XXXXXX
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) to7e~ h7 with no segregable material available for release to you.
D Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request
W Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
D Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) , was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the material to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s)
7 For your information:
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages:
,4 %,-s-- r , - , - 'PE
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx X DELETED PAGE(S) X NO DUPLICATION FEE x xyxxgg X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
FBI/DOJ PAGE THREE
I
w
M0NTGOMERY ADVERTISER, NOV. FOURTEEN, FIFTYSIX, CARRYING IEWS OF SUPREMEE COURT DECISION, NOV. THIRTEEN, INCLUDES STATEMENT BY C. C. -JACK- OWEN, PRESIDENT OF ALA. PUBLIC RIVCE COMMISSION, THAT SEGREGATION MUST BE MAINTAINED TO KEEP WN VIOLENCE AND BLOODSHED. THIS ARTICLE QUOTES LUTHER INGALLS LEADER OF MONTGOMERY CO. CITIZENS COUNCIL AS SAYING Q9E AND ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE THIS DECISSION WILL INEVITABLY LEAD END PAGE THREE... MEMEMM
em..
FACE FOUR...
:14 TO RIOT AND BLOODSHED -60 ._ ADVISED THAT HE HAD HEARD RUMORS FROM 'c UNIDENTIFIED SOURCES THAT GROUPS OF CLANSMEN WERE EXPECTED TO PROCEED FROM BIRMINGHAM AND VICINITY TO MONTGOMERY SOMETIME DURING NOV. FOURTEEN, FIFTYSIX X. THESE RUMORS APPEARED UNFOUNDED AND THAT NO CONFIRMATION WAS
RECEIVED FROM ANY SOURCE.
JREAU VILL BE KEPT ADVISED OF PERTINENT DEVELOPMENTS. HALL FT0 RD *0~i EDD d % A 00 M. KIoK 0 'jC.'em O Wgj
lcLAL Rr Oi Ir .,,. , 'EjI SID R ATIL A ONERA I Direc tor 0 PBI
RACIAL SITUATION MONTOOMALBM
~ :~'~ ~
C"- b.f'
..... 1-v
c - .j
'4
he had hiRrumore frem anitentified souro** W groVppe of Klansmen wee ested topr **4from Birminshw Alabema, sn viinian omtimef a November %e1956. erumored a ' J to be untounded and t ustion vaa
-- - ; - - ~'A -. ~ - -~ L - -~~-~-- ~-
Ltter to the Attasy eSelt
VP, asv 13. 196 am ited states 'F Supreme Court u1a4 thtMIstIIein baass la mnatsomer vielaUtes the ewsCl tatis. Rst uesart to this heeJaa emoar? MyerteS*, asusppr s t AmtaSam "* mse seais a statmt C. . Jak uap**s et he Abs Pblie ** Coissiom to tte that ies mat be metatain to ,=e viaeM a o this" s**12**aqupts11, eerorths Xontsamrr. couatitis as. f! sense *AI att, to afor thisdetaeein tertal ed triet eat . The Deprtet wIl be kept ate6s et al aditiom1 prtnant ternation re*Av..
** *r . W iann. P. a .wr Deputy Attoraq Genuel Assistant Attoraq enal W~blia?. ?gapkias SAssistant Attoa Seneral Warren olner In
NOTE ON YELLWs Information in Mobile teletye 11/15/56 injunction issued to halt car pools other int relative to the boycott of buses as dissemi the Department and intelligence agencies by lette: "Cl 11/1A/56. The Department vas reviously advised if
ER. BUREAU 0(FWSTGATION U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUICE CICOMMUNICATIONS SECTION ALL INFORFYTN COTi LE 1,02s6 HERE TELETYPE-
FBI M BILE 11-14-56 30 PM VFP Nease Tele. Root- URGENT 1T0 I RE PREVIOUS TEL T ACTION, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA. BUREAU INSTANT AND MYTEL TO BUREAU AND NEW YORK NINTH ALABAMA, INSTANTosUSDC MONTGOMERY, os.bisrie-ravs.bE 9 ADVISED SA LATE AFTERNOON INSTANT USDJ FRANT M. 7 JOHNSON, JR. HAS DENIED PLEA FOR INJUNCTION FILED IN USDC, MONTGOMERY, IN BEHALF OF MONTGOMERY IMPROVEMENT ASSOC ATION- r&t) AND OTHERS REQUESTING CIT4'* TRAINED FROM INTERFERON: WITH OPERATION CAR POOL BY MIA AND OTHER NEGROES 9N ASIS . FEDERAL COURT WITHOUT JURISDICTION AND NO EVIDENCE -ANI OTHERS WOULD SUFFER IRREPARABLE DAMAGE IF UC INJUNCTION NOT ISSUED. ar. HALLFORDAL
58 sa6va04ss0/ OmlmWzIR W"'2RWRr
- ~ -- - ~--~ ~~-4t FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATiON U. S, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMMUNICATIONS SECTION -r. e ALL INFOR!T1ION CONTAINED NOV 141956 RKRE11 !I-'ETELETYPE ; RIN SSIFIE aTLETP SDATEW Y t '4-NiL
SAC MOBILE 11-14-56 11-17AM T. RECTOR, FI URGENT RACIASl7STUA ION, MONTGOMERY, ALA. THE 009E MOBILE EGIST p% t DAILY AT MOBILE, ALA.,F OURTEEN INSTANT CARRIES FAGE ONE HEADLINE 465M INJUNCTION BANS CAR POOLS DURING
MDNTGOMERY BOYCOTT DESPITE COURT- S BUS RULING. ON . THIS ARTICLE REFLECTS THAT LATE ON NOV. THIRTEEN LAST CIRCUIT JUDGE EUGENE CARTER GRANTED A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION TO STOP MONTGOMERY NEGROES FROM USING A CAR POOL FOR TRANSPORTATION DURING THEIR BOYCOTT CF CITY BUSES, BUT THAT THE INDICATIONS VERE THAT THIS RULING, EFFECTIVE MIDNIGHT NOV. THIRTEEN LAST, WOULD HAVE LITTLE EFFECT IN VIEW OF THE SUPREME COURT- S NOVEMBER THIRTEEN DECISIgt4 OUTLAWING CITY BUS SEGREGATION. RUFUS LEVIS, HEAD OF THE CAR POOL COMMITTEE OF THE MONTGOMERY IMPROVEMENT ASSN(.?S REPESENTED RE 0~U AS SAYING THAT THE CAR POOL OPERATIONS ILL CONTINUE UNTLk RESTRAINING ORDERS ARE SERVEfb PARTICIPANTS. TN j YA I95 SAYS THAT REV. MARTIN LUTHER KIa, JR., MIA PRESIDja PREDMTD THAT THE BOYCOTT WILL END AT A NEGRO MASS MEETING TONIGHT, Nov. FOURTEEN. IIE ARTICLE CONTINUES THAT JUDGE CARTER GRANTED THE .u d'Y RESTRAING ORDER ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE CITY OF MONTCOM HAD PRESENTED ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT THE NEGROES /
e-)~~" b0Sfti *******rw-. o vlt -- z '*2* FAGE TWO WGHT BE OPERATING A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE WITHOUT A LICENSE ALTHOUGH HE SAID THAT QUESTION WILL HAVE TO BE DETERMINED ULTIMATELY ON THE ISSUE OF A PERMINENT INJUNCTION. THIS ARTICLE POINTS OUT THAT HEARINGS BEGIN TODAY NOV. FOURTEEN ON THE MIA- S PETITION IN USDC, MONTCOMERY, ASKING THE DISTRICT COURT FOR AN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CITY FROM INTERFERING WITH THE CAR POOL. BUREAU WILL BE PROMPTLY ADVISED OF DEVELOPMENTS.
HALLFORD
TKE-SECOND LINE FON-TOP--AFTERT VUORDA., THE WORD NOV. SHOULD
M-THE SECONNA LINE FROM BOTTOM -THE SECOND WORD -SIt9-S~TEMPUART-
12-31 PM OK FBI WA JS
TUN
*I1JN 4-750 (2-7-79) XXXXXX
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) h 1i 7Le_ with no segregable material available for release to you.
E Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request
D Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
D Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) -_, was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the maternal to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s)
LI For your information
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx DELETED PAGE(S) xX NO DUPLICATION FEE x xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
FBg/DOJ OficeMemoIEndum TED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO A. H. Belmonfr' DAT: November 9, 1956
Tolson Nichols T. J. Baumgardner Boardman- Belmont .~ ' i 9%1.~feh Mor___ SUDBET c Parsons- ** 'C TPAd'Yp SAV Rosen - Tam-- NEGRO QUESTION Trotter INTERNAL SECURITY - C Neas. Winterrowd .Room- loman - andy -
~ j.f.~c -
I contacted SAC Hallford Po owpOffice regarding the above New York teletype. Mr. Hallford advised that he was acquainted with the contents of that teletype having already received it from New rork.
He was instructed to have his informants in Montgomery .4 zin promptly contacted to determine what the current situation ~ .4 is in Montgomery. He was instructed to promptly advise the Bureau what the Mobile Office knows about the current
Oct -a. situation and to submit its views as to whether the situation is "explosive" as indicated In the New Tork teletype. He was instructed that these informants should be contacted tonight and the detailed teletype submitted to the Bureau by 9 a.m., November 10, 1956. 1 Upon receip!# of this information from the Mobile Office dissemination will be made to appropriate agencies in Washington. ACTION:
N Submitted for your information. Dissemination of the above information will be handled November 10, 1956, upon receipt of information from Mobile*.A114 cc Mr. Belmont cc Mr. Baum a'dnerf"" cc Mr. . 14 V iNo
(4) 6~1 2~.~5& 0Mr. FEERAL BURE.AUJOF r.T164.....Tol Of JUSTICES r INichlNichols-..... U. S DEPARMENT Boardma frM.rsons- on
r sJUUN q-,- % - t Ud Mr. Rosen 4!-. P tMr. Tamm Mr. Trotter - Mr. Nease Tele. Room Mr. Holl man Th MOBILE 5612-35 VTMiss Gandy 1REICTOR FBI q4N1s~EW YORK URGENT
RACIAL SITUATi9 tTC ~YILA. RETEL FROM NY TO BUREAU AND THIS OFFICE ON NINTH INSTANT CAPTIONED QUOTE CPUSA- NEG QUESTION. CINAL. UNQUOTE, AND TELCON FROM BUREAU TO THIS
OFFICE SAME DATE. BY LETTER TO BUREAU FIFTH INSTANT BUREAU
. AS FURNISHED INFO CITY OF MONTGOMERY- S PLEA FOR INJUCTION TO HALT CAR POOL OPERATION- S BY MONTGOMERY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION AND A NUMBER OF NEGRO CHURCHES WAS TO BE HEARD IN STATE CIRCUIT
COURT AT MONTGOMERY ON THIRTEENTH INSTANT AND HEARING ON A REQUEST FOR AN ORDER TO RESTRAIN CITY FROM INTERFERRING WITH NEGRO CAR
POOL OPERATIONS IN USDC AT MONTGOMERY SET FOR FOURTEENTH INSTANT*/ HE URLET TO BUREAU IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT p~i .:r~
1;J fl END PAGE ONE ( ql, - W17 Lltr4-Be~5#j 4-750 (2-7-79) xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
-I-- Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
z7l-Deleted under exemption(s) with no segregable material available for release to you.
O7 Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request
r Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
D Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) --- , was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the material to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s)
D For your information
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xX DELETED PAGE(S) xX x NO DUPLICATION FEE x xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXX xxxxxx
FBI/DOJ a ~ - -~ I 0 t Ickler Sovm- 10 19% I
WMUM -. I r~I S BA ip
DDI~ (j RACIAL BIATIWs 'W'O'U'T. ALABAKA. X*1 s CFRA DAM EZW.R qUrTlar WZQUft AMD Wr LAYer. JUWIm EWTEEZOLarN c ArB AND APREOJRAW )f=ZY~r.DISOUlS prmrDA 8U*BUW8 cIV7z jAmPAISOr Tzu~in.A~ wo oZAIW 1MS LOa4 2TAN MfV A(m NOVZWMA **'-T Xgg SOWARY OPD A4D FMDERAL AMONC WARDIO NJ&WCTICfMt* Lt No tFyr LASr NOr LOCArrD BW'ITJ . I . O80oo
I ood 3f.6 AIR.
T"h ENC. CK. A&I- /A!BY 2 APPROVED BY ALL INFORM C TYPED BY alN FILED BY
. ..
;Odom re{d2.Ad 1
-RECORDED- -- -- NOV 10 1956 17 NOV 201956 FGSK BLU WEAUOF 1W WWAT) ' **- U. 8. 0EAMUTM OF JUSICE 7 ..R. NO23 MNICATIONS SECTION t N319?2)Nov FEDERAL BUREAU OF IWVESTIGAT1t g OI e.&DEPARTMENT OF ICE Mr. COMMUNICATIONS SECTION LMr. Nol bir. Boardmas-. 01 1956 -Xr. Belmons. -Mr. Mohr -Mr. trote r..
11-12-56 1-44 PM MCM Mr- ** --- x,. N...... DIRECTOR FBI UR GENT MinGandy.... RACIAL SITUATION, MONTGOMERY, . 'REUEL TENTH INSTANT WITH REFERENCE MYTEL TO BUREAU NINTH INSTANT C=
AND NEW YORK TEL TO BUREAU AND THIS OFFICE SAME DATE. -4 AS REFLECTED IN NEWSPAPER ITEM FORWARDED BUREAU BY LET
FIFTH INSTANT, MONTGOMERY CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT FILED PLEA FOR INJUNCTION IN STATE CIRCUIT COURT IN MONTGOMERY
TO HALT CAR POOL OPERATIONS AT MONTGOMERY IN PETITION
IEING DIRECTED AGAINST MONTGOMERY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION,
A CORPORATION, AND NUMEROUS COLORED CHURCHES AND INDIVIDUALS. CITY OF MONTGOMERY ALLEGES CAR POOL OPERATION ILLEGAL IN
THAT IT IS BEING OPERATED WITHOUT PAYMENT LICENSE FEES,
WITHOUT FRANCHISE AND THROUGH USE DRIVERS WHO ARE NOT HOLDERS
CF VALID OPERATING LICENSE, AND THAT POLICE PROBLEM IS
CREATED BECAUSE SOME CAR POOL DRIVERS ARE NOT QUALIFIED
PORALLY AND BY EXPERIENCE. HEARING ON PETITION FILED BY CITY OF MONTGOMERY SET FOR THIRTEENTH INSTANT. THE NEGRO
GROUP FILED REQUEST FOR AN ORDER IN USDC, MONTGOMERY, TO ,
7 RESTRAIN CITY OF MONTGOMERY FROM INTERFERING WITH NEGRO CAR
POOL OPERATIONS. HEARING ON PETITIO FILED BY HE NEGRO GROUP SET IN USDC, MON aIw8f, FOURT R f9 . BEA WILL BE PROMPTLY ADVISED RES LTS THRE 0\'S ONE 8INGS . NALLFORD
END ACK PLS o V
2-8PtM dWA CS Dx WTZKL DIVzniop
- 3- ( I
~ ('2 /
*1
y
qSm 10mA. asslftQal &jog
nh CA RACIAL BTMTIQW MA KONtOOMM, ALA&M UTUVI ~
- C) msawarA- w vill *oaf im %bo f was shed %*I ok
rl" avs
___ RECORDED/ Boardmantait~ne
w4asn__ft
Vieroed -4 m~:tb" R~Attorney General (By Form 10O-6, same d4a) Tele. Room irrkihI OL~syII Goody 4 CUF&1 6!L1~E Is r Its St
ml ERAOR 0 MOW[) SaW M&PM20
AZI
For vw1m OmR la thIS MUM$r, e IOmt~6Imwxsbm 14 c t~L Departen as III" a 018Cao Uaa n n~t e ou tOourt la
TAProviat AssoistletM;wr, _"lAIs "-oia the boroott of buses Wm a f yNaresa OUSSA th tm "*OI *vtImIs Mosel la that
SEKET le- r. t - -o T 3i (1 Ii)IJT
Asestaut hLf SCStaft, Z.Sa"
withemt fl andbiss*e adthwoo U"ksuee bvwho dob on holdA a -pe ta UoinseoA. era m~*'~ VotitieMdit owL e e S bw .* m A wm"U~t w an w4w toreftvaIatheS1 4d tna latewfomig with .w g1eraim. was512* bswoesIs La mw A Q'- n tCurt at mum A thS intteu'1. Aelle
* 4-
KroaeWat lb v I - qlgi Depstmat alth v s .teo we ilgtem be.g es 4w ottwof "et bel la.iplom W CMIU all= u s peto tIIGISI Dupetmatt theAir u's 3rniLgiztempormn f3wAry tb e Adams Dive5toV.
Vub~wt~n,5*Q ,AL
-' 4
.3FNc TIA 4-750 (2-7-79) xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
f Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) A ?ef.7( with no segregable material available for release to you.
D Information pertained onlv to a third party with no reference to you or the subect of your request
E Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
E Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) , was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(les), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the material to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s)-
0 For your information
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages-
.c/z7VZ3T-~/~J 60- - - . .- . ------
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X DELETED PAGE(S) X NO DUPLICATION FEE X xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
FBl/DOJ Letter to Assistant Chief of Staff, Int*1Iease
Whad mb ow r~s I aidOttitbWsourcesU t ptso lIansiMen ve =Noeted to ro**A do Birmi ha'aa - . F Astgamery 1somet&sexton I =-1419560, these0rvaors appared auound ang that 31 a o was re*eidGv On Wvember 13, 19 the thited States 8pre Court ruled that racial sogr ation on buses In Montgomery violates the Federal Constitution. With regard to this decision the 'Nontgomery Advtiser' anwvpaper In its November 14 1956 issue 4W a statement C. C. JaOk Oven president o the Alabama Public Service Commission, to Ae effect that segregation must be maintained to keep down violence and bloodshed. This issue also qotes Luther Ingalls, leader of the Montgomery County Citisens Council# as saying 'An attempt to enforce this decision will inevitably lead to riot ad bloodshed.' Any additional prtinent information received will be furnished you promptly. ccDirdtorof 8pecialnvestigations The laspoctor General B ORN ZVC Department of the Air FPrce Building Tempo Z 4th and Adams Drive, 8. VW Washington, D. C. cc Director of Naval Intelligence Department of the Navy The Pentagon Washiatton 25, D. C.
NOTE ON YELLOW:
Above information is being furnished to AG copies to Rogers, Tompkins and Olney, by separate communication date, same
*2f - a.NDP~aOW0-- j ,.)-w: -a Office Memriorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO Director, FBI DATM: 11/15/56 t FLOML SAC, Mobile SUBJECT: RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Re previous communications to Bureau regarding this matter. As of possible interest to the Bureau, attached hereto are two copies each of the following newspaper items: 1. Item appearing in the Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery, Alabama, 11/14/56, captioned "INJUNCTION CALLS HALT TO NEGRO'TRANSIT LINE." 2. Item appearing in same paper 11/14/56 captioned *PSC OFFICIAL VOWS STATE MUST KEEP BUS SEGREGATION." 3. Item appearing in same paper 11/14/56 captioned "WHITE SPOKESMEN WARN OF POSSIBLE VIOLENCE." 4. Item appearing in same paper 11/14/56 captioned "KLAN STAGES PARADE HERE."
ureau (Encl. 8)(100-135-61) I ciZ--M Bobile (1 - 44-439, 1 - 105-17) lo
- 0 ,
ENGLOL w -k@Nll6s
RECORDED-35 0 q1956
A'IR~!~11,5IIE I - . . U b. t
Ian Stages trade Here I About 4 carloads at ebed amd heded s Kias Ka mem- hers toured Negre seighber- beeds through ie ct last might blowing heras and shlag flood lghts late homes, police reported. No violesee was re ice Capt. EME. Ja doasksiep were beiag fee complaints had received. The Klan caravan reportedly started sear a morthside cattem mill, drove across town to Oe Normandale Shopping Center. doubled back through Negr Igbborhood to Madison a e. circled Court Square an sanded. Some of the I . eaded back toward the 30 sources said. 4rI
Montgomery Advertiser Montgomery, Alabama Date 4:/-'-<5? . Page .01-10 Re: r AWSsO o7 A nnA b.,~. ? T3 KU, aka. NLAn IN "T'PI~~ VCWI Mobile 105-11 FNT
"COSURBL 0 , c 0 .*
p *1~'
- F,. White SpokesmeiWar
,01% j% ~ftIfl - Of Possible Violence I' By BOB INGRAM Laws requiring racial segregation on buses In Montgomery and throughout Alabama were declared unconstitutional yesterday iu another historic decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. d And while the dedilon dealt specifically with Ala- bama statutes and ordinances of the City of Montgomery, in effect it also outlawed similar segregation lats throughout the South since this ruling sets the precedent for ALL I~r T- rv all similar cases in the future. lk r - The ruling yesterday brought an immediate prediction from a Negro ader here that a decision to en the 11-month bus boycott would 'unquestionpbly" be made at a ass meetfgtonhght. .~ Call the decision a "glorious daybreak' to end a long night of enforced segregation," the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. declared ftla. SWrI ~ emphatically that his race would use "every legal means" to pee that the court's decision was com- plied with in Montgomery. OMINOUS RUMBLINGS But from white leaders of the city and state came warnings of possible violence and bloodshed if 3sw wagi any attempt Is made to carry out the decision. C. C. (Jack) Owen, president of the Alabama Public Service Com- mission, declared that segrega- tion must be maintained "To keep down violence sad hlood- shed An Luther Ingalls, local leader of t pro-segregation Montgom- ery tizens' Counclambapteppre- dicte flatly that "any attempt to enforce this decision will inevit- ably lead to riot and bloodshed."
I eLr - IJ5-- :!/ - -Z .0,01!!
I,~cLOPL
1CC: AAG CRL>. -IVISON FORM 6-95 .----- 0 w 'o' 0..,
0, 'Jog,.
-~-~'- f
BOYCOTT RESUML lBus Ruling' I~WOTs deo9erdq hemmed directly from Montgom- VCeatmare m pape1)1 ery's long boycott. The tribunal, modht importance. National Ia a unanimous decision, upheld operates the local buses. a June 19 decision of a special Officials of the company in three-member panel of federal Chicago declined comment due to judges which bed ruled that Mont- the absence of the firm's presi- gomerf s bus segregation laws's dent. Locally, no bus line official tere unconstitutional. would comment on what steps Amid all the confusion as tg the might be taken la view of the effect of the decision, e** fact decision. appeared to stand clear-the Also declining c o m m e n t were court's decision had ended with members of the City Commission abrupt -finality any legal efforts as well as Gov. James E. Folsom. the city or state might initiate in Mayor W. A. Gayle, speaking an attempt to preserve segrega- for the commission, said he had tion on public conveyances. There not seen a copy of the decision is no appeal from a U.S. Supreme but would make an "appropriate Court decision. tement" after he has studied The court order was not only courts ruling. animous, it was also brief. e court's decision yes aY citing the 1954 school segre- ed into immediate on case and also cling u- an injunction ordering the*ty t decions which on Commission of Montgomery to nation in public parks, - cease enforcing Its segregation unds and golf links, the laws. ruled briefly: , 3-JUDGE PANEL MOTION GRANTED This injunction was Issued by -The motion to affirm is the three-judge panel, but then granted and the judgment Is held in abeyance pending the out- ptffirmed." come of the city's appeal. It was This affirmation left no doubt db this appeal that the Supreme that the Supreme Court was out- Court ruled yesterday. wing segregation on a)1 bus There had been some question- systems. Earlier this year some and hope among white leaders- question had arisen when the that the injunction might still be court simply dismissed an appeal in abeyance, but this washed from another decision overturning out by U.S. Circuit Judge RI a South Carolina segregation law. Rives, one of the panel members. That left the decision In effect but He said the Injunction would go to confusion-ended yesterday Into effect as soon as the court to the Supreme Court's Inte order reaches U.S. District Court eanwhile, what action the in Montgomery. Rives said It cus- nal City Lines, Inc., wll tomarily takes two to three weeks locally became an Issue of pa- for an order to reach the local (See BUS RULING, Page SA) office. Judge Rives also pointed out 'that the Supreme Courts decision yesterday applied not only to Mont- gomery, but that It sets a preced- .- ~--- ~1 eat for all similar cases of the .- '~ I, fture. at p e noted that the City Commis- and the Alabama "ceCommission have the lt totofora ab~lgwti sys, but he said tlsbtsebI;- further delay ettheffn toof the order waslhtL. 2 J.. 5~4 I) -
Psc Oeica v Sege aron Must Keeptooa
I Here is what key state and city officials had to say yesterday con- cerning the US. Supreme Court's decision outlawing segregation on public conveyances: C. C. (Jack) Owes, president, Alabama Public Service Commis- sion, which controls all pubbel ansportation In the state: ;*"The people of Alabama are not to abolish segregagon. I'm gfng to do everything in my pow* GAYLE ENGELEART INGALA C, C. OWEN to maintain peace and o6eer our statp. To keep down vio- our great United States ... (1) you w eventually relve er lence and bloodshed, segregation is a further invasion by the eer just desserts and that tim sins of amst be maintained. I will urge and the federal government bf the their fathers will descend upots all public transportation comp sovereignty of our state and local the heads of your children. Te Ws to make every effort to keep governments.. The final deci- those of you who say that thli harmony among passengers by as. sion remains with the voters at decision cannot be enforced, signing seats in such a manner the ballot box. For those of you need merely to refer you to th that the races will be kept sep- who continue to vote for admin- recent use of bayonets and tank arate." Istrations committed to a policy against the unarmed citizens' of integration, I can only say that (See PSC, Page 3A) Lather ligalls, Montgomery at- torney and leader of the pro- segregation Montgomery County White (Citizns.' (nft~w' Montgomery Advertiser *This decision . . . Is Just an- Montgomery, Alabama other example o legislating by Date I/-/V -- f AC fhrpwme Court, which Is sup I Page '--V posed to be the judicial arm of I Re: RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Buf'ile: 100-135-61 Mofile: 44-439 ,- TSOI 1CC: AA''C'~V yoEMiw ALL INFO" T!1 CONTAINED 7
IAE IkENCLOSURE p DATE- BY 4c-0 A. -U..
T9ev. Martle sthe,, g gamery Negro pastor . ...Psc --. and leader of the long boycott: "The Supreme Court dealon (Continsed From Page 1) places a basic responsibility be- fore the Negro and white com- Clinton, Tenn. If you think for one munity of Montgomery. All per minute that Gov. Folsom would sons must recognize the difical- not try to outdo Gov. Clement In ty of adJustment and seek this regard, you are sadly mis- through the principles of love aad taken. On the other hand, attempt understanding, good will to woft ed enforcement of this decision In harmony with the new system will inevitably lead to riot and All persons of good wi1 will ae- bloodshed. Your Citizens' Council ept the Sampreme Court ruling has always Insisted that these and seek to comply with IL" matters be handled peacefully and Mayor W. A. Gayle: "I will legally and I feel sure that this have so comment to make until constitutional provision of the I have seen a copy of the court Council will remain in force and ruling. We have wired for a copy, effect and will be controlling of and when It is received It will be its membershi." given full study. I hope we can make an appropriate statement State Sea. Sam Eageihault Jr. tomorrow." of Macon, executive secretary of' the Alabama Assn. of Citizens Fred Gray, Negro attorney rec- Councils: atly involved In a heated can- "This decision is just another troversy concerning his draft example of the invasion of local status: self government by the federal 'I ainvery happy by the government. I don't believe the cision.j white people of Montgomery are going tor accept say such man- date from the Supreme Court. As 'far as I am concerned they can move the Montgomery City iUnes. Inc., lock, stock and barrel, to Washington, D.C. It appears that the Supreme Court is determined to build a federal oligarachy that will undermine the very founda- tion of these United States, and spread M w il1 and discord throughout the nation. The 8k* preme Court apparently will not be satisfied until government by -the people, of the people and for ,the best interests of the majority of a- people is rophae by a many-headed bureakcratic mon- ster in Washington." LnjunctioEnTalls Half To Negro'Transit Line ByAiL McCONAGRA Negro bus boycol tters were ordered to halt theirr ci pool operations her e yesterday on the same day aa Supreme Court decision may have made continuance off their transportation system unecessary. .Circuit Court Ju dge Eugene Carter granted a temporary injunction enjoining car pool activities after more than seven hours of exhausting lega debate between Negro and city attorneys. Carter said later that be had advised a Negro attorney in an swer to a telephoned question that the ban would take effect at mid night last night George Jones Jr., the court's register in chancery, said restrain- ing orders would go out of office first thing this morning. sherif's deputies would sree th to MI, 14 Negro chusrcS an427 individuals nmed in le citapetition. aPa Speaking for a battery of four Negro lawyers, Montgomery at- l*fomwyo, Alab3 t torney Fred Gray said the de- cision would be appealed. Negroes who had jammed the court room filed silently out as Carter an- nounced his decision. g ll~ The Rev. Martin Luther King, Montgomery Improvement Assn. president, told reporters his peo- Us V&~E. $NMAI= ple would abide by the ruling. UNCERTAIN COURSE City officials were uncertain how their newly made gains in the state court would be afect- ed by the Supreme Court ruling declaring Montgomery bus segre- gation laws unconstitutional. Saying the question of prl . . -1 enterprise was a "serious" Carter added that evidence rented by the city waranted the temporary Injunction and ordered the Register In Chancery George IJones to Issue retraining orders to the respondents. HERE j~j h- City attorneys, led by City Atty. alter Knabe said the car pool DATE 3sa private enterprise operating 3, thout the necessary legal /0-0-/,35 -4(/- lithe city. City attorneys also the operation was Inadequa (See BOYCOTIERS, Pa . i: I Q ~o.. I
Bioycotters Lose Roumft' [ Insured and operated by morally Jurisdiction on the grounds that unsuitable drivers. the federal courts rather than the Peter A. Ball of Birmingham state courts have jurisdiction. (Coatised Frem Page 1) CARTER'S RULING ______In holinghis court bad inns- led a battery of four Negro law- diction, Ciersaid the situation yers in saying the car pool was and persons In the two cases were a non-profit organization and, if different. actually illegal, the city had not The Negroes filed a' petition In taken appropriate measures to US. District Court Nov. 1 seek- halt it. In a final statement. Atty Ing to stop the city of Montgom- Gray said the boycotters were be- ery from interfering with the car ing forced to ride segregated bus- pool according to the terms of a es through the city's action. resolution passed by the City Com- Mayor W. A. Gayle wa3 the only mision last month. witness called to testify by the First Negro witness called by Negro attorneys. Gayie said that the city was ing. The Ner bad the law been different he leader said he knew very litie "would have obeyed the law at that of the financial structure of the time" when the arrests starting IA and of the details of!the the boycott were first made. transportation iystemn. Association Gayle said the city sought to secretary Erna Dungee so halt car pool operations because claimed general ignorance II. a desired "comprehensive trffic nancial and transportation mat- survey cannot be made with this terms when asked to testify by I artificial transportation goin on" Knabe. and because the Negro transporta- The Rev. B. J. Sims, Negro pas- tion system h ad "destroyed a tor of a Tuskegee church, said safe, economical bus system." he had an "expense account" Of Surprise witness for the city $29.40 weekly for his services as was Stuart W. Patton of the Ala- a member of th IA transports- bama National Bank, who testi- tOn committee. fled that the IA had deposited Station wagon driver the Rev. a cumulative total of $189,000 In Burl Mack Averhart ad he his bank. There is only slightly couldn't remember where he got ever $1,000 In the association de- routing instructions but admitted posit at the present moment, Pat- he was given a "donation" of $24 Fton said. weekly. The city also Introduced movies A petition askin for a tem taken by Police Lt. Drue Lackey rary Injunction to halt city act' ((Cshowing Negro motor pool opera- against the moter pool fed9 tions. Atty. Ball entered an ob- U.S. District Court by Montgo section to the showing as taken ery Negroes will be heard at 0 by an Incompetent operator and a am. today. violauon of federaUy guaranteed privacy. City attorney ys frequently made the point that MIA Treas- urer E. D. Nixon was out of town and that neither he or his rec- ords could be subpoenaed. - Earlier, _ater had overruled a defrW'Vea which challenged his 4-750 (2-7-79) XXXXXXKXXXXX
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
/ Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) P~c e 2b7A- with no segregable material available for release to you.
E Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request.
0 Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
E Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) , was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the maternal to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s)-
D For your information
2 The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages: e - /c;?6 -~'00'7
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx X DELETED PAGE(S) X x x x NO DUPLICATION FEE x xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X XXXXXX
FBI/DOJ -p 0
Nins~s ter 2&.At%* r me
"atuml rruamt lormMuen re"U" tmolos mttor v u be famished
W* i.WiUlamPe some Depaty AttoWGnea eo- Asant Attormy Gal~ w limy*. ?mpklas So m ASmi$tnt Attorne Gzwa Warren nm [i,
.9'.
~.' i 1 C -
- Li
-2 - 2~::~~* ~ d -36 -W21-55)
I FBI Date: Transmit the following message via 16
From SA, MOBILE
To: DIRECT -F7', RACIAL S U 1-IAo MONTGOMERY, ALAm Forwarded herewith to the Bureau are 2 copies eadh of clippings from the 11/15/56 issue of the Alabama Journal, daily at Montgomery, captioned "Non Violence Workshop Set,* "Long Boycott Ended by Negroes,* and"WCC Chief Dares Court to Enforce Bus Decree." All above articles appear on Page 1.
ascrtaned11/6/5 nd prompty furished to Bureau, as well as other developments captioned matter. ALL INFOrs-.r3,TcI.p NED (P- Bureau (100-135-61)(AM) (6Encls.)RI Mobile (44-439) 3
.I C 6,.e-?
,%I Voj 26 1955 Mr. Belmont 5 NOVL291Dr95ar. 592NOV291958 1 2 .c'z 'A- 41 S__
Approved: 0- .A- Sent M Per Special Age7in Charge to
r / DRIVERS HAVE ORDERS Until then, boycotters at the Bolt The manager of the Montgom- St. Church and at a similar meet. . City Lines, Inc., J. H. Bagley ing just before it on the other side whose bus patronage dropped by Wll Ride Buse of town agreed unanimously they more than 30,000 a day during the or share rides boycott, said drivers would will walk to work - tinue to enforce segregation with friends. formally relieved of tbe state-pre on Tuesday State Circuit Judge scribed duty.1 a etn When Decision Eugene Carter granted the city of Invocation atth fismein Montgomery an injunction stop- was given by the Rev. Robert ping the Negroes' car pool that Graetz, white pastor of a N e gr o has provided transport-ation since church and strong supporter of the Takes Effect the boycott began last Dec. 5. boycott since it began the day a Federal District Judge Frank M. Negro seamstress was fined $14 for Restraint Urged Johnson Jr. refused yesterday to refusing to move to the rear of issue boycott attorneys an injunc- a bus. A mass meeting in the Bolt By Resistance Head tion blocking city interference with Street church decided to boycott the car pool. buses. At Mass Meeting URGES RESTRAINT The Rev. S. S. Sear gave the King, apostle of peaceful action second invocatin, saying: "Wherev- The Negro bus boycott that be- throughout the protest, urged those er the Klans may march, no mat- came a world-renowned symbol of at both meetings to "be calm and ter what the White Citizens Coun- mass resistance to racial segre- reasonable w i t h understanding, cils may want to do, we are good will and Christian love. aot afraid because God Is an our gation was dramatically voted to "We must take this not as a side." an end last night at the church victory over the white man but Attendance at the two meetings where it was born 345 days before with dignity," he said to crowd was estimated by the two churches'. An estimated 5,500 hymn-sing- that had begun gathering three ministers to total more than 10,- Iag worshippers crowded into the hours before the meetings. "Don't 00. Boycott decisions have in the Holt St. Baptist Church to vote go back to the buses and push past been made at such meetings thunderously for an end to the people around. We're just going to and accepted by the approxim Montgomery boycott. sit where there's a seat" ly 10,000 Negroes in this firs WILL RETURN TO BUSES King added later, "I wish I . capital of the Confederacy. The Negroes decided to return could say that when we go back to city buses as soon as Tues- to the buses on an integrated basis .ea ines. QCE day's U. S Supreme Court de- that no white person will Insult L2I~3 : -ZDJD.-D]D Y- cision that bus segregation is un- you or that violence will no t break constitutional goes into effect here. out. But I can't say that because In Washington today, the office I don't know. Alabama Journal of the clerk of the Supreme Court "If someone pushes you, don't Montgomery, Alabama said formal notice will be issued push him back. We must have the Date In about a month. courage to refuse to hit back," the Under the court's rules, notice minister said. Page of a decision is not sent out until King said return to the b u a e a at least 23 days after the decision before the decision takes affect "is is announced. a matter that might be used by Re: RACIAL SITUATION In the bus segregation case de- reactionary elements to p l unge cided Tuesday, a certified copy of (See BOYCOTT, Page 3-A) MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA the Supreme Court's judgment will be sent to a special three- Bufile: 100-135-61 judge U.S. District Court In Mont- O8-yCOtt Mofile: 44-439 gomery, which declared unconsti- (Continued from Page 1-A) tutional the Alabama and Mont- as into needless barrassment and gomery laws requriAg racial seg- meaningless litigation." regation on buses. This unani- The senior judge on the. three. ALL (NFr" '11Tv 4P.- 'INED LA snously affirmed that decision. man federal panel that ruled LATER THAN ANTICIPATED against bus segregation here last The official notification will June 5, Richard T. Rives of Mont- come a little later than the leader Somery and New Orleans, said It of the Negroes apparently expect- would probably take two or three ed. The Rev. Martin Luther King weeks for formal notification Of the lJr. told a cheering throng last Supreme Court's action to reach might that the courts in Montgom- .Montgomery. King said "authen ery should receive the notice I sources indited" a (7 5( several days. He urged calmneer . -r -' - *x - ' . and restraint when it comes. ENCLOS 41. '.4-
'Non-Violence Workshop Set An "Institute o4 son-violence and social change" will be held here next month by leaders, of the now-ending Montgomery Negro bus boycott, they announced yes- terday. The week of Rededication to Negroes and workshops for South-* ern Negro leaders was announced by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. On the same day he called a victorious end to the boycott. TOPICS LISTED - Workshop topics will include r% p ED "The principles of non-v Iolent afpon" and "The problems of sur. ALL INIf,'IL al in the face of economi ssure and boycott," King sal otto of the Dec. 3-9, institu be "Freedom and dignity with love," the Baptist minister said. It will close w.th a "mam- moth statewide religious s er v- Ice" Dec. 9 to which he invited "all religious leaders and lay- Alabama Journal men In the state, regardless of Alabama color or creed." Montgomery, The institution's chairman, the Date / Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, said Page "We are planmng to involve the , entire national community by dis- cussing in the South in interracial groups the major issues that ef- Re: RACIAL SITUATION fect Negro-white relations in our MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA nation." Sponsor of the institute will be the Montgomery Improvement Bufile: 100-135-61 Assn., the organization that coor- Mofile: 44-439 dinated the boycott. King beads the MIA. He said "leaders from all segments of America," includ- Ing white persons, had accepted invilptions to participate.
