact that former Police Officer Todd Roark is charged with the crimes committed by Willie Fields. And as far as the top brass are concerned, they have their man. So, unless the rapist strikes again, Todd Roark is going to take the fall for these crimes.

Meantime, Danny Galindo has met with the victim of Willie’s first attempted rape, a young white woman named Margie. From her he is able to draw the strength he needs to close this case. But, at the same time, he is falling in love with her; and she with him. If this were to become apparent to anybody in the Department; or even out of it; Danny’s career would be ruined.

The incident which brought Willie Fields to justice was a sting operation involving 12 units of two officers apiece perking in lover’s lanes waiting to be attacked. With the help of the Universal Studios make up department, half of the officers are outfitted as women and sent to various parts of the city to wait an attack. They didn’t have to wait too long.

After about 10 days of stakeouts, and at about the time when even Detective Galindo is ready to call it quits, Willie Fields attempts to attack Galindo and the woman officer he is parked with. A chase ensues and the suspect gets way. But, as worked up as he is, he cannot go home and almost immediately attacks another decoy officer nearby. He is finally captured and sent to prison.

The author has taken the time show how justice isn’t always justice, by following up on what happened to the main characters in the investigation. Willie Fields, the rapist, ended up serving two years for multiple rapes, robberies and assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon. While in jail he took carpentry lessons and was gainfully employed as a carpenter until his death. He married and had a family.

Todd Roark, on the other hand, was the victim of not only Willie Fields and a corrupt, racist justice system; he was also the victim of his former wife, who never told his daughter that he was cleared of the rape charges against him. She did not learn the truth until her father had already passed away, with his daughter never forgiving him for something he hadn’t done in the first place.

Danny Galindo was the real winner in the whole story. He went on to work the Manson case, and also married Margie and together they raised a family. This is a quickly read book which calls attention to our perceptions versus reality, as well as the way times have changed since the events depicted in the narrative. I can’t wait to see this one made into a movie.

"Snow-Storm in August" by Jefferson Morley (2012)

The City of Washington D.C. springs to life in the hands of author Jefferson Morley’s book “Snow-Storm in August”. Billed as a biography of one man, Beverly Snow; a free man of color living in D.C. at the time; the book is so much more. Mr. Snow’s story is merely the vehicle by which the author has painted a very accurate; and fascinating; portrait of Washington only 3 decades after it was founded. There were times, while reading this book, in which Mr. Snow became the furthest thing from my mind.

The book delves into the history behind the decision to locate the Capital City where it stands today; and not in another Northern state, such as New York, or Philadelphia, both of which had already been home to our fledgling national government. The District of Columbia was chosen because it was acceptable to the Southern states, being surrounded; as it was; on two sides, by the slave holding states of Maryland to the North, and Virginia to the South. The district was filled with African- Americans, some free, and some enslaved.

Mr. Snow was of mixed race; referred to at the time as “mulatto”; and owned an oyster house on the James River in the town of Lynchburg, Virginia. He took for a wife a free woman of color named Julia, and the couple moved in with Beverly’s owner Susannah Norvell. Susannah’s father had left her Beverly in his will. Sussanah was a forward thinking woman who disliked the institution of slavery and manumitted Beverly, enabling him and Julia to open their very prosperous oyster house. Each month some of the profits would be kept by Beverly and his wife, while the rest went to Sussanah.

Before long, the lure of the Capital City, and the profits to be made there, called to Beverly. He settled all accounts with his mistress and her husband, and then he and Julia moved; as free persons of color; to the District. There, Beverly went to work for Jesse Brown, who owned a fine restaurant.

The author also introduces us to a Mrs. Anna Thornton, a Washington widow who owned some property and several slaves. She allowed her driver, George Plant to live in Georgetown with his wife of color, who was also a free woman. This was not an unusual arrangement at the time in Washington. So long as the servant showed up at the master’s home at the appointed time, there was no trouble.

