Newspaper Page Text
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the Saturday march. News of a “white
rally” to be held as a counter-protest
to the Brotherhood March began cir
culating. In the meantime, Forsyth
leaders spoke out against the viola
tion of civil rights and welcomed all to
the county.
January 17 Participants in the
first Brotherhood March never fin
ished the 4-mile walk from Bethel
view Road to the Blackburn Learning
Center. They were forced to stop by
an angry mob of 300 or more white
supremist and Klan sympathizers
who vowed to “keep Forsyth white.”
These counter-demonstrators
raised Rebel flags in protest, passed
out pamphlets and took up collections
for the Ku Klux Klan at shopping cen
ters. They held their own rally along
Ga. 9 south and Bethelview Road
while waiting on the freedom march
ers. When a busload of marchers ar
rived from Atlanta, the white sympa
thizers shouted obscenities and threw
beer bottles, mud clods and boiled
peanuts at the marchers.
Law enforcement efforts were not
enough as the crowd overwhelmed
Forsyth County sheriff’s deputies,
Georgia State patrolmen, and officers
of the Georgia Bureau of Investiga
tion and the Federal Bureau of Inves
tigation. After the march broke up,
white counter-demonstrators held
their own rally around the
courthouse.
January 18-23 The Rev. Hosea
Williams and Carter vowed to come
back, and bring their friends with
them. White power groups said they
too would return. Community leaders
were embarrassed by the weekend’s
violence and negative publicity. Un
der the leadership of the Chamber of
Commerce and elected officials they
tried to lessen the damage to the coun
ty’s image. The chamber immediate
ly called for the establishment of a
“blue ribbon” committee to study
race relations in the county. Officials
welcomed the marchers back and
vowed to “show them the real Forsyth
County.”
Personalities across the country
said they would march for civil rights.
Among those were actor Dick Greg
ory, Coretta Scott King, television
evangelist Jim Schuller, presidential
candidate Gary Hart, Southern Chris
tian Leadership Conference president
Joseph Lowery, Atlanta mayor Andy
Young. Even the Guardian Angels
walked from downtown Atlanta and
COMMITTEEcttaei from page 1
port was a deep split, but you could
say just as truly that although the
committee didn’t reach a common
point of view on every issue, the com
mon ground they reached was a Her
culean effort, given the defensiveness
that abounded in Forsyth County
when the process started.”
Committee members agreed that
more efforts should be made in For
syth County to minimize hate group
activity, foster fair housing and em
ployment opportunities and increase
business and cultural exchanges be
tween the county and Atlanta. But
they divided over exactly how these
changes should be enacted.
They also divided over major issues
before the committee affirmative
action programs, making restitution
to the families of blacks who left For
syth following racial upheavals in
1912 when three blacks allegedly
raped a white girl, and compensating
area merchants for losses suffered
during January’s demonstrations.
Cumming and Forsyth County offi
cials said they would not comment
©TE B © © K. Continued from page 1
ued. What we didn’t have earlier is a place to take any
empathetic concerns about racial relations.”
Effect on the community:
“Other groups came through like champs. The reli
gious community, for example. The ministerial associa
tion has grown out of it.”
“One benefit is that it has brought us closer together. It
has created more of an understanding between the old
timers and the newcomers. ”
What could have been done differently:
“If we had had the foresight to anticipate that this type
of conflict would happen just because of the perception of
Forsyth County, then we could have set up a committee to
handle race relations.”
“If the march hadn’t taken place, then without fanfare
blacks could have moved in to any subdivision and little
would have been said.”
Bill Barnett
State representative
“Overall I think everyone responded as well as they
could have. It’s a real crying shame to have been put in
this position.”
Perception of the county:
“I had a lot of folks come up to me at the state Capitol
and sympathize with us. I think anybody who really
knows Forsyth County that this would not have lessened
their opinion of us.”
National press coverage:
“We were painted very poorly by the national press. To
the people who don’t know us, it gave us an undeserved
black eye. . o
Barnett said he had a lot of bitterness concerning the
press coverage. “I think that 90 percent of the problem
was with the national press. In my opinion, they helped to
make the story, and were disappointed that more didn’t
happen. It’s unbelievable. I could not believe how it got
blown out of proportion like it did.”
Is it over?:
“I hope it is. With Mr. Williams and Mr. Barrett want
ing to march again is just stirring it up. Nothing can be
accomplished by this. People are sick and tired of some
one from Atlanta and someone from Mississippi telling us
what to do.”
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camped out in the county. The second
march was planned for 1.4 miles down
Old Buford Dam Road to the court
house for a rally.
Merchants suffered their worst
week economically. A snowstorm
shut down businesses completely Jan.
22. Local residents were questioned
by reporters from across the nation.