*~~' ,-1.v
/ j 'I -'I 1-
NCR um a -
oil tDnre a Webb CC Chief Dares Couit To Enforce Bus Decree A White Citizens Council lear dieruptfnour Mdal'orderdIerists declared today that the Supreme IOU destroying the peaeful reh- Court "must make preparations to tions thathave tested here for enforce" its antisegregation orders Yearst Mgt make operations if it expects Southerners to obey to enforce iSrdel." them.Englehardt is executive ec- Commenting on Tuesday's de. t y o the prseegation Associa- cision outlawing Montgomery city tion of Alabama Citizens' Council. and Alabama State bus segrega- Un one nMay, si&yfbnt tion laws, State Sen. Sam Engelly that " don't have to operate hardt of Macon County said that buse and I won't." and similar decrees were based O"politics as well as the sociolog- h'add.'t wwawillcte I ravings of outsiders." operatedas wehave.t te residents of Montgomery y operates he. aTn ill never, accept" the bus inte- Co. Tsay's deson wasn't di- III order. Englehardt de-rectd specifically to any tra- gration clared, aiding. rotation system outside Montgom- the Supreme Court insists onery.dof Alabama Journal Montgomery, Alabama 4Date //-/ / F% Page
Re: RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Bufile: 100-135-61 ALL I -'7T NT AtNED Mofile: 44-439
HERE " DATE2L#
rNCT OSUr~ -(-p7- > iso section gg!;: SM MIP :i :1,11112M INIRTIM=11MMMIM MENIESM I ONMRWRI ME= j
SEA4ET Letter to Assistant Chief Of Staffl InteLIUONse
M~y additional pertinent nformation received relative to this matter vili be furisbd y~ oupptly.* cc Director of Naval Intelligence Department of the Navy The Pentagou Washingtor 25, D. C cc Director' of SpecialInvestigations The Inspector Geeral Departmnt of the Air Fozee BY COURIER S""ICI Build ing Tempo 2 4th and Adams J'iw* B. VL Washingtong Do C*
->
L~ 1 2 ET 4-750 (2-7-79) xxxxxx xxxxxx FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) /,;, ;7. 4h72 with no segregable material available for release to you.
D Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request
D Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
D Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) , was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the maternal to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s).
D For your information:
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages
ofC., 46, r - - L-5, r & ,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx DELETED PAGE(S) xX NO DUPLICATION FEE x xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx PBI/DOJ 4-750 (2-7-79) xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) with no segregable material available for release to you.
L Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request
D Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
21 Documents) originating with the following government agency(ies) 14"90 , was/were forwarded to them r direct response £Coyou.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the maternal to the FBI
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s)
7 For your information
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx DELETED PAGE(S) X NO DUPLICATION FEE x xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
FBI/DOJ -rAMMMM. Office Memorandum .UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO Director, FBI DAT: 11/19/56
FROM a SAC, M&W4l
,-~- I SUBJECT: RACIAISITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
As of interest to the Bureau, I am attaching here- to two copies each of the following newspaper items: 1. Item captioned "BUS BOYCOTT MAY BE ENDED AT MIA MEET" appearing in the Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery, Alabama, 11714/56. / 2. Item appearing in same paper on same date captioned "HILL DEPLORES BUS DECISION BY U. S. COURT.' 3. Item appearing in same paper on same date captioned "EVENTS WHICH LED TO COURT DECISION."
4. Item appearing in same paper-on same date captioned "BOMBSHELL FAILS TO DISRUPT CITY LIFE."
bureau (Encl. S)(AIR MAIL)(100-135-§1) bile (44-439) :~Bv ALL INn') ,lT-,,N CoTNEDj ERE' '1"%L;S i
.11 18 NOV 27 1956
N , , - 1,1 , I
71 DEC1~ ONOMMM
'C) O*
''-A T3 TO Urim " ergOUIM d~m ltdufR 4Lewis.ecar pool which was bi court wder:ist y, us Boycott d tarler that the e Court ruing certainly came a con1igt time." While he not elaborate earlier, It was clea May Be Ended he referred to the expected Ne- gro turnn to busses tomorrow. Kint did not say if Negroes will At MIA Meet attempt to take bus seats hereto- fore reserved for white persons The Montgomery bus boycott- There -- va no indication as to which -has paralyzed city buses what bus drivers will do an the here for 345 days-is ex t to eveint egroes attempt to tak e con'a to an end tonight. seats traditionally denied to them. The Rev. Martin Luther King N. c4 bus line officials could Jr., president of the Montgomery be reached for comment last Improvement Assn. s a I d last night: Montgomery City Lines Dis- aight that the MIA executive com- trict'lpervisor J. IL Bagley was aittee "is in the process of draw- reportedout of the city by his Ing al a recommendation" asking family, *. I boycotting Negroes to return 'Although City PDlice Commis- ag tomorrow. decision buses e Supreme Court's Ib'MIA has been the sa r ay, he did not indicate if of the Negroes' 11-mo a measures would be activa boycott which began I&-, halt any attempt at bus inj1 - the trial date of a Negro gratinI woman charged with violating bus segregation laws. 2 SEPARATE MEETINGS King will read the executive ecmmittee's recommendation at two separate mass meetings to- alght. The first will be at 7 p m. In the..Hutchinson Street Baptist Church and the second at a p.m IoAbe M Iolt Street Baptist Church Montgomery, Alabam King: said h& was not sure how the recommendation would be Date voted 4a but felt it would "proo- ably by a voice vote." He said Page - -/ 0-e2 be "ceddn't imagine why any- body .would vote against the recommendation. Re: RACIAL SITUATION 'King said purposes of the muss MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA meetings "are not only to r d e recommendation but to u- Bufile: 100-135-61 ~; te the people - to prepare e pe to accept tthe new sita- Mofile: 44-439 n with the proper spirit and proper attitude." ,, - . .0
ICC:AAGC D!D 'T1LISION (11'7- AAC-9G ENCLOSU I 4 0.
HitDeplores (CoUtinued From Page 1) * Bus Decision average person thought 'Well, if we're at another brink, we'd better keep a general in the White House.' " - By U.S. Court He said he felt this explanation By SON COLE held true "for all sections of the Sen List Hill said yesterday country, even here m the South he "grea deplored" the Su- where some people voted Repub- preme Court order declaring bus lican for the first time in their segregation laws illegal and re- lives. ALL FNQVO : N~iE peated his earlier stand of "using "But to realize the true strength every lawful means to set aside and influence of the Democratic the ruling " Party, one only has to remember that this election was practically At his Montgomery office until Congress reconvenes in January, unprecedented," he said. the senator called the decision a 5CE TAYLOR "continuation of the ruling whi It has been mo than a hun- d ared school segregation years, in f t, since 1M tutional." win Zachary Tay r was elected, added "the Southern voteft that the party of the President Co gress, in and of itself,is4 did not gain control of Conguess." am ajor ity He added, "the new Senate, which could which has a Democratic plura- fight" s uc h , lity of two votes, will still prob- decisions. "For ably continue to vote on the same this type of ac- basis of what is in the best interest t fo n, however of the country and support a bi- Montgomery, Alabama we are seeking partislan foreign policy." Date .4/-o/4'--r-,r Commenting on his plans until support f ro m the Congress reconvenes, H ill Page /-.9 other sections." said "most of my time will be During a n In- taken up by a study now under terview w it h way for our 'seror citizens.' Re: RACIAL SITUATION Hill, the State's "In the last 10 years. man's life MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA expectancy has increased by five senior senator and a half years. Now we're study- attributed Ei- BILL ing all phases of possible aid to Bufile: 100-135-61 senhower's recent landslide elec- him such as health benefits, in- Mofile: 44-439 tion victory to the President's come,' employment and f I1eld s "great personal popularity and the where weq lead a..hsfngpi serious Middle East situation and useeful Ofe." t cretrw of State Dulles on S us we had been on the bri o at three times. I suppose (See HILL, PdgeSAL
-~-' J/ A //dO iCC: AGC:~ * PTsic FORIAc3-1 rNCLSU 0.
.4N
EVENTS WHICH LED.... TO COURT DECISION - In chronological order, here are the events in Montgomery which led to the U.S. Supreme Court's historic decision yesterday outlawing racial segregation on public -conveyances 5 in the state: Dec. 1. 1 -Rosa Parks, a Negro seamstress, was arrested after she refused to move to the rear of a city bus when asked to do so by the bus driver. ALL WT~ ?! Dec. 3-Thousands of circulars were distributed to Meatgm- ery Negroes, urging them to "stay off city bases" sa Monday, Dec. 5, the day of the trial of the Parks woman, Ia protest of her arrest. DATE- 3/3$3 ejlpc Dec. 5-The Negro woman was fined $10 and costs In police court for violating city laws. Meanwhile, bus company officials reported the Negro "one-day protest" was 90 per cent effective. Dec. 8-With the boycott still in effect, Negro leaders indicated It would continue indefinitely until satisfactory " agreements could be reached. Their demands: A first-come first-served seating arrangement, Negro drivers for buses which traveled in N ro sections of the city, and more courteo treatment for N o passenger. I Jan. -'fterpeeks of fuWe negotiations, e first maJor oleace was crudem-a bomb exploded the pereb of the Rev. M. AZ Jr., Negre leader of the ycott. No ea *as Ijured. Jan. 31-A second ,rmb was exploded, this time on the lawn w of the home of E. V'ixon, Negro leader and former president of the Alabama chater of the NAACP. z_;a Feb. 21-The Montgomery County Grand Jury Indicted N Negro leaders active in the boycott, all charged with violating state laws prohibiting organized boycotts. Montgomery, Alabama March 22-Rev. M. L. King Jr. was found guilty of boycott Date L - e- charge and fined $500 aind costs. ase was appealed to State Court of Appeals where It is still pending. Page May 2-Oa a petition from City Commisslo, Circuit Judge Walter B. Jones ordered City Bus Iaes to diseentine Its policy of desegregation. Re: RACIAL SITUATION May 1f-Negro legal leaders open assault on city and state MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA segregation laws relating to transportation, giving testimony, to ta al three-member panel of federal judges. BufIile: 100-135-61 June 5-Federal judge panel, by vote of 2-1, declare segrega- unconstitutional on public -conveyances. Both city and state Mofile: 44-439 aeal decision to U.S. Supreme Court. Nov. S-U.S. Supreme Court, oi appWal from three-member panel uphold original decision, declaring segregation on 818 ery and Alabama public conveyances is unconstitutionaL
16", e /2 ' 2,> - FoFJm 6-95 ____ /> C~ -S.-.. I 0I
.5
SI - I. - . .~* .' *JV BUSITVESS CONTINUE~ USUAL Bombshell Fails To Disrupt City Life By STEVE LESSER vertiser yesterday afternoon were "the system they've bad in the Montgomery continued business eager to have their say. South about bus seating Is one as usual yesterday despite a po- Asked their reactions to th e they should keep. Most of yoUr tential bombshell tossed on the Supreme Court decision to outlaw Negro population is In the South Cradle of the Confederacy by the segregation on buses in Montgom and I feel that it would be more U.S. Supreme Court. ery, white men and women were orderly if you have separate seats." The city bus line- Montgomery unanimously opposed to integra- Rufus Lewis, one of the key City Lines Inc -operated on sched- tion. Curiously, however, they ap- leaders of the Negro bar pool, Wle and the few Negroes who ride ered almost resigned rather than said he "expected a favorable Ie buses walked quietly to the resentful. These powerfully opposed decision from the Supreme Court. r. and took their seats. to' bus integration avoided refer- I think everybody expected It. I But the inner surging of coo- ence to violence unless specifically don't feel there will be violence,' cting emotions could not be re- asked if they believed there might not in Montgomery. The Negro ained. Nearly all of more than be violence. population has not been unduly . two dozen white persons and No. T. Sat. Rebert J. Wal, 3, of excited over the decision but there's groes interviewed by The Ad. ft. Paul, Minn., said be felt that (See BOMBSHELL, Page SA)
TOWNSEND FOWE
Montgomery, Alabama ALL I'% -.."T bN N I~S~D Date / -- ; Page -PWloo
Re: RACIAL SITUATION .&,1jeZ MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Bufile: 100-135-61 Mofile: 44-439
F'OFlA 6 -S5
Z/-- -; / -, -~' I, ''U (0 C
iiI
Smoba, Sanders . MOna Ave., said, '1i tell you w BombshelL, I feel about t It. I ever wanted (Contlued From Page 1) buy a car, but rm buying one tomorrow. Pm doing that to pro. been a lot of talk just as I'm doing tect my daughter-in-law -. my now." son's overseas - and my grand- At the Montgomery Improvement child. I don't expect my grand- Assn.% the group which has spear- child, who's five year's old -' headed the 11-month-old bus boy- I don't think he'll ever ride on a cott, the first of what probably will bus next to a Negro." be many congratulatory telegrams Jake .K'i714W. Patten Ave., arrived. It was from Denver, Colo. said, "I'm a Northerner and up The contents of the telegram were there we don't have any segrega- not released for publication. tion O buses But I believe it's Miss Jansita Townsend, 18-year- up to the people of the South to old student at Massey - Draughon decide for themselves whether or Business College here, said that not they want segregation or In. "if buses are integrated, many tegration." people would get upset. As long All the persons interviewed by as you ask, I think it might lead The Advertiser, with the exception to violence." of Lewis, are regular bus patrons. of Selme r. In earlier interviews, one of the Mrs. J. D. Powell plantiffs enn., said she "didn't think the In the precedent-break. egroes are quite ready for inte- ing Supreme Court case said "It ation. Many don't keep them- not as If we were fighng ves clean and I wouldn't lik e city or its officials." Susie c. buses. Up nald, 78, said "all we wa C* to sit next to them on ras in Memphis they don't have bus. Justice. We were badly trea on the buses and now they've gi integration." us justice. Warrant Officer G. C. Watts, 36, "I feel that lots of people of the 210B Smith St. and formerly of white race and of Air Force Base, said our race are not Maxwell fit to sit with decent people and' he felt "like the test of Montgom. they should go don't like the to the rear of ery. I guess I just bas," the Negro woman said. thought of Negroes pushing me The otly other plantiff avail. around." able, 16-year-old Claudett Colvin. Carrie McKenzie of 767 Day St., had no comment. Robert Cleare, said, "I'm 56 a Negro domestic, ne of the bus drivers named in years old and that too old to walk. the federal court suit, said he I make $10 a week and that's not would have nothing to say about enough to pay cab fare every day. the decision. Cleere is now in a I ride the buses. I don't use fdert civil service Job at Max- car pool because they tell me wel Air Force Base. ,r got to be a member of th4 e other driver, James F N CP to do that. And I don e, was unavailable. e enough money to belong ~portersof The Adv the NAACP. Anyway, my dadd ct the cityn ote d all didn't belong to the NAACP so N groes seen riding bus re. why should I?" - mained seated in the rear. 4-750 (2-7-79) xxxxxx mxxxx FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
/ Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) 4100-- h 72--> with no segregable material available for release to you.
K] Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request
K Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
O Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) , was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the material to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s).
El For your information
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx X DELETED PAGE(S) X SNO DUPLICATION FEE xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxx FaI/DOJ A 41 . ,
Assistant Chlo orfStaff, late14
ai.da ti I al wtmnt luzstia woiw" a.3atIWe to t i uett willbe ftnigbed YOU pwamtLy 9 Dr"ctoe of lNal Intelligme Dfpeatment of the Navy The PentagmU weahitout 3.0. I . f, - ~ - - ~-- - ~ a.
41 " - 1 I 9,
Aw-ai Dfreof t Staffel a ?*stgemw~ m =Tics Dpewtmat tOwheAlt Fsr & Vealing Tng* a C
-3- Ofce MemWandur * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Director, FBI DATE: 11/21/56 SAC, Mobile A) ECT: RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
As of interest to the Bureau, I am attaching two copies each of the following newspaper Itan* 1. Item appearing in the Montgo Advertiser, Montgomery, Alabama, 11/16/56, captione ITY VOWS BATTLE ON DESEGREGATION BY LEGAL METHODS." 2. Item appearing in same paper on same date captione LSOM CALLS FOR SETTLING RACE ISSUE OUTSIDE COURT." 3. Item appearing in t labama Journal, Montgomery, Alabama, 11/20/56, caption CITY PLANS NEW BUS CASE PLEA."
( - Bureau (Encl. 6)(100-135-61) go. 1 - Mobile (44-439) lo
~7O ye.. ALL INF0RWTO CWT ":""
[p I
~G(~& porronrm -34 2-1 / 5] 7690/9 /-2 -4 .. d IC7 to NOV 27 19!
Xon
1CC AAG Chi17iAL DIVISION 6-95 .0 0
-~-;~-- .t ~ I Vows BattlBal%r 1I f-4 On Desegregation y al Methods ayor W. A. Gayle said In itten statement that the Cit 'I Commission doesn't accept inte- gration as inevitable. He said the city will "do all legal things nec- essary to continue enforcement of our (9 Barrier segregation laws and eria- Race nances of all kinds." The ordinance requiring sepa- LYontgomery Advertiser rate seatIng facilities for white L:ontscrery, Alabama Will Remain and Negro passengers on city Ilovember 16, 1956 buses has been ruled unconstitu- By AL McCONAGRA tional along with Alabama state Page One The Montgomery City Commis- laws providing the same - restric- sion promised yesterday to seek. tions. . Re: -RACIAL SITLUAIO: every "legal" means of preserv- OTHER LAWS. - Ing racial segregation laws here Speaking in a broad sense' and asked residents, meanwhile. not on the bus problem alone to remain calm. Gayle declared "we shall contain Suf ie: 100-13 5-61 At the same time. Negro lead- to enforce segregation" to insure .104ile: 44-439 e r s expressed disappointment "public safety, to protect the peo- when they learned it may be 25 ples of both races and to pro- days before the Supreme Court mote order in our city." decision outlawing bus segregation Along with buses, city laws r laws become officially effective quire segregation in restaurants here. rest rooms, parks and ply . . 6 .,Jit Negroes voted Wednesday nig grounds, swimming pools and o end their 11-month-old bus be er activities. tt pending delivery of the hit Mayor Gayle told The Ad - hurt's Tuesday mandate her er the -commission has not d "T ey had anticipated only a thr ed what legal measures will or four day delay. en to maintain bus segreg n. Be said the commission ha (See CITY. Page A)
-/jSU _ EN' & /- FOfl 6-95 * . . 0 0
d imaskngton for a copy of operate under the ew-whatever WBers eddd eOft the Supreme Court's decision. the law is. It would" a tgr*1pie Court is not a Meanwhile, It was surmised that if the injunction is removed, our sion against Montgomery-but a as much as a month may elapse present method of segrgatag decision against tue entre South. ~- - 4 passengers would (&demlamed from Page 1) be snconstu- It is a decision against our Ideas ;~;- I tonal." - - of Segregation. It is another.tsol before the Supreme Court's de- Gayle and Commissioner Clyde to break down o Idels am segregation order is received here. C. Sellers issued separate state- to mix theraces." ,0a . The court's rules provide for a ments yesterday afternoon while 25-day waiting period to give the Commissioner Frank W. Parks, Mayor De s Meetisg losing party time to ask for a re- third commission member, made hearing. After that, a certified it clear both colleagues spoke for Related To 3us Issue copy of the anti-segregation rul- him. Mayor W. A.-ayle deniedyeo- Ing will have to be sent to the 3-DAY TURMOIL three-judge panel whose decision terday that a Visit of t*6 legro theSupreme Court upheld. The long-awaited statement by leaders to his office yesta y the commission came water three morning had any relation to int- The exact number of days al- days of legal turmoil involving bus gration of city buses. lotted to the city and state to segregation and Negroes' boycott request a rehearing could not be President Martin Lather King of city buses which is now nearly and vice president Ralph D definitely determined last night. a year old. I Some legal experts thought the Abernathy of the Negro Montgom- time is 10 days, others thought Tuaday the 'Supreme Court ery Improvement Assn.. which 15. or perhaps even 20 days. ruled Montgomery and state lawrn has sparked the 11-month-old boy- enforcing Asked what the city would do if bus segregation ,were, cott of segregated city buses only unconstitutional. The same day, discussed a possible location for and when Negroes attempted to Circuit Integratenthe now-segregatea bus Court Judge Eugene Car- a proposed Negro "non-violence" ter issued an injunction halting seminar here, Gayle said. line, Gale said, "We'll have to the time comes." Negro car-pool. Judge Frank 149 conclusions were reached at wait unt that M. Johnson of U.S. District Court The Rev. Martin Luther King, the 'meeting, Gayle said. Wednesday refused a Negro plea Negroes are plan- leader of the Montgomery Im- for action preventing the city from Montgomery provement Awn. (MIA) which ning a week-long "rededication to interfering with the Negro trans- non-violence" which will be con- Sasspearheaded the boycott, indi- portation system. ated his disappointment in the * ducted Dec. 3 through Dec. 9. The The mayor, in his statement, meeting will be sponsored by the elay of the mandate's delivery said: Montgomery. MIA. "Something will be done," he "To insure pub c safety, to pro- a Termed an "Institute on Non- said, "to speed up the Supreme tect the peoples of both races, and r Violence and Social Change," the Court order." But he declined to to promote order in our city we t seminar is intended by the associ- say how the MIA hopes to shorten shall continue to enforce segrega- ation to fall during the week of the time until bus integration be- tion. We ask the honest consider. . the Montgomery bus boycott's first comes effective here. tion and cooperation of all citi- 0 anniversary. 'I It wadslearned last night that zens with this decision the, part King and the Rev. Ralph D. of the city commission." Sellers Denies Parley Abrnathy, another Fegro boycott Sellers said: Hqld On White Boycott leader, were in Birmingham. The "We shall continue to use all k nature of their business there was legal means to prevent integration Commis- - Rumors that the City not made known. but the MIAI from invading our transportation sios was meeting with certain I& office said they would be out of system. This is not the time for cal groups to organize a white town until Saturday..I hot heads, oratory, loud talk, or boycott of racially integrated city Negroes remained off busesI threats. The only sensits way to buses was vigorously denied yes- yesterday for the 347th consecu-I face this problem is with common terday $y Public Affairs Commis- tive day. They either walked or sense, calm consideration of the sioner Clyde C. Sellers. sha-ed rides with friends. TheI problem, and an attitude that the When questioned by The Adver- effect of their extended boycott step we take will be a step toward tiser about the rumors, which had on Montgomry City Lines Inc.r mainaining segregation." been widely circulated, Sellers has been crushing. J. H. Bagley, Both city officials deplored the said "the City Commission is in company district supervisor saidI higL court ruling. no way considering any method any boycott of whites the company had suffered about Gayle said," the recent Supreme to upholding a $750.O revenue loss since last Court 1dedsions and the multitude I of ecty bus system." Dec.5, 195, the first day of the of court actions and publicity A boycott of city bue by any boycott.f group would probably be cosid- floing , in their wake have er avolation of a state anti- 'Bagley, ased what the company seriously lowered the dignified would do if and- when a states relations which did exist between tt law, observers I" injunction requiring segregated the races In our city and in our buses Is removed, said, "If the state.", -. - lfeieless is removed, we will C 0-. *
p*~ 4
OLSOM CALLS FOR SETTLING ACE ISSUE OUTSIDE COURT Gov. James E. Folsom urged white and Negro leaders again today .to try to settle their racial differences without going to court. "The only way I know to defeat the Supreme Court de- cisions regarding segregation is to keep such cases out of the courts," Folsom said in a prepared statement commenting on Tuesday's decree outlawing bus segregation. That is what I have been preaching for the past two years," the statement continued, "and I am going to continue to do so by working with men of goodwill of all races." Folsom asked the Legislature last year to create a biracal commisson with authority to negotiate segregation differences, but the Legislature rejected it.
!ontgomery Advertiser Eontgomery, Alabama november 16, 1956 Page One
Re: ?ACIAL SIT UATIO' ALL~ Ir.T GOT?,Y, ALASAIXk
H * kL lk,~ BuI'ile: 100-135-61 OAh -BY, Yof ile : 44-439
1-CC: AP.G .L vsoi FOFJY 6-V5______
p
ENCLOSURE *' w. C 0
4
CASE PIE r,
ON ALL INFO T CON TAILED THE ALABAMA JOURNAL November 20, 1956 HERE!I I Latest Edition DATE 2B'' Montgomery, Alabama RE: RACIAL SITUATION Montgomery, Alabama cc: AAG' .. MoFILE: 44-439 7oR 6-95 BuFile: 100-135-61
/j Ol I- -w p a -1peal Slaid. Until then, 'the piotest will co Said. "W& ' t in- tend to return to segr On Integration buses." Boycotters voted a week ago to end their protest when the deci. sion goes into effect. Meanwhile, Rule by Court they are walking to work and sharing rides with friends since a Action Expected state court ban issued last week stopped their car pool transporta- in 25-Day Deadline tion. City officials announced after Set by Tribunal the court decision that the would us all legal means available to The City Commission said ay connue separate seating arrange- it will ask the Supreme Cou to Me for Negroes on buses here. reconsider its decision holdin city T y sai4 this was necessary to and stat? bus segregation ws preserve public safety add to pro- unconstitutional. 0 mote order. A request for rehearing will be BROWNELL CALLS METIN9 filed with the court within the Comment from Montgomery 25-day deadline beginning with an- Alabama -officials was not nouncement of the ruling Nov. 13. mediately available on the an LITTLE HOPE OF SUCCESS issued in Washington ye Ay City authorities had said pri- by Atty. Gen. Brownell for a con- vately that they hate little hope ference of federal prosecutors in of winning a rehearing in view of ;)P0 14 Southern states on how to carry t unanimous action of the court out the Supreme Court decree i knocking the segregation laws ag t racial segregation an .f * buse I eanwhile, Justice Black's re- In letter to the prosecutors, fusal to speed up official notice Brow ell said is is clear from the of the court ruling brought "no court decision on the Montgom- real disappointment" to leaders ery case that racial discrimination of the Montgomery Negro bus boy- against passengers on buses is cott. "a crime against the United The Rev. Martin Luther g states " Jr. said. "We were optitic Th2 attorneys general of two enough to hope for the but uthern states were quick to re- realistic enough to know was ct to Brownell's inference. possible the court would deny the Atty. Gen. Joe Patterson' of request, and we knew that that ississippi said the conference "is was the greater possibility." just another stance of utter dis- HEADS MIA regard of the rights of states." I King Is president of the Mont- In Florida, Atty. Gen. Rich d Sgomery Improvement Assn., co- Ervin said Brownell "will o ordinating body for the boycott re harm than good" if he t- that began Dec. 5. Out of it grew tt pts to force action to end a federal suit on which the Su- r ated seating on intrastate preme Court ruled a week ago b cs in the South. that city and state bus segrega- tion laws are unconstitutional. The decision will be formally relayed to U.S. Dist. Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. of Montgomery about Dec. 12, a Supreme C6urt off ial said yesterday after Black re ed a Negro request to horten thel normal delay. A penanent injietion against city bu segre- ga ion here will go inf effect when the decision arrives. cc LIaiao secti
HEREIN IsuLOFE l'OO--wNloom M"
Date a DATE-fS
Le ot stw A" s ant CM~
The 5Wntm~
Atteutiu SM~, ftwlt7 PIit*Ios 4 114m" John Uga? bowrg rtu
Siubjocts RAC IAL SITUAT ION
Knights of tkhez XIMxAA INWMIAL ES3EIfl4wX
csmt-..w as" ~ to 'Uf23*t Cuu in mwhiah van w. oadvistma oei t4 .*l{1
Belmont- wasoo Mohr _
Tele. Room- Gandy -Y U c4 15 O~G~ ~
The af ternoon aciiis4 1tda bat 100 Klanamen In groups of 10 to 20 Walking arondth Skedsgcaupr business district poixng for picturesan pstng out leaflets andmeM~aership applications.o mn occasion naly entaged eitizensAinVersations but no iaformation was received reflecting any specific attempt to influence the situation concerning segregation on buses. Neither of the sources nor Agents of this Bureau saw evidence of Klansuen being armed. Any additional pertinent information received relative to this matter ill be furnished you promptly. cc Director of Special Investigation The Inspector General Department of the Air Foree BY COURIER SERVE Building Tempo a kth and Adams Drive# . W. Mashingtont ;. C. ce Director of Naval Intelligence -Department of the Navy The Pentagon Washington 25, D. C. irm64 C, Office Memorandum UNITED STATES GOVERNMI
To Director, FBI DATE: 11/23/56
SAC, Y~obile
SUBJeCr: RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA /2 fi For information of the Bureau, attached are two ,, f copies of an item appearing in the Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, 11/19/56, captioned "COUNCIL ASKS FOR NEW TRIAL IN CAR POOL." ALL IFO".TiN CONTAINED (Encl. 2)(100-135-61) (100-1361) iRE 6&7U1TN'LI ikW/V 3'Mobile DATE RECORDED- 54
I i
d Ili/A, i -) < / / t)l
V- IC 1119 5 ILI; amie-1 9 ~ -VI 4 0
4 5-.' c~, .,.* Council Asks For New Tria In Car Pool A brief outlining arguments for a new trail for the Inter Civic Council and 21 Negroes, who were convicted of operat- ing an illegal transportation system, was filed today with City Court Judge John A. Rudd. The main point Abe brief by Francisco A rquez, Tampa Negro attorney, was that the car pool operation was ;ot a business and failed to ieet "for hire" provisions o law. Judge Rudd did not rule im- mediately on the motion for a new trial, which was argued ALL INFOfI.TIEN COITA[NED Nov. 13. Special Prosecutor Mark R. Hawes will have an opportunity to file a brief be- fore the decision If he thinks It Is necessary.- Rodriquez's brief was simi- lar to previous motions made in the. car pool cases, stating the car pool was a part of a pro- test movement, which he de- scribed as "peaceful picketing" -and not a business venture. Arrests of car pool opera olated the 14th Amendm f the Constitution which gua tees free speech aga THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT ridgement, tb-brtWesaid. TALLAHASSE3, FLORIDA Date / /
Re: RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 Mobile 100-1361
4 "
/16e .WO / C3 V5&so (4p / am (: 9 -wIt 111411)"
Tro 0 Mr. T - Mr. N FEDERAL BUREAU OF IM TIGATION P r. Bo US DEPARTMENT OFJUSTICE COMMUNICATIONS SrCTION Mr ohr . M Nsen___
ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED NOV 2 Mr.e_
HEREIN1S l .SSEPE Tele.Room isa Gandy -.... DA TE / Y:Aii YS MOBILE 11-25-56 11-06 PM Ar Ba DIRECTOR, FBI ... URGENT ...
U. S. KLANS, KNIGHTS OF THE KKK. IS - S.REUAIRTEL
O IT
1111111111111111111111111111111111 AFTERNOON
ACTIVITIES CONSISTED OF ABOUT ONE HUNDRED KLANSMEN IN GROUPS OF TEN TO TWENTY WALKING AROUND MONTGOMERY BUSINESS DISTRICT,
POSING FOR PICTURES, PASSING OUT LEAFLETS AND MEMBERSHIP APPLI-
CATIONS, ACCORDING TO RESERVATION BY BUREAU AGENTS KLANSMEN OCCASIONALLY ENGAGEDD CITIZENS IN CONVERSATION ON STREET, BUT NO REPORTS REFLECT ANY SPECIFICIAT EMP TO INFLUENCE B i SITUATION. OR AGENTS SAW E IDENCE OF LA S N BEING ARMED, AND NO S OR KLANSMEN MOLESTED OR ANY OTHER te DEC .2 1956 NOTABLE DISORDER. ONLY TWO MINOR INCIDENTS REPORTED, BOTH NON-
RACIAL AND INCONSEQUENTIAL. /,ND PA ONE - tkS PAGE TWO
NO SOURCES REPORT ANY KLANSMEN TOURING NEGRO N#ASRHOOD, EXCEPT ONE BRIEF TOUR IN
NEGRO BUSINESS DISTRICT, BY A GROUP OF TWENTY. SOME LICENSE NUMBERS AND NUMEROUS PHOTOS OF KLANSMEN OBTAINED SY AGENTS. FULL COVERAGE BY PRESS AND TV NOTED. DETAILS, CLIPPINGS, AND LEAD DATA FOLLOW IN LETTER TO BUREAU AND INTERESTED OFFICES. HALLFORD
END AND ACK PLS
WA 12-14 AM OK FBI WA ELR
Irv, b Ii ,.
'*,* The following original pages are of poor quality. UPA has made every technical effort to provide the best possible reproduction. -~ ~
~I~I
-"7 C.-
THEATTR/E GEE7
AllE!I FORP A.' TN'!FIEA1
*N IA"K DLATEWa~lA OF - ' 40 XU AU,1Ki7111 &3a3a li KNIGHTS OF &I Thwn in Alabam aaflUX 96lea6BT Knights of the Ka *S U u* IMTRRJIAL SUCURITI htezene Is made to ae smaudus dated 1~ 11 f serLt & t I
- bA
C4
onacds
Nts. _ _
%men~ Tam= t-: Nease
Vaneffowit r?. p -r- Tele. Room- Koloman- Gandp. 4 f.
Letter to The Attorney General
The afternoon activities coaststed of about 100 Ilsasen .in groups of 10 to 20 wali uarouse the Montgomery business district posing for etre a singout leaflets and menmbshipa ications. aen ocastonaily engaged itiseas io aoversatimS but information was received reacting any specific attempt to influence the situation eencerning segregation on buses either of the oure n Aents of this suresa saw evidence of Ki ansmen be1g armed. My additional pertinent Information receive4 relative to this matter vill be furnished you promptly. e* Mr. Villi a P. Rogers Deputy Attorney General ce Assistant Attorney General wIlliam P. Tompkins cc Assistant Attorney General Warren 01ay II
4o IS11s , I
-2- h ..Pld &e 00)
Office Memorandum *UNITED STATES
TO : Director, FBI (100-135-61)
\.,FROM SAC, Mobile (44-439)
sunzJr: RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
There are enclosed herewith the original and six copies of a blank memorandum pertaining to captioned matter i To synopsize the data therein this memorandum sets forth the followin* a-*
no Klan killing or unsolved b killing is known eco Mont omer Im rovement Association., \ I cites unequal J I 1egroes in ma er o giving ou traffic tickets as possible reason for downtown boycott, and cites details of one 5 allegedly aggravated case, where respectable elderly colored lady was jailed on arrest for not having driver 'd C D~assi-an ri ir
that MIA plans oy- own own mercy an s o rce hiring of Negro employees, nd that NAACP intends to import "Negro goons" into Montgomery creat difficult conditions on b ter Su reme Court ia date is received.
Informants in the blank memorandum are as follows: -.
For the info tfbJV he Bureau, requested SA o use his i uence to ry get te Supreme Court old rRDEandate P (-Bureau (100-135-61) (AIRMAIL)' 7) 1 K~o bile (-4439 10DEC-15 .67cJrl jr,0T C IO'S *- 'I6
M~O 44-439 p.;s~. on integration on city buses, because of the possible violence indicated by the report he had received about the " o goons." It was explained to that neither SA m or the Bureau had any authofr3it3*.Wke recommendations o this kind. OnW1128, later in the afternoon, it was noted that paid a visit to the office of Honorable HlAR.TL DAVIS, . .lS attorney, MDA, Montgomery. The purpose of his visit was not known.
______!______he was askedbonlKuif he had heard any rumor that a Negro-had been killed by "Ku Kluxers." He volunteered all other information furnished. In describing the incident about the elderly co d1ady who was jailed for traffic vio ations, gave no appearance of making a complaint, or 1 dica- ting that any Federal jurisdiction was involved. It was appar- ently meant on1l* *-- * * --- n bo cott calls.
~r~4 Any additional information will be promptly forwarded to the Bureau.
f
-2- -.- A. .e
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION IMay IJWWaODMobile, Alabama M N& November 29, 1956
RACIAL SITUATION RONTGONERY,-ALABAMA .
Montgomery Police Department, advised that his department had received no information about any Negro man being killed on November 26, 1956, and has no unsolved recent killings, and no information that an one was killed or attacked by the Klan, or any Klansman. had no explanation for the above rumor.
Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA was asked if he had heard of any Klan killing, and advised that he knew of no Negro being killed recently by the Klan or by an unknown person. He volunteered the information that he had received information that telephone messages of the above description were being circulated, and expressed regret at this. He said that he had no idea who had initiated the calls, but said that he knew of a general, "unorganized" movement on the part of Negroes to avoid the downtown shopping districts in Montgomery. He said that this movement has resulted from an increasing tendency on the part of the Montgomery Police Department to give traffic tickets to Negroes for "borderline"t traffic rule infractions, where normally no ticket is given. He gave an an example of one Negro who was given a ticket for momentarily stepping his car alongside of a arked car (double parking) to pick up a passenger. said that ordinarily,
TN tU~'N0 ALL INFO 41 r DATE-- - 73,r12Y60 he: RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOEIY, ALABEMA
if a traffic officer sees such a minor violation, he will motion the driver to drive on but in this case, he gave the driver a ticket. also described the following inci- dent, and said at t is incident had stirred a strong resent- ment among the Negro people, and might be responsible for the telephone cam ai n: One da last week believed to be November
stopped y a TI MIME51 77 ouse, j~wasor running a red light. The officer asked to see her drivers li nse and she then discovered that she had left it at home. Ilegedly pointed to her house, and requested that the o icer permit her to go home and et her license. The officer then allegedly inquired if lived on that one block of Morgan Street where all the cuses are occupied by white people, and if she was a mem- ber of the only Negro family on that block. When she answered in the affirmative, the officer said, "I'm going to take ou down to the jail." Allegedly the officer did then take o jail. A neighbor observed her being taken byt e Of icer, and shortly after she arrived, an inquiry was mde, and it ~was learned that she was being held on '-200.00 bond. The bond was raised, and she was released within an hour or two.
lunteered the information that he has hear 'ip that the MIA has positive plans to
-2- Re: RACIAL SITUATION -7 MONTGONERY, ALAB AMA
boycott downtown city merchants in Montgomery after the bus seg- regation matter is settled for hse of forcing them to hire Negro em10yees. e atona association oored People has plans to import a , large number of "Negro goons" to Montgomery immediately after the Supreme Court hands down its mandate outlawing segregation on city buses in Montgomery, for the purpose of getting on the buses in large numbers, with each Negro occupying a different seat on the bus, making it necessary for any white passengers
I :1?, .q
'-3- I- 7 cc Mr.