On the night of August 4^th, 1835, one of Mrs. Thornton’s servants; a young man named Arthur Bowen; who was also the son of her most trusted maid, tried to kill her. His own mother awoke just in time to stop her son from killing her mistress. The boy fled and a city erupted in violence. This was the first race riot in Washington, D.C., a city which was divided in its customs and viewpoints concerning slavery. Anna Thornton’s assailant was sentenced to death by hanging, and only her impassioned plea for clemency; made by Mrs. Thornton out of her fondness for the boy’s mother; caused President Jackson to pardon the young man.

With a deft style that will keep you turning the pages, the author rolls back the curtain on a time in our nation’s history when slaves built our national monuments, while great statesmen spoke of “freedom for all.” This is one of the most neglected chapters of our history; how a nation; truly divided, and on the brink of civil war; managed to hold together for so long before the issue of slavery finally ripped it in half.

The book also explores the career of Francis Scott Key after he wrote the “Star Spangled Banner”. He was the District Attorney in Washington at the time of these events. He waged a campaign against vice, mainly the many brothels which proliferated in Washington at the time. He also wrote erotic poetry and was tone deaf, and never got to hear his immortal poem sung to music.

As a matter of fact, the author has packed so much information into this work, that Beverly Snow’s story gets a bit lost in it. This book is so wide in its scope that it will take a second reading to truly enjoy it fully. That’s a compliment.

"The Color of War" by James Campbell (2012)

By May of 1944 the war in the Pacific had gone from the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor; in December of 1941; to a chain of island invasions, which forced the Japanese to adopt a defensive posture in the face of an ever tightening noose as our Navy and Marines advanced towards Japan itself. But, between that time, and our later victory, 2 events would occur; one, involving African-American sailors would be held up as an immediate example of the freedom lacking here at home, even as we fought for it overseas; while the other event, the explosion of several fully laden LST’s in the West Loch of Pearl Harbor, would be hushed up for 16 years.

On May 21^st, 1944 an explosion occurred aboard LST-353, igniting all of its cargo of ammunition, bombs and fuel. The burning shrapnel landed on other fully loaded LST’s causing them to explode as well. Hundreds of lives were lost, along with thousands of tons of supplies bound for Saipan. The continued spread of the disaster actually caused our Navy to sink some of the other vessels before those, too, caught fire.  The battle for Saipan, which would occur on July 18^th, was the last major stepping stone in our conquest of the Pacific. In fact, that battle was so decisive a victory for the United States that Tojo; and his entire cabinet; resigned the following day.
 
Against this backdrop, author James Campbell has juxtaposed the disaster which occurred at Port Chicago, located just 25 miles from San Francisco, as an example of how we were fighting not only Germany and Japan in this war; we were also fighting ourselves here at home. That disaster; on the same day as the Marines were taking Saipan; was the direct result of an Armed Forces which was still racially segregated even as we fought for freedom abroad. And, since the crews loading the ammunition ships were all African-American, someone was going to pay for the accident, even as the events in Hawaii just 8 weeks earlier were being hushed up.

The result of the Port Chicago disaster was the largest mutiny trial in the history of the Armed Forces, as the African-American sailors refused; rightfully so; to resume their work. As would be shown at their trial, these men had been working without any of the specified safety measures outlined in any of the manuals concerning the loading of explosives. Inert explosives are dangerous enough to handle; as are fuses; which are never to be stored in the same space as the explosives. That is, unless you were working at Port Chicago, where the rules simply didn’t apply.

The author follows the lives of several of the men charged with Mutiny; a crime punishable by death; from the days prior to their enlistments, and on through the events at Port Chicago. His coverage of the Court Martial; at which future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall would act as their Chief Counsel, having been supplied by the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund; is one of the most fascinating portions of the book. Charged with Mutiny and facing the Death Penalty, these 50 men, along with their Defense Team, would break new ground in the courtroom, and that victory would ultimately be a part of a greater one, when President Truman finally desegregated the military in 1947. That decision caused a rift in the Democratic Party which would never heal, and those repercussions still affect us today. The story of the Court of Inquiry is equally as fascinating, as its conclusions should have exonerated the men altogether.

