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Burton Dodson event
After fighting with a white man over their romantic feelings toward a white woman, Burton Dodson and his family were surrounded in the early morning hours by Sherriff's deputies lead by Fayette County Sherriff, W.H. Cocke. Dodson refused to surrender, and the deputies began firing on the home. Dodson returned fire and fled the scene; a bullet grazed his son's head. A white man was shot and killed during the incident. -
Burton Dodson Trial
In September of 1958, authorities found Burton Dodson living in St. Louis. At 78 years old, he was extradited to Fayette County to stand trial for second degree murder. Prominent African-American attorney, J.F. Estes represented Dodson. He was convicted despite stark evidence that he could not have shot the deputy. However, the trial sparked interest with the black citizens to register to vote and serve on juries. -
Fayette County Civic and Welfare League
Estes filed paperwork to incorporate the Fayette and Haywood County Civic and Welfare Leagues. While the Haywood County League faded out pretty early on, The Original Fayette County Civic and Welfare League effectively fought racial injustice for decades. Around this time, Jameson and McFerren travelled to D.C. to demand government action against the disenfranchising of black citizens in Fayette and Haywood Counties. -
Trying to Register
In June and July of 1959, black citizens lined up in Fayette County, trying to register to vote. This was the beginning of a registration drive that would turn the county upside down. -
Democratic Primary
Black voters were blocked from voting in the Fayette County Democratic Primary. White party officials claimed that primary elections were not covered under the Civil Rights Act of 1957, and that the party had the right to deny any citizen, for any reason, the ability to vote in the party's primary. -
Law suit
A lawsuit is filed against the Fayette County Democratic Executive Committee because it had refused to let black citizens vote in its primary. This was the first such suit filed under The Civil Rights Act of 1957. This led to the resignation of Fayette County and Haywood County election officials, hoping to stall the electoral process and prevent black citizens from registering. -
Blacklist
The white citizen's council in Fayette County compiled a list of registered black citizens in the county. They gave this list out to the white business owners in the county and demanded that they not sale goods or provide services to the individuals on the list. This sparked the reverse boycott that resulted in many people being evicted from their homes, left with no options but to live in tents. Black citizens were unable to obtain basic necessities, including gasoline and food. -
Voter Registration
The federal government is finally able to end the boycott by election officials in Fayette County, and voter registration begins again. Registration only opened on Wednesdays, and black citizens would have to stand in line for hours in the heat in order to vote, while white citizens were able to show up, register, and leave in a matter of minutes. Also, court officials would throw hot coffee or spit on them. At this point, only 1,000 of the 9,000 voting age adults had registered to vote. -
National Attention
Ted Poston wrote an expose on Fayette County in "The New York Post", bringing the local movement national attention. -
End of gas boycott
After pressure from the NAACP, Gulf, Esso, Texaco, and Amoco oil companies broke the fuel and gas embargo to black citizens in the county. This had been a huge hardship for the people of the county who relied on the fuel to run, not only their cars, but also their farm equipment. John McFerren had been trying to procure gasoline for his store. The only person who was willing to provide him with gasoline was threatened by the Sherriff. -
Tent City
Eight black families are forced off land owned by Ellis Watkins, Bynum Leatherwood, and Mrs. Henry McNamee. Shepherd Towles let his land be used to house a Tent City for these individuals. An anonymous white business owner donated the tents. A second Tent City was later created on the land of Gertrude Beasley. -
Republican County
John Doar of the Department of Justice supported the fight to vote in Fayette County. The black citizens who had registered turned the county Republican for the first time since Reconstruction. However, little difference is made in the election, owing partly to voting irregularities at polling stations. -
The Injunction
The Department of Justice filed suit seeking an injunction to prevent sharecroppers from being evicted for registering to vote. Judge Marion Boyd issued the injunction, but citizens in the counties were disappointed with how little help the injunction actually provided. -
Early B. Williams
Early B. Williams was shot in the tent he had been living in with his wife and children. No one ever faced criminal action for the crime that almost killed Williams and his infant. -
Aid
The Red Cross refused to provide supplies and emergency aid to Fayette County black citizens, claiming that the aid was not needed. However, a few other organizations, including the AFL-CIO, UAW, and the Teamsters, stepped in to provide aid. -
Freedom Farm
The National Baptist Convention purchased land in Fayette county to be used as housing a farm land for evicted sharecroppers. It was named Freedom Farm. -
League Split
Problems arose between John McFerren and Scott Franklin over the management of the League. Estes supported Franklin and claimed McFerren was operating illegally. The two groups split, and McFerren's organization was chartered as The Original Fayette County Civic and Welfare League. The Original League became the predominant group and fought for civil rights within the county for several decades. -
Surplus food
President Kennedy authorized the sending of surplus food to Fayette County to help the citizens. The Fayette County Civic and Welfare League wrote letters of gratitude to President Kennedy for his help. -
Student aid
Northern, white students, many from Oberlin College, descended into Fayette County to witness the problems facing black citizens and to help wherever possible. -
End of the suits
A consent decree ended the law suits for both counties and permanently enjoined the defendants from prohibiting voter activity. However, many of these individuals used mechanization as an excuse and evicted registered sharecroppers anyway. The settlement stipulated that the defendants agreed to not engage in these activities but did not admit guilt to any of the allegations. -
Cornell students
Activists from Cornell University came to Fayette County to aid in the struggle. They worked to encourage citizens to register to vote. They taught civic engagement lessons and helped monitor the November election. Students came to the county during summer vacation. -
McFerren v. Fayette County Board of Education
A lawsuit, brought by the McFerrens and thirteen other parents, set the desegregation policies for Fayette County Schools. The ruling would be later upheld by the Court of Appeals. -
Fayette County quarterly court
The first black citizens were elected to the Fayette County Quarterly Court, the governing body for the county. These citizens had difficulty in effecting real change at the beginning because the white citizens thwarted their attempts at making a difference. It was still a monumental event and the culmination of the hard fight for voting equality.