The investigation revealed new allegations that local police officers were tampering with the investigation by threatening witnesses. That continues today, and even now.. Until now, the case has gone unsolved. On 50th anniversary of Ferriday civil rights killing - Louisiana Voice The building was burned down in the early morning of December 10, 1964. Police say it happened on Johnson Street around 5 p.m. The sheriffs office said the incident happened on June 23 in the Ferriday area in northeast Louisiana. One of the men who was attacked, Michael Clurman, told the Concordia Sentinel in 2007 that his co-worker, Mel Atcheson of Iowa, was beaten and kicked in the face by a white man on the streets of Ferriday in July 1965. [2] Morace requested that Klan members from Mississippi "give him a beating". The suspects are identified as Jimmy ONeal Lewis and Cedric Tennessee. The FBI opened a full investigation into his murder due to its civil rights implications, as Jackson was treasurer of the local chapter of the NAACP. He was killed when the shop burned down in 1964. Cynthia Deitle, the chief of the FBI's civil rights unit, sent the Concordia Sentinel newspaper an e-mail with this response: "I am convinced that there are individuals alive today who know who killed Mr. Morris. [according to whom?] The first full investigation of the Frank Morris murder began in January 1965, at the request of then-Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, Burke Marshall. This went on month after month while I was in this school system.. Dec 16, 2020. David Whatley was among the men inspired by Morris life and angered by his murder, and he would become the youngest member of the group that took on Klansmen and bad cops when they organized the Ferriday chapter of the Deacons for Defense and Justice. Atcheson, who was familiar with the Deacons for Defense and Justice, later told FBI agent Don McGorty that Ferriday resident Victor Graham had contacted the Jonesboro Deacons and that a month later, in August 1965, the Ferriday chapter was formed. He would return home wounded physically and confounded mentally over how he could have been considered good enough to risk his life for his country in Vietnam but not good enough to attend the local high school. "By the time the neighbors called 911, the incident in Ascension was already happening," Ard said. All rights reserved. There were rumors of Morris being romantically involved with the wife of a white man, and after the arson, the white couple soon left town. When the group began to phase out in Ferriday and the other towns by 1966, the FBI stopped keeping close tabs on the Deacons. Lets do it intellectually not forcefully, Whatley said. Wed walk nights with rifles on our shoulders like you would see in some foreign countries, Whatley said. [2] All four men were questioned and denied any involvement in the arson and murder. That was not the only time Whatley helped an imprisoned black man in Ferriday. The Silver Dollar Group was an offshoot of the Ku Klux Klan white nationalist terrorist group, composed of cells that took up violent actions to support Klan goals. We were able to get a dying declaration from the dad before he expired, Webre said. A preliminary FBI investigation began immediately after the arson; its goal was to "determine if any federal laws had been violated, specifically whether Morris had been involved in voter registration or other civil rights activities and whether any subjects had connections to any racist organizations. Nelson investigated rumors that police officers possibly committed the arson; according to Della Mae Smith, "Deputy Frank DeLaughter had organized the arson" and local police had set the home ablaze. No subscription required to play. ranks 6th in nation for best home security, SPD reports low home burglary count, Louisiana Cancer Research center expanding its research opportunities, KNOE Monday Evening Forecast with Chief Meteorologist Marcus Walter. These men had long been outraged by one horrid memory - the 1964 arson murder of Ferriday shoe shop owner Frank Morris. The 2020 crime rate in Ferriday, LA is 192 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 1.3 times smaller than the U.S. average. FERRIDAY, La. One unique feature of the Ferriday Deacons was that they had what Whatley called the Junior Deacons League, composed of a half dozen teenagers. "As far as why this happened, that motive is still unclear.". [2], By the fall of 1967, E.D. Morace, Tommie Lee Jones, Thor Lee Torgersen, and James Lee Scarborough were the primary suspects in the murder of Frank Morris. Klansmen had learned that McCraney was a member of a secret organization of black activists, the Deacons for Defense and Justice. Who would you like to see as our next U.S. president? Before those killings, Dakota Theriot allegedly killed Summer Ernest, 20, her father Billy Ernest, 43, and her brother, Tanner Ernest, 17. He told the FBI in 1965 that though he was not a member, Deacons had sought his advice and counsel. Devils Walking: Klan Murders along the Mississippi in the 1960s. CONCORDIA PARISH, La. Two WHARBOM informants also reported information regarding the murder of Morris, and the FBI reopened the Morris investigation in August 1967. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Frank Morris's mother, Charlotte, died shortly after his birth. Authorities in Concordia Parish say they are investigating the murder of a man recently named Teacher of the Year. He killed five people," Webre said. Morris, a black man who had . His father, Sullivan, operated a shoe shop in Natchez, Mississippi. Who Killed Frank Morris? - Nieman Reports Updated: Aug 18, 2021 / 01:29 PM CDT. [6] Although people generally thought highly of Morris, black residents thought Morris was too shocking to white residents. [3] Much like the other Mississippi counties, law enforcement and the courts were run by whites. Two suspects have. Theriots grandmother was worried he would be headed her way and asked Richmond County, Virginia, sheriff's deputies to go to her home, Sheriff Stephan Smith has said. In three interviews conducted by FBI investigators, Morris stated that "he saw a man pouring gasoline around the place [] another man had a shotgun and told him 'to get back in there, nigger'". If they held somebody in there that actually hadnt done anything but was falsely accused, we would support them by showing up in court., More:Here are 19 of the most influential civil rights leaders of today. His daily tasks included repairing shoes and saddles, selling jewellery, hats, and clothing, and dyeing purses. Dakota Theriot, 21, fled to his grandmothers house in Virginia after the killings in Ascension and Livingston parishes Saturday morning, and he was arrested Sunday outside his grandmother's home by deputies who were already there, authorities have said. There were two children, ages 1 and 7, in the Ernests home when the killing occurred, but they were unharmed and eventually went to a neighbors home for help, Ard said. (KNOE) - Authorities are investigating what they believe to be a murder-suicide in Concordia Parish. Law officials said deputies responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 9:30 p.m. at the 3000 block of U.S. 569 on Lake Saint John. Sons of KKK members haunted by sins of their fathers - The Daily Advertiser Frank Morris (1914-1964) was an American businessman who died as a result of arson to his shoe shop in Ferriday, Louisiana, a city with a history of racial violence. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. 2023 www.theadvertiser.com. An extradition hearing is scheduled for Friday morning. Theriot said he used a handgun stolen from his father, Keith Theriot, and that it was the weapon recovered after he was arrested, Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard said at a news conference Tuesday. Warrants have been signed for a Ferriday man who allegedly shot and killed another Ferriday man early Saturday morning in Ferriday. You open the doors of your church, you tell your members whats going on and let them know that this is good for everybody involved, Whatley said. Ard said that investigators believe Theriot had been living with the Ernest family for two weeks, and that the killings happened a short time after Theriot rode with Billy Ernest to drop his wife off at work and they returned to the home. [2], The FBI reopened the Frank Morris investigation in 2007, as part of the Civil Rights Era Cold Case Initiative. David Whatley, the first black student to integrate Ferriday High in 1966, returned from tortuous days at school only to face just as many threats outside his home. In his first year of teaching at Morgantown, Mr. McCray was named the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. Jeff Davis 8: The True Story of the 'Murder in the Bayou' Killings . Police said the weapon used the shooting was a .45 caliber pistol. He said anyone who wants to resolve racial injustices and divisions should do so legally, rather than violently. Part 3:In Homer, the Deacons defied Willie Rainachs segregation. Jonesboro Deacon and evangelist preacher Frederick Douglas Kirkpatrick told the FBI they chose to call the group the Deacons because that indicated it was for the good of all people. The preliminary investigation concluded that Morris had not been involved in any racially motivated activities. 2021-09-07. Theriot then allegedly went to Ascension Parish were he killed his parents, and then fled. (WLBT) - According to Gray station KNOE, authorities in Concordia Parish, Louisiana are investigating the murder of a man recently named Teacher of the Year. Frank Morris (in the apron and visor) is seen standing in front of his shoe shop in Ferriday, La., in the 1950s. According to authorities, McCray was a teacher in Natchez with two degrees. Although both the Deacons and its younger subgroup were secretive, they let members of the black community know they would protect them from the Klan and law enforcement. Wed march on the jail. Check out these great suggestions. Courtesy of the Concordia Sentinel and William Brown According to the Concordia Parish Sheriffs Office, on April 25, 2021, at around 9:30 p.m., they were called to a residence on Lake St. John about a shooting. So far no charges have been filed. According to FBI documents, Ferriday Deacons included David Whatley, Leo Graham, Victor Graham, Herman Brown, Levado Brown, Richard Thompson, Samuel White, Frank Fleming, James Fleming, Fred Brown, Shine Calhoun, Stafford Redvine, FNU Jones, Anthony Lucky McCraney, Simon Smith, Antonne Duncan, Lionel Hooper, Vernon Smith, Anthony White, Joe Davis, Jeffrey Scott, Mack Moore and Johnny Lloyd. In Homer, the Deacons defied Willie Rainachs segregation, the 1964 arson murder of Ferriday shoe shop owner Frank Morris, In Bogalusa, the Deacons fought violence with violence, the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication Cold Case Project, Woman works to preserve Bogalusa home turned headquarters of civil rights group, Sons of Klansmen tied to Louisiana murder haunted by sins of their fathers, A half-century ago in Jonesboro, armed black men fought back, Here are 19 of the most influential civil rights leaders of today, George Floyds killing resurrects nightmares for families of civil rights martyrs, the nationwide protests against police abuses today, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. That drew the ire of Klansmen, and three months later, some of them snuck up to his house and threw a gasoline bomb at it. ", Courtesy of the Concordia Sentinel and William Brown, Concorida Sentinel: Rayville Man Implicated In Morris Case, Concordia Sentinel: Feds Vow To Solve Morris Murder, Civil Rights Cold Case Project: Frank Morris Case, Civil Rights Cold Case Project: Frank Morris Case Archives, 2010 Report: Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007. Now, 46 years later, Stanley Nelson, the editor of the Concordia Sentinel newspaper, says he has found information that may implicate a man as a member of a Klan "wrecking crew," which is said by sources Nelson has interviewed to be responsible for burning down the shop. [2] Three new subjects were identified, but the investigators did not uncover any credible physical evidence supporting the allegations. The City of Ferriday hit a dead end with the case, and the sheriff's Department expressed no interest in taking it over.