Working on a new Project

I have completed my Intro to PC Security Class, so now I am off to my next project. I have a genealogy webinar today (in just a few minutes). You will never guess what my next project is......

Does the picture above tell you anything? No that's not an add for KFC. It's for the Klan.

As the story goes........Aunt Pauline ran a restaurant in Faison, NC during the 60's. In April of 1966 four black airmen from SJAFB (Seymour Johnson) came to the restaurant drunk. They went to the "white's" bathroom cussing and carrying on. Aunt Pauline went in there and asked them to leave.
They went next door to Mr Dallas' (Aunt Pauline's husband) and asked him where was the closest ABC store. He told them where it was, and they left.

Now, during this period Fasion was still involved with racial segregation. The "whites" sat in the front of the restaurant, while the "blacks" sat in the back. The blacks actually went through the alley and entered through the back door.

To continue with the story. The blacks came back around 4:15 the same day. The restaurant was closed for the day, so they went into Mr Dallas' gas station/convenient store. They were still drunk, and threatened to "whip" him. He had a meat market in there, and picked up a large knife (some say it was a machete) and ran them out. The next morning Aunt Pauline called the provost marshall at the base and told him what had happened. He promised that they would NEVER return there again.

A few months later Aunt Pauline and Mr Dallas were served with papers for "refusing to sell food to Negroes in the same manner and practice as they do their "White Customers". Yep, this was a Federal Civil Rights trial! The FBI was involved, everyone around the area were interviewed. Depositions were taken. The works.

I wrote away a few years ago to get a copy of all of this. I pulled it out the other day and was reading it. It was so interesting. We all knew Mr Dallas was in the KKK, but in the deposition I discovered he was the Exalted Cyclop. What is this.....well, it's the president of the local group. He says in the deposition that there were about 40 members, and they sometimes met at the restaurant after hours.

I went to the library yesterday to see if I could find any newspaper articles in the local newspaper. I wasn't able to, but I did find on the front page, 3 days before their court date the KKK in Goldsboro burned a cross at their meeting. Coincidental? I think not. And oh, did I forget to mention that the KKK paid for their attorney's fees?

The case went on until 1972 when eventually everything was dismissed. They did not have to pay any penalties or fees, but were required to post a sign out front that said:
" This establishment is a public accommodation within the meaning of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. All of it's facilities are open to all persons on an equal basis, regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin."

Anyone knowing Aunt Pauline knows she stood by her convictions. She decided to close the restaurant before she would post a sign such as that at her place.

You've gotta love history! ! ! ! !