The chamber put together media kits
and set up a press headquarters
across from the courthouse. A group
of businessmen paid for full-page ads
in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
welcoming everyone to Forsyth
County.
Sheriff Wesley Walraven urged
Forsyth Countians to stay away from
the area unless they had plans to
about the report beyond commending
local representatives until they had
time to fully review the 113-page
document.
Governor Joe Frank Harris, who
appointed the biracial committee in
February, said in his weekly press
conference that the split decision in
the report did not negate the commit
tee’s significance.
“Because there is a split decision
doesn’t decrease my approval of the
committee and my optimism of what
can be accomplished,” Harris said.
The Rev. Hosea Williams, a Broth
erhood March organizer, voiced ex
treme disappointment with the com
mittee, however, and reaffirmed his
commitment for an anniversary
march in Forsyth County.
“They told us what we already
know, that there is a problem in For
syth County, but they gave us no way
to cure it,” Williams said. “Because
they were so divided and met none of
our demands, they left us no choice
but to go back to Forsyth County. Our
only outlet is non-violent
demonstrations.”
“We have just become a battleground of two diverse
ideologies. If they want to fight, let them go somewhere
else, we’ve had enough here.”
Hosea Williams
Civil rights activist
“I honestly think the biracial committee . . .didn’t deal
with it. They flunked the matriculation of history . ..
They had the opportunity to bail Forsyth County out of its
racial bigotry situation and launch it on progressive pla
teau once and for all and end the need for non-violent
demonstrations against race. But what they’ve done is
put Forsyth County in a more provocative posture where
by I could call tomorrow and get 40,000 marchers back in
Forsyth County because of the procrastination and insen
sitivity of the biracial committee.
On marches in Forsyth County:
“No doubt about it, the marches in Forsyth County
proved that the movement is not dead. They proved that
it’s in a new stage, because that was the first time we’ve
ever had a major civil rights march that was over 51
percent white. The marches proved that racism can still
successfully be confronted. They proved that it takes a
catastrophe to bring blacks together; there hasn’t been
that kind of togetherness since Martin Luther King Jr.
died. Most of all, the marches proved that the strategies
Martin Luther King used and the tactics he used are still
very effective.
On the future in Forsyth County:
“The marches unleashed the moderate and good white
folks in Forsyth County and now they’re speaking out. . .
The two fellows who were going to sell me land in Forsyth
County, if they had tried that a year ago, they would have
been run out of the county and their houses burned. I must
have had 10 people in Forsyth County offer to sell me land.
They would not have done it a year ago. . . For most of the
people in Forsyth, the problem isn’t racism, it’s econom
ics. When you get the economic situation worked out so
the poor folk can start making a fair amount of money and
start driving a decent car, they’ll forget about all of this
racism mess.
Richard Barrett
Attorney, white supremacist
“The healthy revival of patriotism that has come from
march. Businesses were asked to
close on Saturday. The entire down
town square would be roped off.
Gov. Joe Frank Harris sent the Na
tional Guard to patrol the march, the
first time since Martin Luther King’s
death that guardsmen had been called
upon for such an emergency. The
guard camped Friday night at the
high school gymnasium. Walraven
also had the support of GBI, FBI,
Georgia State Patrol and the Depart
ment of Natural Resources, along
with county deputies and city police
officers.
January 24 Even before dawn,
Forsyth County was being readied for
the largest civil rights march in 20
years. Armed FBI agents were sta-
Committee members said they did
not expect their final project to reflect
agreement on every issue. They
stressed that readers should read the
entire document and then make their
decisions, much like jury members do
after hearing testimony from both
sides in a court case.
Recommendations and disagree
ments shouldn’t be read as the bottom
line, said Cumming attorney Phill
Bettis, who was co-chairman of the bi
racial committee.
“To me, the meat of the document
isn’t the disagreements, it’s every
thing else,” Bettis said. “It’s disap
pointing to see a year’s work dissect
ed and the problems overemphasized.
The social commentary is ignored.
The impact on the community and cit
izens of Forsyth County, the criticism
and comments about the black leader
ship, the courts and the press are, if
not academic, at least very
important.”
In the committee’s final project,
which represented about 10 months of
work, Coalition representatives
called for the formation of a state or
Staff Photos Kathryn L. Babb
A Klansman works the crowd
(left) as a busload of civil rights pro
testers (above) attempts to dis
embark at the march route, ringed by
GBI, FBI and police.
tioned on the courthouse roof. Guards
men flew helicopters around the
square. State patrolmen stood watch
over every bridge crossing Ga. 400. In
all, more than 3,000 law enforcement
officers would protect Forsyth County
that day.
Marcher;- gathered early at Lanier
Village Shopping Center, but busloads
leaving Atlanta were hours late. A
caravan of buses, carrying about
20,000, stretched for miles along Ga.