[6]. [2] According to these informants, Morace was the primary conspirator in the murder of Morris; however, the FBI could not find any physical evidence corroborating their witnesses. Ku Klux Klan (KKK) activity was exceptionally high during the Civil Rights era. In the last 5 years Ferriday has seen decreasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. The Deacons came to life solely to protect their communities and others victimized by Klansmen and police. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In Ferriday, La., an 'outlaw town,' the Deacons took a stand To date, every civil rights murder case that has been reopened and successfully prosecuted was the direct result of an investigation initiated by a journalist. Later on, Anthony Lucky McCraneys gas station was firebombed, marking the sixth act of racial violence in Ferriday within a two-month period, according to CORE documents. Frank Morris (19141964) was an American businessman who died as a result of arson to his shoe shop in Ferriday, Louisiana, a city with a history of racial violence. The single-engine Air Tractor 502 crashed around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday along Louisiana 425, about five miles south of Sicily Island, according to a news release from the Northeast Louisiana. Blacks also became deputies and police officers. The victim, identified as Grant Dunbar, 24, was found dead at a residence in the area of Fifth Street and Georgia Avenue in Ferriday, said Ferriday Police Chief Sam King. Man shoots woman, kills himself | Crime | hannapub.com This was of interest to the FBI, as multiple informants stated that the Concordia Parish Sheriff's Department had prior knowledge of the coming attack on Morris, and was told to "be on the other side of the parish". Nelson published the story Wednesday morning outlining the the allegations against Spencer. [1][pageneeded] The shop was also his residence. Carl Ray Thompson, then 26, spotted his cousin's two-toned. The Department of Justice and the FBI say they are conducting ongoing investigations into the Morris case. At approximately 1:00a.m., Morris was awakened in a back room of the shop by the sound of glass breaking. Investigators say the people involved were 19 and 20-years-old. [citation needed], Ferriday is located in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, across the Mississippi River from Adams County, Mississippi. We will continue to update this article as more information becomes available. A 20-year-old male and 26-year-old female were killed by apparent gunshot wounds. Whatley contacted COREs central office after the attack, sparking an FBI investigation. "We dont know if we will ever have a motive exactly why this happened.". Representatives of the non-violent Congress of Racial Equality flocked to Ferriday, deemed an outlaw town by the U.S. Justice Departments head civil rights attorney, John Doar. Delaughter lied about his location during the arson, claiming that he was out of the jurisdiction on a non-emergency call. DOJ names suspects; closes 1964 case, "Americas | US man in 1964 race attack charge", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Silver_Dollar_Group&oldid=1151221382, Racially motivated violence against African Americans, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 22 April 2023, at 17:09. Once arrested himself on a false claim and held in the local jail for two weeks, Whatley said a primary function of the Ferriday Deacons was to protest the unlawful arrests of local black men. According to Ferriday Police Investigator Sean Sublett, Wilbert Henderson, 42, arrived at his home on Fifth Street and Tennessee at 12:44 a.m. Saturday when a man approached him from the side of . Frank Morris fathered one child, and had two grandchildren. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Natchez pastry chef Molly Manning Robertson in bake off for last spot in Spring Baking Championship finale, VIDEO: Funeral procession for long-time sheriff Tommy Ferrell passes by Adams County Sheriffs Office, Calm, focused and ready: The role of an ER nurse, A Team Sport: Emergency medicine, first-responders share common goal of saving lives, 2023, Mississippi's Best Community Newspaper. Nelson interviewed witnesses to uncover unknown facts and haunting recollections about the racially-motivated murders around Ferriday. Autopsies for Theriots parents were scheduled for Tuesday, Webre said. Every journalism student in America should be making a pilgrimage to Ferriday, Louisiana, on this date to sit at the feet of and learn from Stanley Nelson, 59-year-old Editor of the Concordia Sentinel, a small weekly newspaper (circulation about 5,000) that serves up mostly local news, wedding announcements, obituaries and sports to the residents of Morris was interviewed three times; however, he was heavily medicated. [1] The group formed in 1964 at the Shamrock Motor Hotel in Vidalia, Louisiana by Raleigh Jackson "Red" Glover,[2] amidst dissatisfaction at the lack of forceful action by Klan groups in the region. Mr. McCrays zeal for education, infectious smile, gentle personality, fashion sense, and love for children will be missed by all of us at Natchez-Adams School District.
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