RAC IAL S IT UATION MOYMOM* Reurlet date vaentr 29, 1956, with which o furnished a blank memoradu n erring captioned matter. Furnish locAl reliable authorities and intellitnce agencies of the Armed Forces information contained SA the blank memorandum relative to "Negro goose " beep Bureau advised of any pertinent information reeived Is addition to that furnished in the blank mnmoranM. Hoover 100-13541
NOTE ON YELLOW:
*b Mobile Office that he had learnedhed-information C that the NAACP plans to import a large number o egro goons" to Montgomery immediately after the Supreme Court hands down its mandate prohibiting segregation on city buses in Montgomery. These goons will be used for purpose of compellbg/to sit next to Negroes on buses* whites
ALL INFOR..TI& CONTA,10 IPLRE!i' I, DATE /.% BY44AsA5 i
Boardsm Beli. Rsos DOEC -4 150 Taremm (woe
Wiuterrowd Tele. Room,
Gandy '- '~ Office Menorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO Director, FBI DATE: 12/4/56
FROM SAC Mobile j SUBJECT:Imolu : j RACI TSTUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
For information of the Bureau, I am attaching here- to two copies of an item-appearing inl t labama Jonal, Month omrye Alabama, under date of 12/3 6captioned ON- 01CE.SOCIAL -CHANGE SEMINAR.TFOR HOLT STREET M IST
Bureau (Encl. 2) (100-135-61) 1 -Mobile (44-439) - lo 6M.(0 -mm ~ 6 / ----C7 7
'17 DEC 10 1956
L a
4-JmR d' .1TIC.NCff, .E
_113 ~'t LV . p v 4,
~. 3
MONTGOMIRY, ALAUAMA Monday, December 2, 1956 ALABAMA JOURNAL S-B Non-Violence, Social Change Seninar Set For Holt Street Baptist Church The week-long Institute on "Non- ticipate. Mrs. Georgia Black will the meeting. Participants will in- Violence and Social Change," spon- sing a solo. clude the Rev. Robert Graets and sored by the Montgomery Im- On Tuesday night at 7 at the N. H. Snith of Birmingham. provement Assn, is scheduled to Bethel Baptist Church a public WOMENIS NIGHT begin tonight with the annual mass forum will be heard, with Rev. On Wednesday night the women meeting at the Holt Street Bap- Glenn Smiley, Field Secretary of will come to the front to phrtici- tist Church. the Fellowship of Reconciliation, pation and two of the foremost The Rev. Doctor M. L. King Jr., New York, serving as moderator women of America will be guest president of the organization, will Participants on the forum will be contributors. Miss Lllian Smith, deliver his annual address, and Revs. T. J. Jemison, Baton Rouge; noted novelist, and Miss Nonme will be the main speaker. Music C. K. Steele, Tallahassee; F. L. H. Burrough, noted Negro pioneer, will be furnished by the choirs of Shuttlesworth, Birmingham; and will speak. The presiding officer the Holt Street and Dexter Avenue B. D. obert, Montgomery. will be Mrs. Jo Ann Robinson Bptist Churches. The Rev. R. D. On this ght music will be far- Other participants will Include 4ernathy will preside at this AME Mesdames A. W. West Sr., JuIe eting, and the Revs. G. F. Lew- nished by hoirs of Mt. Zion C. Lewis, the Revas. R. W.Hilson B. H. Johnson, S. S. Seay and Zion and the Baptist church s. and A. W. Murphy. Music will be fL. Anderson of Selma, will par- Dr. Moses Jones will preside at furnished by the choirs of First f Baptist and Beulah Baptist churca- es. Meeting place will be at First Baptist Church. 0 ,'t
Ale bama Journal Montgomery Alabama Date-12/3 56 Page 5-B
Re: R.cL-L SITU.nTION Y'0MTGC.3K, 2le.. Buf ile 100-1.75-61 AIL VNFRwVP~rl NTM 11of ile 44-4Z9*
)-)41 2-7-7. - 164. FNLO' 0 . a &1 0 4L0 a
On Thursday, beginning gJ jjs A state-wide seminar will atM"m wn AME Elon Church, he*-m.Eaiday morning at I ' a seminar on "Non-Volence and at the First Maptist Church. Gue the Social Gospel" will be con- contributors will be the Rev ducted. But each church is asked Glenn Smiley, W. B. Borde to begin the day by ringing its Wheat Street Baptist, Atlanta; ar bell at 6 a m. to begin a day of Gardner C. Taylor, Concord Ba fasting and prayer. One hour of tist Church, Brooklyn. The Re, prayer service will take place at Powell will preside. Local partI each church. At the seminar the pants will include the Revs. W.* Rev. J. W. Hayes will preside. Fields, and J. E. Lowery, M6b NIo lectures will be given by the At the tfaternoon session at - Rev. Gleen Srmiley and Dr. B. V. 2:45, Dr. Borders and Rev. Sm!n, - Richardson on the subjects "Non- will again participate. Also part Violence and Social Change and pating will be Revs. J. L. War<. Social Aspects of the Christian Gos- A. H. Hogan and H. H. Bubbar, pel." The Rev. Buford of Taske- presiding. gee will conduct the devotional. "Youth' Night"' is Friday ngi I At noon Thursday, James B. when young people over the ci Cobb, president of Postal Alliance, will compete in an oratorical co Washington, D.C., will be guess test on the subject of "Non-Vi, speaker, at the same place. lence in Social Change." Two gue ere will be another semina speakers will be Dr. Romer A on3'Non-Violence and the Soc4, Jack, Unitarian pastor of Evan Go el" at 2:45 at the Mt. io - ton, Il. and Attorney J. 3. Cu Zion Church. The Rev. Glen bertson, Gteenville, S.C. This wi Smiley and Dr. H. V. Richardson take place at Hutchinson Street will be guest contributors. The Rev Church. Participating will be t . J. W. Bonner will preside. Dr. R. Revs. A. W. Wilson, presiding,'i D. Crockett will participate. A. Tunstall, Mobile; Leon Crai MUSICAL SING - .I Birmigham; Mrs. Rosa Parks an< As a special feature on Thut s- C. W. Lee. Music will be furnished day evening, Miss Mahalia Jack- by Maggie Street and Hutchinson, son, gospel singer of Chicago, will Street churches. sing, in a musical to be staged at The final meeting of the week s1- St. John AME Church. Local ta observance will terminate on Sun- &"&to appear will include th day at 2:30 at the Bolt Street Spitual Flames, Bells of Pars Baptist Church when the Rev. Dr. di and Spiritual Four. TheRevs J. H. Jackson, National Bapti* Convention president, will address H H. Johnson and E. J. Palmer - participate. a vast audience. Dr. . L. King will preside. Participants will In- clude the Revs. Vernon Johns, H.- D. Abernathy, A. W. Wilson, E. W. Williams of Fairfield, KIM. Cleveland. Professor' Robert Wa)- llams will sing a solo. Music will be furnished by all church choirs, under the direction of Mrs. Qeorgip Black. To ff'thsprograms - iet is cordially invited. * -$3 40, - - FD- 6 (R-- UA5 6) 'r Mr. ?om. lobh 0 * Mr. Nidbw s FBI A1 Mr. i Date: 12/6/56 Mr. Parsos Mr. Rw AIR-TEL * Mr. Tamn...... Transmit the following message via * Mr. Trotter-.. Neaa. AIR MAIL Mr. (Priority or MAhd of Maing) Mr. Bull 'maa.... FROM: SAC, MOBILE TO: DIRECTOR,
RACIAL SITUATION 14ONTGOT'ERY, ALABAMA As of possible further interest to the Bureau, attached hereto are two copies of an item appearing in the Alabama C(5 Journal, Montgomery, Alabama, 12/4/56, captioned "NEGRO LEADER 1 SAYS U. S. INDEBTED TO BUS BOYCOTT." -
Bureau (Encl. 2)(AM)(100-135-61) - Mobile (44-439) lo ALL NFDMMtv14T"P 3NTA~D VEEI uIE
RECORDED-68 7-. -
INDEXED-68 I V /d 13S. t6 DEC 12
'I- 1
fv-:IV Tr, * 4 '4.
Sent M Per . -11 cial Agent in Charge Mr. Rosen - 4,- a 0
1J0
:%;*- : Neqro Leader Says LtS Indebted to Bus Boycott A Negro historian said today the The historian spoke at a south- nation is indebted to bus-boycot- wide race relations institute spon- tig Montgomery Negroes for their sored by leaders of the bus boy- pattern of peaceful resistance to cott which will mark its first an-, segr ation. niversary tomorrow. Montgomery through them," said Prof. L Negroes except for a few dis- DAeddick of Alabama State Col- senters have refused to ride segre- lege for Negroes in Montgomery, gated city buses since last Dec. 5.1 &w have seen that there is a Reddick, who teaches history at w4, even under the most dis- the college, said there are two tr sing conditions, to transform big questions still unanswered: % old, obsolete pattern of life. "First, will our media of com-, "We should be grateful for this munication - o u r newspapers, example, for some ot us had radio, television, etc.-make the feared and concluded that we transition less painful for our would have to fight it out. Now people (especially those of us who ut41-- we know that the transition can are mixed up) by fair and accur- be made peaceably." ate reporting and by editorially facing forward? Use Trailways Package Express Serv. "Secondly, if this transition Is Ice for convenient. fast and economical Trailways, 4-326.,(adva (See RACE INSTITUTE, P 3-A) ser 1 Phone 11
Alabama Journal Miont gomery, Alabama Date A -. e, All Page rl .. :-%i; 5&""*JL. Re : #Ci', Z-/r7VA7-/t> PERf,~4
100'PL
/w-~ ~/35- 0
The week - long racial Institute openedee- usingthe boycott several aill night with artsUI- bombs have been tosses-.d cott leader outlining to his people home of its leaders but no Injuries five wqys to speed the "inevitable" have end of segregation. been reported. The other, the Rev. Martin Lath- In his prepared speech, Elg Race Institute er King Jr. told a packed church, pid tribute to white persons ia is the "legal and sociological Montgomeryfor their conduct dur- (Continued From Page 1-A) death blow" dealt segregation by ing the boycott. "If there had not been some discipline and moral a positive good for the nation- the Supreme Court's 1954 decision sensitivity in the white community, and perhaps for the world-how against segregation in p u b 11c I we would have had much more much will the nation and the woild schools. violence," King declared. help to bring it about, or Aill the "We must speed up the coming "It is only the fringe element, Negross o! the South hale to con- of the inevitable" end of segrega- the hoodlum element, which con- tinue to carry the main weight of tion, the youthful Baptist minister stitutes a numerical minority, that this task alone"' told a mass meeting opening the would resort to the usc of violence The history professor told his "first annual institute on non- King said in copies of his speech luncheon audience that "the old violence and social change" passed out to the audience. Be South is gone, the Confedeiacy is DESCRIBED FIVE WAYS later said the comments on the indeed a lost cause. And a great King described five ways Ne- White community were not in- deal of our pain today, whether groes could do this: cluded in the delivered speech be- we realize it or not, comes from 1."'We must continue to gain cause of lack of time. the effort to maintain a set of the ballot . . . one of the basic Today a luncheon of the MIA human relations that were devel- keys to the solution to our prob- execqtve ed was scheduled. oped to serve a plantation, master lem." Both the Democratic and Dr. Prestoq en, chairman of slfe society. . ." Re ublican parties have "be- the Fisk UniversiySocial Science said, there are tried" Negro hopes, King said. Department, was on the program or example, he for a sociologist's view e towns "not too far away" "In order to control the ex- of "The tej 1 effects of prejudiced in- Montgomery movement." Dr. L. D. ere Negroes are denied tele- Reddick, chairman .of the history phone service and others where ter I feelings, we must continue to struggle through legislation department at Alabama State Col- Negro and white customers lege, was to present a historian's "are never knowingly put on the 3. "We must donate large sums of money 'to the cause of free- view to the luncheon. same party line." A public forum will be held to- "This is ridiculous," Reddick dom " Several thousand dollars were collected at the meeting to Inight on "aonvi tce in added. "In terms of the efficiency Jpnge." Parti jts will mclud of the telephone service and com- support the Montgomery Improve- eRev. C. K jeele, a leade ment Assn., the group that co- cott iT alJ. munity needs, this is absurd" the Negro busand the Rev. T. said the South is be- prdinates the boycott and is pon- hassee, Fla., Reddick oring the institute. King it its coming industrialized faster than president. any section of the nation except 4 Negroes must "develop intelli- possibly Califorma, and asked: Alabama Journal on gent, courageous and dedicated "Are we hong to impose leadership . . . one of the press- Montgomery, Alabama these industries, these cities, these igg needs of the hour ". broad highways, these new sky- 5. And, "we must have the Date scrapers and the cultural institu- moral courage to stand up and Page _ tions that they help make possible, protest against injustice where- a set of ideas and human relations ever we find it. Wherever we find tbA..da.4iolence to the service segregation, we must have the Re: and civilization that th&e eP- fortitude to passively resist it " ments represent?" Negroes should "meet every act of violence toward an individual emison, Negro leader from Bhou Negro witp the fact that there ouge,La. w'Tere a port N 0 are thousands of others who will boycott several Ye~rs agoT4 present themselves In his place .- 1 segregati o. as potential victims," King said. s statewideu seminar on " "This dynamic unity, this amaz- v i ence and 'the social gasper, U ing self-respect, this willingness to sc duled for Friday. Climax of suffer, and this refusal to hit back Phe institute is a publi meetings will soon cause the oppressor to planned for Sunday at rnoon to bVleh irame.,ghamed of his ownM - white and Negri religious #ad lay leaders from roughout Alabama l'tave hemn i-v ed. I XIl Office Memora4ndum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
.t. * TO DIRECTOR, FBI DATE: 12/27/56
~ ~t o : SAC, L0BIL'j
SUgmr: RACIAL SITUATION LO"ITGC:zAY,ALA.
ReMotel to Bureau, 12/26/56. Herewith enclosed to the Bureau are two copies each of the following newspaper clippings: Alabama Journal, daily published at Montgomery, 12/24/56, page 2, captioned, "New Integration Targets Outlined by .IA I:ead." Yontponerv Advertiser, daily published at Montgomery, Ala., 12/22/56, page 1, captioned, "Segregation Ends Quietly on Bus Line." -4. Ibid., 12/24/56, page 12-a, captioned,"King Reports Lone Fired on Tarly Sunday." Ibid., 12/25/56, page 4-e, captioned, "Three White Men Beat Neg7ro Girl at City Bus Stop." lith reference to the attack by two white men upon on 12/24/56, described in retel, it is noted that W niastter has not as yet been reported by any news media at Eontgomery. -
- Bureau (9 enc.1-135-61) - i.obile (44-439) -bls (4)
/ 6 v./ Y-
7C~ INDDCD - 20 2 DEC 31 1984 U412 -. 0
9- . I Teoofcers to Inest ag incident at King's house. Tey A0 feIw Integraion Targets reported that the load was appar* ently "birdshot." Little damage was dome. King told his coPgregationSu Outlined By MIA Head day that someone fired at hIs home in the early morning hoars. Schools and public recreation t. But we must have In He said there were two boles may be the next goals for Mont- tegrated schools as the Supreme in a front window and that omeo gomery Negroes now that they Court in 1954 sd we can. That of the pellets came Into the house. have gained integrated buses, a Is when our race will gain full No one was hurt. . I spokesman suggested last night. equality. We cannot rest in Mont. Shortly after the bus boycott be- Less than 12 hours after an un- gomery until every public school gan, a crude bomb was set off Identified person loosed a shotgun is integrated." on King's front porch. The min- blast into the front of his home, Urging all Negroes to resume ister's wife and child were at home the Rev M L. King Jr., presi- riding the buses King said. "We but neither were Injured and little dent of the Montgomery Improve- must go back to the buses In big damage resulted. ment Assn, outlined possible new numbers. Then, perhaps, we might "I would like to tell who ever segregation targets. even be able to do something about did ft that it won't do any good King said the group which the fares." to kill me," King said, referring sparked the mass bus boycott still Some Negroes, he said, h"e yesterday's Incident. has plenty of work to do. complained because the fare s '"There are 50,000 others in "Some of our people have ap- gone now up from 10 to 15 celts ovement seeking equal treatme parently fallen in love with pro- since they first began their er the law. They can't solv testing," he said. "We've got to cotL U I this way." stop protesting and go in for recon* "Let me say, however, I would citation." rather pay $2 to ride an integrated The Negro minister said the MIA bus than pay one cent to ride a will continue to have mass meet- segregated one," King added. ALA3 4i iolJC,2AI. ings - "We have just started our The MIA president advised bus rdr ormi cl acs Iork." D~c2:~ *9 ,1956 POSSIBLE GOALS there should be any violence." He outlinedthat theseelpedusduing as ttegrated.possible new "Get1 thescholsastho facts, watch forpremeha peo- IA goals: pleCou.rit.19@ who look as Ifsaidw they mighta st4. -a "Recreation: We have none, but trouble. If there are cars foll4 we must work toward being able ing the bus suspiciously, by to use all facilities with the sa means, get the tag numbers," / >E: rThLCIA.TS:TWIc:: determination we worked on with suggested. V ~~ C12I.iY, A. the buses. Separate but equal al. "Without all of fth you don't ways winds up with it being sepa* have a cas. Even If the police, rate but far from equal." perhaps, won't do anything thre B~ fl: 100-135-61 King added that Oak Park (larg.is Always the FBI-" YOF =Z: 44-439 est and best equipped city park) Other than the shotgun blast at would certainly be nice for us." King's home yesterday, so vo "Voting: The more Negroes welence was reported as City Unes can get registered, the stronger buses went through their third day we'll be. If a city commissioner of integrated service under a fed- ALL INFO TN COTAINED or official doesn't please us, we eral court order. can use our vote in a determining TWO ROUTES OPERATED and decisive way."The bus company manager, J. IERE! "Internal areas: We must work H. Bagley. said only two routes within our race to raise economic, operated during the day and that hI- CTL health and intellectual standing." only a few customers used tm WILL LOSE WHITE FRIENDS because of a heavy rain motof "Education: Here, we are going the day. to losemaaa, of our white frienda oy.Even But5 before thle thebust boycott had18-began 1CC: AAG CRIMI DIVISION rduce its service on SUIaday. a bare minimum. 'O.,.: 6-95
ANCTosiz - / t. £IY King Reports HomeFired On Early Sunday A shoo incident involving Rev. M.; mg Jr., was revealed yesterday by the Negro minister. King interrupted a series of an- nouncement during the noon church service to c'-y tell how some- one had shot at his home early Sunday morning. e Negro leader did not report thmincident to the police, but whe a orities learned of it they I V tigated that afternoon. I1olice Capt. E. P. Brown sa two officers confirmed that a sho gun had been fired at King's home. He said the3 reported it ap- parently was "birdshot."U 0 Y, 1956 A crude bomb was exploded on King's front porch last Jan. 30 PA. IE, shortly after the bus boycott hit full swing. Meanwhile, city bus lines ran an abbreviated Sunday sebedule!Z - I T with no incidents reported. C, I J. H. Bagley bus company ECTSCx Y DY'P2ISE rated during the day. Patronae1 1 was light on both runs becau f 3 C. inclement weather, he noted. : 00-15-6 AILI -,A,, ILE: 44-419
_r 5
1CC: AAG CRIMIN IVISICT' F0101 6-95 ; a PASNMGERS "i Tgregation Bus company officials salda night they were unable to do- tnrmine to what extent business had increased, but it was appar ent the number of passengers ye- EndsQuiietly terday was far below the Pre- boycott average. a Wire services reported a Ne- I gro woman was struck in the face On Bus Line by a young white man just as sie departed from a bus, but po- lice officials said so such in- Company Officials cident was reported to them. Rarely dining the day did Unable To Report whites and Negroes sit side by bide, the first such case oceurring On Passenger Total early yesterday morning when a young salesgirl boarded a bus By BOB INGRAM and sat beside a Negro woman Racial segregation on city buses although there were seats avail- I in - Montgomery ended serenely able which she could have shared A here yesterday. with white passengers. Negro and white passengers "I figure if they stay In took seats on buses where they place and leave me alone, I'll found them, and in isolated in- In e and leave them alone, stances members of the two races sbe ented later to news sat side by side I The cairn bat cautious ac ceptance of this significant change in Montgomery's way of life came without any major dis- turbances. EGeMT, MABA A statement by Police Chief G. L-L 'U" J. Ruppenthal last night told the story in full-there were no re- ports of violence made to the po- lice, no additional officers were called into duty NO MASS RETURN PAs SAoUL SWIMZ "It was just another Friday be- fore Christmas for us," Ruppen- thal said. There was no mass return to city buses by Negroes. And many DATESS ** of those who did return walked to the rear of the bus to take a seat, . Just as they had been required to do by law until yeserday. There was also a scarcity of white people on the buses. Even during late afternoon rush hours : 4C; A rzC s 46. yesterday most of the vehicles were only partially filled. Instead of riding the buses, numerous Montgomerians watched them with mixed emotions. Throngs crowded the downtown area during the late afternoon, I and every time a bus pulled to a curb to pick up pass w4 assers-by stopped to w j
F F SCLOTUT3 -p.'
There IWih Men Beat Negro Girl At City Bus Stop *.- A 15-yearold Negro girl was beaten at a bus stop here yester- day by at least three young white men, in the first incident -f violence reported since buses were integrad last Friday. Ollie M eCollns, 519 High St., said she was standing at a stop when a youth yelled at "Don't ride the bus any more rped from the vehicle with mpanion, and began bes i r. -.- , w.I2 The incident was verified by a passengers, at least one of whom gave an account to The Advertiser, but asked that his D3 : Z LJ125I6 name not be used. The girl said that after the two young men jumped from one car and began beating her, three others left another vehicle and joined them. She suffered minor head Injuries, but said she did not go to a doctor "because I i:Th 7T 44-43 9 was afraid." Police Immediately began an investigation, but reported last night they had not found the ICC: AAG %,*RIMIN IVISION FORM 6-95 1192
DAE R .,) 2L. 4#JN a-e Office Me norandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Director, FBI (100-135-Sub 61) DAT: 12/31/56 V SAC, Mobile (44-439) so a SUBJUCT. RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA -9,,, For the additional information of the Bureau, there are attached hereto two copies of an item appearing in the Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery, Alabama, under date of 12/27/56 captioned DISCORD, VIOLENCE MAR BUS RIDING IN 4 CITIES. Bureau (Enc. 2) -Mobile mem
4%bQ1YTh
-A P 0 ALL morg" ' ~K I' (/ DATEWL3BY2# 6
%~~6h7-A4
/j-zv 7I.
'uAl a 9
- -An ab2 1160,6 '88JAN 7 1957 C
DIscord I V.bfenc MIat Bus Ridin
In 14 Citie Guns Rake Local Vehiclesq -1 Arrested In Birminghairk s Tallahassee Line Halted Discord triggered by attempts of Negroes to force integration of city bus lines flared yesterday in foui cities MONTGCMERY ADVER- ih Alabama and Florida.' TI SER,aMONTGOM The only violence was reported here last night as two ER Y, city buses were peppered by shotgun pellets and rifle ALA., 12/27/56 bullets. The incidents occurred in widely separated areas FRONT PAGE of the city within a period of about 15 minutes. One of the buses was empty but the other carried four Negro1 Re: RACIAL SITUA- passengers. None was injured. TION, MONTGOMERY, At Birmingham, Negroes last night suddenly re- ALABAMA Ve rsed an earlier decision and voted at a mass meeting to continue riding city buses on an integrated basis. Yester- y, 21 Negroes were arrested after they defied the city's BUFILE 100-135-Sub E segregated seating laws on buses. Following the arrests, MOFILE 44-439 Negro leaders called off their try at integration but at a later meeting last night, a telegram from the Rev. M.L. King urging continuance of the move toward desegrega-' tion was read and the meeting then voted to ride the buses on an integrated basis. . 11 The Mobile city commission ordered Mobile City AL I Lines, Inc., a sister line of the Montgomery City LIr to enforce segregation ordinances on its buses. The cy's move was made after the company instructed its dri ers not to.enforce the laws. The Tallahassee city commission last night o red DATE Immediate suspension of the franchise of Cities Transit Co. because of "efforts of local Negroes to integrate" the buses. Earlier, 11 Negroes boarded two city buses servng w ' sections of the city and three white persons took se ts in the rear. Drivers made no attempts to prevent the NOes from taking front seats. This development came /1 ' : (, the city council had instructed the company to worce segregated seating. O)
turned off hbile road onto lour unidentified Negroes - Early street. three men and a teenage girl- Warren said all th Negros n owly escaped Injury as see we sitting behind the enter of in hich they were riding was hit the bus. a shot from what police de- The other incident took place bed as a .22 caliber rifle shot. 15 minutes later-at 1 p.m - Ablet passed less than a foot shortly after bus driver J. . Hall from the girl's head. All dropped turned his empty coach off Sdie to the floor and then ran from street anto Jackson. the bus without identifying tiem- Hall told police he "hit selves, driver H. L. Warren said. floor" when be beard two I Warren, 5, of Wetumpka, said, strike the bus. The bu was it "At first I thought it was a fire nine times and police theorized cracker but when they. started the bullets were fired.Irom a shotgun "at close range." u g,I knew it was a shot He said one of the fl ng, Neg es said the shot was ed fro a moving car. The ,lat oceorred, at. 6:45 p.m.' as the bas
Bys--FT lnBUSES FIREt OlIN indo I Bystander Points To Bullet Holes In Window-
~Z:K I C() O) 4-528
/40 0 ---1,3 X-- 4 /- 02e.3 CHANGED TO 94q-- / // P?1- 4
JAN 241957
L$Ii&}
1 *~',~* .~
I StANDAMD POWa&es
Office Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO Director, FBI (100-135 Sub 61) DATE: 12/19/56
S /BJM SAC, Mobile (10 1361)
RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
--I -- .- rnihedthe-following
The boycott of the city buses at Tallahassee by Negroes is continuing, although Negroes in slightly increasing numbers are beginning to ride the buses daily. The defendants in the car pool operations at Tallahassee, who were recently convicted in City Court there for violations of the city ordinances, have all posted cash bonds pending the results of their appeals to higher courts. said there has been no racial agitation at Tallahassee in connection'with this matter, and he an- ticipates none in the foreseeable future. The results of the Negro defendants' appeals to a higher court will probably not be known until sometime in January or February, 1957, however, the Bureau will be kept promptly advised of any further developments in this matter. - ureau ALL WFO "T1N CONTAI (t2 - Mobile . .. I~l'.L /'
RECORDED8/jJ #0
52JAN 8 1357 *Jwsr 4-750 (2-7-79) XXXXX
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) ~'YC A~?b with no segregable material available for release to you.
EI Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request
D Information pertained onl to a third part%. Your name is listed in the title only.
D Document(s) originating with the following government agenc iies) -_, was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the material to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s)
D For your information
2 The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages lez -
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx X DELETEDx PAGE(S) Xx NO DUPLICATION FEE x xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
F15l/OJ MMMMMM9
PAGE TWO********
MIA HAS NOT D0NE THIS YET. THE ALA. JOURNAL, MONTGOMERY DAILY, DEC. TWENTY INSTANT, REPORTED THAT THE US SUPREME COURT ORDER OUTLAWING SEGREGATION ON CITY BUSES ARRIVED HERE TODAY AND USDJ FRANK M. JOHNSON, MDA, MONTGOMERY, ISSUED AND INJUNCTION, DIRECTED AGAINST CITY COMMISIONS ALA. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, MONTGOMERY POLICE CHIEF G. J. RUPPENTHAL AND HIS OFFICERS AND MONTGOMERY CITY LINES, INC., BUS OPERATORS, WHICHDWAS SERVED t'6.dtLidswA4 BY USM TODAY, ENJOINING AND RESTRAINING THE CITY COMMISSION, ETAL FROM ENFORCING ANY AND ALL LAWS, STATUTES OR ORDINANCES REQUIRING NEGROES TO SUBMIT TO SEGREGATION IN THE USE OF BUS TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES IN THE CITY OF MONTGOMERY. ARTICLE ALSO QUOTES SEN. SAM M. ENGELHARDTs JR., EXECUTIVE SEC., CITIZENS COUNCILS OF ALA., AS SAYING AT A CC RALLY DEC. NINETEEN LAST WE CAN WALK IF WE HAVE TO TO COMBAT INTEGRATION AND URGED LISTENERS TO RISE UP AND SAY NO TO BUS INTEGRATION. ENGELHARDT IS REPORTED AS SAYING THAT IF WHITE RESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY GIVE IN TO BUS INTEGRATION IT WILL BE ONLY THE BEGINNING OF NEGRO EFFORTS TO END SEGREGATION. ARTICLE RESTATES STATEMENTS OF NEGRO LEADERS THAT AS SOON AS DISTRICT COURT
END PAGE TWO ....
7 PAGE THREE..... ISSUES FORMAL DECREE WE SHALL BE RETURNING TO THE BUSES. HOWEVER, REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE DECISION TO RETURN TO THE BUSES WILL IN ALL I LIKELIHOOD BE REACHED TONIGHT AT TWO NEGRO MASS MEETINGS. THE NEWS ARTICLE REPORTS ALSO THAT A CIRCULAR LETTER WAS CIRCULATED AMONG NEGROES BY MIA URGING A COURSE OF RESTRAINT, SILENCE AND PRAYER AS PROPER COURSE FOR NEGROS TO FOLLOW WHEN THEY RETURN TO BUSES. ARTICLE ALSO SAYS THAT THERE HAS BEEN TALK OF A CLUB OPERATING A FLEET OF STATION WAGONS TO PICK UP WHITE PASSENGERS BUT SAID THAT NO OFFICIAL WORD OF SUCH ACTION WAS FORTHCOMING FROM EITHER CITY OR STATE OFFICERS. SAME ARTICLE STATES THAT AT CC RALLY DEC. .SoNINETEEN, REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE GRANT OF ALA. PLEDGED TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS CALLING FOR POPULAR ELECTION OF FEDERAL DISTRICT JUDGES. GRANT ALSO SAID THAT NEGROES SHOULD REMEMBER THAT A BOYCOTT IS A TWO EDGED SWORD DASH IT CAN CUT TWO WAYS. HE DID NOT ELABORATE. SUPT. JN.H. BAGLEY, MGR. OF MONTGOMERY CITY LINES, HAS ADVISED ONLY THAT HIS COMPANY WILL OBEY THE LAW IN SEATING THE RACES. THE BUS CO. IS NOW UNDER A STATE COURT INJUNCTION TO CONTINUE ENFORCING SEGREGATION LAWS, BUT ALA. CIRCUIT %jUDGE WALTER B. jONES HAS SAID THAT HE WILL DISSOLVE THIS INUNCTION WHEN THE HIGHER COURT
END PAGE THREE .... )
PAGE FOUR...... RULING ARRIVES HERE. MAYOR W. A. GAYLE, MONTGOMERY ADVISED PRESS THAT CITY HAS NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO RECOGNIZE SUPREME COURT RULING, BUT WILLCONTINUE TO TRY TO PERSUADE SUPREME COURT THAT CITY HAS POLICE POWER TO REGULATE CITY TRANSPORT*
ATION.
'NO INVESTIGATION CONTEMPLATED UNTIL RECEIPT OF COMPLAINT IN ORDER TO PROTECT INFORMANT.
0 j' )
7 PAGE FIVE
BUREAU HAS BEEN PREV10ULSLY 7Th
NO ADDITIONAL DATA RE THIS MATTER RECEIVED) FROM INFORMANTS HALLFORD END) AND~ ACK PLS WA 8-4~1 PM 0 OK FBI WA NR2 TU DIS
amX So A- CU 0 0( 0
.etmmmission ers Issue j Segregation toteme Following Is the complete state- ment of the Montgomery City For a layman it comes a-a Commission in answer to the U.S. k to learn that the fmdanea- Supreme Court's refusal to grant tal law of this country, that is,e petitions for rehearing in the bus Constitution, can mean one segregation ruling. * today and something entirely We have been advised that our ferent tomorrow. If the separ on petition for rehearing has been i of the races was legal in 1896, and denied in connection with the case during the years thereafter, it is involving the segregation of the hard for Abe average citizen to races on bises operating exclusive- understand how the meaning given ly on the streets of Montgomery. to it at that time can be changed S0 years later by nine men sitting This decision sweeps away the on the United States Supreme I NSO wise and long-standing ordinance Court to mean something directly pk of the City of Montgomery, which experience over the years has oopposite. shown has contributed to the e This decision in the bus case has and social order of our city. had a tremendous impact on the FC ordinance of the city admitted customs of our people here in valid by the United States Montgomey. It is not ans preme (lurt for over half ace - thing to live under a law reco tury is nullified by a court which aised as constitutional for could find no reason for ruling as many years and then have itSj it did, and hence could write no denly overturned to the basis opinion to tell the people of Mont- psychology and not by amending gomery why their ordinance was, the Constitution. unconstitutional. The City of Montgomery, having Alabama Journal The Supreme Court of the United at heart the welfare of both the Montgomery, Alabama States, repudiating all former de- white and black races and carry- disions rendered years ago, by a ing out the wishes of 90 per cent Dat e court composed of the wisest jur- of our people, has done all in its Page ( ists of th nation, has now set it- power to uphold the city ordinance self up as a fourth department of prodding for the separation of government. In addition to the races on the buses. It has faith- Re: judicial power given it by the Con- fully fought the effort to nullify stitution, it has gone out of its or- this ordinance through all the bit as a judicial body, and now ar- courts of the land, and with every rogated to itself the right to be and legal weapoi4 available. 'Tht to act as a super-lawmaking by, eof Montgomery realize that e over the Congress, the State 14is- didorder and peace of our ~ty I latures, and to assume po "s peratively requires the sepa- which ar denied' to it by the *dI of the races -oth e s, eral C tution. 4bchrace being given equal and Identical accommodations. WL 100 -I3~~.4 I 6-135
------,~ - *-- .0 U 0
~t ~ 1
m.u..... that our wise,_time-tested, city.RIis iat and proper ordinance ?r?7 upa- e arectcomers to Montgom- ration of the rpees on buses has ery, who claim to be the leaders been declared void, we have of the boycott-crusaders here, and neither state nor city law provid- ing that the races be given sepa- who have day in and day out, in rate but equal seats on the buses. nearly every state in the Union Although we consider the Supreme for o4 er a year, denounced the Court's decision to be the usurpa- white race, will cease their hypo- tion of the power to amend the critical and unjustifiable attack Constitution, which belongs to the people and not the court, we have upon the people of Montgomery I no alternative but to recognize it. and their Board of Commissioners That is not to say, however, that and will counsel the members of we will not continue, through every their race not to act unwisely. legal means at our disposal, to The City Commission, "and we see that the separation of the races I)now our people are with us in is continued on the public trans- this determination, will not yield portation system here in Mont- one inch, but will do all in its gomery. power to oppose the integration The City -Commission will not of the Negro race with the white let up in its efforts to convince race in Moatgamery, and will for- the Supreme Court at Washington, ever stand like a rock against that the city authorities have social equality, intermarriage, and * under their general police power, mixing of the races in the schools. a power until recently never In these matters, for the common questioned by any court lathe good of all the people of Mont- land, the undoubted right to reg- gomery, and, for the public peace ulate bus service on the streets and quiet of this city, there must of Montgomery. contthee the separation of the. The Negro race, whose National races under God's creation and Assn. for. the Advancement of plan. In so doing,' we know tbt Colored People has secured this the best interests of both races decision, should not be led into will be served. conduct which will embarrass the Mayor W. A Gayle , race and lead to bloodshed, en- Frank W. Pa gender conflict and disedem'edhe 0*5w 11bd bring the curse of trag- a dr . Sellers.
I i
- - - ' (9 0
PSC PREPARES BUS ORDER. Federal Injunction isAwaited Here* By CHARLES SULLIVAN Court refused to reconsider 'it City officials expected a federal Nov. 13 decision upholding the de- injunction to be issued here this cision of the three-judge panel, week prohibiting further enforce- thus okaying the injunction. ent of state and city bus segre- NEGROES CAUTIONED) tion laws in Montgomery. Though vowing further legal The injunction has been stayed forts to continue racial separ nding appeal of a three-judge on buses here, the City - sion has announced, "We have City Commission alternative but to recognize the Supreme Court's final rejection Issues Statement of appeals to the ban." The full statement pf the Negroes were cautioned by the Montgomery City Commission on commission to behave in such a the bus segregation situation wAy that will not "embarrass the is published on Page 1-B of this race and lead to bloodshed." edition of The Journal. Meanwhile Supt. J. I. Bagley deral court panel's June deci- of Montgomery City Lines .said In holding the laws unconstitu- company will "obey the law" nal as they apply to Montgom- the seating of races on buses. n the state level, the president Yesterday the U. S. Supreme (See INJUNCTION, Page I-Af
Alabama Journal l iontgomery, Alabama Date /2-/7- ' Page /
Re:,. - ALL INr"~l~ ~!~
/0DO ENCLrSUrZ & -*a c
WA
U. S. DistdC&I4guft Frank M. Intofirion Johnson Jr.. oneo 6[ the Panel, (Continued From Page 1) members who voted with the 2-1 majority in holding the lawi In- the Alabama Public Service Corn- valid, said his court clerk will is- mission which administers laws sue a writ of injunction as soon affecting transportation hinted at a the Supreme Court order action designed to preserve "peace reaches Montgomery. * and harmony on buses in Ala- The expected injunction is in- bama." terpreted as enjoining only de- PSC PREPARES ORDER fendants in the original suit filed PSC President Jack Owen said by Negroes here last February the order will be issued upon ar- from enforcing the state and city rival of the Suprime Court man- statutes requiring segregation on date here which will be the signal, public buses here. Among those for the federal injunction to be expected to be enjoined from en- put into effect. Owen declined to forcement will be the City Com- reveal the nature of the planned mission, Police Chief G J. Rup- move but left little doubt it penthal, Montgomery City Li, aimed at continued sigreg ed e Alabama Publie Service Co$- ating. ission and "any of their agent. or successors. Previously Owen has talk of ployes tion giving bus drivers auor- Thus, as the injunction woud ity to regulate the seating of pas- iginally stand, the public would sengers to "prevent violence." not be under the Injunction. Judge Negro leaders said they were' Johnson today refused to discuss preparing to meet the new con- the situation or injunction, saying ditions of integrated buscs peace- it would probably be "next week" iuly. The Rev. Martin Lutherl before he would have time to say, Knig, leader of the Negro boycott anything more. of city buses, asked both white The Supreme Court action ap- and black Montgomerians to make plies specifically to this case, but' the transition to integration the principle will serve as a guide "smooth and orderly." to lower federal courts wherever the issue may arise again. I NEGROES SCHOOLED* In its statement, the City Com- Another Negro minister, the mission deplored the decision of Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, has the Supreme Court as unwarranted said Negroes are being schooled authority for sweeping away "the to begin integration of city bqses' wise and long-standing ordinance and that Negro ministers and lay, of the City o6-fW46 omery." leaders will be riding every bus in the early f integration to help smooth the transition. . I (9 0
UM EUOF WSTIIN U.& DEPMMENTiOF i$IU COMMUNICATIONS SECTION Mr. Board ALL INFORMT!rCONTAINEDe DERE AX1 SMr. Rosn
DATE Mr. Neane F , MOBILE 12-26-56 5-49 PMTe.Room... Miss Gany- SIREa OR FBI ... URENT...