All of this is played out against the Battle of Saipan, being fought by primarily white troops, who were winning the war by using the very supplies which were shipped to them via the men loading them at Port Chicago. The vast difference in their experiences, while ostensibly fighting for the same cause, makes for a remarkable contrast.

Backed up by 100 pages of notes arranged chapter by chapter; along with an extensive 20 page bibliography; the author has blown life into every page of this book. It will stand as a true and accurate account of not only the Port Chicago Incident, but also as a reminder of a time when fighting for freedom didn’t always guarantee freedom here at home. And, if the only thing new is the history you don’t know, then this book may also stand as a warning about repeating some of the mistakes of our past.


This Just In - Kings Highway and Hurricane Sandy

This is my old neighborhood in Brooklyn , New York yesterday, before the full force of Hurricane Sandy arrived. Through the magic of you tube I am able to go back and walk the streets, getting a bit of a feel for what is going on there. I'm hoping power stays on for everyone, but pulling especially hard for zip code 11229 where this video was shot. Located less than 1 mile from Sheepshead Bay and Brighton Beach, the area was on the lip of the mandatory evacuation zones. I hope everyone there is safe, dry and warm.

The Levine Museum of the New South - Without Sanctuary

Sue and I went to the Levine Museum of the New South; whatever that means; the other day, primarily to see the exhibit "Without Sanctuary", which is composed of photographs taken of lynching’s in the United States between 1882 and 1968. There were some 5,000 of them; and with 1,200 of the murders being distributed amongst various white groups such as Catholics, Jews and Hispanics; the visitor must take a momentary pause as they realize that no one group is/was ever safe from mindless hatred.

Another big surprise was that the 5,000 lynching’s were recorded in 44 of the 48 contiguous states; the only 4 dissenting states being Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire. This was really a surprise to me, as I have always thought of these murders as being in the “pastoral south”, as Billie Holiday hauntingly sings in “Bitter Fruit”, which happened to be playing during the exhibit. I was very relieved to hear the song in that setting, as I had earlier remarked to both Sue, and a friend, that it would be most appropriate for the exhibit.

I don’t have to go into the viciousness of the topic of lynching, as I assume my “audience”; small though it may be; is way beyond that type of thinking, let alone action. There was a billboard provided for the people who chose to leave a comment. Most of them were along the lines of “God is great”, or, “Politicians kill people.” There were some that blamed the culture of the times; which to a certain extent may be true. I had to leave one of my own, which I felt really summed it up nicely. I wrote that in every era, and every nationality; be they Asian, as with the Japanese; or German, as with the Second World War; or Napoléon in his quest to conquer Europe and parts of Asia in the early 19th century; or even Caesar himself, with his holy Roman Empire; all the way to the tribal and cultural wars of the Middle East and Africa today; people are all capable, when properly manipulated; of the most horrendous horrors imaginable. It’s a sobering, and sad, reality, but history bears it out.

The exhibit was very informative; even to the armchair historian such as myself; and several facts were revealed to me regarding how widespread the practice of lynching was. And when that part of the exhibit was through, you get to walk through the “standing” exhibit of the Levine Center itself; which chronicles the emergence of the Charlotte region post-Civil War up until today. That’s me sitting at a mockup of the original Woolworth counter which was part of the early Civil Rights Movement here in Charlotte in 1960. Since I remember those events more clearly, this exhibit was extra special.