400 while enroute to Cumming. Once
the march began led by Williams,
King, and Gregory participants
five abreast linked arms and carried
out a non-violent demonstration with
out incident. They were surrounded
by an unbreakable wall of
guardsmen.
federal commission to further investi
gate black land ownership in Forsyth
County.
Presentations before the committee
indicated that some black lands were
sold during the exodus in the early
1900 s, according to the report, but Co
alition representatives question the
veracity of those reports and the ex
tent of voluntary sales.
Their position paper states “in
many cases the showing of a recorded
deed of conveyence does not indicate
that land previously owned by blacks
was freely sold.” Ward added, “I
don’t think the documentation pre
sented to us covered more than about
half the property blacks owned in For
syth. What about the other half?”
Local committee members con
tended in their report that county re
cords researched by Donna Parrish
showed nearly 1,800 acres owned by
blacks were sold during the exodus.
Tax records showed blacks owned
nearly 2,000 acres in 1912, the position
paper said of Parrish’s research.
“Our only disagreement is that
really there are no claims,” said the
Forsyth County symbolizes that it’s not necessarily the
White House that will lead us but a chicken house where
humble elements of society met. It’s not titles like Gover
nor Joe Frank Harris or Senator Gary Hart that necessar
ily make for social change, but the plain simple title of
American.”
On media coverage:
“Biased in favor of the January invaders. Ignored the
procommunist veneer of the invaders, the pro homosex
ual slogans carried and the anti-American records of
those involved.” “Predictable, yes. Excusable, never.”
The bi-racial committee:
“A failure, and rightly so. It was the forces of occupa
tion of the January invaders that failed to achieve even
one of its demands. The land of the homeowners was not
confiscated, the county was not integrated, forced hous
ing was not imposed and the committee itself was
disbanded.”
Cost:
' ‘Some 50 young white working people arrested for wav
ing flags and protesting an invasion. A terrible human
cost.”
Wesley Walraven
Forsyth County sheriff
“The residents of Forsyth County handled it great. I
hope they do as well if we are faced with a similiar on
slaught from representatives of the far left or far right in
the future.”
Benefits
“I think we benefited from it because it caused each of
us to reassess our values and realize that hate groups
uncontrolled, either from the far left or far right, are
detrimental to a community.
Is it over for Forsyth County.
“I don’t foresee any other major instances of the mag
nitude we’ve seen. Splinter groups from both sides have
found that if they yell Forsyth County or come to Forsyth
County they can get their picture on TV. Hopefully our
citizens will act with restraint and ignore these publicity
minded activists. If that’s done we will overcome the
marches and after-effects in a positive manner.”
Phill Bettis:
Attorney, biracial committee member
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS-SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1987-
Civil rights speakers rallied from
the back of the courthouse while
marchers continued to fill the roped
square. Williams outlined plans to es
tablish biracial committees to study
racial problems, and called for com
pensation to the blacks who were
forced off their land in 1912. Many of
the last marchers never heard the
speeches. Once the last group reached
the square, they turned around and
led the group back to the buses.
Counter-demonstrators also gath
ered to protest the rights of white peo
ple witff name-calling amt anti-black
messages, but there was no violence
like that of the first march. David
Duke, president of the National Asso
ciation for the Advancement of White
People, led rallies. Klan members
and sympathizers were represented
from across the southeast.
At the day’s end, more than 50 peo
ple had been arrested.
January 25-February 1 Civil
rights leaders compiled a list of their
demands, including compensation of
land to blacks who were forced off of
their property; initiating economic
development programs for blacks in
Forsyth County; and looking into vio
lations of the Fair Housing Act.
Williams and others attended
church at First Baptist in Cumming.
Williams said he was considering a
third march. And Ed Stephens, a
Georgia Klan leader, also said the
Klan would plan a march.
Chuck Blackburn, who did not par
ticipate in either march, sold his
Blackburn Learning Center building
and announced plans to move to Or
lando, Fla.
February 2-8 Forsyth County
agreed to form a biracial committee
to address the demands made by Wil
liams and other civil rights leaders,
after meetL.jj with the governor and
other state officials. The chamber
would sponsor seminars on fair hous
ing, equal employment opportunities,
and other issues brought up by civil
rights groups.
Television talk show host Oprah
Winfrey announced plans to broad
cast her show live from Forsyth Coun
ty on Feb. 9. Winfrey’s staff would se
lect the audience after interviewing
applicants, all of whom were to be
from Forsyth County.
The governor’s office estimated
that the second Brotherhood March
had cost the state $675,000 for law en
forcement protection.
Rev. Harold Lawrence, a Cumming
representative on the committee. “If
there were, they would be dealt with,
but no one has found any claims. I
think most of the acreage has been
accounted for.”
Ward said that beyond mailing of
biracial report to various government
agencies across the state, the com
mittee segment representing the co
alition has no plans to approach state
legislators about forming a commis
sion to continue land investigations.
