Forsyth and Howard Beach: Still a Long, Long Way to Go

On Jan. 17, 50 civil-rights marchers led by the Rev. Hosea Williams, an Atlanta city councilman, were violently attacked by the Ku Klux Klan and their sympathizers at a “March Against Fear and Intimidation” in all-white Forsyth County, Ga. Black leaders felt that they had no choice but to return to the county as soon as possible, and we scheduled a larger nonviolent march for Saturday, Jan. 24.

Twenty-five thousand strong, we marched to the town of Cumming in Forsyth County in a protest against racism, intimidation and violence. We came to reaffirm the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and assembly that are guaranteed to every American. We also wanted to set an example of disciplined nonviolence, brotherhood and good will that would be noted by the decent people of Forsyth County.

Forsyth County was not always exclusively white. Back in 1912 hundreds of black farmers and their families were counted among the population. In that year, however, three black youngsters were hanged for the alleged murder and rape of a young white woman. The reign of terror following this incident forced almost 1,000 black citizens of Forsyth County and neighboring Dawson County to flee, abandoning their homes, farms and property.

Since then black citizens who have passed through Forsyth County often have faced intimidation. In 1980, for example, a black fireman was shot in the neck while attending a picnic there.

Our “March for Brotherhood” in Forsyth County was a remarkable success, considering that we had less than one week to organize nonviolent training, transportation, security and medical care for 25,000 demonstrators from all over the country. Although three marchers received medical treatment after being hit by thrown objects, no incidents of violence have been attributed to civil-rights demonstrators. Racists threw mud and spit on a black anchorwoman from WBRC-TV in Birmingham, Ala., as she tried to tape her report. In all, 56 counterdemonstrators were arrested--nine on weapons charges. No marchers were arrested.

The march exposed racist attitudes and practices in Forsyth County, but it also showed that thousands of white people of conscience are willing to take a stand for equality and brotherhood. About a quarter of the marchers were white--more than we ever saw during the civil-rights movement. Although the racist mob that greeted us received most of the publicity, a delegation of about 100 Forsyth County residents warmly welcomed us as we arrived at the Cumming courthouse, and we were surprised at how many people waved to us from their front porches along the route of march.

The “March for Brotherhood” in Forsyth County should go down as the best-protected civil-rights march yet held, with more than 3,000 National Guardsmen, state and local police providing security.

As Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young noted: “In the ‘60s we were marching against state-sponsored racism. Here today we are joined by our senators and protected by our governor.”

Despite these indications of how far we have come since the beginning of the civil-rights movement, the hatred and the racism that I witnessed during the march was as intense as any that we experienced in the ‘60s. One pathetic young man held a sign that read, “James Earl Ray: American Folk Hero.” Another carried a placard that read, “Trade U.S. blacks for South African whites.” Nearby a youngster swayed in a druglike trance, chanting, “The grass is always greener on the white man’s side.” Racists shouted “Nigger go home!” and “Nigger lover!” at both ends of the march.

The tragedy in Howard Beach, N.Y., provides a timely reminder that the South has no monopoly on racial violence. The United States has a long way to go in eradicating the cancer of racism from the hearts of Americans as well as from our institutions. To some this may seem an insurmountable task, but it is one that we cannot shirk if the American dream of equality, justice and brotherhood is to hold any meaning for coming generations.