Avatars involved: Alabama and the Hate Bugs
History: In 1956 then Attorney General John Patterson used a technicality to ban the NAACP from Alabama. In response, Minister Fred Shuttlesworth helped to form the Alabama Christian Movement for Civil Rights the name was very carefully chosen. For example, Alabama was included because part of the Technicality that got the NAACP banned was they were from out of state).
This group would work closely with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King and together are responsible for just about every Civil Rights protest you hear about in Alabama in school. They were *hugely* influential and important to the Civil Rights movement, and ironically, would never have existed had Patterson not banned the NAACP.
When Alabama says “despite the Violence” here is some of the violence. Shuttlesworth’s home was bombed with him in it, and later when he and his wife tried to take their daughter to an integrated school they were attacked and beaten by the KKK. And that is only the tip of the ice burg.
Shuttlesworth continued to fight for Civil Rights his whole life, despite the violence, and arrests. In 2001, he was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal from Bill Clinton, and in 2008 the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport was named in his honor. He died in Birmingham Alabama in 2011.
Patterson had a short political career. After serving as Attorney General, he became Governor of Alabama (with backing by the KKK) from 1958-1963. Not even kidding, his term was considered “progressive” at the time. After that he taught American Government at Troy State university. As an interesting note, In 2008 he endorsed and supported Barack Obama for President, explaining his pro-segregation stance had been politically necessary in the 50′s . . . .
The second Photo is not actually from Alabama, but rather the 1948 Detroit protest over the killing of black teenager Leon Mosley by the police. he was handcuffed and beaten with clubs and flashlights. I man who tried to stop this was arrested for “resisting a police officer.” Mosley was shot as he staggered away. The evidence was two damning, and there was a trial for manslaughter, but the officer was found not guilty.
I apologize for this inaccuracy, but there were little verifiable photos I could find of Shuttlesworth work toward police integration. So I figured if I had to risk using an incorrect photos, might as well be totally incorrect and include another piece of notable history.