He said he is not aware of plans by any
other group to lobby for such a
commission.
Committee segments also differed
over compensation to Forsyth County
merchants who say they suffered fi
nancial losses during the Brotherhood
Marches. Coalition representatives
recommended no action, but Cum
ming representatives suggested a re
vamped decision-making process for
courts that would weigh the constitu
tional rights of demonstration against
the rights of those impacted.
While committee members agreed
that more emphasis should be placed
“Any effort of this nature takes time to reach fruition
and see progress. It may take several years. We do see
signs of progress.”
On the biracial committee report:
For the first time in a year we now have our say. I think
that helps a lot of folks that our report is a defense; it’s a
statement of how we felt back in January and how we felt
during the year.”
On the future of the county:
“I don’t think the county will come off that badly in 20
years. I think we’ll be culturally diverse. I don’t think the
events of 1987 will be that significant. I’m not saying I
think that will be the case in the next five years. I think
we’ll see some hard times, but the county has pulled to
gether and I commend them for that.”
Felker Ward
Attorney, biracial committee member
“It gives merit to the notion that implicitly everyone
finally agreed that there is a problem is Forsyth County. I
believe we started with a number of people believing
there wasn’t a problem in Forsyth County, that it was the
marchers and the news media that were to blame.”
On progress in the county:
“The process (of the biracial committee) was not for
naught. It brought about some minor changes that are
setting the stage for ongoing change that would have been
years and years down the road without this process.
Ford Gravitt
Cumming mayor
“I’d just rather forget about it because I don’t think it
was needed. The people in Forsyth County are competent
and capable; they’re Americans. We don’t need people
like Richard Barrett or Hosea Williams telling us what to
do.”
Bi-racial committee
“They had a difficult task. All of the men appointed to
represent Cumming and Forsyth County are to be com
mended for their leadership role in working with those
other people.”
Benefits
“I can’t see a lot of benefits, except that when we start
ed making preparations the officials from the city and
county felt a real need to work together.”
February 9-15 The entire nation
again focused on Forsyth County as
Oprah Winfrey broadcast her show
live from inside the Dinner Deck res
taurant. While varying opinions were
given inside the building, black pro
testors were arrested for disturbing
the peace outside. Williams and oth
ers were taken into custody on an un
lawful assembly charge after protest
ing that Winfrey had excluded them
from the show.
A committee of blacks and whites
was selected by community leaders.
However, Williams and the Coalition
to End Fear and Intimidation, a group
formed after the march, protested
that the black representatives had
been named without coalition
participation.
February 16-22 Gov. Joe Frank
Harris changed the makeup of the bi
racial committee, adding blacks ap
pointed by Williams and the Coalition.
New appointees included Daisy Bai
ley of the NAACP; Jan Douglas of the
Center for Democratic Renewal;
Elizabeth Williams Omalami, Hosea
William’s daughter; Major Jones of
the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference; and William Bauman.
Felker Ward, a black attorney from
Atlanta selected by the Forsyth com
mittee, remained on the committee.
Mississippi lawyer Richard Barrett
helped form the Forsyth County De
fense League during a rally in a chick
en house. The league’s announced
purpose was to fight for white rights.
Cumming resident Beverly Watts
filed for a permit for the group to
march from Forsyth County High
School to the courthouse and hold a
rally.
After a tide of permit disputes,
which ended in court, the Defense
League held its white power rally
March 14, drawing about 100 support
ers at the courthouse steps. Across the
street a silent vigil of local residents
held signs which read, “Go Home,”
and “You Do Not Speak For Us.”
They sang “Jesus Loves the Little
Children” then broke up before the
rallies began across the street.
The year continued to be character
ized by the events of January and
February. Lawsuits were filed, court
cases were heard, Defense League
controversies arose and membership
dropped, and the biracial committee
continued to meet and discuss issues
first addressed during the Jan. 24 civil
rights march.
on fair employment and housing prac
tices in Forsyth County, they could
not settle on a method of implementa
tion. Coalition representatives main
tained that “nothing short of an affir
mative action effort on the part of
Forsyth Countians would suffice,”
but the Forsyth contingent rejected
affirmative action programs.
“The reason that they’re not here is
not solely the fault of Forsyth Coun
ty,” said Cumming attorney Phill
Bettis, who chaired the biracial com
mittee. “Part of it is because they
made no initiative. The bottom line is
if they want to change the racial com
position of the community, they have
to make some constructive effort.”
Committee members did agree to
continue work toward resolving prob
lems in Forsyth County through the
continuation of the local segment of
the biracial group. Also endorsed
were greater voluntary cultural ex
changes between Atlanta and Forsyth
County and increased efforts to edu
cate county residents about race rela
tions ana fair housing and employ
ment practices.
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