RACIAL SITUATION, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA. REMOTEL TO BUREAU DEC TWENTYTh1O LAST CAPTIONED U. S. KLANS OF ALABAMA, NGT OTHE KLU KLUX KLAN, IS DASH X. ON DEC. TWENTYSIX INSTANT
A FURNISHED FOLLOWING DATA.. ABOUT FOUR P. No, DEC. TWENTYFOUR,
£ LAST, A NEGRO , BOARDED HIGHLAND AVE. BUS AT MILBRED AND GOLDTHWAITE STREETS AND SAT ON REAR SEAT Of BUS. HE OBSERVED TWO WHITE MEN GETTING ON THE BUS AT LAWRENCE AND DEXTER STREETS. GOT OFF AT HALL ST. BUS STOP AND BOTH WHITE MEN FOLLOWED HIM OFF BUS. ONE BUMPED INTO HIM AND APOLOGIZED, BUT ASER UNED TO ACKNOWLEDGE APOLOGY, THE MAN STRUCK HIM, HITTING HIS ARMS TWICE. THE OTHER MAN THEN SWUNG AT %.
BUT MISSE. gONE WAS STANDING ACROSS THE STREET AND OBSERVED ABOVE INCIDENT AND LATERTL I10 NOT KNOWN. REPORTEDLY STARTED TOWAp jg (IF AD U THE TWO MEN GOT INTO A CAR WHICH ALREADY A.JRHRE MEt IT. AS THE CAR DRIVE OFF, IT WAS OBSERVED BY TO BE A
END PAGE ONE** [r. BelmoAt PAGE TWO...
NINETEEN FORTYEIGHT OR FORTYNINE DODGE OR PLYMOUTH WITH FIFTY SEVEN ALA. TAG SAID THAT ACCORDING TO CALLED POLICE AND WAS STILL THERE WITHMWHEN Pf DJL CAR ARRIVED AND STARTED TO GIVE DETAILS TO POLICEMEN. ALLEGEDLY THE OFFICERS REFUSED TO LISTEN TO OR ACCEPT INFORMATION FROM HIM. ALSO ALLEGEDLY SAID THAT TWO OF THE MEN IN THE CAR HAD SHOTGUNS. MONTGOMERY PD* DEC. TWENTYFOUR, LAST, ADVISED THAT A NEGRO MAN HAD BEEN ATTACKED BY WHITE MEN UPON ALIGHTING FROM BUS ON THAT DATE AND SAID THAT A WITNESS HAD FURNISHED A LICENSE NUMBER AND FURNISHED THE SAME LICENSE TAG AS ABOVE. AS OF DEC. TWENTYFOUR, SAID THAT THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN LOCATED. MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION RECORDS AT MONTGOMERY REFLECTED ABOVE TAG REGISTERED TO AME HAS NOT APPEARED INCONNECTION WITH KLAN ACTIVITIES IN THIS AREA. THE FOLLOWING DATA WAS DESCRIBED IN NEWS ARTICLE IN SECTION E, MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER, DAILY AT MONTGOMERY, DEC. TWENTYFIVE. OLLIE MAE COLLINS, A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD NEGRO GIRL WAS ATTACKED BY THREE WHITE MEN AFTER ALIGHTING FROM A BUS AT HIGH AND DECATUR STREETS END PAGE TWO... PAGE THREE...
IN MONTGOMERYs BUT WAS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT OR HOSPITALIZED. FURNISHED FOLLOWING DATA RE THAT INCIDENT. COLLINS ALLEGEDLY ATTACKED BY IMIxi TWO WHITE MEN AT APPROXIMATELY THREE P.M., DEC. TWENTYFOUR AFTER ALIGHTING FROM BUS STOP DESCRIBED ABOVE. AUXNNIHIUIIEXUUZlUXXDIX THREE OTHER WHITE MEN JOINED THE ORIGINAL THREE AND AFTER SEVERAL BLOWS WERE STRUCK AT COLLINS, ALL OF THE MEN RAN AND GOT INTO TWO AUTOMOBILE AND LEFT. - SAID AWITNESS TO THIS INCIDENT WAS WHOSE NAME HAS BEEN WITHHELD FROM PUBLICATION AND WHO DESIRES TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS. DESCRIBED THE ABOVE INCIDENT ON DEC. TWENTYFOUR, LAST AND SAID THAT A LICENSE NUMBER HAD BEEN ANONYMOUSLY RECEIVED ALLEGEDLY FROM THE TAG ON ONE OF THE TWO CARS ABOVE. HE GAVE THIS NUMBER AS FIFTYSEVEN ALA. TAG AID THE ANONYMOUS WITNESS DESCRIBED THE CAR AS A BLACK AND WHITE CHEVROLET.
REGISTERED OWNER OF ABOVE TAG IS 1F OR A FIFTYONE GREEN PONTIAC.
NOT KNOWN TO BE CONNECTED WITH KKK ACTIVITIES IN THIS AREA. END PAGE THREEo** PAGE FOUR...
k~ ..~a .. ~.*.-' I
AS BUREAU WAS PREVIOUSLY ADVISED, ON DEC. TWENTYONE, LAST, A NEGRO WOMAN WAS SLAPPED AND KNOCKED DOWN BY A WHITE MAN AS SHE ALIGHTED FROM A BUS AND HER ASSAILANT GOT INTO A WAITING CAR AND LEFT. THE ABOVE ARE ALL OF THE INCIDENTS KNOWN TO HAVE OCCURRED INCONNECTION WITH BUS INTERSRATION SINCE BUSESINTEGRATED IN MONTGOMERY. PERTINENT NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS BEING FORWARDED TO THE BUREAU. THE DEC. TWENTYFOUR, LAST MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER CARRIED AN ARTICLE REFLECTING THAT A SHOTGUN HAD BEEN FIRED AT THE HOME OF REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., PRESIDENT OF MONTGOMERY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION. THE ARTICLE SAID THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THAT APPARENTLY THE SHOTGUN HAD BEEN LOADED WITH BIRDSHOT. THE ARTICLE STATED THAT MONTGOMERY PD WAS INVESTIGATING. NO INFORMATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED SUGGESTING A SUSPECT IN ABOVE MATTER. ON DEC. TWENTYSIX, INSTANT, REV. KING TELEPHONED MONTGOMERY RESIDENT AGENCY AND REQUESTED THAT
. END PAGE FOUR.... PAGE FIVE...
A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BUREAU JOIN IN A CONFERENCE VITH HIM AND OTHER NEGRO MINISTERS TO DISCUSS THE ABOVE INCIDENT AND TO 48M4 FURNISH ADVICE a-a REV. KING WAS ADVISED BY SA THAT HE COULD NOT TAKE PART IN ANY SUCH CONFERENCE BUT THAT HE WOULD BE GLAD TO RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION WHICH REV. KING WAS ABLE TO FURNISH CONCERNING THESE MATTERS. AN APPOINTMENT WAS TENTATIVELY MADE FOR NOON OF DEC. TWENTYSIXs INSTANTS BUT AS OF THREE P. M. REV. KING HAD NOT ARRIVED. KING SAID THAT HE HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE U. S. ATTORNEY HARTWELL DAVIS AT MONTGOMERY AT ELEVEN THIRTY A. M. TODAY. IT IS KNOWN THAT HE WAS IN MR. DAVIS- OFFICE UNTIL ONE TEN P. M. AT ONE TWENTY P. M., DEC. TWENTYSIX, INSTANT, ELEPHONED MONTGOMERY RA AND SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT REV. KING WAS IN THE BUILDING. HE REQUESTED THAT IF SA SHOULD SEE REV. KING THAT HE TELL REV. KING THAT HES DESIRED TO SEE REV,. FING. PERTINENT INFORMATION CONTAINED IN RETEL PERTAINING TO
. EXPRESSED INTEREST AND APPRECIATION IN ABOVE MATTER AND STATED
END PAGETIVE ...
- i P a ~, 4' . .5 ~ / p PAGE SIX9..
THAT HE HOPED THAT ANYONE ASSAULTING NEGRO PERSONS UNDER SUCH *1 CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD BE IDENTIFIES SO THAT THE VICTIM COULD SUE THEM CIVILLY FOR SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF MONEY. EXPRESSED OPINION THAT SUCH LITIGATION WOULD PUT AN END TO SUCH ASSAULTS. COMMENTED 0999 THEY COULD ALSO BE PUT IN AIL ALSO SAID THAT HE WOULD CONFER WITH CHIEF C. . RUPPENTHAL, MONTGOMERY, PD a CONCERNING ABOVE MATTER AND INDICATED THAT HE MIGHT SUGGEST TO CHIEF RUPPENTHAL THAT THE LATTER PUT PLAINCLOTHESMEN ON THIS DETAIL TO FOLLOW BUSES AND IDENTIFY PERSONS MAKING SUCH ASSAULTS. THE SAME INFORMATION HAD BEEN FURNISHED EARLIER ON DEC. TWENTYTWO, LAST, TO CHIEF RUPPENTHAL AND AT THAT TIME THE CHIEF INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY-'@9YE PREVENTIVE MEASURES £NeS WERE FEASIBLE. HE STATED THAT HE WOULD BE IITENIXXX GRATEFUL FOR ANY INFORMATION WHICH MIGHT ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING PERSONS MAKING SUCH ASSAULTS ON NEGROES, SHOULD SUCH ASSAULTS TAKE PLACE. HALL F 0 8A8 END AND ACK PLS i WA 7-16 PM OX FBI WA JS TU DISC
k ML. S.aoNT 90at sa iak .1 cc -- ," Boardman I ' ~ , ( Ros en Ir. Belmont
The Attorney General December 2, 1956
rP RECORDED -40Director, A 'I .u1&91dt L .. n.
RACIAL SITUATION 3 IN u -i I MONTGOMr, AsLAAM D yrB U. S. ELANS OP ALAMA4, KNIGB2S OP SES KU KL ELOrZAN, INCORPORAfr9D INT&aRAL SECURITY *wX
Reference Is made to my previous correspondence setting forth Information concerning the racial situation of Alabama and the activities of the U. . Klans of Alabama, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Incorporated.
- On December 26, 1956, a confidential source, who to in a position to furnish reliable Iom o vised that about 4:00 -. eon December 241 gas g a Avenue s a re a e Streets and sat on the rear seat of the bus. bserved two white men ettin on the bus at Lawrence a ter Streets. hen got off the bus at Hall Street both white menfoliowed *jthe bus and one bumped Into him and qpologise p Pen turned to acknowledge the apology the man tr k him on the arms twice while the other man s "46 at ut missed.
individual name ______reportedly vas standing across the sret o ser above Incident reportedly started toword/the ,ght and the two e to a car which already had thrs mI in It. As this car drove off it was observed b t9,be a 1248or Dod e or Plymouth with 1957 A a ense numbe reportedly called the olice an was still ereTe en a patrol car arrived at which time at o give the detailed of the Incident to the pol cee . + e jolceen allegedly refused o isten to in or accept any information from this, also rqpor ed y st&te-that tmof the men In 4he car shotguns. Lft
-t 'K- - I, men1 00-1 6 Parsons - Rosen Tam -fT\
Waterrowd Tele. Room 4\7/ Gandy (
rhe Attorney General
On December 24, 1956, of - the Montgomeryp Alabasap Police Departmast advise* **a Aero man had been attacked by white men upon alighting from a hus on that date; that a witness had furnished a license number, which license number was the same as that set forth prestously; and that as of December 24,, 1956.t the omner of the vehicle had not been located. The records of the Motor Vehicle Division at Rontgomery reflect the above license numberto re istered to
The December 25, 1956, Issue of the *Montgomery Advertisers a daily Montgomery newepaper, carried a seme article stating that a fifteen-year old Negro girl, Ot. Reae Collins, was attacked by three white men after alighting from a bus at High and Decatur Streets, Montgomery, but was not seriously hurt nor aus she hospitalised. In connection with this Incident the previously mentioned source advised that Collins was allegedly attacked by two white men at approximately 3:00 P.R., December 24, 1956, after alighting from the bus. Further, that three other white men joined the original three men and after several blows were struck at Collins all of the men ran and left the scene in two automobiles. advieed that a witnessto this Icdn ;r P-1ose name n es res to remain anonymous. On December 24, 1956, the aforementioned in describing the above Incident stated that a license number of one of the two cars had been received anon ousl ; that this number wos 1957 Alabama license number that the anonymous source described the car as a bla white Chevrolet* thaer a h bovelitense numberto a 1*51 #reen Pontfac car ora
-2* The Attorney General
The Mobile Iceo this Bureau has advised that the afore-mentioned are not knoun to be connected with Ku luxzKlan a nt area. The December 24, 1956, issue of the montgonery Advertiser* reflected in an article that a shotgun ad been fired at the home of the Reverend Martin LutherKing, Jr., president of the Montgomery Zaprovement Association (BIA); that no one was injured; tht the shotgun had been loaded with birdshot; and that the Montgomery Police Department as Investigating the incident. On December 26, 1956, Reverend King telephonically contacted a Special Agent of the Mobile Office and requested that a representative of the Bureau join in a conference with him and other Negro ministers to discuss the above Incident and to "furnish advice" to them. Reverend King m2e advised by the Agent that an Agent could take no part in any such conference but would be glad to receive any information which Reverend King was able to furnish concerning any of the above matters. An appointment as made with Reverend King for 1200 noon on December 26s 1956, but he failed to keep the appointment. Reverend King also advised he had an appointment to see Dhtted States Attorney Hartwell Davis at Montgomery on December 26, 1956, and the Mobile Office has advised that he was in the office of Mr. Davis on that date.
-3 - The Attorney General
br your additional Information, on December 26, 1956, 1elephoni. cally contcted te sj'ore-aensonea 72-710 37 this Bureau stating he understood that Reverend King was in the building and requested that in the event the A eat saw Reverend King he should tell him that he, desired to see Reverend King. This messa y not given to Reverend King Inasmuch as he failed to keep the appointment with the Agent.
Pbf * M I O *;** UBs s conce .
expressed interest and appreciation In thasma e statg that he hoped anyone assaultinNegroes under such circumstances would be identified In order tat the victim could sue the assailants civilly for substantial amounts of money. expressed the opinion hat such litigation ** ***endeto such assault.inommented, They
could also be put in jail# _1so stated he would confer with Chief of Police G. .oupenthal of the .ob t-rery, Alabaaa, Police Department concerning the above and Indicated he might suggest to Rppenthal that plainclothesmen be put on deta to follow buses and identify persons making such assaults. The same information as furnished Governor Polsom Nand Lyvedu.ns furnished Chief Ruppenthal on December 22, 1956, who indicated at that time he did not believe any 'preventive measures" were feasible and that he would be grateful for any information which might aassst In identifying persons assaulting Negroes, should such assaults take place.
m4- rhe Attorney General
Further pertinent Information developed concerning this matter will be furnished to you upon receipt In the Bureau thereof.
2c - Mr. Willtam P. Rogers Deputy Attorney General
*1
.5. d. FEDERAL MMAU OF INVESTIGATION I. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUTICEMr. ic COMMUNICATIONS SECTION Mr. ALL INFO' T1H CONFINED DEC 27
HERE i F Lil 1E EuY"Ito Mr.Nee.. .DATE T" FBI POBILE 12- * 6 10-08 AM A S lw- D SECTOR, FBI U R C E T RACIAL SITUATIt,-MONTCOMERY, ALA. THE MONTXbMERY ADVERT DAILY AT MONTGOMERY, ALA., DEC. TWENTYSEVEN, INSTANT, CARR ES FRONT PAGE ARTICLE HEADLINED Q4MIISCORD, VIOLENCE MAR BUS RIDING IN FOUR CITIES ZNVW ARTICLE RELATES THAT TWO MONTGOMERY BUSES WERE FIRED UPON WITHIN FIFTEEN MINUTES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF MONTGOMERY NIGHT OF DEC. TWENTYSIX, FIFTYSIX. THE FIRST BUS AT SIX FORTYFIVE PM HAD FOUR NEGRO PASSENGERS, ONE A TEENAGE GIRL, WHO WAS NARROWLY MISSED BY A BULLET FIRED FROM WHAT POLICE DESCRIBE AS TWENTYTWO CALIBER RIFLE. ONE PASSENGER SAID THE SHOT WAF JAYEDNFCOM A MOVING CAR.MTHIS FIRST.CINCIDENT OCCURRED AT MOBILE ROAD AND EARLY STREET* IUSIV DRIVER He Le WARREN OF WETUMPKA, ALA* SAID ALL FOUR PASSENGERS WERE SEATED BEHIND CENTER OF BUS* THE SECOND SHOOTING WAS AT SEVEN PbM)WHEN WHAT POLICE BELIEVE WAS A SHOTGUN FIRED AT CLOSE RANGE THREW NINE PELLETS AT A BUS OCCUPIED BY DRIVER
ONLY, Jo He HALL, AT SUDIE AND JACKON STRE..qS.. 1 NS WERE HEARD BY HALL. IN NEITHER I AN AYNE HIT OR
INJURED. IN BROADCAST OVER VSFA DASH 1'11 MDEC.* . TWENTYSIX, FIFTYSIX, NEWSCASTER CRAWFORD RICE SAID THE SECOND EMrEPA. Le9 r.MBelmontrr r.. Ne- PACE TWO SHOOTING OCCURRED AT SUDIE AND STEVENSON STREETS. NIS ACCOUNT DIFFERED ALSO IN THAT HE SAID THE FIRST SHOOTING WAS DONE WITH A SHOTGUN BLAST WHICH STRUCK NEAR THE DOOR JUST AFTER A TEENAGE GIRL BOARDED BUS, AND THAT THE SECOND SHOOTING WAS DONE VITU A RIFLE. MONTGOMERY PD [ADVISED DEC. TWENTYSEVEN, INSTANT, THAT HIS DEPT. ARRESTED THREE MEN ELEVyfN PM DEC. TWENTYSIX, FIFTYSIX, ON US THIRTYONE p BYPASS, MONTGOMERY, IN A FIFTYSIX PONTIAC STATION WACON, ALA. TAi- IN POSSESSION OF FIFTEEN STICKS OF DYNAMITE, A THREE TEN SHOTGUN AND A THIRTYTWO
CALIBER PISTOL. HE NAMED THEM AS
SAID THAT HE HAD NO SPECIFIC EVIDENCE CONNECTING THESE MEN WITH AST NIGHT-S SHOOTINGS. MOBILE DATA RE CHILTON COUNTY KLAVERN NINETEEN OF U. S. KLANS OF ALA., KKKK, WHICH MEETS AT CLANTON, IS LIMITED, BUT ASOVE PERSONS NOT KNOWN TO BE KLAN MEMBERS AT THIS TIME. CO CHVRR PACE ONE LINE FOUREEEBRPIRST THREE WORDS SHOULD BE AT SEVEN PM WHEN LINE SIXTEEN SHOULD READ AS FOLLOWS SHCO g -- M ONLY, J. H. HALL, AT SUDIE AND JACKSON STREETS. TWO PACE TWO LINE SEVEB SHOULD BE THREE MEN ELEVEN PM DECu. TWENTYSIX, FIFTY- SIX, ON US THIRTYONE END AND ACK PLS VA 11-21 AM OK FBI*WA JS TU DISV cc - ai
10=154 £WCeabZ 289 I956
To$ Assistant Chief of £taff Intflion"c I., Department of the Az' The Pentagon Vashizzstm 25,Do C. Attentions Chief, Stectaity Division NIw. John Upgaw oover, Drec tor FWdel Dwaa of Investigation Subjects RACIAL SITUATION *)Bsommam 9~ )I 1;0 1. 65* JLmA8 9MIGBB OF mHXVJEuX cUx ~ip xsc. t..a IXZMW. SECURITY w I -4-
C Reference Is made to previous eorrsa~ne C C mptioned as above.
2eDecember 27# 1956, s sse of the MOlntgomry Afertiser,' *a daily kXotgoerys Alabase a paper, . - GIMW--0 contained a f rat-apagie article captioned'Discards Violemn Mar Bus RidIgin tout Cities.' Tbis article relates that two Koutfomew7 buss were fired upmWithinafif teen
p.. inunats in different parts of H=ntgomery on the niSht ofDecembeC 269 1956 tht the first Um., which was fired UVOat a e nt lrtoat Negro passengersonea teenage girl who was mearly bit IW a bullet fired from what police Geserib" d ase22 celibertifle; that one asag at said thesht was fired from a uoviz ealr Gt this incident occurred at Mobile'Road and larly Street; and that the has driver, N&LeLWarrenat oftma Alab&amasald allft pa ssengers wero seated bahiMd winter ofthe bus.fthe attic a furthewre"la t"that the Tom.. - scoM shbootiag occurred at 7s00 P.e)t. wbea whalk police Nichols r r Boardmana- ' Belmont - Mason ~- Mohr -tic
Rosen _ _ Tam. ____ .gfiu.ur S) _ \w( U , L )fl&' Nease_ Winterrowd Tele. Roo 1956 ml I CONVA;F131 Assistant Chief of Staff, aIntlliese
believed wasa shotgun fird at elose range thrw aim pellets at a bus oceupLed only by the drivers J. N. Bell, at 81die and Jackson Streets; and that two shots wer '-4- heard b Hall. So one was hit or injured in either tasident. Nesaster Crawford Rio*, in a broadcast over bSFA-TY at 10,00?P. N. on December 26, 1956, stated the secom shooting occurred at edie and Stevenson Streets. Rice's eccount also differed in that he said the first I shooting was dom with a shotgun which struck near the door of the bus iamdiately after a te*n-ae girl boarded it and that the second abooting wea done with a rifle. U on December 27, 1956, Montgomry Police Departeent, advise *M s *ipartein ~4 * arrested three mn at 11s00 P. N. on December 26 1956 on U. S. Righway 31 pass at Netgamry in a owtao station wagon bearing Alabas i11cense umber that these individuals were in possession of ifi aks of dynamit*, a shotgun &M .2 Ibermistol- that 2I1~) Ic
C Deceaber 26,)t19569 &boot!ins The Mobile Office has advised that the store- antioed three individuals sre not kawn to be Elan members at the present time. .,* Further pertinent details received oneerning the afore*antioued ill be furnished you promptly. *o * Director of Naval Intelligwe Department of the Navy The Pentagon - ~u~4 Washington, D. C.
* * Director of Special Investigations By COURI ERsavIcz The Insp*ctor General Depar tent of the Air Foree alding Tempo B tth and Adams Drive, S. . washingtons D. C.
*2* Mr. Boardnan A Belmont I McGouan .Mr* 'C.
AIL fTny i 100.435-61 V1~ 10007801 I"' at* January 1. 1957 DATE: / R -Z,4 ret Asstatnt Chief of1 BAff lSteligenee Departent of the Army the Pntagon ashington 25, D. . I Attentfont Chief, Seourity Disateen I John Edgar Bover, Direotor -'I Jederal Bureau of Aveetigatton subject# RACIAL BsTrATrKO) jco/a
w. B. KIANS, W0r OP lW K1 KZrL' K ,p Me ZHITERAL as'CZrr4 w X
Reference to ade to previous correspondence oapt toned as above. I;, At 7100 P. oen December 26, 1956, Televisien >4 .Station FSEP*4fvf Montgomery, Alabawp issued a special news release announcing that a short tife prior thereto ~2~Y a shot had been fired at a bus at the corner of Ripley 1 and Columbus Streets Montgomery# Alabams, Inuringa A Ngro womn*.*M 0 * -RECORD)ED - (5- At 8# 0.M., ,eber5le 1956, *1 Kentgomery A2t rtment, advised a POM., December 956 a bus se fired upon while passing a Negro housing deelopnent at thecorner Whton and Columbus Streets, Montgomery, Alabam. B added that a bullet struck one Roste ordan# a Negro femle Passenger en the bus, in the leg. -~ I All passengers and the To.;f.-- drAf oned by officers of the Montgomery Nichols POX fI ns ating this indietat aneoiill Board4 Pell
Mason LP *.J* Mohr Parsons Rosen Tamm NMI Nease Wanterrowd Tele Room Holloman Gandy__ JAN I (
Assistant Chief of Staff, Zhtelligence
furnish any fformat ion of a Aethe exception of one Negro soman ho, according t ass try to maske ~- up a story about seeing some adte n i a ear. Indleated that he is convinced that the shot as ruiiIinEk~L mu one of the apartments In the Negro houstI development Muff referred to bove. *A added that after this bu sand the passengers were released by the police, the bus was fired -t upon again as It passed the serner of Mion and Columbus Streets.* It is noted that the lbshington City fAew Service issued a release dated December 28, 1956, reflecting that attendants at the Oak Street Hbspital, Montgomery, Alabase, where Boste Jordan uns taken after the shooting, ser oted as stating that Jordan se shot through both legs with either rifle or pistol bullets. er condition uas listed as 'fair.' The release also reflected that Police Cosftstoner C de r Sellers of Montgomery ordered the bus company to al' J operations for the night following the shooting. The December 30,1956, issue of the 'Birmingham 1t News contained an article reflecting that a bus at Birmingham, Alaba, mws fired apon at 11s00 P.M., on December 29, 1956. 1%# article quoted Captain . W. Garrison, Btrmiaham Police Department, as stating that shots fired at th bus rre from a 0. gun sd that only tuo pellets Ait the bus. sgarrison was further quoted as stating that police had classified the Incident as a mischievous prank and did not feel that It ue of IL' significance In so far as the bus segregation Issue is -i concerned. ii- A
~., ~ L
* It i I)
Assis tant Chilef of t4/,InAifgfo
to the effect that the Indiviutal ree
,efwed concering 7urthei" pertinent details re th l~e a fowt toned wl efmse to youa proolptty.
AM34§
I f .*0
e(v I
Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligene
I * Director of Naal Intelligence DpcDepartment of the Aby The Pentagon Vashington 25, D. C.
I * Director of S4ecial Inuestigattons BY COMLR aTCZ The Inspector Oenera1 Department of the Air Jbred ButldIng Tempo I 4th and Adams Drives, 8. . Washingtons 0. C.
.4'
U
so4-m
I (- Ar. .Rosen Mr. Lia * ecPion
100-w 01 tLt% - )
DATE B Date: December 28, 1956 ror Assistant Chief of Staff, intelligence Department of the Army The Pentagon 4 IWashington 25, D. Co Attentions Chief, Seourity Divson PlroSts John Edgar Hoover, Director c Federal Bureau of Investigation Subjects RACIAL 81TUATION somokR~ur, AL4ad4W
U. S. LAzS OP AL4ARA4, KNTITS OP MU KU RZU ZAN, LWORPOATrD INTERNWAL BECORITY *X
Reference is made to my previous earrespondence setting forth Information concerning the racial situation of Alaba and the actfuittles of the U.s 8. Klans of Alabamap .Knights of the Ku Klux Klan# Jaorporatede 11"kI On December 26, 1956, a coVidential source,who is in a position to furnish reliable Informatton advised that a bout 4 00 a.on Dec6berg4 2p," 1gUaa venue bus as Midred andubdtX0to trea alf a t v on the rear seat of the bus,* observed tuwhye "n ettin on the bus at Lawreno a exter Streets* 1n got off the bus at Hall Street both Aite enfolowed m the bus and one buped into his and qpoldgtWJdi Uen turned to acknowledge the apology the man stru m/ nohim on the arms twice while the ot r man a but missed. ".ooRECO 9 17 \I -jBoardman-Ucj- * Dlot-Icc- AssistantnAttorne er 1(R yon 0-6, same d-
___i Ma r,'n ney hIII Parsons - ,sn 1cc - 4s. t Attorney General Form G-6, same ate' Ne.s. j/zi jam F. Tomp7kins t Wineerrowd I Tele. Room \ - Holloman W hif ' Gandy 7 2) I
Asatstant Chief of Staff, Intelligence
Individual aaed reportedly was stan across thestareet tWPrd e above Incident. reportedly started toward the fight and the two ito a car mich already had three men in it. As this car drove off it was observed by in o be a 1948 or 1 Led aeor Plymouth with 1957 Ala* ensesurbeo reportedly called the police and was still t en a patrol car arrived, at which tme o give the details of the incident to the or. The policemen allegedly refused to is en t or accept any information from him. ,#also a.0 dly stated that two of the men in the car tguns. On December 24, 2956, Montgomerys Alabama, Police Department advised that a Kegro man had been attacked by white men upon alighting from a bus on that date; that a witness had furnished a license number, which license number as the same as that set forth previously; and that as of December 24,, 1956, the owmer of the vehicle had not been located. The records of the Motor Vehicle Division at Month omer re lect the above Ic number is re istered to
The December 25, 1956, Issue of the *Aontgomery Advertiser,1 a daily Montgomery newpaper, carried a news article stating that a fifteenyear old Negro girl, Ollie Mae 4 Collins, as attacked by three white men after alighting from a bus at High and Decatur Streets, Montgomery, but ws not seriously hurt nor was she hospitalized. In connection with this incident the previously mentioned source advised that Collins as allegedly attacked by two white men at approximately I 3:00 P.M., December 24, 1956, after alighting from the bus.
m Assistant Chief of Staff, Iatelligence
Further, that three other white men joined the original three men and after several blows were struck at Collins all of the men ran and left the scene In two automobiles. The source advised tha witness to this Inoldentass it en sMel a a to eafa anonymous. On December 24, 1956, the afore-msenttoned in describing the above Incident stated that a licenseumnIr of one of the two cars had been received anon usl; that this number as 1957 Alabama license nmber that the anonywow source described the car as a blad W ite Chevrolet; that the registered owner of the above license amberlis for
44
The Mobile te this Bureau has advised that the afore-mentioned are not known to be connected with Ku Klut Klan ac tv eIa hat area. The December 24, 1956, issue of the "ontgomery Advertiser" reflected in an article that a shotgun ad been fired at the home of the Reverend JMartin Luther King, Jr., -qv. president of the Montgomery Iprovement Association (JIA); that no one me injured; that the shotgun had been loaded with birdshot; and that the Montgomery Police Department wis investigating the Incident.
-'3- Asstatant Chief of Staff, Zntelligence
Further pertinent information developed concerning o- this matter will be furnished to you qpon receipt in the Bureau thereof.
2cc Director of Special Investigations B? COaUmrZsAR3I2C The Inspector General Department of the Air force Building Tempo ' 4th and Adams Drive, 3. W. kashington, D. C. 2cc * Director of Naval Intelligence Department of the Navy The Pentagon Washington 25, D. C.
'N -a
t
-4* -.- Br. Boardman - r. Belmont 1 - Lr.
Th!i / 7T6 f- AiT -9 &It' L . eaUr&PV &4l
SDI._.tC'L FF A!qI " Sir rACLL SISICA14'i &CIT GEN7T, ALJ FAAA "
r,1 NJP7' 8 fATA 70 1 1 L. iLA S. ~' Jrl L" ', T&FL A" L 1' LAN,,JEC, INTFKAL"C LITY *7
Aeferesee to ade to ey prestas errespondesce es-tioned as abce.
1 1 ryyW.OnA Vl0$etDepartnem e c 9 are Of r ,.@ &-ou# In.,ersation and hca stated 4St he will or a caer LAa3 Sef his followers Who attempt to take sided that hes atends to arrest CAyOne 4o <erferesa
with the FtrainAcw aerepeties JaeS concerntg busse ' sta*e he feel that the Stuatioe may ge* et o f ad f prompt snd effeettue sctte4 to sot takes to secO testance.
Belm - Maa_ Mor_ Parsos - Rosen ? oAE CCO RDEf0 1 .PA Tam. Z(1 Nease Winterrowd Tele. Room- Holloman- Gandy 7*e Attorfeyi .*4@M1
______dited that at Lue operatedf byi tttlet*r the bus Si the Ut j SWaer the Ersser'e seat lot neoone Vaes.n-In advised
" Maa ae was sriaam etth*a ZL.er twetapka Jsoad a r ftt SP te ftrie Transfer CompC's, in M*tjoaoyo otaodthat a ear trawu2 ag northt pOSeI he ts eust ce the shot wscfStrod &4a41epre ssed the evS nsVat the *shot had been fired from Ste e aro A'aeuer, he we uxale t# fstrata& on&i do* r -tSa f
- the c'cr or of Its ecempent..______added hcd teen th~e drv~ro-i ~eta bern o r ,&ipn twice on t**IR the e*ssi4V of iID 3m~b* Vgtrthem pertineint dcttesreceSiwed eeaceraj, the Cfare-moatlaed uwill he furiehoeto oVu preatW.
Iq
4m ^ rU. C wr-a s p .a Office Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO a3 Director, FBI (100-135-Sub 61) DAM: 12/26/56
SAC, Mobile (100-1361) A!.T6 4 .fr-;-~
RACIAL SITUATION , TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDAk/3A
/ For the information of the Bureau, two copies f each of the following newspaper items are transmitted herewith: 1) Item appearing in the Tallahassee Democrat, Talla- ' hassee, Florida, under date of 12/22/56 captioned "Negroes Plan 'Unsegregated' Return to Buses;" 2) Item appearing in same paper under date of 12/23/56 captioned "Mayor Appeals to Both Races and Bus Firm;" / 3) Item appearing in same paper under date of 12/24/56 captioned "Keeping Order is the Main Thing." This is an editorial by JOHN TAPERS, Editor; 4) Item appearing in same paper under date of 12/24/56 captioned "Ne-roes Try Front Seats;" 5) Item appearing in same paper under date of 12/24/56 captioned "DUPONT Plans to Seek City Commission Spot."
'p 2 - Bureau (Enc. 10) -IMobile mem
'iii
A. RECORDED -36 jG' INDEXED - 36 18 JAN~ 4 1957 p I' 1; 1z:7 0 0
oes Plan ALL $19 .4 'Unsegregated' ~EREN I' ~ ~~______-4/ Return To Buses The bmis J Ia.civic Ccu has told the city Comrnis- From Page 2 $I its seven-month old bus boy- cott hs ended and Negroes will re- turn to the buses in an "unsegre- gated fashion." Negroes Plan The letter said "we seek your unqualied assistance in main- taining order and preventing vio- lence of any sort as our people return to the buses In unsegregated 'Unsegregated' 39 fashion. The fact that there are violent factions in both races dic- tates that we be ever mindful." Return To Buses The letter was signed "The Ex- utive Committee," by 11- boycott began. It curtailed busi- executive secret." - ness so that the bus company shut Williams. a Tallahassee down for a month but resumed op- entist, declined to comment on tions after a Ride-The-Bus cam- what move the Negroes plan n sponsored by local white next or to say whether any Ne- dents. groes would attempt to board Many Negroes returned to riding the buses on an Integrated e buses when service resumed basis He said "the letter speaks but Negro patronage has continue "way below normal," Carter sald for itself." The letter from the Inter Civi Charles Carter, manager of r Council to Mayor Humphreass sal . the Cities Transit bus company, j "In the wake of the Federal today bald he had no reports of court order ending Bus segrega. Negroes trying to sit In front tion, our protest sats of buses. He would not 'j against segre. rated seating In Cities Transit coinment on what action he r Buses Is now ended. ould take if Negroes tried to "We seek your orce seating on an integrated r unqualified as. asis. b distance in maintaining order and Mayor Johh Humphress said t. preventing Violence of ay sort THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT "I guess we (the City Commis-1E as our people return to the buses TALLAHASSES, FLORIDA ston) will have to get together D in unsegregated fashion. Date / - 2 -( and talk It over." He said the a "The fact that there are violent had made no plans. * factions In both races dict4ts Commission thAt we be ever mindful. POLICE WATCHING We are begging that in such Police Chief Frank Stoutamire circumstances the law will be Re: RACIAL SITUATION said he was watching the situa- equitably applied, and the pewc TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA tion closely and would person- Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 ally handle any incidents if they ur people towards this and occurred. He said there had been Iofile 100-1361 no reports of incidents on the ooudsincerity." buses. It was the arrest of two Florida A. and M. students on May 26 that led to the boycott. The Negroes were arrested after they at- empted to take seats In the front a bus. Shortly after the incident the b (Continued on Page 2, CoL 8)
ENCLOSLMR, - --- 4 Mayor Appeals Steele made It *clear there would be no vote taken on the possibility of returning to the buses on a segregated basis. To Both Races "We know they wouldn't do Mayor Appeals that. They've voted emphatic- ally on that Issue before," he said. And Bus Firm Mayor Humphress made his To Both Races appeal for cooperation and con- tinued segregation after a spe- would not comment on what, If Segregation cial, closed meeting of the City any, decision had been reached. Commission yesterday after- There have been no reported noon. incidents of any efforts by Ne- Meet Called Humphress said the lette jroes to sit in the front of b rom the Negro Council nce the letter was sent. City Tallahassee Mayor John aw* requires Negroes to seat Humphress tdoay appealed to discussed at length and it w he feeling of the City Commis arom the rear of the bus. the people of both races and It was the arrest of two Flor- the bus company to cooperate on that "the buses should continue to operate on a segre- ida A. and M students for re- I In maintaining segregation on fusing to move to the back of ity bus lines. gated basis." 'IF AND WHEN' a bus last May which caused a The Tallahassee Inter Civi the start of the bus boycott. ouncil announced it will hol4 Asked what the City would do it the Negroes attempted to The boycott forced Cities Tran- I public meeting tonight a sit to suspend operations but AME Church in Bond force segregation by taking Subdi seats In the front of a bus, the buses resumed operation 1 vision to decide "whether to re- after one month. Charges to the buses on an un- Mayor Humphress said: "We'll turn just have to face that situation against the students were segregated bas ' or continue dropped. boycotting if and when it arises." us company. Humphress said the City Steele said tonight's mass Re . C teele, president commission, in consultation meeting would begin at 8:30 in of the oune , said yesterday's Fountain Chapel Ui AME statement that the Negroes will ith the City Attorney, h iscussed that possibility bu Church. He said the meeting return to the buses in an un- would be open to the general segregated fashion was "pre- Continued on Page 6, Col. 3) mature." Steele said the Inter Civtc Council never takes final action without a vote of the people at a mass meeting. He said the statement was the feel- THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT ing only of the officers of the TALLAHASSE3, FLORIDA council. Date___2.__-_ City officials received a let- _ ter from the Council, signed by ms, executive secre- I , wilch said the Negroes Re: RACIAL SITUATION were ending their seven-month TALLAHASSEE, old boycott and asked the FLORIDA City's assistance in maintain Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 order as Negroes "return to th Mobile 100-1361 buses in unsegregated fashion.