The cotton gins and the mills were represented in several exhibits which highlighted the plight of the mill worker in the earlier days of the 20th Century. The rise of the millworkers eventually caused the area to change from an agricultural to banking community, as the rising wages drove some of the mills out of business. The photographs of the millworkers; living in all but abject poverty; while toiling away for 60 hours a week; and always in hock to the “company”; were heart wrenching. These were people in their 30’s, who looked as if they were 60 years old.

This was a very educational and thought provoking exhibit. It asks you, as the patron, to examine the past, and judge the present and the future for yourselves. When confronted with the misery endured by others yesterday, it is often much easier to understand the present.

"The Old Mill Pond" - MGM (1936)

This cartoon is from MGM’s “Merrie Melodies” series, and preceded last week’s post of “Swing Wedding.” This was one of the first cartoon’s which MGM produced. Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising had great success with this cartoon, which won an Oscar for Best Animation in 1937. The basic premise is the fish and frogs gathering at the old mill pond to hear a jazz concert. The performers, as in last week’s cartoon, are all caricatures of some of the best known jazz, and blues, performers of the era.

Most noticeable here are the performances by the Cab Calloway character, as well as Fats Waller and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.

As with last week’s cartoon, I will apologize in advance for any offense which this cartoon may cause. I did not have any hate mail, or negative comments, on the “Swing Wedding” post. Again, as with that one, I invite anyone with a negative opinion to either use the comments section below to express your disapproval, or just e-mail me directly. I will post your opinion if you so desire. Meantime, sit back and enjoy this for what it is; a celebration of some of the greatest music ever made.

"Red Summer" by Cameron McWhirter

The summer of 1919 would become known as the Red Summer, not for the Communist scare sweeping the nation under the heel of the Palmer Act, but for the red blood of African-Americans, coast to coast, who were beaten, stabbed, shot and hung, from Connecticut to California.

Imagine coming home from war after having served your country and being denied the rights of a full citizen as a reward for your efforts. In the summer of 1919 African-American veterans of the First World War, during which they had shown supreme courage in some of the longest fighting of the war, earning more medals than their white counterparts, were faced with exactly that.

In the first part of the year, African-American troops returning from France marched up Fifth Avenue and through Harlem, with crowds, black and white, cheering all the way. Savoring the moment was a good idea, as the camaraderie wouldn't last long.

By July of 1919 the United States would be gripped by a wave of fear and paranoia. First there was the Red Scare engendered by the Communists, which prompted the infamous Red Act, which stifled political dissent and saw many Americans imprisoned for their belief in a different political system. On top of that there were the Unions, with their attendant violence, making their way across the land, further fueling the fears of political change.

But the straw that broke the camel's back was the expectation of thousands of African-American Veterans; men who had fought to preserve the system now under fire from the Unions and Communists; that they would be free at last from the yoke of Jim Crow laws, which had proliferated in the days after the Civil War. Alas, it was not to be. Instead, these brave men received some of the most brutal treatment in the history of the nation.

In many cases these men were victimized by the very soldiers that they had served with overseas. The white Veterans could not stand to see the African-American Veterans receive the same accolades as themselves for their service. This attitude, which begat the wholesale violence of that summer, was not confined to just the South, but spread like wildfire across the entire nation. Rumors and outright lies were the cause of most of the violence.

As Mayors and Governors attempted, in some cases, to quell the violence, politics entered the fray. These politicians, who wished to be re-elected needed to choose a side, and they did so quickly, mobilizing the local Police and National Guard units to quell the violence, mostly at the expense of the victims, who in many cases would not have the right to vote for almost another 50 years.

But something different was beginning to happen in America; African-Americans were starting to fight back. They had fought for the liberty of all Americans, including themselves. From this point on, there would be no turning back. The bloody summer of 1919 would give life to the Civil Rights Movement, and though it would take the better part of the 20th Century to accomplish the goals set forth by its members, the long march toward equality had begun in earnest.

Carefully researched, with 60 pages of notes on the sources used in writing this book, Mr. McWhirter has given us a complete and accurate picture of just what it took to spark the fire which would lead to the quest for racial equality in America.

