Jackson’s Mayor Denies Negroes’ Victory Claims

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30144, 30 May 1963, Page 13

Jackson’s Mayor Denies Negroes’ Victory Claims

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

• JACKSON (Mississippi), May 29. An integration leader last night told a cheering crowd of negroes that the Mayor of Jackson, Mr Allen Thompson, had promised to meet several of their goals, and there would be no demonstrations pending the outcome, the Associated Pre.ss reported. Mr Thompson, at his home, denied making any promises—except to hire negro police and negro school crossing guards.

Now that his statements had been mis ; represented, thi Mayor said, he wouk not even do that.

The Rev. G. R. Haughton had quoted Mr Thompson as saying that the Mayor had promised to hire negro policemen immediately, use negro women as school crossing guards next September, remove segregation signs from buildings and desegregate public facilities, such as parks and libraries. ,

Mr Haughton quoted the Mayor as saying that desegregation of schools was in the hands of the Court.

The negro minister said that the city commissioner, Mr D. L. Luckey, had promised to upgrade negro city employees and that he would see that segregation signs were removed from service stations.

The call to end demonstrations in Jackson came, only hours after violent episodes in a local cafe. Battering fists and feet failed to break up a sit-in as whites and negroes taking part clung stubbornly to their stools until the store closed early. Soon after they left, workmen began removing the stools from the store’s lunch counter. At a nearby milk bar, the lunch counter bore a sign reading: “Closed for public safety.” The stores shut down two hours after the uproar started. Early in the demonstration.

one negro, Memphis Norman, aged 21, of Weiggins, Mississippi, was knocked off his stool and savagely beaten and kicked.

Norman, bleeding from the blows, was dragged to safety and hustled off by police. One of the whites who attacked him was arrested and charged with assault. His attacker was reported to be a former policeman. ■ Norman was sent to a hospital for a check-up after being charged with disturbing the peace. The decision to close the store came soon after Walter Williams, aged 21, a negro student at Jackson State University, tumbled from his stool and sprawled on the floor.

A white youth struck a mock heroic pose, his foot on Williams’ chest, and bellowed a Tarzan yell that brought Cheers from the crowd. A few minutes later, Williams. still wobbly, pulled himself back upon the stool. He told reporters later that he did not know why he was suddenly rendered unconscious. It was reported he had been hit by a thrown salt shaker.

Most of the negro demonstrators were students • at Tougaloo Christian College in Jackson. Some white faculty members demonstrated with them. Police made no effort to remove the sit-in demonstrators or to control the jeering crowd that besieged 'them, squirting mustard and

tomato sauce from plastic bottles taken off the counter. Officers said that unless the store management made a complaint they could step in only in cases of actual violence.

A Federal judge in Biloxi yesterday ordered the University of Mississippi Law School to admit a negro student, Cleve McDowell, in time for the summer term starting on June 5, the Associated Press reported. He Would be the second negro to enter the university, at Oxford, Mississippi.

The first was Mr James Meredith. whose entry touched off bloody rioting last year.

A United States Federal judge refused yesterday to issue a Court order ending the colour bar in the school system of Birmingham, Alabama, the Associated Press reported. But the Judge, Mr Seymour Lynne, warned that if State law which gave wide powers in pupil placement to school boards was applied with discrimination he would issue an order ending segregation.