7!L MT~%I NA~ S HEU ...... INDEXED '~.,& i~ SERIALIZ ...... FILED - .R~fK 'l DE C -r ~2 - 222(7 0 iv> 7 LiTh~ 4V1!DLIUJ I 5? [7 tCJ JA ~/flf7Q (Q ,OtQtitV -2$' >tilSuphvremr Cou132 cat ia, Sthe 4h7 an? h'iak2 btc!h2na 2t 2:1) 25as aeil that rCrjregatedi S2ting~ d2 2A23 todoSpent Gart, ar ha OR3Tby 5 aesn Montg~om~eAy, Ai., city 7nmasa decgreate znut as Motgcmafe2 T7nz< m1:t edbcma2 ). b ontitutioal - Unortnately while th catfo& edoubthat ane ov-r Will agree that through the court, there willb ait the Supreme Court of the United StatWs notoriety, Man l-feeling. Ii (4- was within its scope of judicial operations Alredy a mder of the Negro t henStsteppedw so far into the intorna cott has acinounced his candidacy for to affair of aatate and one ofIts eitiesto City Commission. He Wi be using '&a regulate their customs and ordinances, isue to exhort andseltes peo% but the Supreme Court has usurped that further dividing our eltiem alna sel authority and apparently isgtting away lines. In this situation, the question of kee Segregated seating on the buse in Ing peace and order is of most immedia Montgomery has ended, and-we are grati- knportance ied to hear-without the violence and We don't know how many Negroes disord mny of us had feared. really wil go all out to defy the. old customs, nor how many Now, certain leaders of Tallahase white people will insist on maintaining the customs Negroes, following the pattern of the at all costs. We have anidea that most Montgomery developments, have advised of the Negroes who are agitating their people to board the buses and sit the matter aren't regular bus riders-and where they please-preferably nearer the neither ar most of the white people who trant than the back. talk I est about "keeping them in their pln They have put the nextmove up to the The Negro leaders have appeal City Commission and City law enforce- their people to bend over backwards t ment officers. avoid violence. We believe our white atil- The Supreme Court's decision in the senry, almost to a man, has the same 4e- Montgomery case does not automatically sire. - apply to Tallahassee. The City can rely Seeing that such violenceIdoes not - on its own segregation ordinances and cur, that the hotheads of neither rae fght the case through a long ande n- shall not take over this situation, shoul sive series of court appeals. be the first obligation of our police
4 44.- THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT Itt TALLAHASS2Z, FLORIDA Date- 12-:27-5(
V.J. -I - ,Eduitor AU aEV70 Re: RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 LA n,.T rnEf P_1~qP 1 1 / Mobile 100-1361
a- SEARCHED__.IN1 ED... SERIALIZED..-. D.. DEC 2 609 6 UD . 6,04 on Q k 11 0 , I I FB - MQ6ILE\
1- 6 0
K' ~ ~w~p Negroes Try Front Seats Ministers Test Local Bus Integration; No incidents By DON MEIKLEJOHN Democrat Staff Writer Teams of Negro ministers and leaders in the Inter ALL INrD jAT! f Civic Council began seating themselves near the fron of Cities Transit buses today, but most other Negroe4 I &N,i were still sitting in the rear. No arrests were made for vio- Ilating the city ordinance re- quiring Negroes to seat from the **VERY NICE" . *-,rear and no disturbances were No white passengers were on reported during the morning. e bus, and the Rev. Steele The City Commission and City id the driver and Bus Man- officials held a closed meeting ger Charles L. Carter werej this morning at a local restau- very nice." rent. Commissioners and bus The Rev. J. M ouins, company officials could not be treasurer r vic reached for comment, and were Council, and Da a ed. apparently continuing the meet- transportation Chair o he Ing at an undisclosed location. ICC, boarded a Florida A & M EARLY VENTUREk bus, and rode to the downtown S rtly after8s.m.,theRe section, where they switched to THE TALLAHASSEE DE11OCRAT K. e, president o a Betton Hills bus. ivic Council, nd two Rollins and Speed said the TALLAHASSES, FLORIDA ther Negro ministers boarded driver asked them to "kindly Date e Beard Street bus at Monroe move to the rear." but they did street and Park Avenue. not answer the request and con- They were putting into effect tinued to sit at the* front. a resolution adopted at a mass No other conversation was Re: RACIAL SITUATION Meeting last night urging Ne- held between the driver and the TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA groes to make a deliberate ef- Negro passengers. HusVile tort to break the rear - seating Rollins sat in the first seat 100-135 Sub 61 pattern, but advising them to in back of the long seat and Mobile 100-1361 make every effort to avoid vio- Seed sat In the seat behind lence. him. Getting on the uswith Steele On the Thomasville Highway. were the R4 4 dd. pastor they switched to another bus of the St. James CME.Vhusckh that took them through the and the ReL.Is, Northeast section of town and pastor of the Bethel returned to downtown. Church. There were several white peo- They sat In thi a6cond sett ple on this bus, but none sit- In back of long heats at th% ting In the same seats as the front of the bus, and rode at fhr as_&w Buick Co., wherk 8teele said be did not have 6 0
amp-laas to make. aff"WUF trips today, but Rollins and Speed said they would continue to ride at least for a while. They said they also might ride the bus later this afternoon. N During the early morning hours, Negro domestics were boarding the buses and riding Negroes' Try Fro'nt Seats~ at the rear of the bus with the exception of the Florida A & M From Page 1 glad to have you return, for their vin has said laws in other cities and Frenchtown runs that have company and the drivers' jobs and states must be specifically had Negro drivers since Septem- ean lead to a riot," Steele said. are very shaky without us. No tested before they are Invalid.) ber. The instructions similar to one will molest you for you are those "From here on If a Negro sits On these runs, the Negroes recently given to Negroes walking with God. on the back of a transient car- have been sitting close to the boarding desegregated buses in Montgomery also said: "Remember the carrying out rier, he or she Is voluntarily seg- front since the buses were pu of this part of our movement regating himself. In order to back on the street after "1. If someone strikes you, turn can make all the steps we have break the seating pattern which month's layoff. Pew white pa the other cheek. walked worthwhile or not," the we have grown accustomed to trons ride on these lines. "2. If someone curses you, ig- instructions said. we are requesting that you re- NO PICTURES nore It. "The Pederal Court order out- strain from sitting on the rear The only scuffle today was "3. If someone pushes you, lawing segregation on public car- end of the bus unless there are tween Bus Company Manager keep your balance physically, tiers has arrived at the federal no other seats available," the carter, and a Jacksonville tele- mentally, and spiritually. courts in Tallahassee. Upon re- Instructions said.e ion cameraman. "4. Do not hold conversations ceipt of the order by the courts During the meeting, - Steele CarterIssued orders that no with anyone unless utterly neces- all laws pertaining to segrega- said that his comments. quoted pictures could be taken on the sary. tion are dead." the Negroes were Sunday that the release of a let- buss, and when the Jackson- "5. Please sit more to the advised. ter stating the Negroes would ville camera man attempted to nt of the bus, rather than (Although the Supreme Court return to the buses had been et on to shoot pictures of the the rear." has ruled that segregation on "premature" was a reference to ~4~y%.~ ev. Steele, Carter took his The instructions said the but Montgomery buses is illegal, the City and not about the ICC camera and forced him off th Impany and drivers "will be Florida Atty. Gen. Richard Er- leaders. bus. "He said we did not expect After they were off the bus. them to release the statement Carter returned the camera, an since they have been so shy , told the cameraman, "You can the past," Steele said. shoot all you want out here, but During the meeting, 10 Cof those are my buses and I don't ficers reported receiving want you on there with a cam- licited contributions front out-of r." town agencies. 4 At a meeting last night of the One of the contributions was Inter Civic Council, about 400 from an agency that listed rs. Negroes voted to return to the, Franklin D. Roosevelt a a con- buses in an "unsegregated man- tributor, Dr. M. C. Williams, ner" this morning. secretary of the ICC, told tite The Rev. C. K. Steele, presi- audience. ' t & dent of the ICC and other lead- The boycott of local buses will Ors urged the Negroes to avoid be seven months old Dec. 28, violence, and handed out de- and started after the Arrest of tailed Instructions on h~w to im- two Florida A&M women stu- tement the move back to the dents who sat next to a Wht oman on a Cities Transien hie Instructions specificall us. They were charged wi ged that the Negroes "sit mor acing themselves in a posito the front of the bus, rathe Incite a riot, but the charge than to the rear," and promis- were dropped.'- ed legal aid for those arrested. As a result of the boycott, the Steele told the group. "Before Inter Civic Council and 21 mem- I'll be a slave, I'll be buried in bers were arrested and convict- my grave." ed in City Court on charges of Referring to the Sifireme operating an illegal transporta- Court decision outlawing segre- tion system set up as a car pool gation on buses in Montgomery, without a franchise. Steele said, "If it's unlawful in These cases have been appeal- Montgomery it also is unlawful ed to Circuit Cout L in Tallahassee and in Florida The 22 defendants were fined If they are still in the Union." a total of $11,000 for the vio- The instructions. among other things. advised Nerroes against going to the aid of others who gret in trouble over efforts to break the bus seating segrega- tion pattern. 0
'-1 ~, ~ ,!b~- ~I Dupont Pans To Se1e City Commission Spot The Rev, . upont, vice president of the Negro Inter Civic Council, announced last night that he will be a candidate for the City Commission in February, if he's eligible. Dupont, who opened a mass run for City Commission," he meeting of the ICC at the Poun- added. :ain Chapel A.M.E Church last Among his qualifications, Du- 2ight. with the announcement, pont said. "I've never been drunk a under conviction in City Court . . . I've been a pretty fair citi- !or operating an illegal trans- zen, and I'm honest." portation system in connection The announcement was made with the Negro boycott of Cities in a whimsical vein, but when Transit buses here. questioned after the meeting Du The City Charter prohibits pont said he was serious aboul anyone who has been convicted running. of a crime from holding office. He said he planned an activev URGES REGISTRAION campaign." He said "I want everyone to ATKINSON'S SPOT register to vote in February. Only one seat will be Involv- "The reason I want you to ed In the February City elec- register to vote is rm going to tions-the one now held by City Commissioner Davis Atkinson. Atkinson has made no formal announcement but Is considered a sure bet to run for election. Atkinson was appointed to the post after the resignation of Fred Wintprl*. who resigned when he moved out'id* the city limits. THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT Dunont I saetor of the Foun- TALLAHASSE1,FLORIDA tain tChan*I AME Church. Date -'I- s, Ht Is 51 ears old. and was 1.2 born in Midway In Oadsden SHlOPPING DAY BEFOREi Ow"ntv. Besides h14 cro ac- tivities, he owns a truck line. Re: RACIAL SITUATION CHRISTMAS He Is married. and has three sons and two daughters. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Huf ile 100-135 Sub 61 Hofile 100-1361
- ~'b -~-. - as~!.r&v~*EPY9~ . - ('~~7T~
SEARCHEt J.NDDED..... ALL ~~~ SERIALIZED...... FILED. )EC 2 61953 FBI -. tObILL DATE ( cc - Boardman, T-, - 'I - - -- A-
TH.E ATTORNEY GENERAL December 289,1936 AU. INO~u Director, FBI 7C FT~
RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA J. U. 8. LANS, KNIGHTS OF THE KU KLUX ELAN INC INTEINAL SECURITY - X
Reference i s made to previous correspondence captioned as above. The December 279 1956g issue of the IlMontgomery #-- '-I Advertiser,* a daily Montgomery, Alabama, newspaper, contained a front-page article captioned Discord, Violeno\ Mar Bus Riding in Four Cities." This article relates tha two Montgomery buses were fired upon within fifteen minutes in different parts of Montgomery on the night " of December 26, 1956 ;that the first bus, which was ed upon at 6s45 P. M., d four Negro passengers one a teen-age girl who vas nearly hit by a bullet fired food what police described as a .22 caliber rifle; that one passenger said the shot was fired from a mov car; :V 7 that this incident occurred at Mobile Road and Barly 4=a- ' Street; and that the bus driver, H. L. Warren of Wetupxao*4 Alabama, said all four passengers were seated behind the 9 center of the bus. The article further relates that the . .secondshooting occurred at 7:00 P. M. when what police beliceqd was a shotgun fired at lose ringe threw nine I._ pe)lets at a bus occupied only by the driver, J. H. Ball at Sudie and Jackson Streets; and that two shots were heard by Ball. No one was hit or injured in either incident. Newscaster Crawford Rice, in a broadcast over. WFA-TV at 10:00 P. N. on December 26, 1956, stated the 8 second shootingoeourred t udie and Stevenson Streets. RECORDED -39 / 2oo-5-61 Tolson 401~i4~ Nichols ~DEC.fDC g5 Boadm 0rn Belmont COMMP -1 MasonO P I
Iinterrod~ i A IZi - trele. Room- 'V -- - r-fy - Iollomfn -C! I Py - Gandy L 1 >~% ~ NOW, lw
p t
Moorandum for The Attorney General
Rice's account also differed in that he said the first shooting was done with shotgun which struck near the door of the bus immediately after a teen-age girl boarded it and that the second shooting was done with a rifle. On December 27, 1956,i n Montgomery Police Department advised t his department arrested three men at 11:00 PM. on December 26 1956 on U. S. Highway 31 Isypass at Montgomery Ina 1 i station wagon bearing Alabama license number that 47C these individuals were in possession of fifteen s 0s ofI dynamites a shotguns and a .32 caliber-sstols that T~vi dothese
4
The Mobile Office has advised that the afore- mentioned three individuals are not know to be Elan *-~ members at the present time. ~ i--a - - -. Further pertinent details received concerning & ' !U- the afore-mentioned will be furnished you promptly,
on * Mr. William P. Rogers a-. Deputy Attorney General eo - Assistant Attorney General ~J- -; )~ William F. Tompkins ~t49 cc - Assistant Attorney General ~c Warren Olney III
* yt
I I IF~~ -2.* i
0hot.
suadva e. 66 0
Office Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO a Director, FBI (100-135-Sub 61) DATE; 12/28/56
4 anob : S 100-1361)
sac: RACIAL TUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA For the information of the Bureau, there are at- tached two copies of an item appearing in the Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, under date of 12/26/56 captioned SEGREGATION LAW TEST SET BY BUS FIRM.
- Bureau (Enc. 2) '1 - Mobile mem
DAL-~Y
RECORDED- 9 / - £ JAN 91951
acto I
t4'U FNCLOSU0 der 4" On Monday teams of Negro Segregation natutaewemand membm--t e p Council rode buses sitting near the front following up a vote of the members of the ICC to go back to the bases In an "un- law Test Set ' segregated manner." There have been no reports of Negroes attempting to take eats beside white people. By Bus Firm At a special meeting of the ICC executive committee and Maahassee bus segregation advisory board, the Negro lead- laws will be tested by Cities ers voted to continue sitting Transit Inc. In a suit that the near the front of buses. ALL!OnAT!I I1D company hopes to file "before the epd of the week" probably The group is composed of all infederal court here. Negro ministers and the mem- hers of the ICC board of di- Charles Ausley, bus company ;co" About2 aendedthe I a , said today the act-fetin. DATE be taken after receipt tte instructions fromA regular meeting of the Inter to maintain segregation Civic Council will be held to- t the buses.mananstea~n night at the Bethel Baptist Chrh on Bus service was resumed to-Cr statement Issued after buses with white - gers, no Negroes were In e day after a Christmas Day lay- mg ntof off with little evidence that a rotmeetngthe gou =sidI the buses, and even Tallahassee Democra movement of the Inter CivicrrtCC o s with only Negoes TallahasseeFla .they were seated at xrr7.w Council to urge Negroes to sit a action "forces TalhseF. )bearer the front of buses wasWih them while inag r extreme rear in most ce12/26/56 1poing carriedbeig crridoutot generally.3gnerlly with the great Constitution lf ity Mgr. Hopkins said -- After a seven hour meeting our nation &d the BronU ce have not been given Re: Monday, the City Commission statement. cific instructions other a I instructed City Mgr. Arvah Hop- "We Wi not pay the san keep order. Racial Si ation kins to order the bus company fare as others and be segregated Tallah ee, Fla. to maintain segregation on the illegally and unfairly.- the bum.statement said. At the same time, the bus Other portions of the state- Bufi e 00-135-Sub company announced Its plans meant contained a pledge that 61 to get a ruling on local bus If the segregation Is eliminated, gregation laws in light of the the ICC will "do all In our Mofile 1 -1361 dtion by the Supreme Co t, power to se to 1t that Cities tlawing segregation on Moni- Transit, Inc. will thrive, grow, gjery, Ala., buses.nd even expand its services. kins said oral instructi I The statement added: "We have been given to the com- further believe that Ifthere is , and theme will be followed a Southern city anywhere In up with wrtteliThstructl ns America where there Is enough time today. goodwill for the Practiceof YSIT BACK ra eun mrcnaTl g the early runs I v- lahassee Is that city." tog a Park Avenue and Mon- On buses checked early this roe street bus stop, only one morning, there were few whle Negro sat in front of the back dii nthpearo parothe door, and there were no white nr pteannouned en passengers on the bus.bCl c The Rev. C. K. Steele, preel- CI 00: t of the Negro Inter Cic AAG lfXA l Cocil, said no organized pi- FOR) 695- 01 ha been made, but there-wo be egroes on the buses tody siteing "Quite near the front.t ENCOAB /&W-/~54/ ;9A J - ' FMER S EpU OF WMSTI0 ( U. L PMTI:NT Of luSTICE SOMMUIIPcA1iWS SECTION ALL IFORW4-1T'N lCONTINED asr. Mr. noeno** Mr. Tam= 4 7uMr. H RTE Trotte --BY .3,3j35Mr. es DATEMr. HAIl FBI BILE 12-31-56 11I2 ALS/ RECTOR, FBI U RCEN T RACIAL SITUATION, MONTCOMERY, ALA. RE HOTEL DEC. TVENTYEICGT. FIFTYSIX. M ADVISED TODAY THAT AT SIX TWENTY AM DEC. THIRTYONE, INSTANT, A BULLET WAS FIRED INTO A BUS OPERATED BY HOAS DRIVER OF THE SUS FIRED UPON TVICE ON NICHT OF DEC. TVENTYEICHT, FIFTYSIX. T)E BULLET FIRED TODAY STRUCK THE BUS IN LEFT FRONT SIDE JUST UNDER DRIVERS SEAT BUT STRUCK NO PERSON ACCORDING TO JUST AS SHOT WAS FIRED, UNILE RE VAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON LOWER WETUMPKA ROAD IN FRONT OF DIXIE TRANSFER CO., A CAR PASSED THE BUS COING NORTH. BELIEVES THAT SHOT WAS FIRED FROM THAT CAR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FURNISH ANY DESCRIPTION OF CAR OR OCCUPANTS. WITH REFERENCE TO SECOND SHOOTING DEC. TWENTYEIGHT, FIFTYSIX, SAID THAT SHOTGUN BLAST STRUCT THE $US NEAR THE DRIVER-S SEAT*\ - g STATED THA NOMEio o Ls/sESw /SHOOT 'INc THIS MORNING OTHER THANNJAN 9 1957 4A .1I RALLEORD
END ACK PLS Mr. Belmontl 12-26 PM OK FBI VA JS
TU DIE C) 0
CMR
HER 7~o s R A7 J31,/f3p~f 'F,&'x\J7,
gcocjz- A6660dayag ObW Oje swg ,Dapaftwnt ef Me 5%6 Pentagon washomoeem &2% Alete O"Urley Do v as Ion arcl7j-'a lager x9ow- 'r, Bureau,
ni A Iltmw Aral il-1-17A-U, XMAW.IU SIOLva"
oapgionod as aborso
Vo wd Wtf0vo p V WW WVW Bifrm-nghazu PoJ te ep47Vtmevnt 98 .re o h fuVeratton and hasutet*d tWAtwf 11 rr**$
wflth th* Bfrimngh" *gqrgaStg*X £400eaU*rntfus*"~u Masos olkks hipi* othe o51w .fqtowok~4 ge ut of Mad L Alzr- - ' &Ote gh'l in 4Lscm each Ifiswiie Taim ___
WAntttrwd- 1006io-7801af~~ ie. -&mom- ~INok6an- et--fjb~l
p4,-- C ()
Aatatant ChIeff 11tf/. IntelltgaSO ip
SAN rmed Mne £ahbeeper td
b, ris all t .f hthe bsiatfsw e
travel 1 A p a " Ix at of the ht ire d and expressed the epin ten that the Owet "d been fire $iu this car.s oe9Werp he am tuale toA fr m .. deseript ton of the oar or of Its eceupate. added that had been the driver of tAW huestaAW been fired X e en the *vexn g of Deesuber J8# J94. Pu rt her pertinent doelreeived 0.enoemxt She a.fremwent toned will be famisehed to you preimtJjp.
I - ireeter of Special TAwtigtieue 57wrS mAWW She Inapeetor General Department of the Air Pores Buitldfing raw*ex 4th a"d ida.. DrIve.1. IrahtingtenI 1 D-irector of iawal 1'ntellgelw Department of the Suwy noe Pntpulq II Veehin1,'641 tn
w 2 4 I, cc
Januazy 8. 1957 Alrtel
A.5ITUAITION NUOM ALY *tAt * aA OF AT-ABgAM, UIGIII3 OF THB'U SXLA I '2 -
Practically sa of the ntz tion "ot forth Ii ths rfrened 3m-pae airtel coulA avwon ~I nce La blank mfmorandumsitable for Eisainatiou &adthwe~tr It would have beon unnecssary for thlIn information to be "edictatod at the Boat of Govornmaot.* In the future you viii. be expected to adbere strictly to Biweau instructions with regard to submission of inormation im blank vamoranduem.1.-
£ 0vw " 100-7801
I A J-' Nit,
4. .?,* ~ -. 4
'p3. ~ ~* I~JAN N-9 1957'4
41k
rE-- 4-528
fd
Cd- / CHANGED TO
FEB 4 .1957 IJ./ (4 L6
F.R OriW, TrP -:- DEPOTT :Yl O 109- r' ,OM t ' TI-N
ar. JAN 5 1957 Mr. To ALL IUNB'T! CONT IuMr.-ED P1% IERNNi' Mr!.ll1Tele. I DATERY &
FBI OSILE 1-5-57 59 PM MCM D SECTOR, FBI URGENT - RACIAL SITUATION, MONTGOMERY, ALA., U. S. KLANS OF ALA., KKKK, 4 V ISDASH X. ADVISED TODAY THAT ABOUT MIDNIGHT JAN.FOURv cA KNOWN AS MEMBERS KLAVERN TWENTYTHREE, MONTCOMERY, WERE CUT IN A FIGHT WITH UNIDENTIFIED NEGRO MALE NEAR LITTLE 6, KITCHEN, I, THEY WERE TAKEN TO PROFESSIONAL CENTER HOSPITAL, 1- MONTGOMERY, B ALSO KLAVERN TWENTYTHREE MEMBERS, AND AT HOSPITAL ASSAULTED AND STRUCK NEGRO ELEVATOR OPERATOR, WHEN REFUSED TO GET OFF ELEVATOR ATiDEMANP. UPON REACHING HOSPITAL FLOOR OF PROFESSIONAL CENTER BUILDING, t~ ALLEGEDLY DREW A KNIFE ON NEGRO HOSPITAL ATTENDANT, WHO ALSO DREW KNIFE. OTHERS INTERVENED, PREVENTING FIGHT.RRESTED AND CHARGE VITH A AND AD- ON BOND. SAID THAT BOTH CGOOT INTO TROUBLE9 T1 WITH A NEGRO AT SEVEN SEAS RESTAURANT APPROXIMATELY THREE-EEKS . AG ADVISD LSO THAT AT TEN AM TODAY, FOUR BOYS, AGE
EN& CGXhE 9 1_____outX%. IO 0* 0
s
PACE TWO... ELEVEN TO FIFTEEN, WERE ARRESTED FOR SHOOTING SPARK PLUGS AT BUS WINDOWS WITH SLING SHOTS AT JONES AND SAYRE STS., MONTGOMERY. ALL FOUR BOYS RELEASTED TO CUSTODY OF PARENTS, BUT WILL BE ARRAIGNED IN JUVENILE COURT, MON. HALLFORD END ACK PLS 7-07 PM OK FBI WA NRB TU
4tC- DA ,S - J&7
MOmmm-wy,
0D 9 ti
War6-p
a, wem urs ivc l'e
o mnamr 0rn
NeaseW~j7~LI ~-,as AbyOt*',i.
Tele. Roo SMlorw_ I1
. Letter to Assistant Chief of 8taff, Intefligease
.4D
ooneryoce is . pe so information.
p K
e2- Letter to Assistant Chief of Staff# Intellieos
On January fs 19 avised that about *ha JanuarY 4 9 members of Nontgomery av 0 w mof Alabama, were cut in a fight with an unidentified sale Ne aar the Little Kitchen Tavera They VUr aan ebers.At hspi as a stick Negro elevator a whe the elevator at deoaf allegedly drew iaItal attendant who also drew a k e. * er persona present intervened and preve*48a fight. I'as arrested and charged with assault and bat *s was released on bond. also advised that at 10 a.a*s January * oIour b*ys ages 11 to 15 were arrested for shoot i spark plugs at bus windows with sling shows at Jones and Sayre Streets Montgomery. All four boys* vere released to the custo y of their parents but were scheduled to be arraigned in juvenile court an January 7, 1957.
Any additional pertinent information received relative to this matter will be furnished you promptly. <%I. j
-3 -
7 m mmq
Letter to Assistant Chief of Staff, Intellgease cc Director of Speeial Investigations The Inspector General Department of the Air Foree B COURIER SERwICE Building Tempo 3 kth and Adams Ikive, 5. V. ashington,3. C. cc Director of aval Intelligence Department of the hay The Pentagon ashiagton 25, I. C.
~~~1
I 4 UMV?. 5boomR elamd
Wr AfRYWT WAS
JZIIIYJ* *2 ALL INFORP'TIN CN.TAIED LIT- HERE! !S LkEIED r, A OAT V. U. E.AW, tW~ 7P Iw-,*.--vt , Wt YzMar 14KW ass7A= ai. W.
Sierwes to made to pre eo frrespondne Sep ttened e ab*ee At0 ?eOs?. **, *** n*er WJ90't hqtVI*S* Itetes le FAW*SI Matte*Fryp AIabs uf **I * *pa . 1*2 ew roleeaseue thae ehert fee prfor therete a shot hbeen fired ate hb at the wrner@* Alp s-d C*tmns StrUts MMagoary A2absm aSfa0 Negy eq A 4 A slO *AM., Beeeher Me JS5 N ngneryal te P. rtsetse s !.m. emb * 1956 a bus wetrod Inea ae heustg de speet atA r * kson and eamsustreae, baJon AbaRb. Be-wd that a billettrask one s teats Xa ersfamae* pasenger'en he bae to the le. 4APssengers and the drfe w vort.esttened /offf earsof/thUwontgWry tl teelq emeInt regard this Seldent end n"e uid grte& my of nrsth e salm AeepttelsA f eSKetm es wlee**_lisg **ms a aft seb stag **me ut no 4fam Itoa eentmeeaket the shet ae em p0r!ats is the Negre 0i"hea *eelep"s referred Soe. Be added thet after l fJMand possengers were released by the pOS tee, ba0 we ftred Upon agino as Is passow the erser of aston Japag,,, st reate' ok ,RECORDED-37, fe ass Rthe I the VakI t om @t Hou tente tteot=8dateder Boardma ,Belmoot - I h sA-- Mr Parson s Rosen Tamm. Nease Winterroiwd Tele. Room Holloman Gandy - Neuernd Or the Atere e erl
aevs es fe JMeasm te after the sha. 7m, wre teqw asesteisg that Jordn usesho thrash beth e $tSW either rifle or plte buNlets. Ker and Itsleas - s*e6fWtn9 th e ratese else reflted that hivtee ast.seer #2 Sellers of a mer*ere the be shpe at *pewrtless Jrw alght fJWow the shetly. ' ?ne De**gber .9, Iof, lepen of the *frstages Pra'* aentataeddoAtele reflettag hst a beat Alrmlagham. Aabeasaus fired ae* at UJ@ P.M., as Deamber 29, 1956. ne ewtle pted oters 4. . otison DO BWranha hl eQeperseetsat a t~aSgt shots fired at she bs wae fee a 5aW gfm a SAt only tapellets hit the bms. .Sreen -tu rther gwtO *tet tt pel foe hae elas i/ted the weldsit w ualeoue~e prean and 40 met feel that ttseaOf slganffleoaw Ioa fr asthe eegret lea teave Is SeateradS .
II
* * a.- - )m 0
5wrown jbr #U Atteruy .wm
IP V t
pother perntmt eferfs ionft h .r-.eaeadwWM wlh* w ubep~
"s~ Ill $an P. EAgrv IA*Suty A* AUO Uefte1 3Ae*Itc"tAt"e'qU.'
;l'c C 3 4-528
-'4 z
I:. CHANGED TO
FEB 4 1957 Office Memobrandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT i C TO Director, FBI DATE: 1/11/57 SAC, NMbile * Sul RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
Enclosed herewith for the information of the Bureau are two copies of a clipping from the 1/9/57 issue of the Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, captio ned "NEW BUS RULES UP FOR STUDY". 104A-, (4 2 - Bureau (100-135 Sub 61)(Encls. / - Mobile (100-1361) vlw ALL INfDP-1 !E'T Y7 11,11 i LIM-~ Op
~AATE R.''5OBY' VACIDE 5 /
6 JAN 14 1957 0-40tb
ON
J, 4,7"Y; u II LHw Bus Rules 00oon. He said he could not disc e rules until they were sub itted to the Commission. Up For Study The operating rules and reg- ulations are expected to be Operating rules and regula- based on numbered tickets cor- tions for a new passenger as- respondmg to seats on the slgnment plan on City buses buses. are scheduled to be submitted As a person gets on the bus, to the City Commission today be would be sold a specific seat for approval. -much like a seat on a train. At the same time, the Negro NO INDICATION Inter Civic Council, which has The plan is expected to pave spearheaded the local bus in- the way for resumption of bus tegration movement, issued a service, but Gov. LeRoy Collins, statement that said "We can- who suspended service New not and will not subscribe Year's Day, had not indicated the iniquitous scheme or any- when the suspension order will ting less than full compliance 1 be lifted. th the Supmere Court's de- In Its statement, the ICC said lon. . "The plan is merely a delaying tactic of the City Commission l meeting of the ICC was to evade the spirit and letter scheduled for 8 p.m today at of the U. B. Supreme Court de- the Bethel AME Church. $Wlow." The City Commission passed The 10C statement said. It the new assignment law at a Was "clear that the enforcement special meeting Monday. of any segregation law amounts Although it makes no direct to a wilful deprivation of con- reference to segregation, it gives stitutional rights and, in addi- each bus driver authority to as- tion, constitutes a crime against THE TALLAMASSEE DIOCRAT sign passengers to numbered the United States." *TALLAHA3SES FLORIDA seats. "We cannot and will not Date- ASSIGNED SEATS subscribe to this Iniquitous Persons who refused to take scheme nor anything less than assigned seat. can be fined up l compliance witwh the Bu- to $500 and 60 days in jail. reme Court's decision for Re: RACIAL SITUATION D. Fred McMullen, attorney o so would make us parties for the bus company, said the e violations of the laws TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA operating rules are being drawn United State." Hufile 100-135 Sub 61 and probably will be submitted H1ofile 100-1361 tt a regular City Commission meeting at 2:30 p.m. this after- (Continued e Page 2,..b"
U AiJ
DATE3Allis RVLC,. S Q Office Metorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Director, FBI DATE: 1/11/57
TM : SACS Mohigl. '?~, i .,,.~-,.. t RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
For the information of the Bureau, attached hereto are the following: Two copies of an item appearing in the Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, 1/8/57, captioned "NEW BUS SEATING PLAN VOTED BY TALLAHASSEE*. Two autostat copies of an item appearing in the Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, 1/8/57, cap- tioned "BUS SEAT SYSTEM DEFIANCE PLANNED".,
P-Bureau (100-135 Sub 61)(Encls. 4) 4I 4 - Mobile (100-1361) vlw
All 8FO!U",110NPNTI DATE24LB
pECORDED- 5 0-
g JAN 141957 # IC S '.- .1 c
t - New BusJ (Seating Plan Voted IByl U1.
V Tallahassee THE TALLAHASSEE DEI0CRAT TALLAHASSES, FLORIDA Non-MixJ Date I 57 Action Re: RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Hufile 100-135 Sub 61 Is Taken nofile 100-1361
A passenger assignment plan for seating on local buses was passed yesterday by the City Commission in a speedy special ~ meeting. The plan-almed at preserv- Ing segregation on City buses- makes no direct reference to gregation, but gives the drive uthority to assign passenge ENCLOSJ numbered seats. It estafl es a maximum fine of $6 80 days In jail for violation. an & Q
I"mu a Pani. '3 NI&. nt ft
New bus Plan , The actio- xagiardo y amends lists events of the Past few the present bus company fran- weeks as the basis for the chise, and knocks out a provis- emergency. ,.~- '1 ion requiring the bus company Listed as reasons for the ac- to "make and enforce reason- tion were violence and the de- able rules and regulations pro- struction -of property, threats viding for the segregation of to the safety of bus passengers, the human races when more the "doubtful validity" of the than one race is transported on old segregation provision, and the same bus." the need for public transporta- Two court suits-one filed by tion. the City and the other by Cities Last week Federal Judge Em- Transit, Inc.-to get clarifica- ett C. Choate held that Plorids tion on the old provision have laws and Miami ordinances re- been dropped by general agree- quiring segregated seating Qn ment between the City and the buses were unconstitutional on bus company. the basis of the U. S. Supreme Court decision in the Montgom-. CITY DROPS CASES ery. Ala., case. The City also has dropped Although the ruling is not cases against nine bus drivers binding in the Tallahassee situ- and Bus Company Manager ation, It was generally agreed Charles L. Carter, who were that it would be a "persuasive arrested for operating the buses argument" in any segregation without a franchise. law cases here. D. Fred McMullen, attorne( Gov. LeRoy Collins suspended or the bus company, submi the bus operation New Years ted a letter in which the b Day after rocks were thrown at company accepted the ne the Rev. C. K. Steele's house, franchise provision. nd a window in Speed Broth- Mayor John Y Humphress er's Grocery Store was shot out. issued a statement urging citi- An aide of Collins said the -~ zens to cooperate with the bus governor didn't have any plans company in enforcing the new to restore service today or to- regulation. morrow. He said, "In taking this ac- The CIt y Commission will tion, the City Commission calls meet at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, and upon the citizens of Tallahassee probably will consider the bus to assist the bus company in company rules and regulations discharging its duties under the at that time. ordinance when bus transporta- TEACE, TRANQUILITY' tion is resumed. We urge the The ordinance calls for pas- people of this community to sengers to be seated to assure. refrain from any acts of dem- "peace, tranquility and good onstrations which will have the order ... Is preserved." effect of increasing racial ten- The key paragraph says,."The sion or which will cause vio- rules and regulations to be lence, disorder or further adopted by the company (bus breaches of the peace in our company> . . . shall provide for City." the seating of its passengers for WILL TAKE EFFECT hire; shall provide for the as- The ordinance will take ef- signment of a numbered seat fect immediately, but rules and for each passenger so trans- regulations established by the ported, and shall provide that bus company must be approved each passenger so transported by the City Commission before shall occupy only the aest so ey are put Into operation. assigned; and shall provide for The ordinance was passed the placement of Its passengers emergency measure, and who are permited w stand." (Continued on Page 4, Col. 5) The new ordinance follows generally a pattern established in Florida's pupil assignment law designed to preserve segre- gated schools.
