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£961 *11 >1380130
THE CRUSADER, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Pa** *
PROFILE OF THE MOHTI
Organized Labor Pays Share
OF COST OF FREEDOM
MR. JOSEPH (Big Lester)
HANKERSON
FRONT MAN WITH
RAISED HANDS
Joseph L. Hankerson, born in
Sylvania, Ga., on July 5, 1925
to Mr. and Mrs. Sug Hankerson.
His father was a steel worker out
of the mines of Pennsylvania. His
mother, a farm girl, out of the
fields of Srreven County. Big
Lester spent his early days on the
eotton plantation of the late Mr.
V/. L. Bentley, located 7 miles
south of Sylvania.
Big Lester let 8 years of his
life slip by befor e he ever entered
school. This was after his moth
er p;ot tired of slaving 1 in Mr.
Bently’s cotton field and moved
down in the Ccllatt Quarters in
Savannah, Ga. After entering
the sixth grade, Big Lester trad
ed school for the dizzy life found
only on the corners of WEST
BROAD STREET. His first job
was lumber jacking. Although
very young, he had the size and
strength. This type of work af
forded the kind of cash needed by
a nighttime block-buster (Big Les
ter. )
December 16, 1942, the blocks
and dim corners of WEST BROAI)
Street lost BIG (BAD) LESTER
to Uncle Sam. After serving 27
months in the Army’s Quartermas
ter CoTp., Big Lester was honor
ably discharged with the rank of
Sergeant. One again the blocks
and dim corners of West Broad
Street were run hv Lester and his
boys.
Wedding bells first ran for Big
Lester on July 18, 1946. The
spunky young lady (Dorothy) held
on for 7 years. She had enough.
Needing work, Big Lester could
find none. Disappointment after
disappointment landed Big Lester
in the lap of Uncle Sam once
again, G. I. Bill they called it, at
tending the Savannah Vocational
Trade School, Big Lester tcok up
everything but a “Vocation.”
Trades lasted no longer than tlr
G. I. Bill. He studied bricklay
ing, woodcraft, interior decorating,
etc. He earned certificates in
bricklaying and interior decorating
(Jessie Brinson’s on the job train
ing center, Savannah, Georgia).
Big Lester decided “dem dam
Guaranty Life
Insurance Co.
460 West Broad Street
Savannah, Ga.
Issuing All Purpose Coverage On Your Life,
Hospitalization or Retirement
Phones AD 3-5761 or AD 3-4565
Yankees had more to offer him
for de labor,” than Mr. Charlie.
It took him two years to learn that
all over America it is the same
(a White Man’s Heaven is a
Black Man's Hell). Upon return
ing home, Big Lester took to play
ing the blocks full time. The
spring of 1953 rang Wedding
Bells once more for Big Lester.
The brave young lady this time
was th { . former Arethia Olds. He
is the father of four wonderful
youngsters) 1 hoy and three girls).
He is a member of Tremont Bap
tist Church and the Brazilian So
cial Club.
From Big Lester’s young child- j
hood, he wore the badge of a BUL- !
LY. The Freedom Now Move- !
mont did not introduce him to the
calls of jail. Upon entering the
freedom movement, Big Lester
owned a record of crime and vio
lence. Upon many occasions, the
underworld of Savannah, Georgia |
saw Big Lester tame the wild,
black and white, male and female.
NOW! Joseph (Big Lester Han
kerson is one of Hosea L. Wil- 1
Hams’ top captains in the Crusa
der’s Non-Violent Freedom Now
Movement. During last summer’s i
demonstrations, Hankerson was
arrested five times. He learned
the use of Dr. Martin Luther
King’s Non-Violence and made
great use of it. He became a
leader. Hosea Williams depended
heavily upon Hankerson to keep ,
i the marchers (crowds ranging
from 1,000 to 6,000) peaceful,
obedient and non-violent. When- j
ever the BAD BOYS, drunks and
troublemakers got disorderly dur- J
ing the freedom marches, Hosea
(the leader) called on Hankerson, i
the disorder disappeared.
When asked about his involv- j
ment in the Freedom Drive, Mr. |
Hankerson says, “That Hosea talk
ed me Into it. I have alwgays held
j white people responsible for the
colored folks problems. They
j want all the good thinks of life,
! yet they expect the Negroes to be
l so good. We are always the last
'hired, but the first fired. Look
at this town, th e Negro has all the
low rent housing projectsa nd *he
white folk get all the fine subdi
visions. This is because the color-
|ed man can’t find good or equal
paying jobs. Jobs are what the
colored folk need, not low rent
housing projects.”
“I’m glad I got myself tied up
in this fight. The first night I
Mr. George Sawyer, Ex-presi
dent of Local 615, International
Brotherhood of Pulp Sulphite Pa
per Mill Workers, presented Hosea
L. Williams, leader of the Savan
nah Freedom Now Movement a
financial contribution of $217.
Mr. Sawyer said “His members
decided to give the total amount
to the Crusade For Voters after
learning the Crusade For Voters
had to pay all the bonding costs
in connection with last summer’s
demonstrations.” Williams re
affirms Mr. Sawyer’s statement
by saying “It is very true many
heard Hosea speak lie talked me
oxit of my switch-blade knife. I
must say this movement has learn
ed me into it. 1 have always held
never raise on ( . finger,” explain
ed Hankerson. He went on tell
ing of his proof. “One day we
were marching down the main
street to Johnson Square to hear
ITosea speak. A big red faced
young cop pulled me to the side.
I almost reached for my blade. 1
remembered Hosea had it and 1
also remembered what they had
low rent housing projects and the
violence. By this time the cop
made every attempt to manhandle
me. I just smiled and raised rr.v
hands. He jerked me in the cai-
organizations and persnos moocn-
ed in on the negotiations, but no
organizations and persons mooch
Crusade for Voters get these
young people out of jail nor hep,
pay any of the hills made durin
demonstrations. Many of then,
take great pride in telling the pub
lic we've integrated the Hotels,
Motels, or Theaters. Yet, they re
fuse to help pay one hill or bare
the expenses of getting one demon
strator out of jail.” The audi
ence gave Mr. Sawyer and his
members a standing ovation of
thanks.
lar so hard, it tore my shirt" off.
T still held both hands high and
continued to smile. Then he
pushed me up against the wall
with his gun drawn, f then knew
he wanted to kill me. He shorn
ed: Nigger, put your dam hand
down! 1 stood there smiling a d
told him. I am not going to fight
you, I don’t care what you do to
me. Even if you beat me with
your billy stick or gun, 1 won’t
fight you. Mister, 1 am strictly
non-violent. I could see his hands
shaking and the frown left his
face, T knew then, Hosea had
taught me how to live.
Hankerson is now the top Free
dom salesman in the Crusade for
Voters!
•COMPLIMENTS OF
Tykie and Gregory
Carellas Bros.
Super Market
East Broad & Gwinnett Sts.
BARGAINS ON ALL GOOD FOOD