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I £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