F 3 *--.... 0
J.
a a, I ~ -- ~.- -
BY LEON NEGROES 40whetGe Bus Seat System -ea lcal mater.-,,.... But the t DefianceD F PlannednICkU oeorg"a ethrsabeinegr*" vohuata ww Voluntary. could lead to " re TAILABA8SEE, Jan. 8 (I-Negro leaders today .. e " e id h I denounced the new bus seat assignment plan ordered tegration.* by the City Commission as an "iniquitous scheme" to "There Is delay tntegration and declared they would not sub. es trouble If Negroes continue to scribetoIt. 4 * force . their way Into pstle The unique plan ws eased powers on New Year's Ds to u C 'd "White the Oy CommissIgN todS by the commission yesterday to suspend bus service alter Rele's people orgia wil A toer-"o Atty George 4. iC l pre traditional segregation house was stoned and a Nerom se am aswer to 1. L DM. oa Tallaasse aty buses It grocy staoe was hit by shgt In Moaeoney, Alabej Pub- bigEagnst Choste's aituas. replaces a segregation section of fire le Service OnniPn atesintgeth Negres to take rear mts te busf ranchise which was re- The govenor who was insup- Jack Owen also said be could not a buses is seconutdeal. pealed as having "doubtful valid rated r a n temubscrtto Clbs' VIews. The judge handed down as Wal t oday, ban tIdicated when as "Th wht posp Alabams ramg last Thursday and gave tm The plan snows drivers to as- would order rempues di VWe. & law frwams ofmiad to iY 10 days to file answer, al. sigo rMers to specific ts wforIn his ural ad a 1'saft agnanom ny up though he said be wld ad II which the ae handed tees Cobs fo a his uind. appealed s sPI." Owesaid. change Paseagers are required tos ocu- derstandia a racm Okell. however, toM te agm pwthese seats under penalty of and said spicfcall wah dalimers at an informal Goal* b pomible 00 fine or 46 days to moves toward Iategrated once that the city shouldfle a AS sentence unless they elect to agnon buses: answer so that it would nat te have their fares refunded i **I am convinced that the av- prevented from appealing Chat's A' statement of Negro Iteerae white citizen does nat osrier to a higher coustrt ift' de- vic Council directors handed ject to non-segregated seatingI n cided to do so at a later date. out by the Rev C. . Steele buses-any more than he objects Them have been reportso d said the announced purpo f the k riding the samne elevats wa armoes taking front seats an council to ride integrated re. Negroes or ptraisg Oe same a since Choate's decision. malaed chanted desp the Atre. nle sua dsn.p11e does resent son e fte THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT *The C plan is merely a delaying methods being used to ake TALLA HA3SEF FLORIDA oeus d the ay Commission to cetal eands.Bo0e .Janua *1 evade the spirit and letter of the tums and pMapg7 ry 8. 1957 U. S. Supreme Court decisions" canever achiew what I the statement said. ona peul peatiw Re: IRACIAL SITUATION - . TALLAHASSEE FLORIDA *1 aftilen dso re afor the Narerace " .. -1 law amounts to a Wilfl depriva- r M amn Acs T'of ile 100-1361 4 a=n a costaonal rights and. fEORIAL. Su'tIe 100-135 Sub 61 In addion.ansM a croe 1'ardBu Aaint h Utie "We. q D NeoSU&fow T" C lUiIfl BusJ "we cannot andWwi.. . * * Ot Wa norscribe aarW to athis sesinIquitousWn UN scheme. Oan Vie s H -I 90"Me iawe Supn rme court's t s. muMAMI, ,a.I a.goalw m-s-ndt deNe. fortos onwO In 2 States -. .* a $Nuns aI*volsmad on 'PMwI" do to usoewta W 4aa aOses.. *he..rt ruing ubwws anl1=O SbeWasbls for to ATLANTa. 8 ( P)-e regatimona Ma Tro C m-m m P e 0a Adty. G8. es cak* to eMM.40 todkr 0 d adoezw a to.daYa? WS G00.-10 3IW2~ the OF witI's dmham-e*Tls- Pr seas waetoaU. L cOuA - forms01sat dua Msrtt M seale la New Oriesas wS aMW Florida. -- I-her
- " - -
m m 16 0 bffice Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO Director, FBI DATE: 1/11/57
A~ SAC,wa 9 ois..v .;, a-
RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Enclosed herewith for the information of the Bureau are the following:
Two copies of clipping from 1/10/57 issue of the Alabama Journal, a daily published at Montgomery, Ala., captioned "NO INJURIES LISTED IN NEW OUTBREAKS IN BUS INTEGRATION", with general headline of "6 DYNAMITE BLASTS ROCK CITY; 4 CHURCHES AND 2 HOUSES HIT". Two copies of clipping from 1/11/57 issue of the Mobile Register, a daily published at Mqbile, Ala., captioned "ALL BUS SERVICE ENDED IN ALABAMA CAPITAL AFTER BOMBINGS". Two copies of clipping from 1/6/57 issue of the Montgomery Advertiser, a daily published at Montgomery, Ala., captioned "4 YOUNGSTERS ADMIT HURLING SPARKPLUGS AT LOCAL BUS".
- Bureau (100-135-61)(Encls. 6) 1 - Mobile (44-439) vlw
A!~'~ T'Nff T[NU I
~CATE /' d -/
pAM / o-0
owaoa, - R I,
58Jti 2c, i 1~b,1 9 C
k9L No juries tei Ina LNew I Vutbreaks* .1 - In Bus integ ration Bus Service Halted After Attack; Graetz and Abernathy Houses Hit'All m m By HY BROWN MY . Uvll 11511 A series of six dynamite explosions rocked the cityT during pre-dawn hours this morning as violence flared J. . anew in the city's 13-month-old bus integration fight. ra.# Montgomery City Lines buses have been halted indefi- nitely following blast damage to four Negro churches and I residences of two ministers, one white and one Negro. There were no injuries. At least five explosions were known to have occured hin one half-hour period shortly aft4r 2 a.m. J-le bombings came less than32 h s after a city bus was a - bhed last evening by guni4, 'S Poa: CTMY; sixth such incident since se6- "6 D'[AL'TE BLAST ration ended on buses b e r e 4 CgugRCIS A D 2 'HCILES FIT" Dec. 21. 4 THOUSANDS STRANDED Thousands of workers were left stranded and had to find rides with friends or in taxicabs or walk to their jobs. Taxicab companies MontgomeryAlal bama both white and Negro weree Date jammed with calls. I It was perhaps the biggest sin- Page One gle outbreak of violence in the South since the fight to preserve ReS segregation began with announce.RACIAL SITUAT I ON ment of the Supreme Court's school O,T C: 3RY, AL integration decision In May, 1994. No injuries resulted from the s ries of blasts here. the.first BUf ile: 100-135-6 which was directed at the hom i:0fle: 42--439 of the Rev. Robert Graetz, at 1104: Cleveland Ave. Other explosions took place at tbebama-af the Rev. Ralph -Abernat _, ego boycott 1ICC: AAG CRI!A leader; Bell Street Baptist Church; ,8 6-95 flatchlnson Street Baptist Church, DIVSIO and the NegrosF 1rat Baptist -- Church, Columbus and Ripleay .Thhome of Graetz, who Is the hite% stor of a predominaUy
- '~-Y ~ ~' -- ~ ~E~' W~Y!~S ~ Vp" 7r'W4V4W.47~'~ - Ij 0 ~4 j
~: L~1~<~- .~-,. Mayor W. A. Gayle took quick "Any person or grouo-p r **-4Gadened From 1) acftI calling a "stian Ou8t1 bomb the %Peele*Ltbe Negro congregation, was bombed halt to bus service in the city. Lord endangers the life of eve' Last August while the minister Night schedules had been with- man, woman sa* chl4aIn Mont- and his family was out of town drawn early last night following gomery." "the governor saiL " The minister and his wife and two a sixth shooting incident since mid- call on all people of Alabama to young children were asleep in the December involving a Montgom- help stamp out such lawlessness house at the time of this morn-, ery City Lines, In., vehicle. wherever it may occur." be con- ing's blast which shattered the Only the bus driver, identified tinned. front door. as C. P. Canty, 50, of 2956 Mc- Folsom said a $2.000 reward A second home-made bomb, con- Queen St. was aboard the .Wash- would be offered for Informatiom sisting of 11 sticks of dynamite ington Park bus when it was pep- leading to the arrept of persons taped around a length of hollow pered with shotgun pellets about guilty of the violenide action. metal tube, was found unexploded 6 pim. The driver was not injured. State Safety Director Bill Lyerly in the driveway of the Graetz Following the series of blasts meanwhile stood by on the scene home. On arrival at the explo- which rocked the city during the from first reports of this morn- sion scene, police removed the early morning hours-today, Mayor ing's bombing incidents. City fuse from the bomb which had not Gayle was asked if extra pro- Commissioner Clyde Sellers was gone off. tection would be requested f or with Lyerly, who said the local The most serious damage re- Montgomey. police could depend on "any need- sulted from a bomb hurled at the CITY WON'T ASK AID ed aid" from state officers under H11Street Baptist, a Negro "We can handle the situation his command. arch at 503 Oak St., where selvess" Gayle replied. "We MOBILE HOME BLASTED jrge portion of the building w 't need any additional help While Montgomery police Inve fasted out causing a partial cav said. -p I ated the most serious flare in of a roof section. Also serious number of off-duty police$ racial violence in the city's lon damaged was the Abernathy re- ever, were reportedly pres ght integration drive, police dence at 1327 S. Hall St., where into service as crowds gathe mobile reported slight damage re- the entire front of the house was at scattered bombing scenes. sulted from a blast at the Aome of As the mass of curious spec- a Negro there. shattered by the blast of several Eight sticks of dynamite. tators sought to inspect damage persons were in the house Later reports showed that the done by the dynamite blasts, Ne- at the time of the explosion but Mt. Obve Baptist Church, located groes and whites mingled in an none was injured. . on the Old Selma Road, was se- atmosphere drawn with tenseness. The blast occurred at the home riously damaged. No es mate of Negroes were obviously fright- of 51-year-old Walter Johnsonwho the destruction was immediately ened but even more evident was told police that a cross was burned available, but police said an out- their anger. In front of his home last Nov. . Some spoke militant words di- FBI INVESTIGATING side wall was demolished and in- At ner walls of the church we r e rected at white people who came Washington the Justice De- to view the splintered wood and partment said it is looking. into heavily affected by the sixth in the bombing the series of early morning dyna- brick and broken glass. Others, Incidents. however, spoke in quiet tones, An side to Atty. Gen. Brownell BU R CE HALT "'- milling as close to the scene of said the preliminary inquiry was violence as police would allow is "automatic" to determine whether the investigations continued. there has been any violation of This latest outbreak of violence federal law. The FBI makes such In the long and often heated Inte- inquiries and afterwards submits gration row in Montgomery, a report to the Justice depart- prompted comment from Governor ment's criminal division for a James E. Folsom who observed determination of what further ac. that he thinks "they do not want tise**Iv y, is indicated.,., to kill anyone" but stressed im- portance of a halt of violence." FOW" *FFERS REWlto."
wo" ra -- w -q0 t0 4. c
~2u.>f ~ I rr
1.
GOVERNOR SEES BOMB'S DAMAGE, Gov. James E. Folsom is pictured as he made a pre-dawn inspection of damage at the scene f one of six -dynamite explosions which early today ripped four Negro churches and the homes ne white and one Negro minister. Following the personal inspection of the violence scenes, Fe b announced a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of persons responsible for'hk worst outbreak of destructive action in the city's long and often 'stormy integration L All Buis'Service Ended- In Alabama Capital Bonimbgs AfterBombings (Continued From Page One) By The Associated Press Ralph D. Abernathy, a Negro min- New bombings in Alabama ister. Thursday emphasized the growing X Churebes Ussonad racial tension throughout the The four Negro churches had South over attempts to desegre- walls blown in, windows shattered gate schools and public buses. and other damages. The blasting of four Negro Fire Chief Robert L. Lampley churches and residences of two said two of the churches were antisegregation ministers in Mont- structurally unsound as a result gomery brought an order halting of the bombings and could not be all bus service in Alabama's cap- used. The other two churches may ital city. be used, be said. In Atlanta, capital of Georgia, A group of about 25 white min- six Negro ministers were arrested isters, including Graetz, issued a for breaking state segregation statement deploring the violence. laws Wednesday by riding in bus They called for "an act of re- seats normally occupied by whites. pentance" by all citizens and an $2,0 Reward offer of "fervent thanks" that Taken to jail, they quickly made there were no injuries. bonds of $1,000 and the Rev. W. H. "Whatever our differences of Borders, leader of the "love, law opinion may be, we cannot remain and liberation movement," said silent and allow our community to no further attempts would be lapse into the barbarity of terror- made to integrate buses. He said ism and intimidation," the Prot- the group had been successful in estant ministers plus one Jewish THE MOBILE REDIST&R their aim-to get into the courts. rabbi said. MOBILE, ALABAMA No one was injured in the Ala- The six Negro ministers ar- JANUARY 11, bama bombing s, which Gov. rested in Atlanta were Borders 1957 James E. Folsom denounced as and the Revs. R. Joseph Johnson, FINAL EDITION 'r-P ~ the work of "Negro hoodlums, H. Bussey, R. B. Shorts, R. H. * ~- hoodlums or white ci ~ Communist Williams and A. Franklin Fisher. FRONT PAGE N, hoodlums, but whoever did these If the grand jury returns indict- bombings must surely be a hood- ments against the six, the cases lum." He offered a $2,000 reward will proceed through the courts, RE: RACIAL SITUATION for arrest and conviction of the the aim of the Georgia antisegre- MONTG4EiER, ALABAMA bomb throwers. gationists since the Supreme The bombs damaged the homes Court outlawed segregation on', of the Rev. Robert Graetz, a public conveyances in Montgom- o file: -439 , white minister who has taken an ery, Ala. Lower courts in Florida active part in attempts to strike cited this ruling in banning seg- down racial barriers, and the Rev. regation laws in Tallahassee, which like Montgomery now is Jg rr5 olo1.4. BOMsINe9-&WTIut public transportation. Federal court trial of 16 per- sons charged with interfering with '. B ...... Clinton, Tenn., High School inte- . ALL~~~TfTiP~E%N gration was postponed indefinitely at Knoxville Thursday. Trial had been set for Jan. 28. w----*
IfCAA B1I~ DIVISION / $5 ICO AA ~ ,6?9 /tec-. 4 (4-j
AI
to occur in daylight. Four pe 4T'ungsters'Idinit Hurlin *vious ambushes took place Ia the early evening, and the fifth hap. Seed in pre-dawn darkness. Po- -lie have theorized that the ear- Sparkplugs At LocalI Bus 11or attacks were -the work ot adults since all involved firearms. I Four white youths ranging in to their parents and a report was . One of the anipings wounded a age from 11 to 15 were picked up filed with juvenile authorities, De- Negro laundry worker, Mrs. Ross by police yesterday and two of tective Capt. E. P. Brown Jordan, who is reported Is fair Itb em admitted bombarding a He said f further action would -ctdition at Oak StreetHospI veland avenue bus with dis- up to the juvenile court judge.1 W:sshotinbothpleg c ded sparkplugs. The fow r boys were taken ending. doctors have not was the sixth attack on city custody by Detectives R. F. Moul ved the bullet because of b es reported since integration ton and W. R. Simpler as the egnant condition. w nt Into effect Dec. 21. Bowev-boysstoVlled away from th q er, police believe the weapon used scene. Theey made no attempt to in yesterday's attack was a sling. escape. detectives said. shot, not firearms as in five pre- Bus drivver E. E. Stubblefield vious ambushes. said a wi ndow was struck twice Th attack took place In the 800 but not pierced. The sparkpl block of Sayre street at mid-mo -rg he center section on th None of the three Negro p -Yese s4 ers waas reported injur(. ys attack was the firs 11ey got off and did not reboa4 BUS, Page U) U3.71 01EY AD-VZ? "ISER bus after the shelling. The youngsters were released JAPLUC-,Y 68 19-01
RLE: RACIAL SITU. IT IY- 171o: '"A"'Y,LA.
U02OILE: 44-439
-- I-WT.1 lr -
AL IFON 'S * .Ir - I orrNDm Po am64 LI Office Memorandum UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO a Director, FBI DATE: 1/11/57
SAC Mobile ALL !III' Tf&
BUBJBCT: RACIAL SITUATION MOBILE, ALABAMA
Enclosed herewith for the Bureau's information are two copies of a clipping appearing in the 1/11/57 issue of the Mobile Register, Mobile, Alabama, captioned cFADYEN ATTACKS MOBILE VIOLENCE; FOLSOM SPEAKS UP".
-Bureau (100-135-61)(Encds. - Mobile (100-1342) vlw q'K
7 ifl LI-) IOAWEDV. *JAN 141957! IC- lf
Lic~ Xc...:1NAL DIVISION FoiA.- 6-95 1aV
...... - ~-~" ~- I& ------.- .--- - -
- - V.' C d a. O
A McFadyen Attacks Violence (Continued From Page One) "have always consistently re- Mobile Violence; turned equal justice without re- gard to creed or race." The chiefs warning came after bomb attempts were made at three Folsom Speaks Up TPgo residences, and crosses burned at three other Negro ief Decordering the alert, Chief Mc- homes. Police Fadyen said: lore reported that be found Racial Trouble Will "'Constructing and throwing of a crude home-made bomb nestling Not Be Tolerated bombs, such as occurred inMobile against his front door shortly last night, break the basic laws after midnight. Mobile Police Chief Dudley Mc- under which we live. In taking the The integration leader said that Fadyen, saying further acts of law into their own hands, the per. he was going to close his car win- race violence "will iot be t. sons who committed the acts have dows for the night when he no- erated," yesterday alerted policeIplaced themlves in jeopardy. ticed a newspaper-wrapped bun- to an around-the-clock watch in "he important thing in the acts dle, approximately 16 inches in areas of the city where racial ten- last night was that lves of per- length and three Inches in di- siln may flare. innocent of any crimesepe ameter, on his front porch. pl-£aed. the msein eo Chief McFadyen referred to a threatened jCnth homes Awno cnFueWentOft series of bombing attempts and bombs did not explode, there were Cit Charles Nall and Det. cross burnings Wednesday night, women andwomennd children.chidren.Lt. Joe Burch, called to investi- ~ one of the bomb incidents at the I Perses Bome gate, said that the fuse on the bome of a prominent race inte- "In the residence where the home-made bomb, consisting of gration leader. - bomb exploded in the yard, there two sticks of dynamite encased in One Negro family, whose resi- were eight persons, a man and his an iron pipe, had not been proper- dence was damaged when a bomb wife, and a mother with five chil- ly lit, and had gone out. THE MOBILE REGISTER exploded in the yard Wednesday dren, the youngest of which was Pet. Nail, formerly a demolition MOBILE, ALABAMA night, knoved out yesterday after- three months. expert, said that due to the con- soon, the father explaining be "We cannot tolerate such ac- crete construction of the front JANUARY .1, 1957 was "afraid for my children." tion. I have alerted the police to porch at LeFlore's home 1504 FINAL EDITION . Another aftermath of Wednes- make arrests in all cases of this aLtague Ave., the blast would day night's violence was reported nature" have ripped the front of the house FRONT PAGE last night by J. L. LeFlore, one- The violence Came just two days away and could have seriously in- time executive secretary of the after Circuit Judge David IL Ed- Jured the Occupants, LeFIMr and mow-outlawed Mobile chapter of ington told the January session his wife. RE: RACIAL SITUATION the National Assn. for the Ad- of the Mobile County Grand Jury iaFlore reported lut night vancement of Colored People and that this city was "suclarly free receiving four anonymous tele - MOBILE, ALABAMA now research secretary of the Mo- of racial tensions." phone calls at his home, all bile United Citizens Assn., who courtsand ies,"e threateningva, a repetition of the MOfile: 100-1342 told police of several anonyaru bombing attempt. telephone calls to his home in Pae 10, Col 5, VIOLEN dy Flore quoted one caller as BUtile:- which the callers threatened to saying: "return and successfully corn- .- oten GJ bomb~tingSay, niggeratmt last night, plte the bombing mission." Le- that was just anwarning-next Flore's reslTence was one of three timedit's going to he the real which bombing attempts were MadeWR~nsdaynigh He said one caller talked to his wife, and identified himself as "one of the party that visited your home last night." LeFlore, Ia his capacity as a spokesman for the group leading the integration effort, issued tha 1CC: AAG CRIMINAL DIVISION following statement last a [ FORM 6-95 , "We are not frightened by Ue acts of violence, but, at the same (time, we realize the potential danger of mob law. We hold as Ill will against the persons 1i- Ivolved; doMte contrary, we piy 0 .4 ,
-t -t , bomb, largest of the rI Meeting hte...' b-ofi-ct-n1nteatep atepted~The B ia~ne three sticks of a- ter in the morning. Le ide ofWalterJohnson, 51- mite and was incased In a tape- annoyed year-old Negro of 2513 St. Ste- wrapped length of copper tubing. further notice" t a Negro mass of meeting tentatively scheduled fhr phens Rd., shortly before mid- "Evidently," Nall explained, last night to discusthe bus des- night, but none of the eight "the primer cap was jerked regation issue., - occupants of the home were in- loose when the bomb was thrown, ea r re s Jured. and it made the noise the Jackson lntlore, regarded as a leader The bomb, reportedly thrown heard. The fuse on the bombhad tgration here, said the postpone- from a moving auto, landed at en lit, but not fully, and It meant was agreed upon "In vIew the side of the home, located on w of the earnest desire of Mobile the corner of Idell Street and Nall said the two-foot fuses on colored citizens to avoid a hasty St. Stephens Road. Al of the bombs would have al- strategy to effect bus desegrega- Effects of the blast, heard two lowed the throwers to light the tion which would give the few miles away at the Prichard Police fuses, and then make a good re persons here opposed to law and Station, consisted of ripping pa treat. He said they would have order an excuse to appeal to of the siding from the home, had a full two minutes before the hatred and incite violence." smashing six windows and de- bomb would have exploded. LeFlore said he feels that "all stroying a portion of a small Patrolmen H. Johnson and the Negro leaders here want to picket fence. George Crawford Investigated the act in good faith with their Own Inside the home at the time Jackson bomb. people and work in an atmos- were Johnson, his wife, a daugh- Three Crosses Burned phere of good will with their fl- ter, Marjorie Johnson, visiting During the bombing attemp low white citizens in the transi- from Chicago, and her five chil. ee crosses were burned atr tion from a segregated to an in- dren, the youngest of which is tegrated seating policy on buses"' three months old. ences at 562, 564 and 588 Helv It is hoped that another mass Johnson moved his family away n St., all occupied by Negr meeting may be scheduled "within from the neighborhood yesterday families. a few days," LeFlore said. afternoon, saying he was "afraid The burnings were reported by He indicated that "a number of for my children " Thomas McCreary, of 564 Helves- complaints" may be filed with the the house with Justice Department and the in- Cro Brned ThereCros BunedTherton,hi wiewho adlives for at cilden. terstate Commerce Commission, On Nov. 28, the daughter re- hi"with regard to travel conditions ported, a cross had been burned Joel Malone and family live at affecting colored Interstate and at the residence, and the family 562, and Clyde Noble lives at 568, intrastate passengers." believes that the latest incident is where the other crosses were Negroes have already con- a continuation of protests because burned. ducted two mass meetings for a the Johnsons moved into a house Investigating the crosses, Dets. discussion of the bus segregation adjacent to white residences on Jack Clark and Clyde Hix said , but have decjdU,.Iro Idell Street. that they were not the work of slowly in the matter. A neighbor of the Johnsons re- teen-agers, but were of a type that ported that at approximately the have burned in the area over th same time as the bombing oc- past year. curred, he observed two white Six Feet Tall men drive from Idell Street. The crosses were described as'l He said the men drove down about six feet tall, constructed of St Stephens Road in a late model heavy two-by-four timbers. They' aUto aird then came back by the were covered with burlap soaked Johnson home. in kerosene. On each base a metal The other bomb, which did not spike, approximately 16 Inches explode, was discovered under long was attached to fasten them the house at the home of William to the ground. Jackson, Negro, at 326 Cedar Dr. "I believe the bombs were Heard Noise made by amateurs," Detective Jackson said that latea theNall concluded, "for although night, during the time of the om theyi were well-constructed, md bombthrwins,e harda n iIf they had exploded could have1 likeb firecrackerheexplodingnnear done a lot of damage, they were thke housrerce xpoig not properly handaled the huse."Dynamite Is a dangerous -ex- He did not investigate at the plosive, and the person or persons time, but discovered the bomb doing the throwing of the bombs lying under the bedroom, where was afraid and did not properly he and his wife slept, when he light the fuses, or have the fuses tjok.AW around the house bhhrTN38 dn .,. *. morning. #*, -_ . j
.- "p Office Memorandum * UNITED STATESOVERNMENT
TO I DIRECTOR, FBI DATE: 1/12/57
SAC, MOBILE 411: A' LI ED~~~mIf ,*- I Unlan...... ID .-d[ susacT RACIAL-Sl TION Dr A MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Herewith enclosed for the Bureau are two copies each of the following clippings from the January 11, 1957, issue of the Montgomery Advertiser, daily newspaper published at Montgomery, Ala.: I i Pa&e Caption WIM)/ 2A Pre-Dawn Dynamite Blasts Spotted on Map 2A Negro Churches, Residences Suffer $50,000 'Bomb Damage 2A All-Out Scientific Probe Under Way in Blast Cases 6A FBI Gives Report on Bombings Here ?~ ~: ~ 4A Editorial: Shall Montgomery Surrender? Negroes Here Termed "Mad" Over Bombing 2A White Clerics In Report Flay Violence Here
1 ,42Police Muster Reserves In Wake Of Dynamiting 1 Folsom Posts $2,000 Reward For Information on Bombings 1 Persons Who Blasted Homes Of Clergy Could Get Chair 1 Curfew Urged For City Youth By Commission 2. 1Te Gas, Arms Issued Special Patrol Squads ,- Bureau (100-1 5 ) , (24 encls.ANGSUR I L, Mobile (44-$9) ( K..'- bis I' j
NN I 40 aim LA 40' 1 0
P -DAW DYMTIT/E BS PTiT ONk%4iAP I-A2I PRE-DAWN DYNAMITE BLASTS SPOTTED ON MAP,' s " .Smtlgewv7 Adwwbisv homes are pointed out on this map prepared by The Advertiser f. All four of the churches are attended by Negro congrep- Six. The early dynamited morning homesbombings belong which to rockettwo ministers,four churches one whit#, and aauN~U . 136?I other Negro. 1) Mount Olive Baptist Church. Old Selma Road PAGB- 0 pear Southern Bypass; 2) BellApe-e-eptist Church. 503etlr.* as$ 24"l *Jarlos W Home of The Rev. Robert Ze white pastor of.,. 1Iinity Lutheran Church. 1104 Cleveland Ave.; 4) Home of the Rev. scUQ)Uiyo ALasA. D. Abernathy, 1327 S. Hall St.; 5) Hutchinson Street Baptist urch, 924 Hutchinson St.; 6) First Baptist Church, 347 N. Ripley, ich is presided over by the Rev. Abernathy. The series of blasts place between 2 am. and 5:45 a.m.
1CC: AAG CEL .L'G:7 MISON pILL INFO 11 uil v 1,41V. 3 111ERr , I fC L; IV INi11 1 rczoQ~t /O-c IATE V-3illf) --I 14. O0 0
ALL INF67.4TPP! - _ t~JAIND ;.. .1, 1AIELBYId fr AUt-O ut Scientific P5 e Under W7ay In Bkast Ccses By STEVE LESHER cording to police, a knowledge of 25 inches long, permitting two Montgomery police are pulling high explosives. minutes prior to thk explosion. out the stops of science in an ef- Dynamite, while'relatively scarce Tire scratches made in front of fort to solve cases of six bomb- in Montgomery, is used profusely one Negro church also are un- ings and six bus shootings t*- 5. by farmers and construction work- der police scrutiny. Measure- Headed by Vann V. Prui. era. Police believe that there are ments from points of eplosio a state toxicologist, police e at least three bombers. The t to points from which bombs we busy gathering clues which may three explosions took place wi tossed may even yield some cl Ing minutes and at scattered poin as to the physical descriptions send the person or persons ter- say. rorizing Montgomery to prison for in the city. the criminals, officials life or to the electric chair. They feel certain the bombed As far as bus shootings are con- had planned their attacks and that cerned, police were told yester- coincidence was not involved. day that the bullet lodged in Mrs. A two and one-half foot alumin Rosa Jordan's leg was removed rod attached to the unexplod last night. Mrs. Jordan in the ex- bomb was used, police said, to pectant Negro mother who was mit the culprit to toss the unded while riding a city bus from his car. The fuse w J.Ai hURY 110 1957 c. 28. F A oz A If the bullet is not severely maged. police will be able to check it against bullets fired from the guns of suspects. Ballistic readings, which Pruitt Is quall- fied to make at headquarters here, are as accurate me-&ia64- B3urlL:-: 100-135-61 prints in tracing a criminal. The unexploded bomb found on ~&1:44-439 the lawn of a local minister'b home yesterday, and the cip cumstances surrounding the bomb- tossing have afforded Police a number of leads. Tape used to wrap the I sticks of unexploded dynamite is being examined for fingerprints. Efforts 1CC- AAG are being made to trace the tape to its source, as it isa relatively Foka~ 69 unusual type of masking tape. Police know that the very na- ture of the bomb excludes amz- teurs from suspicion. The persons whd"rfttWd the devico.-e we -. *0jdU
,* .,~*i- c
Al
AU[ INFO~jMMjpN yT:e
f 1' '4'
hL01TI1o12Y A.DMUISER Lo:TG 0: Z Ym ALA .L2,,A JAUU-LA2Y 11. 1957 PAE 69r BI Gives Report n Bombings Her ZZ: RACIAL STL,,TIOII LCT~c:YS ALA. Facts surrounding yesterday's bombing of four Negro churches BIT' ME : I and two homes in Negro neighbor- 100-135-61 hoods have been reported by the 44-439 Federal Bureau of Investigation. Fred Hallford. chief of the Mo- bile office, said last night "avall- able facts" had been submitted to the US. Department of Justice for further evaluation. The department will determine whether there has been any federal violation, he said. In case there is 1CC: I,.*-C c:::r.z ~ IV~ZO?# federal violation, the FBI will FORK f ip make further Investigaingh
I I"'! S4
- C
dg~howear It takes in specla3..peaIe details, sheriffs deputies and highway patrolmen should be assigned in such fashion that a bus driver can take a I Montgomery--" bus from one side of town to the other' without ambush, empty though It may Surrender? be. I$ the night air of this genteel old city, The constabulary from more than the capital of a state and once the one source Is available. It needs only to capital of a nation, to reverberate with be summoned and assigned. dynamite explosions? The issue now is tso longer segrega- I Montgomery to be a city in which tion on city uses. Neither white people dynamite sticks are tossed onto lawns nor colored people need ride the buses like the morning paper? during this time. - ,v.~ The issue now has passed beyond I Is Montgomery to be a city in which bullets fly between sundown and sun- segregation. The issue now is whether ap? it is saf/e to ot in Montgomery, Is Montgomery to be a city In which Ala. a handful of terralsta overawe the police power of city, county and state- THOSE buses should run with a police I ueezing a trigger and abolishing rotection so obvious and so determine feett? tLt outlaws will desist or be run dow4 e the powers of government of th 1 not checkmated now, will the on City of Montgomery to be surrender iws ot becoMe ore bold and moe MUOOMY AD2nU to outlaws? numerous? 3 Tm 5AII Will not continued violence poison JANyusRY11.1K you poison a well? MOrrooMERY will sow to the wind lthis cit just as If It does not meet this challenge headon. WX ARE already paying a grievous This city can become a badlands, or toll. The story of Thursday's dyna- gg to AMAL 3f~lUAXO at worst, a bloody cockpit. mating is already broadaat all over the The soundest preventive action Is a world, blackening this city's name. wau lo-umaL stern response to this challenge-right Such events firm the hand of the now. South's enemies in Congress. Those who Fuxs 104354) The violence Is probably manageable are at this moment seeking enactment at this point. of unbearable civil rights legislation' It will be less so If It seems to the welcome such events, for they serve outlaws that they can put the govern- their cause. ment So rout with a few random bursts of gunfire and a bundles of dynamite. TH prospect Is that this violence will Those buses should run on schedule . continue and swell in volume and Ic -. cX.~D IV if they ran empty. They should run as ,daring unless there Is decisive action. FOJA a symbol that the police apparatus of Sooner or later i stand will have to be '~"1*1 offTUWmnment has not abdicated. takenandlIt will be easier now., Otheiwise we face the prospect of retaliatory violence between groups., a * The issueIs not segregation. No one seed ride the buses. The Issue Iheth-a , ASij&st be safe to live in Moagafmaz. ' . C
j r~- I Negroes Here Termed 'Mad' Over Bombing Montgomery Negroes are "mad and disgusted" aboit yesterday's early morning bombing of four churches and the homes of two ministers, a white pastor -of -a Negro church declared yesterday. But it's "not the kind of mad" that would bring them to seek . prisals against whites for oings, the Rev. Robert Gr asjrted. 41raetz, whosa home at Clfeland Ave. was one of the two residences bombed, voiced that Negroes would C confidence maintain their policy of "non-vie. lence" adopted during a year-long LA4-.II bus btAycott. Graetz is the pastor of the Ne- *N gro Trinity Lutheran Church. Yes- terday's bomb, which shook 'him. his wife and their three children from sleep at 2 a.m., was the second thrown at his house. Or, to be more exact, Ober i.,ar;aO!,-,?Y AEV.ISER the second or third. * MQU9.TGO: .Y, LABA:!:& CROWDS GATHER JALUIIARY 110 1957 When crowds gathered at the Graetz house, they found a bole PA; '. where one bbmb had gone off, wile another composed of 11 R: RACL STUATI0]. sticks of unepploded dynamite in the driveway. he first action against Gra I* a mid-Aurust when EIJIET',: 100-135-61 se was 'bombed while he an h family were In Tennrssee K -CME: 44"439 ile Graets did not say so di- rectly, he Indicated that the bomb- ine came as no surprise to him. Negroes who swarmed to Graetz' home after the bombing showed their anger with sueh re- marks as: "It's about time some- JOFJ& C,.95 body did something about this." One woman asserted angrily that "1 think it's time the FBI was -called in" (to Investigate) * But Graets remained confident there wold be no retaliatory se tion on the Negroes' part- that open violence between the two races would, not result9m the /o(/:C- -4 -l WNW%: :z~hr ~Ok
~/
I mm
C
"WhiteCleis InReport FLaY Violence Here, mm-.' While a victim -o yesterday bombings looked on, a group of white religious leaders issued a statement deploring a renewal of violence here. The group of about 25 Protestapt ministers and a Jewish Rabbi in- cluded the Rev. Robert Graetz, white paste? of a Negro church, S. whose home was one of the six r buildings dynamited in a eres I, of pre-dawn bombings here yester- I - day. SI 4* Nearly two hours in formulating their statement, the church urged, residents to maintain mJ and order. Segregation was mentioned in the document. "1 Their statement follows: "As a grdup of religious leaders of this community, we feel it our sacred duty to issue this state- i CT13O: ZR Y A VTI SE ment to our people and to all the 1~"t' citizens of this community: "1. We call upon all citizens to JKT-L ;RY 11, 1957 Join with us In an act of repent- ance for the violence done against the homes of some of our citizens, R E:P.A CI AL S 12UI0."- against houses of God, against peace, order and good wjll of.oar community. "Whatever our differences of 7 BLTFhE: 100.-135-.61 opinion may be we cannot remain . silent and allow our community LO= L: 4,..-439 to lapse into the barbarity of ter- rorism and intimidation. "2. We call upon you to offer fervent thanks to Almighty God that none were Injured in the bombings of Jan. 10, and to pray 1Cm: both publicly and privately that %W9 AACCw.xA DIVISIONS~ by His grace, we may be guided 6- 9 5 into the ways of vighteousaess and, peace. "3. We call upon the God fear- Ing people of Montgomery to high. ly resolve that violence must not, be allowed to continue and that law and order must bep&WWaed -- ileat midst." , / /ci~t i/3~ I- k~NCLOA t I
Vi 44uz4 Wod "Negro boodfums, ams, or by whoever did bO wIng eust certainly be boedm.s Gov. Folso mad@ a 0 Inspection of the bomb damage I- flicted here, being takes as a wn tur by Col.Lyrr. tath be assured city ofSclal Ms *TUg cooperatioe" trying the feaste d. nation. ' "I walked privately with o Gyle today," Falsom said, nd a4ure 'him the state was rdy a any time to heThif our - * 'I (See FOLSOM, Pag .A SFolsom (Comtiaued Frea Page *1 Ices are necessary to mali peace and order." . Folsom disclaimed reports that be might order out the National Guard, adding that "I think It is MCC a little late to do that. The dam- age has already been done." However, Folsom said be was keeping close watch on all devel- ebts through Lyerly, and redemphatically that he "goodone any damage to. I b or property I any a in Alabama. rZIoT0 "Y ADVFt!,ISM 1IO7_-TCI2,RY. AL.AB",t JA:-U&RY 110 1957
RACIAL. STUt ION GOV. FOLSOM INSPECTS BOMB DAMAGE In Dawn Tour of Shattered Churches and Romes ~3U~ILE: 100-135-61 Folsom Posts $2,000 Reward ~4QF ILS: 44-439 - For Information On Bombings An aroused Gov. James E. Fol- churches and two homes here P' ~ pr ~ , idc . , disturbed by the sudden out- early yesterday. .70U beak of racial violence. In Alm- The announcement ot the me- a, posted a $2,000 reward y- ward was made by Col. i 4Ly- tday for formation leading to erly, director of the Department arrest and -oonviction of the of Public Safety. Lyerly said the hwho dynamited four also applied In Mobile, 30 ,., "I ' 400 . L, where two bombings w (0/ ed yesterday. t ...- .16,,. -. ]NLO/3 0 6 1 . -
:2
L)
LJ
-I
STREET BAPTIST CHACH CORNER DEMOuSHED Windows Ia Church Shattered In Wot Explosion . L01WG'0-' Y, A IM T Z& JJAAIUY 11s 1957 PERSONS WHO BSTED HOMES PAGE 'Of CLERGY COUDGFT CHAIR 'MT:TlC"2Ys The person or persons who dynamited the homes of two Mla ALA* isters here early yesterday morning could die in Eiby Prison's electric chair if arrested and convieted.I NW, --LE : 44 - 439 Alabama law (Title 14. Section W) specifically provides that the bombing of an inhabited house, even if unoccupied at the time 100-135-61 of the explosion, is a capital offense punishable by death. TIe minimum penalty on conviction of such a charge is 10 years #k prison.. The same law further provides that the dynamiting if a uninhabited house, If it is adjoining an Inhabited dwelling, Is asi punishable by death. ' . . 1'r"lI!"enalty for bombingeumaouped church Is a maimul of 10 years imprisonment and a minimuni of two years w 'CC: AAlC CRi'J:Zil-', DIVISIO:,t FOM 6-9 C/~~
vCLOA~; / /.e'; MT. liTOLIVE HARD CHURCH BOMB SPLINTRSM6E. BRAHYSHM
ie 14, .. .. .41 l-, Imp-,. ~ *~ERE'r ! * : DATEBY#I c KJ
ewUrged Curfew '~ 4Costlased From Page 1) For City Youth -eometlftgfurther can be wored out," the commission said. NO HELP NEEDED The statement continued: "The Board of CommIssioners y ComIssion does not deem It necessary to call The City Commission arged a for extra help from any other Adnight curfew for teen-agers: of agency at this time as we are of th races and ordered all us the opinion that our forces are ad- rvice halted for an equate to maintain law and order indefinite pe- within our jurisdiction. following outbursts of vi. "The City Commission deplores olence here yesterday. the recent bombings and are Mayor W. A Gay'le and Com. thankful that no injuries or loss missioners Frank Parks and Clyde of life resulted from the incidents. Sellers took the action at an ex- We are using every effort p W- traordinary commission meeting sble to- apprehend the perso P ' £MNRI E D yesterday morning spurred by dy. guilty. namite blasts that rocked four 'REMAIN CALMI Negro churches and the homes of "The City Commission admon- two leaders of the Negro Mont. ishes the people of Montgomery gomery Improvement, Assn. to remain calm and cool-headed. L The mayor said the proposed in order that we may enjoy the curfew of Montgomery youth was peaceful and progressive life to only a safety precaution. He said which we are accustomed in this hi did not think that teen-agers city. re responsible for the bomb- "The Board of Commissioners has already authorized 20 addi- arlier yesterday, a City Linea tional new policemen to supple- b ad been fired upon with a ment our present police force. The shotgun. The shooting took place Personnel Boad is calling for ap- scant hours after the commission plications and is acting on them had lifted a 5 p.m. curfew pipced immediately. on city buses as a result of-pre. "Commissioner 8 elleri has vious shootings. . called his auxiliary policemen o ANU a 1 1MO BOMBINGS DEPLORED . - action to assist the regularpce, force in patroling the city to m n MMNONRT MA= The- commission said they de.- in law and order." plored the bombings and urged Montgomerians to remain c aIm Me, StAw. SINUZ while police restored law and or- der. - * "Parents of all teen-age chfl- dren, white' and colored, male aid swas gIOCIM155wg1 female," were urged by tire MWIZM94440 commission to "know the where. abouts of their children at-ajI times and have them at home-by 12 o'clock midnight unless acfte 1CC: AAG CDi. panied by a parent." FORM 6-95 DIVISION Bus service is halted, the com. mission said, to protect 'life, limb and property" of tity residents. "This has become necessary be. cause of the firing on a bus ast evening, making a- total of s b incidents. The suspension is col an indefinite period or intil (See CURFEW, Page S). IN
0) 0>
p
TWO-A Negro Churches Residences Suffer $50,000 Bomb Damage Damage estimates on yester- Insurance adjusters reported at day's early morning bombings of least a dozen claims on which Negro residences and churches they were working, but no insur- ranged from $50,000 upward and ors could be found for the Bell two churches bave been con- S and Mt. Olive Baptist demned temporarily. Chjches-the worst hit: e two also were reported -un- ible "by Fire Chief Robert L Ldpley following an official in- spection. Lampley said the Hdtch- Inson Street and Negro First Bap- tist churches were damaged but usable.
