Controversy of school integration in Jacksonville in 1964

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Controversy of School Integration in Jacksonville in 1964
Date	February 16th - March 5th, 1964
Location	Jacksonville, Florida
Lead figures
Rutledge Pearson Mayor of Jacksonville Haydon Burns
Casualties
Arrested	60

The integration of schools in Jacksonville, Florida in 1964 followed the tumultuous 1960 Riots, also referred to as Ax Handle Saturday. These riots underscored the ongoing struggle for racial integration not only within schools but also throughout the community. With the NAACP's assistance, these riots were organized to pressure city leaders into acknowledging their grievances and implementing significant reforms.

History

During the civil unrest in 1964 Jacksonville, Rutledge Pearson, a civil rights leader and president of the local NAACP branch, spearheaded efforts for racial equality. He pushed for a biracial committee to address grievances, including school integration and lunch counter access. On March 2nd, the Jacksonville Ministry Alliance backed the call for a committee. These actions aimed to resolve tensions and ensure equal treatment for the black community in Jacksonville.

February 16th, 1964

At 3:00 a.m. on February 16th, 1964, a bomb detonated beneath the residence of Iona Godfrey, a dedicated civil rights activist focused on advancing African American rights. Notably, Godfrey's six-year-old son Donald had enrolled in Lackawanna Elementary School which was previously an all-white school. Due to her enrolling her son in Lackawanna Elementary School had bothered the white parents whose children attended that school as well which created chaos as they protested and even threatened violence due to this one act of integration. The explosion served as a wake-up call for authorities, underscoring the gravity of the threats faced by activists. Fortunately, the Godfrey family emerged physically unharmed, although their home bore the brunt of the damage, estimated at $7,500. The bomb created a crater approximately "one yard wide and eighteen inches deep beneath the side of the house", causing significant structural damage to the "dining room and kitchen floors". Three forms of justice were taking place after this incident occurred. First, the Jacksonville Police Department was involved, secondly the state and local fire marshals were involved, and lastly was the FBI who launched an investigation.

In December of the previous year, Godfrey received a bomb threat from an unidentified female caller who provided no basis for the ominous warning. Recounting the events, Godfrey disclosed to a journalist that upon her son Donald's enrollment in the school, there were protests led by white women outside the premises during the initial days. Surprisingly, Donald did not express experiencing any mistreatment. Nonetheless, the Godfrey family interpreted the bombing of their residence as indicative of the extent of white resistance prevalent during this period, juxtaposed with the apparent tranquility following the riots of 1960.

March 2nd, 1964

A gathering convened by the Jacksonville Ministerial Alliance on March 2nd, 1964, saw sixty-two ministers in attendance, including five black ministers. They unanimously agreed to draft a letter to Mayor Burns, urging him to appoint a biracial committee, as suggested by Pearson, to address the city's racial issues. Coincidently, during the same period, a suggestion from the Community Advisory Committee, primarily comprising business figures and supported by the influential Chamber of Commerce, was forwarded to the city council. The Ministerial Alliance aimed for Mayor Burns to assume leadership in improving race relations in Jacksonville through the council. Despite this, the city council disregarded both recommendations. The ministers hoped that by directly appealing to Mayor Burns, it would prompt the opening of a channel for communication. It is crucial to highlight that racial tensions were escalating rapidly during this period.

Aftermath

March 5th, 1964

After the investigation that the FBI started back on February 16th, 1964, they found the suspect and announced the arrest in the Godfrey bombing. "William Sterling Rosencrans, a thirty-year old laborer from Indiana, had planted the bomb," they said. Rosencrans had a long criminal history that included several burglaries and petty crimes. He became a suspect when his car was found near a cache of dynamite stolen from a local construction company.Rosencrans was connected in the bombing of two Florida East Coast Railroad trains in St. Augustine and was subsequently apprehended by law enforcement. According to FBI reports, he allegedly orchestrated the bombing of the Godfrey house in an attempt to intimidate the family into withdrawing their six-year-old child, Donald, from Lackawanna Elementary School. Rosencrans had been under FBI observation for a period, and it was "suggested that he had ties to one of the five Klan groups operating in Jacksonville. The Klan claimed a membership of approximately 1,000 individuals."

See also

• Ax Handle Saturday
• Donal Godfrey

External links

Template:Riots in the United States (1918–1964)

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