"Rosewood" with Don Cheadle, Ving Rhames, Jon Voight and Esther Rolle

This is a savage and raw movie that will leave you disgraced at the things, that we, as human beings, are capable of doing to one another. This is a true story, albeit slightly fictionalized, which takes place on New Years Day 1923 and turns into a 5 day orgy of violence that becomes the systematic destruction of an entire town of African-Americans, many of whom were Veterans of the First World War.

Rosewood, Florida in 1922 was an idyllic place for the African-Americans who lived there. Settled in 1845 by both blacks and whites, the town took it's name from the rosewood coloring of the cedar trees in the area. Over the ensuing decades, and after the Civil War, Rosewood became a mostly "colored" town, located outside of Gainesville. Florida had Jim Crow laws in force, to be sure, but the town of Rosewood consisted almost entirely of African-Americans, who owned stores, had homes, sent their children to church and school, in short they were people very much like their white neighbors in the next town.

The whole story unfolds as a married white woman, Fannie Taylor, is beaten by her lover, John Bradley, within earshot of her "colored" maid. To cover up her infidelity, Mrs. Taylor ran from her home, screaming that she had been attacked by a "negro." The word spread quickly, and the white citizens of the County began to organize into vigilante groups, all intent on revenge.

At this point Sheriff Walker of Levy County is informed that a black "chain gang" prisoner named Jesse Hunter had escaped the day before. He quickly organized a posse to look for him. He also urged all of the local "coloreds" to stay at home, or at work in the turpentine mills for their own safety.

Sam Carter, the local blacksmith was seized after it was said that he had helped the escapee find shelter in the woods outside of town. When he was asked to reveal the location to the mob he was unable to do so. They shot him in the face before hanging his mutilated body to a tree, presumably as a warning to others not to impede the vigilantes.

At the same time that all of this was happening, a white man named John Bradley fled to the home of Aaron Carrier, a black man who was a Veteran and a fellow Mason. Carrier and Carter, who was also a Mason, covered Bradley in the back of a wagon, intent on taking him to the river for safety. After Carter left Bradley at the river, he attempted to return home, only to be met by a band of vigilantes, who lynched him.

On the way back from the river the mob ran into Sylvester Carrier, the son of Aaron and a Veteran of the Great War. He was told to leave town, but refused. He was considered arrogant and "uppity", yet allowed to pass. He then returned to the Carrier home where he gathered as many men as possible to defend the town's women and children, most of whom were, by now, hiding in the woods.

Sylvester was known about town as "Man", and was a crack shot with a rifle. As the mob gathered for the inevitable showdown, numerous incidents of courage and heroism took place. The white sheriff had his hands full as he tried, unsucessfully, to keep some sense of order in the search for justice. By this time, most, if not all of the people involved, knew that Mrs. Taylor's had been beaten by her lover, and moreover, that no rape had taken place. But the truth is no impediment to the orgy of violence that takes place, and the mob continued to grow and their deeds became even more obscene.

Sylvester Carrier was able to get two local white train engineers to bring their train to a point outside of Rosewood, where the women and children were rescued. They were then pursued by the vigilantes as they made their way to Gainesville, and hopefully, justice. But it would be almost 70 years before this story would surface again, resulting in a Commission being formed to ascertain the truth and award damages to the remaining survivors.

Outstanding performances by Don Cheadle and Ving Rhames will keep you riveted to the screen as you watch the insanity unfold. And Esther Rolle, of TV's "Good Times", delivers one of the best performances of her career as Aunt Sarah. Jon Voight has never been in better form than in this movie, where he plays the conflicted John Wright, owner of the local General Store. Throw in perfect direction by John Singleton and this is a movie, and an historical event, which you will never, ever forget.

For more on the history of The Rosewood Massacre, see the link below;


http://www.displaysforschools.com/history.html