1~ An unofficial estimate made by '4 a city official set the damages / at $50,000. However, Insurance adjustors who asked that their names hot be used, indicated totals probably would climb above that. One declared that dest ti of large lead - stained glass Mal W13air church windows, most of them ttered by the blasts, could run damages into "big money." would give no figure. TA _ INFoR""T: N'' ut the same spokesman, rep- ALL ting one of the larger agen-' des in the city and investigating 330 8WACIAL situaRc four of the bombings, said there 11?"OVm1 A. were many side claims for smashed windows in homes near ------7 2 where the blasts were set off. Another spokesman set the to- 80LbS tal number of claims from the six bombings it "0 po.21f" for his firm and one other. A check of every .daUMA firm in the city failed to reveal t~D VLSI I any favolved In an investigation of the bell Street and wa. Olive church bombings, An djstment firm spokesmansadthe probe *bly were covered by Ire Insur- ance which had clauses restriet-
I payzmtlncase ofeb 1 t~a,.95
structial giantagg e atbe ffadc~hinsom / ENCLOSURE 9. U 0 -J 0
ear Gas, Special Patrol Squads Every available police reservist haes been cae d't active duty following the pre-dawn Ngochurches borniM Of fouif and -twp homes yesterday, Police ef G. J. Ruppenthal said h~at night. -1.4 iKey officers also shut dout of the ice for secret conferences but owed stern instructions 7 cuss not t ERS' DOMES the case. J htbomes bombed were th Asst. Police Chief Marvin Stan o6tw4 ministers active in the pro- ley said reservists and special integration movement in the City squads have been Issued shob -the Rev. Robert Graetz, 1104 guns, tear 1as and rope in a pre.ACleveladAve.,. and the Rev. L. I rednessmove. 1Ralph Abernathy, 127 S. Hall St. mF 0 )1.1,T'oN PI!1T1AmNE D AndOLGIST' REPORT , The churches damaged in the And in another devel wave of bombings were the Bell Asst.tate Toxicologist Vann Street Baptist Church, Hutchinson Itt, who has been Investigang Street Baptist Cburch, bomb fragments an ohr lus Baptist Church and the FirstMt.Olive' 4BapW r ~d he will1 hand his reprt t tist Church (Nogro) . Upethal eary today.r The first II was reort-. Meanwhile, all city bus service He was In Atlanta attending a ame to a standstill and Mayor meeting of Negro leaders, but hs W. A. Gayle may be considering' wife and two-year-old child were a ban on all Inter-racial gather- both in the bome at the time ings such as sporting events. Am. Neither was injured, but AJr ateur fights slated for tonight have (See BUSES, Page A) ,)EL "0BJIc been cancelled. At an emergency meeting only a few hours after thousands of iD.:;.El Ell ? Montgomerians had ened been swok- by the series of Jarring ox- plosions, the City Commission er- dered a halt to bus operations for JAFULY 11.ls1957 an "indefinite" period. I ONE- In a separate move Indicative of the tense situation, the commis. sion urged a midnight curfew for Z-'?.CAL S LLu.TTc: all teen-agers in Montgomery. The six blasts that rocked Mont. *ALA, gomery caused extensive proper- ty damage but no one was in- 3L~~2:100-135-61 Jured -'I The first blast was reported at approximately 2 a.m. Four other blasts followed in rapid 'acces. ion In scattered sections of the ty. The sixth amd fnalexplosion FR Srred AtatpproxlmsAt : AAG______.TA e3..i 5
/1" j.1 1"-, lAss than 8 minutes after the Graets home was blasted, anoti Buses explosion shook the city. This time the blast was at the Bell (Costinued From Page 1) Street Baptist Church, at 505 Oak St. This bomb caused serious sthy later said both were structural damage to the building. "shocked" by the blast.'- A large part of the building's -Only minutes after t* e first walls were blasted from their blast two others rocked the city. foundatida, and as a result a part 7:he first came at Hutchinson of the roof collapsed. Street Baptist Church, the second The First Baptist Church was at the home of Rev. Graetz, white Vie next target. This building, lo- pastor of the Trinity Lutheran eqted on Jefferson and Ripley, Church for Negroes. *Was not seriously damaged. The Part of a wall and most of the bomb apparently was hurled Into windows of the Hutchinson Streit the basement where considerable Church were blown out by the ex- damage was done. Abernathy Is plosion. -e pastor of this church. - The explosion at the Graetz - The sixth and final blast was home caused considerable damage teported at the Mt. Olive Church to the front part of the house, e6 Old Selma Road. This building, ad broken china was scattered, blong with the Hutchinson Street throughout the kitchen by the *enurch. was most heavily danO blast. The pastor, his wife and Aged. three small children were asleep The outside walls of the bull In the rear of the home but were hg were demolished and theIna pot hurt by the bomb. walls were affected to such an ex- . This marked the second time tent as to make the building an- the Graetz home has' been bombed. ae for use.&* Last August a bomb exploded 4n Gov. James E. Folsom, clad Is the front yard of the residence, a leather jacket and khaki tre- but no one was home at the time sers, made a personal Inspection - Officers, investigating the Graetz o( the damaged areas at dawn bombing yesterday found a sec- yesterday. He later offered his pad home-made bomb tWexploded fall cooperation to city offiials In Graetz's driveway. It consisted In meeting the emergency and of- of 11 sticks of dynamite taped fered a $2,000 reward for infor- around a hoUpw metal tube. agation leading to the arrest and The unexploded bomb was quick- Conviction of the person or per- ly de-fused by police officers. De- s gulty of the bombings. tective Capt. E. P. Brown said It "Anyperson or group of per- was hoped that a rack to which sons that would bomb the house the bomb was attached might of the -Lord endangers the life yield some fingerprints but that of every man, woman and child the dynamite itself had b e e n In Montgomery," Folsom declared., * "thrown in the river." "I call on all people of Alabama Brown noted that the Police to help stamp out such lawlessness Department had no demolition ex- wi erever It may occur," eirts and because of this the bomb was "too dangerous to fool Wia.'
7:1 K' u
-j'-A
egro MinistersR sere Blaio 'White Hoodlunms' For Blasts -White hoodlums" were blamed wife called him to informU hn of by Negro ministers yesterday for the Incident. In Abernathy's home yesterday. damaging what they called th e friends and relatives gathered to city's "three finest Negro church- discuss the early morning bomb- es." ings. Insurance adjusters worked Churches were made targets of about the one-story wooden strac- dynamite bombs yesterday for ture, estimating the damage, the first time since the first bomb- mostly confined to the front porch ing incident occurred in 1955, after area. the Negro bus boycott began. Outside a group of curious * The Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, tators, all Negroes, gathered, after flying from Atlanta, Ga., specting the damage. surveyed the damage in the base- "It's the work of the Devil. ment of the First Baptist Church 'They've gone too far this yesterday afternoon. time," they said. C, Pastor of what he described as The Rev. E. D. Bell, pastor of LC!TD",GUIMY AVE?= ISER "Montgomery's oldest and most the newly rebuilt Mt.' Olive rr-.wr-x c: 2RYsAi.AA.LI estimated that "at least historic Negro Church," the min- Church 118 1957 ister said, "It's ridiculous to think $20,000 damage" was done to the JAI:UARY that Negroes are doing this for brick structure. PAGE 36 -publicity." "The church is demolished," he "God is on our side. The Su- said, pointing to two buckled U -~ preme Court and the Constitution brick walls. IRE: TRACIAL SIThAI0N are on our side. Even when white "We must rebuild." XCZ01T-G0LMY~ ALLA. hoodlums dynamite our houses of The Rev. Robert Graetz, by worship that will not stop us in whose hie also was shaken BITFLE: 100-1.75-61 our search for freedom," the Ne- a dynamite blast, said, "It's gro minister said. about time the quiet white minis- l ME: 44-439 Abernathy's home on Ral ters woke up in Montgomery. street also was slightly damaged They've been very quiet en giv- as a result of an early morning ing sermons about racial hatred." dynamite blast. The Lutheran white minister The minister was In Atlanta at has a Negro congregation in the time of the bombing and his church next door to *4=n
'Zcc0 AAG C-RI AZ Vrs on DATE Af3yA ~IICLQ~~~ - Office Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO Director, FBI DATE: 1/7/57
4 FROM : SI,''bile -E - suzjzm: R SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
For additional information of the Bureau, attached are two copies each of the following newspaper items: 1. It-pm appearing in Thy fallah ssee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida,.1/3/57, caption "CROSS BURNED ATSTEELE CHURCH." 2. Itam appearing in same paper l1b/57 captions 1Ikil BUS SEGRiGATIGK HELD INVALID; O EFFECTS HERE." 3. Editorial appearing i same paper 1/3/57 caption.i . PLACE FOR THECRCSS."
Burea (Encl. 6)(100-135 Sub 61)(AM) obile(100-1361) .0
ALL ANN...','~TI /
iE't '?i
iA( ' ~ W~~mm-m ~,35~6/- ~?c~ *JAN f1957
EX-172 . V
. B~JAN IOv wL I' I
/1 (-.
Mr. Tolset..... Mr. Nichols - Mr. Boardmaa. Mr. Behnost. Mr. Mohr ..... Mr. Pa-sins.- Mr. Ro**rn Mr. T..ana :1 Mi. trotu. Mr. Nfase .. Tele. Room. Mr. Hol'man Miss Gandy..... ross Burned At Steele Church A four-foot cross covered with kerosene-soaked Spanish moss was burned last night in front of the Rev. C. K. Steele's A LITLE AFRAID church while he was across Mrs. Steele said: town presiding at a Negro Inter "I'm a little afraid for my Civic Council meeting. h1ldren, but you can't fight The cross was placed in fron ything that's in the dark. ALL 'T' ~: of the Bethel Baptist Church hoever did It. I don't believe $24 N. Boulevard St, and w they could possibly know any- first seen by Clifford Steele thing about what Christianity 12, one of the minister's fiv means." A3i children. Steele said he was notified DATE: 3 t Police Chief Frank Stouta- of the incident at the meeting mire said police were dis- shortly after It happened. ztched to the scene after the He said it must have hap- 11 from Mrs. Steele, but no pened about the same time he idence was found indicating was urging Negroes attending ho might have burned the the meeting to "seize every op- portunity to create goodwill in Steele said he did not place the community." "too much significance In the The meeting last night was sign" and personally would not primarily an observance of the THE TALLAHASSEE DEHIOCRAT have reported It to police. anniversary of the Emancipa- TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA He said the people who tion Proclamation signed Jan. burned the cross "need sym- 1. 1863 by President Abraham Date If, f/fy pathy." Lincoln. 0______INCIDENT REPORTED The burning was reported to Re: RACIAL SITUATION police about 9:30 p.m. by Steele's wife, who was at home TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA with Clifford, and two other Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 children. Mobile 100-1361 Mrs. Steele and a neighbor knocked the cross over and threw water on it. It was the second incident involving Steele this week. SEARCHED.. .. INLLD.. 3He reported New Year's SERIALIZED .. FILED ..---- rocks ohatwere thrown at windows of his home dur night, and four panes of FBI MOBILE glass were broken. 6/ 6 f. a r),
Mr. Tol C Mr. Nichola Mr. Boardmas. I Mr. Belmont. * B Mr. Mohr.... Mr. Parsons . Mr. Rosen Mr. Tamin Mr. Trotter -- - f Mr. Nease Tel.. Rooj Mr. Holloma-. MTmi Bus Segregation He7Td Miss Gady Invalid No Effects Here Collins Sees No Direct Results Here federal Judge In Miam d today that bua segrega qW.&I tln there Is unoonstitutiona but Governor Collns said decision "doesn't have any im mediate and direct effect on -3 £ the situation" in Tallahassee. BATE L' The Governor told the Associ- ated Pres that the ruling by Judge Emmett Choate "may have some effect on the atti- tude of the people and in that sense It will affect the situa- tion. THE TALLAHASSEE DZIIOCRAT On his suspension of bus ser- TALLAHASSES, FLORIDA vice, the Governor said: Date___/_7 "I want to see these buses resume operations as soon as feel that the attitude of the Dpe will justify such and Re: RACIAL SITUATION t at Includes the attitude of bth the white people and TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA colored people. Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 "If we can eliminate Mofile 100-1361 desire to demonstrate on part of the extremists on both sides, I am satisfied that the buses can resume operations in peace and arnony.* .... AN ORAL RULING SEARCHED.... INECxf '-A Judge C2Moate ave an ral SE RIAL11LD0...... - L ED ruling la .retusi to dismiss-a petition of the National Aaeoci- ation . for AdVancement of Fl MOLE Colored People asking an end '14KU..JL of segregation on Miami buses. eel Me both the Miami city ( a S Page O0 0
Mr. Tolwo---.. Mr. Nichols- 4A Mr. Boardmn.- -w;; Mr. Belmont...- Mr. Mhr .- Mr. Par sons Mr. RWi i .. - Mr. Taun - SUIT BY NAACP Mr. Trotter--- %hM-%ACP filed the14t-ftt. Miami Bus, 12, 1956, against the Miami Trans- Mr. Nese.--- it Co., city of Miami and adi- Tele. Room - vidual commissioners. Mr. Rollonan- Choate dismissed the transit Miss Gandy- Segregation company as a defendant, ruling it was a private enterprise and not ordinance and state bus segre- an arm of the state. He gave the gation laws were unconstitut- city 10 days to We an answer. Sonal. The Judge's action touched only Atty. Gen. Richard Ervin segregation on city transit buses, questioned whether an actual but G. E. Graves Jr of Miami. Florida law was before Judge attorney for the NAACP. said "It Choate. He indicated there Is is apparent that the decision has some doubt as to whether seg- a much more far reaching effect Tegation regulations apply to than that. It can be extended to buses operating within munici- trains, suburban and interurban palities although they ma buses." cover buses runing betwee Dr. A. Joseph Reddick, pastor of Miami's St. James African ALL NO?-: T'IT) Methodist Episcopal Church, NO OTHER COMMENT stituted the suit as president Ervin had no other comm e Florida NAACP. on the ruling. 'DIRECT LINK' The Rev. C. K. Steele, who e said It had no "direct DATE- 3 3lg has directed Tallahassee's bus h legal attacks on bus segrega- Integration effort, said he felt tion in Montgomery and Tallabas- ruling should make any see but "came out of the either litigation unnecessary. Supreme Court decision in the 'I am not the least bit sur- Montgomery case." , he said. "It was in- Miami Transit buses have signs itable that the courts would asking Negro passengers to seat rule that way in view of the themselves from the rear. U. S. Supreme Court decision in Dr. Reddick noted that Miami the Montgomery case. Negroes have not been Involved DEMOCRAT "This ruling should clarify In a boycott and had not used any THE TALLAHASSEE the matter and make any fur- violence in their campaign against TALLAHASSE3 FLORIDA ther litigation unnecessary. It segregated seating. Date //31S7 seems to me that any further "Our main concern has been to r f litigation in Florida or any- remove the statutes from the where else would be just a books." he said. waste of time and money." The bus company has contended Re: RACIAL SITUATION MAYOR DECLINES since the owe was filed that In TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Mayor John Humphress de- reiring segregated seating it clined to comment on the rul- w merely following the lawsof Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 Ing until he has consulted at- Ida and the ordinances of Ilofile 100-1361 torneys. Suits which might test a and that It would continue bus integration are pending in do so until the laws were chang state and federal courts here. Attorneys for the City and bus company could not be reached for comment. The Judge refused -to con- c.3E 4RC F 0. ED --- vene a three-judge court to S -FPIALIZLL. f ILEf"------hear arguments In the case. He d there was no substanti 4 stion of constitutional la F81 --1,108iLE view of the recent U. preme Court decision b seated- g sans 'buses la Montgomery, Ala. S .4 . 0
I
alasswr Dpniwrrat Mr. Tolson---,... Mr. Nichols-.... ~ Mr B-ardnmaa. Thursday, January 3, 1957 Mr. Belmiont. A'- .hr Mr. k a ,,ris - No Place For The Cross M r. R'is-n However much we might regret the no effect on the minds and the hearts of provocative zealousness and disagree with those who would use it in this manner, the tactics and judgment of some of Tal- let them ponder then: Tele. Ro..... lahassee's Negro leaders, we hold nothing That it is a shameful device unbecom- M r. HoUoma. but revulsion in our hearts for those who Miss Gandy-~ would creep up to one's house at night ing any citizen of a free country, that -and burn a cross on the lawn. it is an ineffective device which will not It was described as a "crude cross." scare but only intensify feelings in these 'Of course it was, designed by a crude times, that it is an act which will only man with a cowardly streak and a warped bring discredit and disgrace to the com- sense of justice-or perhaps a youngster munity and all its citizens. with a rude background or a warped sense of humor. In this crazy situation, We have been critical of some Negroes we might not even discount the possibility for turning to excessive methods of dem- that a Negro seeking sensation might have onstration and thereby creating an exag- none it to create another incident. Dark- gerated and dramatized tension. At least ness cloaks all sorts of chicanery and they demonstrated out in the open where makes everyone suspect. they could be seen and identified. It's strange that a symbol of Christian This community, this nation has no .. lerance and forbearance can be twist- place in its esteem for those who would into a symbol of hatred and terror demonstrate for their views in the hiding d intolerance. of darkness by burning crosses, thro If the true symbolism of The Cross has ing rocks and shooting windows. I THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Date /IJ I') JOHN M. TAPE, Editor Re: RACIAL SITUATION ALL '"""" 'T0 "* TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Buftile 100-135 Sub 61 D 19-'1iATitiL.IJI:E**. 1 J , .,J .2, Mof1le 100-1361
SEARCHED)-. I(NUACD
SIRIALIZW . I aLED~...
LFBI -MOBILE /00 '13 5- -6 /-, ?o (o
- rT FP-36 (6
4
I /p Transmit the following message via -- .. # a-f
(100-135-Sub 61)
RACIAL SITUATION eca 4/4 MONTGOMERY, ALA.
C,
Wheted that none or one aDOve names appear u33Motgmavern - #23, U.S. Klans of Ala., Knights of the KKK, Montgomery. HALLFORD
Bureau (100-135-Sub 61) (REGISTERED) $ A tp : MobiTle (lo.17) *7(p~Amd>RDt ALL FIFOR TID 11,01-ILI.jl] 4 -E :1 0OJAN Il~
Approved: Sent MU Per_ Special Agent in Charge 4-750 (2-7-79) xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
/ Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
Deleted under exemption(s) h 76, A7/); with no segregable maternal available for release to you.
Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request.
0 Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
D Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) , was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies), as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the maternal to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for theIfollowing reason(s)
LZ For your information
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx DELETED PAGE(S) X NO DUPLICATION FEE x xxxxxXX FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxx
Fai/DOJ :FY 36- (6-21-55) 9 F BI a 5563 Date:
Transmit the following message via p. 1 (Priority or Method of Mailing) From SAC,
To: PAGE TWO MO 105-17
Referring to proposed visit of Rev* M.L KING JR, MontgomezIjmprovement Association-Pr ed Kt, ntgo3e Ia on 12/26/56, Rev. KING did not abow. He telephoned late on
Approved: Sent M Per Special Agent in Charge .~ EDA6jTS-2 1-55) C 4 FBI Date:
Transmit the following message via
(Priority or Method of Mailing) From SAC,
To: PAGE THREE 4 MO 105-17 I
12/26/56, and apologized, indicating that he would call on 12/31756, for another appointment. He has not called to date. c
HALLFORD
wk SMOiPU -- - f47--ourV
Approved: Sent M Per Special Agent in Charge Vr t.t .-
a ~. 3 ONow&."f
TU AiTTOBJE11 OZRL p-ai~r e2 4. - - q qsT Ea il R~IALTUA t I-w U.7m.sTr:
MSTGO Z, Al-AA I _ _ _ _ U. so KLun or ALA3AKA KNIGHTS OF TmNKuUE t~Ka"# ZWOvow"T~
1ati I f . ud&6a~1 14. 4w Vocoubw 48, 19169 ,qtleu. asaboM.
I
i L2
I C',
ED -P1 i Th1 , i cAE AZ (00 '4 V5634
Letter to Tb. Attorney Gneal
~o~7 &ir -oroT"100 in 410 . ap tha 0 Noacoffpol" ee partato Is ava" of the abewm
47
On January So 7 thtat
O*ofZabrsua er l f wt tfi.&!alear he lttL* itchen Tavern
anA Ye op e ra"I&t "r,~b *n 0t
m2,m '4: Q. *55635
Letter' to nwhttozayGe il -;L CthUS euvatow atl 7l$ de seL O*a 2f7 wo D
atb *ft dalwo-ulfo *41 L" 4 -Fv m i .adyisa tuat at t0oa ,. Janury j~~jot w agsaU11to ILS wam fora botL4spar~k plugs t bs viadaws 2ah s Shwbe at Jaes and hyr.Wtre*ts Nbntgomsry. A1 tow W* Uwe ?5.asd to the g f4a tb*lw parmats bu Wer. sbw~ule4 to be awz' g I& j nt. wt 4 Jmzney 79 lSR9
7D
hya3 d itlonal pwtimat tLafatlon we..iwE roUt two to tidsaat wMw lbo turish. dthe Polartat. l=-- p~hOIptlyk
4w 4ft
L 55836 Letter to The Attorney General cc Mr. William P. Rogers Deputy Attorney General cc Assistant Attorney General William F. Tompkins cc Assistant Attorney General Warren Olney III NOTE O1 YELLOW: The above is being furnished the Attorney General inasmuch as previous correspondence regarding the 15-year-old Negro girl who was assaulted on Decem-er 24, 1956, was furnished to the Attorney General. Attorney general also furnished information because of the next to last paragraph of this letter. Intelligence agencies are being advised by separate communication.
IN pj~~35 (R4ww-~PS6) 'I
Transmit the following message via
-y FRO.: FBI, ILE TO: DIRtTOR, FBI RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSIEE, FLORIDA
ad ised on 1-2157 that some time during the night7of-1/1/5y an un-. entified person had thrown a rock at the home of Reverend C. K.
_L one of the Negro leaders in the bus boycott at-Tallahassee. The rock broke a window at the STEELE home but did not go into the house. STEELE reported the incident to the local police depart-' ment and stated that he saw a ou ite boy running away shortly after the rock was thrown. said that his'department was investigating the matte a een unable toidentify the person who threw the rock. He added that no one had.been.injured in this incident and the only property damage involved.was the broken window. Continuing, he advised that some time during the same night an unidentified person apparently fired a shotgun into the window of a N.egro grocery store at 601 S. Boulevard, Tallahassele shattering a window in the store. occupied at the time and no further damage occurred. xplained that this store is operated by DZNNIS and EED brothers who have not taken an active part in the current bus boycott at Talla- hassee.inheorized that their cousin, DANMSPEED, who has taken- c -part in the bus boycott in behalf of the Negroes operates another Negro grocery store at 801 Floral Street, Tallahass and it is probable that the person who fired'the shot through the window of the grocery at 601 S. Boulevard thought it was the grocery store operated by DAN SPEED. t Further, tated that at 10:15 A.M., 1/2/57, an employee of the State Deparmtent of Educatidn, Knott Building, Tallahassee, advised the Tallahassee Police Department that some unidentified person had apparently fired a .32 caliber bullet into the basement of that building some time during the 'New Yearts' s, holidays, inasmuch as a spent .32 caliber bullet had been found in a
- Bureau (410413 Syb 611 (At) 1 E 37J p ,. / mtobile 0 -131)"IED -
pved: W Sent 7 M Per F4.36 (PUT. 8.13156)
FBI Date:
Transmit the following message via
(Priorty or Method of Melling)
((no 100-1361) PAGE TWO
filing cabinet there during the morning of 1/2/57. said that although this incident could possibly have some con- nection with the local bus boycott situation it could also have been done by some unidentified New Year's reveler out celebrating the holiday.
described represent the only three incidents which could above out that the three incidents possibly be described as "actsted of violence" in connection with the \Popioinnoitense racial situation presently existing in Tallahassee. He pointed out that Governor LEROY COLLINS, Governor of Florida, had issued an order on the night of 1/1/57 under the emergency powers granted him, which ceases the operations of the city busses at Tallahassee for an indefinite period of time. This action was taken by the Governor "to prevent violence and to allow sufficient time for the t nse racial situation to be worked out," according to Accordingly, the city busses at Tallahassee have dis- * Inuwe eir runs as of 1/2/57. In concluding, said that he did not anticipate any actual physi -*lo ence or bloodshed in connection with the current situation at Tallahassee "if the press and radio will discontinue the publishing of inflammatory racial articles." He said that the Governor's action in discontinuing the runs of the city busses was "a good move" and "the controversy can be taken through the appropriate courts during the cooling-off period." This situation at Tallahassee will be closely followed and the Bureau will be promptly advised in the event any actual violence occurs. For the information of the Bureau, attached hereto are two copies each of the following newspaper items: - 1. Item appearing in Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, 1/1/57 captioned "SEIZE BUSES, COUNCIL ASKS." 2. Item appearing in same paper 1/1/57 captioned "SHOTGUN BLASTS STORE WINDOW." 3. Item appearing in same paper 1/1/57 captioned "ROCKS ARE THROWN AT STEELE'S HOUSE."
Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent M Per U, U : 9 FBI Date:
Transmit the following message via
(Priorty or Mehod of Mailiag)
MO 100-1361 PAGE THREE 4. Item appearing in same paper 1/2/57 captioned "COLLINS SUSPENDS CITY BUS SERVICE."
5. Item appearing same paper 1/2/57 captioned "GOVERNOR COLLINS' EXPLANATION TEXT." 6. Editorial appearing same paper 1/2/57 captioned "COOLING OFF THE BUS SITUATION."
HALLFORD
jr?
.W.
Approved: Sent M Per Special Agent in Charge 4' >3 Seize Buses, ~- ,~' Council Asks emergency existed. Others who were Introduoed at Seie Buses, Uo meeting Included Charles Atchison, secretary of the Marl- sna Concl:; Fred W. King of Saeads, president of the Marianna Council Asks souncU: I. A. Adams of St. Mark. secretary of the Wakulla County council; and C. L. Parker of COat- Members of the Ta2ahassee aboochee, acting president of the ter, Florida Citisens Council 3adeden County equncil. last night voted to ask Gov. 1I- . The council voted to meet again .toy Collins to use his emergency "in Jan. 11 here in Tallahassee. powers to take over city buses t was announced at the meeting ad prevent integrated seating on ~hm. hat the Gadsden Council will meet The 75 or 30 people attendInI tonmght (Tuesday) at 7:30 at the courthouse and the Marianna meeting of the Council at council will meet Jan. 10 at I ,orthouse voted to send a r 3. m. (CST) lution to the governor asking CI1RCUS ATMOSPHERE %0o"promulgate rules and Leat nights meeting was held tions" relating to the bus situa- n the courtroom with a circus at- tion. -nosphere prevailing as two TV .The resolution said the action of meramen and their assistants local Negroes to force integration curried around with cameras on the buses had created racial ibining and strong lights focusing tension to such an extent that it n all directions. At times the whir AR . "may result in open violence and 3 the cameras made it difficult bloodshed." or spectators in the back of the -- The Governor has said be zoom to bear. planned to take no action in the Romer Barra. secretary-treas- bus dispute at the present time. zrer of the local and state coun- All Counel officers stressed. -t]s, who presided. at the end of however, that they would never be meeting thanked the large Condone violence. Speakers at lumber of newsmen for their at- the meeting were outsooken Lendance. ainst any further integration of When they held a Statewide a9races. f meeting here nearly a year ago. AY SEPARATE sly one reporter attended. L1-t THE TALLAHASSEE DEHIOCRAT Main speaker at the mee *eht there were reporters for two TALLAHASSE3, Rev, George Downs of I'V stations, the three internaional FLORIDA lando. Ue siV'S'd no hatred; wire services, and at least two Date IiI/ II< [__/ //- fo- Negroes but felt the races rge Florida dallies. should b* aepe-ated and stay sep- A resolution adopted by the cit- arated. He said it was his feeling nj council last night said In that the Nerro integration move- Re: RACIAL SITUATION ment was Communist inoired. "The agitators of racial Integra- TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA The resolution sent to the gov- ion, have by their recent actions. defy the laws' of the Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 ernor said he should declare that elected to Mobile 100-1361 an emergency exists with retard state of Florida and the ordinanc- to setting passengers en buses w of the city of Tallahassee and here. The Legislature have thereby openly flaunted said 5 Ia special session last summer laws, customs 'and traditions by gave tbe Gev- their arrogant attitude toward con- r almost unlimited powers with stituted lawful authority. emergency aluti "Racial tension caused by these e Governor also was given agitators has Increased in the past 3 to determine when few weeks to the degree that a Continued on Pare 2, Cl. 1) serious threat against the peace and dignity of Florida now exists ~c~O- which, unless impeded, may re- sult ke open violence and blood- shed and constloute a real emer- * ". * * 3.
s. *
~* .- ~ I Shotgun Blast Store Window plate glass win- Som ftqeshot the r / dow out of%,ted Brothers Grocery - * st 621 S. Boulevard last night The store is operated by Come- lius and Dennis Speed, Negro brothers. There was speculation at the po- lice station that the shooting had some connection with the bus pute, but If it was a white son's reprisal action It Was a of mistaken identity. The store is operated by Corn Blus and Dennis Speed, Negro brothers, who are not active in the bus integration movement. There is another store, on Floral street. operated by their cousin, Dan -Speed, a leader of the Negro A'aLit Inter-Civic Council. Dan Speed's store served as a message cen- ter for the summer car pool run by the boycotters. Cornelius and Dennis Speed, have had nothing to do with the bus Integration movement, except that Cornelius was one of 15 Ne- groes who signed resolution 1st June asking the boycotters to sept a City Commission compr mise settlement of the dispu THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT The boycotters rejected it. FLORIDA Police Lt. Billy Bennett said a TALLAHASSE3, load of buckshot, fired at close Date /uS'7 range. shattered the window. dam- aged a meat showcase and some merchandise inside the store. He said it apparently happen- Re: RACIAL SITUATION ed about midnight, because a res- TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA ident in the neighborhood report- Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 ed hearing shots but assumed they were New Year fireworks. Mobile 100-1361 The damage was not reported to police until Cornelius Speed found It this morning. 1\ A window at the same store was broken one night lst summer.
lei~~2 3 ' 'S
-.
Rocks Are Thrown At Steele's House The Rev. C. K. Stee)e, leader of the Tallahassee bus integra- ton movement, reported to po- lice this morning that rocks were thrown at four of his windows about 2 am. He said a window was broken, but the rocks did not come in the house. j>(!t He said be naw a white youth ALI" running away. .I.
DATE ~ jf ''5e
THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT TALLAHASSE, FLORIDA Date I/ of1, I I Re: RACIAL SITUATION TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 MPofile 100-1361
I . ', a I %a . % ) 3
Collins suspend. C ity Bvs Service
The buses stopped running at Action Taken p. m. on New Year's Day; s than two hours after the vernor declared an emergency To Preserve et ted here. He said the bus integration situation had created a "climate Order of racial tension between the Law, white and Negro citizens" which Tallabassee again today was have culminated in acts of vio- thout public bus service after lence and destruction of property v. eRoy Collins ordered the which "seriously threaten the es to suspend operation to lives and well being of citizens eae peace and torer. f both races as well as the ace, tranquility and good or- of the community." THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT Collins acted under special TALLAHASSE3, FLORIDA emergency powers granted him Date__J______by the last legislature. He said the bus suspension order shall "remain In effect until revoked by further order." Re: RACIAL SITUATION "IN A SHORT TIME' TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA In an accompanying state- Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 ent, Collins said he regretted ving to stop the buses and he Mofile 100-1361 It that a solution can be worked out "in a short time." Al. Collins criticized what he called "Irresponsible Negro lead. ership" and "rabid pro-segrega. tionists" for causing the racial 4enslon. Charles L. Carter, manager of ur~A~-All s 4et Cities Transit Bus Comany, said "We respect the Governor's or- der as a legia exercise of his power and will abide by it"
-~ ----- 6-6~/-~~.9e1 - - -- ahr
- d . I I,, 8 .
From Page 1,
M.LL ENDANcl?"".? Collins Halts He added: "The continued opd eration of said public transpor- tation facilities under- tondi- tions now existing in Tallahas- Bus Service see may'iel endatiser life, limb alld'property'of the citizens . . . Iag and shotgun blast Incidents and will cause or tend to cause 'which caused the Governor to de- ftfrther breithh of the' peacs clare an emergency, -were pro-' ana Wil endanggr ppace and voked by the white citizens good order of society." council "to impress upon the Sttee sid' the fister Civic' Governor that a state 'of emer- council will hold a regular meet.. gency existed and violence was ing tonight 't the P'ountain in the a ir." Capel AME church with an RESOLUTION ADOPTED emaLdipatio anniversary theme. The Citizens Cduncil adopted ije said 'some reference".Ao the a resolution Monday night ask- incident of the last: two days 1g the Goverhor to act In thi juld ,be made at the metiLng. ute but Collins said h *the' incident that precipi- dn't rpeived the rsolutio ete,4 tlhe Governor'q order. wer d it had no bearing on th k' throwing at Steele'shous tion he took. d a shotgun blast at the wj ApparentlyCTallahasseeans dow.of a ,Ngro grocery store. N took the bus suspension order one was injured in either inc- In side. with both white and dcnt. Negro riders alike getting to WINDOWS BROKEN work sorpehow today. * Steele said two cars pulled up There weie few reports of dif- to his house about 3 a. m. yes- 4 ficulties being encountered terday and a .white youth got Steele dald the suspension of out of a car, shouted and threw bus service would work a hard- rocks that broke two upstairs THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT ship on Negro riders but he and two downstairs windows. added many of them had al- There *as no action 'today in TALLAHASSE31, FLORIDA ready worked out other trans- eithe? circuit or federa-l court Date 1/ /n. I portatxm agreements during the where stats have been filed in time they yere boycotting the an effort to settle the bus dim- buses. .pute. - I In his formal order suspend- *Meele .to'd the Associated Re: RACIAL SITUATION ing bus service, Collink said Press today-there had been some TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA there has been assemblages of .discussions about moves toward white and negro citizens t Hufile 100-135 Sub 61 racial integration in other public which statements had the c ftilities here but no definite Mobile 100-1361 lated effect of inspiring v nsforsfo t. * ' * Ice or overt threats of v there' were no further inci nce." , ts reported last night.- AGovernor Collins' Explanation Text Following is the text of Gov- ship, not satisfied with quiet ernor Collins' statement of ex- acceptsance, has sought to force toasa sue, through demonstra- planation after issuing an of- Lnd staged occasions. 'Be ficial proclamation suspendingreult has been to focus atten- operation of Tallahassee's city lion orn their attitude. It Is one bus system: of cha Uenge and not sincerity; "I regret the necessity for the for theese leaders have not been issuance of this proclamation. on iii e buses for the normal "However. I regard the situa- purposee of getting somewhere in tion now existmg in the City of Tallah Lasee, but rather for get- Tallahassee as an emergency ting aomewhere In the maga- and, under the duty imposed zines. upon me as Governor to pro- On tthe other extreme, rabid tect the public safety and pre- pro-selgregationists have enag- serve the public tranquillity, feel ed in intimidation and the result I must exercise the authority has b een that shots have been vested in me so to do. fired aand rocks thrown in this I"I am satisfied the emergency conumi unity of fine people, all Isia temporary one because the of wlu om reserve the fullest reasons for its having come measuire of protection." about are synthetic.I t"In this emotionally-charged "The reality of the situation is atmos phere and in the face of A that a great maJority of the threat s and overt acts of vlo- citizens of Tallahassee, both lence, there is only one logical White and Negro, are not deeply and eeffective answer for the concerned with the issue at presentat and that is the suspen- hand. they are furthermore,sion of bus operations. This will peaceful and law-abiding. They be an inconvenience to the peo- are willing to abide by the law, pl of both races, and I realize whatever that may be, and this a proj gressive community needs has not been specifically de- a pub]lUc transportation system. THE TALLAHASSEE DZIICCRAT determined here.ne vertheless, I am convinced TALLAHA3S3, FLORIDA "Unfortunately c o nd it Ionsa the auspension of operations V have been created which have until such time as the emer- Date carried the problem beyond the agency passes is in the public point of law and reason. intereist. I confidently believe "The situation has been dram- that, without the opportunity Re: RACIAL SITUATION atiaed in the press and over tel- for continuing agitation by vision and radio, and the result those who actually seem to want TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA has been a stimulation of emo- to pr ovoke incidents, a sound Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 tons and a competition for and wise and harmonious solu- Iwof'ile 100-1361 headlines. tion can be worked out within a i "Irresponsible Negro leader- relate vely short time."
