3. Strain, Christopher Barry. “Civil Rights and ... - Freedom Archives

everybody, and especially our white women . What the nigger really wants is our white
women ." is
Over the next few days, pressure built, tension increased. Bigots and extremists
prevailed as moderate voices hushed, fading into the background. Gunplay and sporadic
street violence occurred between blacks and whites. Then, on July 10, Federal Judge
Herbert W . Christenbeny enjoined 8ogalusa police from using threats or violence to
prevent blacks from exercising their civil rights, ordered police to protect civil fights
activists from harassment by whites, and refused to grant city officials a restraining order
temporarily stopping demonstrations . City attorney John C . Martzell reaffirmed the right
of the 8ogalusa Civic and Voters League (BCVL) to march, "but if it does ;' he warned,
"as conditions now exist in 8ogalusa, it may result in gang warfare." Agreeing with
Martzell, A.Z . Young, president of the BCVL, voluntarily called off a march scheduled
for that day, but rescheduled it for the following one .
Although they professed nonviolence, major civil rights organizations such as
CORE refused to criticize the Deacons ; to do so would have robbed them of the local
support needed for their own agendas . James Farmer of CORE was able to accept the
Deacons publicly by differentiating between the functions of the Deacons and his own
organization . "CORE is in the rights business and the Deacons arc in the protecting
business," he determined. Farmer continued .
28Roy Reed, "Moderates Fail to Aid 8ogalusa," New York Times (July 11, 1965) : 46 .
'John C. Martzell, quoted in Roy Reed, "U.S . Court Enjoins 8ogalusa Police," 1~w
York Times (July 11, 1965): 1, 46.
124