~[ 2~1 I4INLOUI /6- / - d-I/
S- - ~ - - - * 6
0. . % 0
I--. -4-.-' ~aI1aIJafiuivt &mitrrat. ~J '~ 4 Welvmisdb), JAeubuy 2t19S7 Cooling Off The Bus Situation We in Tallahassie don't lik6 the idea of dramatiztin lasome quarters, *Ad the having a Governor, even though he's on* incliatia of integrationisti to feel thbir of us, stepping into a local dispute and oath and ride for the ride's sake and pur- cloing down our bus system-but he act- pose of demonstration. This attitude was ed for our best interests. bringing pktibnee of white residents to a We have been proud of the restraint straining point-and it maps more quick- shown by our people in handling this bus ly with somb people than others. problem over a period of *even Months So the buses are off the streets. without violence. It won't make much difference to the Our appraisal of the temper of our pbo- community's activities. It was getting to ple would not lead us to believe that even the point that most people of both races1 the New Year's Eve incidents of property were staying off them because the question 1 destruction would be repeated and int~n- 6f whire th&y sit didn't seem worth the sifi*d. risk of a fight. But there was no point in taking The Governor's action will let the ait- chances. The Governor had full authority, nation eel off, and let th* courts reach "handed to him by the Legislature last sum- a decision without pressure from the fear mer, to step in and act as he did. It was that violence would flare if they didn't his duty to act when he saw danger to th6 hurry. peace and tranquility. With a6 instrument of dissension at There's no question, the tension wAs in- hand, th&re should be little risk of inei asing. As the Governor said in the &x- dent, and maybe the rest of the aa anation of his action, that tknaion was will betin .t view our altuation as ea Lomewhat synthetic-th6 product of ver- as we hAv6 her# At home. THE TALLAHASSEE DEHIOCRAT TALLAHASSES, FLORIDA Date_ /-2: __ JCR TAP s, diltr Re: RACIAL SITUATION r issuj TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA ALLE Bufile 100-135 Sub 61 Hofile 100-1361 DAE 3
kNCLOSUZ Ax two~ "'ECORDED-37
Ja* ietaw Chief Of SU , xteflig e tot piPon tgtsn, * ~,~ w
hAttentgens Cis Ief, Seauri$ly Iiwiefo
JeAin dger fhewer, D ire t FederFaDUtWUM WJSr Xuessloolsom RIDA CIAL 51T041'IZOf TALLARASSEII 1 FLOAIDA
ooaersn~the *optioned matter# Oftne r rr,1957, /it f sanuay vsedtht a one time MdL
person threw a rock at the home of Reverend C, 5. 6'-fele't dh .a DT COURIER UC.4 #E ef the Negro leaders In the beott of base# im- XAllahasee 2he rook broke a window at $he Steel" ee JA el reported the $evident to the loeal police*# A' a eted that he saw a* YUosg white running *waifbher 8 water tt.. rook was thrown. .i4 his Dopar,31 ~ Investigating the a~teW1V i~een MRable-to t he person whe threw the reok.#2 ~~J -- M? adv i eised that r- sometime Eduring e ita ghr"ui editi/Sed pere***Mp. wremutZI /pI red a ~~ etga~n atea window of'saINegro uroceru store at 601 Set
?otslevordo ?lljses, hatterlsg a windowy In the *top** 'brothere,whe have Woen sso aetuoe rL the esrrext b.ott of buses at ftllahaseoe.oe~i e that their veetns Dan Speed, sho as a aaseactive pert In the bus boycott In behalf of ersdc(ohj Srts Nichols#mother Negro grocery store at 801 Fleral Stroets, U!'i Vo~nan - F41llhasseee, was the Intended victim of the shotgwt lst. b~n - % % f ( - 1 .- 4,A
____ - AssistantAtoe
Tarn.JJ Nease Arb w t, t attorney Gf~er97, t -7trow tNefOf F opkniseyFrm06 Tele. Room e. Letter to Assistant Chief fStaff,f ZatelltgeIse Bepartment of the Army
Raised that at i0Sg A.Rt r. os sasy ,rs employee of the State partat fIducotionf eauteed the fallahasse olSee Departues that some ssidestified person had apparestI fred 732ealber ballet Sate the babest of the hett stld~a $a ehiS the State Departmet oft Sdatles S lecatedo O somettme dariag the Bew ear's helsday, asseaA s isspena"a Bes eabrbaslle ess"o saOud$**fta eabtset there ding the mersig fJanasryf 3s LU?* 7P ast that although this teeidest pesbly ." e some conseettowith the localg&e bsp0e* situatios, St alsoecould base bees dome by me New Year's recler edlebrattag the Aelitep petatedout that the three iseeidate aheve repeonly three ncidents which could possibly be deserted as betg "ets of o*es*O $a esetttos with the tense rotalslttsatls preesatly existiag is W2shaesee. e pointed eat that 2ortsd Goevermer Lerop Collins had teased an order e the aight of January 1, 2957, uder the emergesog powers grated him which ceased the opereties of the city base at Tallahessee for an Sadef tate perSed of tie. This acties mos takes by the Governor *to present violesee sadto allow suffic inttime for the recsal aituation to be worked eatut according t Accordtaglp, the bases at rtlh*ee* disoent suen operatios as of January , 15. sold that he does set eatictpate a acta Psatolesce or bloodshed to cosseetios with the eurrest racial steattes at Tallaassee"If the press and radio t decoatSse the pablicetea of - Saflamastery raial articles." esoaid that the Poersor's gotten i dieettstag operation of eity bseas &as 'a good nove" sad "the controversy eas be takes throneb the appropriate courts during the eoltag-eff perSod,
As addittoal pertinent $iformaties orecewed relative to this matter will be farntshed ye promptly.
* B * (I f 4 wo V )
Lttr to Aeate tnt Chie t 1Stefp Intelltgesse Depoartentt e Amyg 4 ',-~ .4 Z-PS reetor ef Nav aZt.11Sgeav* Department Of Mh BY rho Penagon reekinitom "* DO~ * Tr .1- treeter of Spe a aew ~ oSa Me aepocter OMsemvsI Dprtment of the ASr Y7rne PuildSag Taupe 9 corsCOCR1551 V 4thad A4.. DPriweg 5. We leek sgotons a* Co
1'
c&.j*i
- w C) 4-528
p..--. CHANGED TO *4'
4
FLi8 4 1957 FEmmAL I SR mAUOf IWVESIQATM EU.8. DPM ENT OF JMriC ALL INFOI'".r!:'E .&D COMMUNICATIONS SECTION tERj JAN 101957.T
.TELETYfpEy rete. Ro- Mr. Holloman.. Miss Gsady 07 FBI ILE 1-10-57 6-54 PM CST V? RECTOR, FBI URGENT RACIAL SITUATION, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA. RE MOBILE TEL TO BUREAU TODAY. REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PRESIDENT, MONTGOMERY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, ACCOMPANIED BY REV. MONTOERY NEGM MINISTER, APPEARED AT THE MONTGOMERY RAO AT ONE P. M. TODAY AND REQUESTED INFO AS TO WHAT FBICOULD DO TO SOLVE OR ASSIST IN SOLVING BOMBINGS OF NEGRO CHURCHES AND RESIDENCES OF MINISTERS AND OTHER VIOLENT ACTIONS AGAINST NEGROES AND MIA PERSONNEL. KING SAID NE NOTED IN PAPER THAT THE FBI WAS CONDUCTING A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND HEARD THAT DAVE CARRAWAY:' I k STAT4p"MHIS MORNING BROADCAST TODAY THAT THE JUSTICE DEPOT. .WAsL,90KING INTO THE MATTER. REV. KING ALSO COMPLAINED THATr1,.\ TE E 0 OF MONTGOMERY DO NOT O WHERE TO TURN DEC . - RECORDED Ms( r.. & /--- THEY ARE ALL CONVINCED THAT THE NPIT I ?7N NO< REAL ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE OMBI GS AN AE-9997M- F ITS PUBLIC UTTERANCES, HAVE NOT ENCOURAGED WlN-j I4GZlEMB
END PAGE-ONE - '- PACE TWO *s..... AND HAVE CREATED AN ATMOSPHERE CONDUSIVE TO VIOLENCE. REV. KING WAS ADVISED THAT THIS BUREAU DESIRES TO RECEIVE ALL INFO CONCERNING MATTERS OF THIS KIND AND THAT TRE BUREAU PLACES THE FACTS IN THE RANDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, BUT THAT THE BUREAU HAS NO AUTHORITY TO ACTUALLY INVESTIGATE SUCH MATTERS LACKING AN INTERPRETATION OF KNOWN FACTS BY THE DEPT. OF JUSTICE, THAT THERE MAY BE A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW WITHIN THE INVESTIGATIVE JURISDICTION OF THE BUREAU. REV* KING WAS TOLD THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF THE FACTSINING TO THI ORNINGS BOMBINGS IN MONTGOMERY.
'V
END PACE TWO ..... 4..
V
-9 OM R W." 0 0 up a 0 - if WMW.%W" IN a" f R p 0 -1, ,- -, we " " 4-750 (2-7-79) xxxxxxKxxxxx xxxxxx FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
/ Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion.
h .7<: Deleted under exemption(s) , ?117 Zb with no segregable material available for release to you.
Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request
Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only.
Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) , was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.
Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies); as the information originated withI them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the material to the FBI.
Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s)
For your information
The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages: - / e-6 - 72
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx DELETED PAGE(S) X NO DUPLICATION FEE x xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
FBI/DoJ . .~ .
PACE FOUR .o*.... COv. FOLSOM, BILL LYERLY,
I~ j DIRECTOR, ALA. DEPT. OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND CHIEF OF POLICE C. J. RUPPENTHAL, MONTCOMERY PD, RAVE BEEN ADVISER. INFO BEING DISSEMINATED TO LOCAL ARMED FROCE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES. LEtRLY SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED SAAND SAID COV. FOLSOM WANTED FBI TO KNOW THAT HE HAD PERSONALLY OFFERED TO MONTGOMERY CITY AUTHORITIES ALL POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE OF ALA. DEPT. OF PUBLIC SAFETY ON FOUR OR FIVE OCCASIONS AND NO REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE TO DATE FOR SUCH ASSISTANCE BY MONTGOMERY AUTHORITIES AND THAT FOLSOM FEELS THAT POLICE COMMISSIONER CLYDE SELLERS IS MAKING BONIFIDE EFFORTS TO SOLVE BOMBINGS CASES PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO THE BUREAU.
NALLFORD END AND ACK PLS QD .vis'do. VA 8-09 PM OK FBI WA JS S WAI TU DISC fair, fft WTLDIUS
Dom7""ITWa wu
/ K U ~ B Kit ~ ~O IrAQI?> £4r 0 McC>owaia (>1 'K; ' K ~ C K ill 2-~'' 024 C~7)f f A - A rrn A 7 t~
'3 6~
acz %0, -V uaw
tMnster of huchs nd iaesofxiaqt of taeas to
eas> 4<-** afeatioofatice nilk CO*
I At 100 p.., January 10, 19 7, ReverA r Lather SJr. presid of the i(atgomery ImproTvnant, fAVKo er- ena e.ate e ister costa a I pci AentOf ubsiet a Oino dthel maorea ar ax b sns to what seteha st tosolve bia eofey cahes, h omige frsiecsof
'istera p ohr ai t jeatt antosherhae been to e a ttefgatsI atte theiatiars npoeentheepublic- sotaior. tani o asics d state th hSeatto has n in t tobl tas mabeas t o tra~eak sehe n tasaT*.h tJti stt $77a btlw-iach tthhef Ike, Pou1ee;7tPeno*is set attempt h / om s'_andj t W' icials atfNoattomtery ab1 xt~er ' , O sted ax atmosphere a $ lease.s I edthat: te w.
Qei facts so matters at this kala m rere hamt #60 ets may be referred to the Department ot Jutice.0 e waes far- advised that this Bareas has aM6 eatherity te
Mason
Mobr a - Rosenf~p-~paw Tamm 'I 117 tean e WinterroedC a,.A II 9 r HolloTele. Room U(TFEB7a Gedy FE 8 7 57
A Vt Memn" be aThe Atltrat 41 muz wel 2E'e~lgat mh ettnleft fas 20006- or~ tl also "Vie"the "W69itoweat al* sVu"o P.. lag the 1oa,.aet eAlsb t Vtis~~v ugy
-i
$ 014" N adm tor the Attora eer
Alabee Depatmat at to SatetyIst everw Felsem Iet t knos the he had peWsemany affed Moatgor'y eity att6els the assistanett Aabam Depar oft t at Pablie afety am fer 0e five se soas a that to date seekettials had set relaested assistae. We otarther eavised that oveaer Pelsom is a the oiaes that Motgomey PolUe* Comissione Clyei Sellers go making a bee tie atteet to solve the bombiege.
heart a O the e t his oshewnad as hemt . to Aavestiga the se et this sis* h ObsevdT two abite as Asna 1956 bl eat Wite Chvrolt pll away trm the orb I trost at his house. We atted sabstaat tothe tes aghea bserved this at It4asatat aet hisd.m a fo tar *avisedt2as onh r goAdanemntatcolored MobiAlabeathat hodhe bat test ' bomb en Wieret porch of his residMene* sto that hehad et beard s euasmal oises In the vioinity of his residence. We N *4 he the bomb by heaoe whes he eros*eat 22:10 *1** the )
eaeau for e Attora e I
attahed a tiemt Isth et Waterpet tae at a detamtor esp ep sep that the bomb had been l** amet*s st the iatividals so pletath bIb appa tl had set as has to light the teae adhad ben amabl to Alght the potw trainat thebee atvisal that at Isl7 ea..
at thel 3Awe ALAi
aresses etviset atthemS barlap ad soakes od kw"esoeWere burneton QoMu r Jaunar 9, 19571 betoas 11s32 am 1AOpQe. amaa ma m wSmmmanAn *m* @ &. mAmm*Am m mmP
Apprpriate locals athelties awe oae t th above iaternatioa e8itional tatzweatia r0*ived relative to this umwvi1 be turaisbed to yes prompt1r.
*- r. Viima. soses Deputy Atorasy rmwl 4 16 ** Assistant Attorney Onest Warren 01as II 4-528
CHANGED TO
EcB 4 .1957 /
FEDERAL BUREAU OF RWETIOM U. 8. DEPARTMENT (i OF JUTE ) 4~ Mr. COMMUNICATIONS
(kgb. ilmo AL L 0NFALLNOf!W r.7 "r.' 9.ObT~ED --7JAN 1 957 Mr. Parsons ar. 7. 'EREN'TELTPE Mr. Taum- Mr. Trotter. L2 Mr. Nease.. DATE--~ Tle. on_. FBI 10-5 00 Mr.Holloma 12-48 PM ALS V Miss Ganoy I RCURCENT RACIAL SITUATION, MOBILE, ALA. ADVISED TODAY AS FOLLOWS - AT ELEVEN FORTY FOUR NINTH INSTANT THE ROME OF NEGRO,1
R/I AS ,3M ED I- Z1~*
THAT AT ELEVEN TWENTY FIVE P.M. HE HEARD A THUMP ON THE SIDE OF HIS HOUSE AND AS HE VENT TO INVESTIGATE OBSERVED A FIFTY -SIX BLUE AND WITE CHEVROLET OCCUPIED BY TWO WHITE MEN PULL AWAY FROM THE HOUSE AND IMMEDIATELY THERE- AFTER BOMB WENT OFF. THE CAR TURNED AROUND AND CAME. BACK PAST THE HOUSE. NO LICENSE NUMBER OBTAINED. AT TWO THIRTEEN AM., TENTH INSTANTS HE LOCATION OF AN UNEXPLODED BOMB ON HIS FRONT PORCH.
1111111111111111111 1MDTWO UNEXPLODED STICKi OF DYNAMITE IN A COPPER TUBE TO WHICH VAS ATTACHED TWO FOOT LENGTH OF SLOW BURNING ATERPROOF FUSE AND A DETONATOR CAT. WHOHAP RETIREDo DID NOT HEAR OR SEE ANYTHING, BUT HE OBSERVED THE BOMB ON HIS PORCH WHEN HE GOT UP AT TWO TEN A.N. TO CLOS INDEXED-Ba RECORDED -W1 JAN EX-172 - PACE TWO WINDOWS ON HIS CAR. OF OPINION THIS VAS PLACED BY AN AMATEUR AS THEY DID NOT J9 PERLY KNOW HOW TO LIGHT THE FUSE AND NEVER DID CET THE POWDER TRAIN LIT BUT ONLY SEARED THE EXTERIOR END OF THE FUSE VITH A MATCH OR CIGARETTE LIGHTER. CONTACTED THIS OFFICE RE ABOVE INFO AND ONLY ADDITIONAL INFO OBTAINED FROM HIM WAS TH(SrTHE BOMB WAS WRAPPED IN NEWSPAPER.
T RT SEVENTEEN A.$. TODAY THAT UNEXPLODED DYNAMITE BOMB FOUND AT HOME OF NEGROt
____ OT YET AVAILABLE FOR
INFO. FRAGMENTS OF COPPER CASING OBTAINED= AT HOME .O F AND IT IS NOTED THAT BOMB AT P PLACE WAS
CONTAINED IN COPPER TUBE. UNEXPLODED DYNAMITE TOT STATE TOXICOLIGIST, MOBILE. ADDITIONALLY, THREE CROSSES MADE OF TWO BY FOUR WOOD WRAPPED IN BURLAP AND SOAKED IN KEROSENE, HAVING IRON FOOTINGS AND SPIKES TO STAND IN THE AROUND, WERE BURNED LAST NIGHT BETWEEN ELEVENTHIRTY AND ELEVEN FORTY TWO P.M. THEY WERE AT THE HOMES OF THE /AL FOLLOWING NEGROES-
END PACE .TWO1 e '- A P W4)
J. -~ /~'2dkk4/ceJ PACE THREE
CONTACT BEING MAINTAINED WITH MOPD,
9',A,PA dW CONTACT ALSO BEING MADE WITH CI, MO, RE MO BOMBINGS AND CROSS BURNINGS. NO OTHER ACTIVE INVESTIGATION CONTEMPLATED U CB. A.P. IS ONLY PRESS INQUIRY RECEIVED SZ FAR IN M . BUREAU WILL BE KEPT INFORMED
u~l Ir~lo' NALLFM U ;loci END ACK PLS 2-00 PM OK FBI WA EW TU DCI
VOMALarm DIVW N I, ~ K 1/Lv t s"
1971VR W'
bl,Rg rv-- qp -to -cuts an hi a f4.1w"am with A with bes,,L-, A-VW VAMt he tkou b-11-;', --lV mistake to tU M U4,xlv" In Ome lavestiption In Alaba Mr. ftgers mid he had SoMm a wpy of tht Or&,T am the Injunction was reany pretty baited; that ft Me"ly "Jou. ft, rospondkmts from edorchg stige xbdutes vAah 10CM1 Orftam,gm Md Leo w ID&C&W that fNMghl me jury "W. hare nf; respond fm reconsider d "----vaden tM orezr Lzd thou U o mconsiftr Uw mafb;ar and ft Jufte seewAd to be aaaanm vm
V097 imbe"I -IJ, ALLIF~r.ll TT-11lull
J6hn Edgar Hoover Dtrwtw '/7
Tolson- Nichols- 7c /66- /j5, I-si Boordins - Belmont M~ohr _ _ - - 'a RECORDED - 54 P arsons- 1957U
A Rosen- Taxrn____ mob,- 54 Trotter Nease Winterrowd- 4 - 114 Tel. Room- Hollomn- rt~w Gandy n< -J 4-528
CHANGED TO
I 1957 Office Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
ro t Mr. Boar dman fi DAT: January 11, 1957
PROM : A. Rose#2"""0'
I. J. * MAr sUBJETc: RACIAL SITUATION MONTGOEIRY, ALABAMA T. NeWase Wisterowd - Tele. Ram In accordance with the Director's lollooma Gmdy instructions, I called SAC Hallford and advised him G that we were not going to proceed with any inquiry in this case unless and until we got specific orders from the Department. Hallford was cautioned not to S commit himself one way or another concerning this matter. It was pointed out to Mr. Hallford that this is purely a departmental matter and was not one in which the Bureau I participate. Hallford stated that he clearly I(shouldunderstood this position and had not committed the "'1 Bureau, that their conversation with the judge merely III,'was one in which they listened to his views. ADDENDUIM: Time of call: 7:10 p.m. Subsequent to talking with Mr. Hallford, I called Mr. Nichols merely to advise him of the Director's comments. Mr. Nichols indicated that he had just gotten
Pt / some additional information concerning this matter. v 9 Mr . Nichols stated that after Judge Johnson had talked with Deputy AG Rogers about this matter Rogers called -Lr. Caldwell. Caldwell is head of the 6ivil Rights Section of the Department. Caldwell then telephonically communicated with USA David to discuss this matter and aldwell asked Davis for the co p te text of the court order. This was discussed by~r~ell and Davis. Caldwell then indicated to USA Davis tiMz on the basis of the information furnished he did no think we could get into this matter and that he, Caldwell, was going-rig--4 up to Mr. Rogers and tell him so. /6,.. ,.$ f .51 6 JAP 18 1957 No further actio eing taken unless and I11 I' et specific instructions from the-Depart . O' ' in accordan Direetor's observations.
Lce 1 ihl
cc. -Mr. Nichols ,1r, Belmont e - ~24 A
I
9 January 16, 1957 AIRTEL
SACs, Detroit Mobile
RACIAL SITUATMI, STATE O1. ALABAMA
Re Detroit teletype January 15, 1957. Intense efforts should be made to determine the identity of the truck involved as described in retel. Detroit should consider the feasibility of contacting the Springfield Office in the event it has not already done so in an effort to identify this truck by the available numbers on the license pla to and type of truck. Advise Bureau immediately all pertinent developments. Hoover Bufile 100"135-61
/I
AllprT: i
DATE 3'; y.~~c
RECORDED U /I)=d /amp/s=/
JAN16 19571 MAKI I'of lr L:1OM.7 I
Tolson Com Nichols 4AN~ I' VD \f T3elmos - Mason - Mohr Parsons Roseo _ Team.. Nease , gf' intenowd - - Tele. Room loUoman-
candy ' I Date January 14, 1957 DA j R Tot Assistant Chief of Staft Intelligence Department of the Army The Pentagon . Vashington 25, D. C. 4 - 0 Attentions Chief, Security Division Front John Edgar Hoover* Director Federal Bureau of Investigation Subjects GON)SUBJECJT8 AIIM W CHOE4BES AND OMER OFpMINISTERS M 00%i81,ALAN AMA, JANUARY 10 1957 BACIAL S8 TION-
The following information was received by our Mobile, Alabama, Office concerning the dynamiting of four Negro churches and the homes of two ministers at Montgomerys Alabama, an January 10, 1957.
had discovered a sarbe la those which were used in the bombings oat january 10,190. It was reported that the bomb consisted of three 50% Dupont dynamite wrapped with asking tapewhi identical with the tape recovered free the bombs ed an Jan 10 1957. The bomb vas also reported'o Tele. Rooom~ - -!;7 Holoamaa Gady WtD7 I-N 0 0 I tr0-V . Letter to Assistant Chief et Staff, Intelligence The above is furnished for your information. tit ecs Director of Naval Intelligence Department of the Navy The Pentagon Washington D. C. "04 - ecs Director of Special Investigations The Inspector General Department of the Air Force B! COURIR SERVICE Building Tempe 4th and Adams Drive, S. V. Washingtons D. C. .- 2 Br-WN&w ae C c0 Office Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO I Director, FBI (100-135-61) DATE: 1/16/57 ~L-POM ~. :SAC, Mobile (44-439) SUJ r: RACIAL SITUATION MONTGCIERY, ALABAMA Forwarded herewith to the Bureau are two copies each of hree clippings from the January 12, 1195'7 issue of the ontgomery Advertiser, published daily at Mont- gomery, Alabama, Page One, captioned as follows: .'.LICE CAPTURE 2 MEN, ARSENAL \LAIS ANNOUNCED TO ORGANIZE WHITE BUS LINE IN ONTGOMERY EMPLOYEE MAY HAVE HALTED \ARRIVALBOMBING. OF STATE - Bureau (Enc. 6) (AIRMAIL) Mobile 1E RDE-MD-34 I'lov JAN 18 1957 1.1.11 \10 v. , .~ !Nr pU ,; ;- ~1 ALL. !NFORT3f NTED 1lans Annoued To Organi White Bus Line In Montgomery by JO ANN FIRT tthe city will seek federal advice A local attorney confirmed last --Possibly by a petition request. night that be represents a groupI Ing further instructions, or by seeking to organize a new all- clarification of the recent court white bus system to operate Incorder. Montgomery on a "club" plan. The proposed new transit sys- State Rep. 0. J Goodwyn, wbot tem would operate as a "private" declined to name the persons whoI line with only members of a club retained him, reportedly conferred allowed to rId e. Membership earlier yesterday with city offi-I would be limited to white persons. ciais who would have to approv Negro leaders were turned down new transit line before it coulI when they requested authority to rate. operate their own bus service here IHelater accompanied Clt during the year-long boycott. tys. Walter Knabe and Drayto, (See BUS LINE, Page 7A) amlton In an hour-long confer- SM MW A= U ence with U.S. District J judge City Commission denied its e- Frank M. Johnson Jr., one of two est on grounds that Montg - IUMY AAMM federal judges who ruled bus y City Lines. Inc., only existing £N1yus2.195? segregation here unconstitutional s line here, offered "adequate" 74031 last June. Is service. Neither Judge Johnson nor The bus line has halted all op- members of the delegation would erations following an outbreak of 22# 3CLC8 1MZW comment on the subject of the violence culminated by six bomb. -e X-e4ZO conference. City officials presum- ings in Negro neighborhoods be- ably are concerned with the pos- Ifore dawn Thursday. Earlier, five sibility of being in contempt of a buses were ambushed by gunfire DW'[JD.e00-3Z5.'U federal court injunction ordering land a Negro woman passeng MV SA3I 4P as them to refrain from enforcing wounded In both legs. segregation laws on public buses. The planned all-white bus se Speculation yesterday centered ice would be the third type tr aruda legal move planned $j portation system other than the officials, but no papers b d city fUies proposed here during b on filed when the Distt the past year. C.rk's office closed U A car pool, composed largely of nab* declined to say whether church - owned station wagons. was operated by Negro boycot- ters before halted by court or- der. City attorneys argued tb motor pool operation was a "pri vate enterprise" operating wi otL4Ui e rather than a shr the-ride pool as Negroes claimed )smu O0 0 NF.ARCHAUFFEUR'S HOME Police. Cajture 2 Men, Arsenal By KLINK COOK bis life reportedly had been threat- Two heavily armed Negro men ened by other Negroes. were arrested here early yes- The patrolmen assigned to the terday by highway patrolmen who had been assigned to guard the Mobile heights subdivision were bome of Winston Craig, Negro dressed in plain clothes and pa- chauffeur for Gov. James E. Fol- trolled in privately-owned automo- som. ,I biles. The men arrested were Identi- Arresting officers in the so fied by city police as William Sin- were Highway Patrolmen T. . ton Jr., 34. and Marion Smiley, Posey and James R. Farr. 11o No address was available for assigned to the same beat wap. er man. They were arrested at Patrolman Stanley Kezziah. 1:5 am. yesterday at 3219 Mo- bile Road, a few blocks from There was no confirmation to Craig's home at 2615 Rutland in the reports, but it was learned Mobile Heights. from a reliable source that Craig's life had been threatened by dis- Mmo LysSAUb Found in the Negroes' automo- gruntled Negroes who had lost bile was a small arsenal of weap- their jobs with white employers pan 1 5 .ons including a 12-guage shot- because of the racial unrest here. gun loaded with six shells, a 16- gauge automatic shotgun fully The Negroes who made the loaded with 6 shells, a .32 cali- threats allegedly blamed Gov. 221 RACM S IUdA!Z ber automatic pistol fully loaded Folsom for the situation, and In turn blamed Craig for the partly wwmomys AL.O with eight cartridges. Also found he might have played in the over- was an additional supply of shot- all developments. gun and pistol ammunition. IRWV.3e 10.15U Ct. E. P. Brown of the Mont- ~th men were booked at Po- gomery Police Department con- NWRI ~s445 lic- Department on charges of p firmed that the arrests bad no se ng concealed weapons. made, but said he had no inf- e arrests were made by high- mation Indicating that the t o way patrolmen who had been or- men arrested had made e A4 dered to guard Craig's home after threats on Craig's life. ALL1WR rY~T!E Id -302 . ./ "Do I AT'ING'S CHURCH"" Arrival Of State Employe May Have Halted Bombing By GEORGE WHITTINGTON Highway Department Building. Montgomery police have been across from the church, in the provided information that three middle of a series of six botib. men in an automobile were be- wings during Thursday's pre-dawn lieved to have been foiled early hours. jhrsday in an attempt to dyna- Capt. E. P. Brown, ch Ie f of mi the Dexter Avenue Baptist Montgomery detectives, verified Ch ch of which the Rev. Martin report, but said the descrip- Lu er King Jr. is pastor. n of the auto was "generaL" Re e three were spotted by a 41d he also had not been told state employee who arrived at the ether the men were white cowed. Capt Brown said he had t talked to the man, and did t have his name. However, is was learned, the information has been passed on to the office of Gov. James E. Fol- 3E*(m SWe ZS sokn, who has already offered to throw state investigators into the 1a1T16 bombing probe. The city so far MW has declined all offers of outside tmS M assistance. The state employee, whose name as 3A*& SIattr was not revealed, has the routine duty of going to the post office k*6T. l*A about 3 a m., and delivering mail to the various offices in the High. SeiS 863504 way Department. According to the account given Mae 66.I The Advertiser, the man was fol- lowing this procedure Thursday aQ.LM ombs already had.am (See BOMBING, Page A) -. ALL. INFO-T TJE 11 cp . , ENCMOSVT] -Bombinrg-- (Continued From Page 1) ploded at churches and the homes of ministers in the city when he drove up to a spot near the De- catur Street entrance to the build- Ing. He was quoted as saying that when he afopped his vehicle. he niotlced a car parked by the Dexter Avenue Church which fronts on the corner of Dexter at Decatur. The spot where he parked Is less than 30 yards from the church The state employee said he watched the men for a minute or so, then got out and carried mal.bag Into the highway butl ing'When be started turning lights. in the building, he said, thril men drove away. r CENTER OF ACTIVITY Thb Dexter Avenue church has beer the center of much activity by Negroes in their bid for Into- gratton on city buses The Rev. Kig, its pastor, led a bus boy- to successful conclusion when th, Supreme Court ordered that bees by integrated. Although the homes of the Rev. R D. Abernathy,- pastor of the Negro First Baptist Church, and the Rev. Robert Graetz, white pastor of the Negro Trinity Luth- eran Church, were among those bombed, King's was not. Although situated only a block from the state capitol and across from the Highway Depart it Building King's church is4n. sidered vulnerable to would .lbe bombers from the Decatur St et side, which is relatively quiet dur- ing late night hours. King keeps his home spot. lighteO at night as a precautionary measure. since his home was bombed during the early days of the-oycott, - I - She time at which the three n were seen near the Dextvr avenue church places the reported ident a short time after the .frth bomb of the night-at the First Baptist Church-and before two-ethers which followed. The fifth and sixth bombing of the morningg, at the Bell Street Bapist Church and Mt. Olive Bap- tist.Church. on Old Selma Road, happened about an hour after the menwa..r ported I"'Wtring - . &the aI. - 4-750 (2-7-79) xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FOIPA DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET / Page(s) withheld entirely at this location in the file. One or more of the following statements, where indicated, explain this deletion. Deleted under exemption(s) 'A21*7 ;6,h7b with no segregable material available for release to you. Information pertained only to a third party with no reference to you or the subject of your request 0 Information pertained only to a third party. Your name is listed in the title only. O Document(s) originating with the following government agency(ies) -_, was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you. Page(s) referred for consultation to the following government agency(ies); as the information originated with them. You will be advised of availability upon return of the material to the FBI. Page(s) withheld for the following reason(s): 0 For your information. The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages- . 9. L.41 r - - I I- I - - - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx DELETED PAGE(S) X NO DUPLICATION FEE X xxxxxx X FOR THIS PAGE X xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxx xxxxxx FBI/DoJ w 0 0 PACE TWO is 601 MDNTGOMERY PD, UACS* ico Cb#Jrd~r I 8Q ed HALLFORD END AND ACK PLS WA J-XX 5-58 PM OK F&I WA CS TU SISM uJ4A.u 9-D l Z *V~i~Dc #- 5 04. ,1 e 4~~'7. iT-j k n etypesDite e x gene -T eTs1Wn e ra tel . to gfe ec -f Mobile was instructed t result iIn the second .t* 4. '4- We are furnishing this information prepared to the Department by memorandum the weekend to be delivered Monday over that Mobile morning but will not insist furnish it to the local authorities. We are investigating this Klan should be cited organization to see if it been sent under EO 10450. Reports have Mobile was telephOnicall! to theDepartment. the instructed today to intensify investigation. ALL NFO W 10 N TPEM'01 L P E.I *.PAE_ I. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INATIO S U. & DEPARTMENT OF RiST1 A COMMUNICATIONS SECTION ALL IF TC CONTtITO JAN 111957 -- I TELETYPE ,-, S ~ 4 1BI11I57 5-201 PM CST IF? RACIAL STAI4 ET ALABAMA, 13. So KLANS XKK, IS DASH I* REPIYTELCON V1TH= .67 JAN 2497___ In -1- -1Al -0 . . -d ci '9 P6 hw PACE TWO s.. I** TII Uc fi7t THEREFORE 3E COMMENDAI REITERATED THAT IT NOT BE DISSEMINATED. HALLFORD END AND ACK PLS WWiA 9-27 PM OK FBI WA EP TU DIS C as NX~ own" .1I -- -. WWIU ,"lV41i#pp'. i.., 11 I'c. (I.. ------llmmodbmmktw OficeMeorandum * UNITED STA S GOVERNMENT TO Mr. January 12, 1957 C. A. Tolson J DATR: 1 ]onm Mr. L. B. Nic I , r.o4vL susJer: RACIAL MATTERS MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Reference is made to the attached United Preiss dispatch Win.e.. date line at Montgomery, Alabama, and received over the Washington, 'ni, City News Service tickler at 11:04 a. m. , today. The dispat ch quotes L. Nichols' remarks before the Alabama Press Association lastt evening. The dispatch is incorrect in stating (paragraph three) that remarked "full investigation into the Montgomery bombings if delegated to the FBI, would be pursued with the saze intensity as any other case coming under the Bureau' s jurisdiction. " What l*did say is that the same FBI which investigates robberies, kidnappings and other serious crimes is the same FBI which invest i violations of Civil Rights within our jurisdiction. ~;~w :~ I would like to also point out that the last paragraph of the di FF-.Vh C relating to the potential of the Civil Rights problem was not said by me. Enclosure cc - Mr. Boardman cc - Mr. Rosen RECORDL t Mr. Tofson _ * M r Nichc I- Mr Boaru. a 1c, Mr. BElmonL.. Mr. -Mohr Mr. Pa- ns- Mr RPsen- Mr Tnmm . M;. Tr .,-r- Teic,. Inr)m.- t -4- M~r. H !! m-an- Newspaper Men Ciie to Town; Mi Gn- Always Welcome to Capital City . Alabama newspaper men and their ber of the organization in recognition Jadies always seem like homefolks of his continued and unvarying de- when they come to Montgomery, and fense of freedom of the press. hy accordingly alwaysre c e i v e a The scheduled speaker for the Fri- b9y day luncheon period is Dr. Emmett liomely and folksy welcome. Members Klpatrick of the faculty of Troy Nor- Of the Alabama Press Association are mal a scholar and traveler of renown. $pending three days with us this week- At Saturday's luncheon the speaker bnd and we hope they are enjoying the will be George A. Cornish, executive customary hospitality which the Capi- editor of the New York H e r a I d tal City always extends to them. Tribune, an old Demopolis Times boy This convention is the organization's who graduated from the State Un- annual affair devoted more strictly to varsity and served on the Birming- business than are t h e midsummer ham Age-Herald until he joined the meetings. New officers are elected aod Herald Tribune in New York in 1923. plans outlined for the coming Hiseiew brother-in-law, Ben George, Is year's work. editor and Publisher of the Demopo- Theassociation'sofficialshavesched- lisTimesandhasbeenpresidentof bKed some important items of entertain- the Alabama Press Association for-the ~ient and information themselves past year. It was on the Demopo s through the selection of some notable Times that George Cornish received his speakers, and the local pip ers are first newspaper training. arranging special events of hospitality. A number of smaller meetings are ; Mr. Louis B. Nichols, assistant to being held in connection with the an- J. Edgar Hoover, of the FBI hirectornual convention, but the best feature )peetngbe the speaker at the association's ofeald ithe opportunity w i c9i pnual banquet Friday evening, taking given to the newspaper men of the .rhis subject "The FBI and the state to do some visiting and renew- yTeassOn this occasion the saocia- ing the personal centA p armesn g itinenwill also formally receive Juthemselves which they regard as such later B. Jones as an honorary meAu- an important part of their meetings. AM.1l~~~v ?TIE -'I.~'~ Alabama Journal DATE-L3I 3-Y 3 / Montgomery, Alabama January 10, 1957 r Office Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERN MENT ) TO a MR. TOLSON A1.1 !%%-Jf A ETjanuary 144l 1957 001 mom: L. B. NICq 4\1 Mohr Prons SU754 CIALSITUATION 1[ plo~m MONTGOMERY,AAB)A Trotter- Ho1~ The Director has inquired as to whyI called on the U. S. and the Judge. My explanation is as follows: U. 8. Attorney Hartwell Davis was an Assistant U. & Attorney 1934 when I was assigned to the Birmingham Office and worked out of Montrom Of course, there was publicity in the Montomery /, papers on th y Presagociationu6abama. and my name was mentioned as being'onF the pr ; iiin fact, there is attached an editorial which appeared in the "Ala Journal" of January 10 mentioning that I would speak at the banquet on Friday evening. I am also attaching the program of the Alabama Press Association which lists the speakers.