Emmarene Kaigler
Emmarene Kaigler was one of the many young girls detained in The Leesburg Stockade. She was held there for over a month due to her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. This page has passed review and this {{Preloaddraft submit}} template can now be removed.
| Emmarene Kaigler | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Her involvement in the Leesburg Stockade |
Early life and Activism[edit]
Emmarene Kaigler grew up in Americus, Georgia, a city very familiar with racial brutality.[1] After attending mass meeting with her grandmother, she became actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Prior to the demonstration that led to her detainment in the stockade, Kaigler was involved in other various sit- ins, protests and marches. When SNCC arrived to Americus in 1963, Emmarene Kaigler began going door- to- door with other young SNCC field workers asking other black families to join the Civil Rights Movement.[2]
At 13, Emmarene Kaigler participated in a SNCC protest of a segregated movie theater.[3] Like many other adolescents, Kaigler came to the protest knowing that she would most end the day in jail. She was ultimately arrested with dozens of other boys and girls. Although she was originally held with the other protesters in the Dawson city jail, she and dozens of other young girls were soon transferred to the Leesburg stockade.[2]
Life in the Stockade[edit]
Along with many other young girls, Emmarene Kaigler was unjustly held by police in the Leesburg Stockade for approximately 45 days. The stockade has previously been closed due to its unsafe and inhuman living conditions. The girls managed to survive while eating undercooked hamburgers, drinking unclean water and using a broken toilet. Additionally, there were no beds in the one room cell; Kaigler and the rest of the girls were forced to sleep on the concrete floor.[3]
The parents of the girls soon learned about their whereabouts. Families with the financial resources began paying to get their children out of the stockade. The Americus city officials were charging $2 for every day they kept the girls. Although, Emmarene Kaigler's family was able to afford the demands, she chose to stay in the stockade, assuming that she would be out in a matter of days. However, weeks passed and Kaigler and the other girls were still detained.[3]
Eventually, Kaigler became sick due to her impacted wisdom teeth. She was released from the stockade and sent to a dentist to be treated. Instead of returning the stockade she was taken to a courthouse and brought before a judge. He threatened to send her to a juvenile detention center if she participated in any more demonstrations. She was then sent home.[2]
Life after the Stockade[edit]
The day after her official release from the stockade, Kaigler returned to school. She had already missed two weeks of class. Kaigler continued to attend mass meeting regarding the local civil rights movement, but with many of the SNCC leader in jail, the Americus movement died out. Emmarene Kaigler eventually graduated from Americus High School, where she was one of the first black students to graduate. She continued her education at Fort Valley State University where she earned a degree in elementary education. She is now a high school counselor.[2]
Her choice to enter her career field was inspired by her experience in the stockade. She disliked how her experience was dismissed and counseling was never offered to her, or any of the girls. Many girls never discussed the experience after they were released.[3]
References[edit]
- ↑ Schwartz, Heather (2018). Locked Up for Freedom: Civil Rights Protesters at the Leesburg Stockade. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Millbrook Press. Search this book on
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Winchester, Donna (2009). "Three Children of Americus:
Foot Soldiers in Southwest Georgia's March to Freedom". Journalism & Media Studies Graduate Student Culminating Work. line feed character in
|title=at position 28 (help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Shaffer, Graham (Spring 2008). "The Leesburg Stockade Girls: Why Modern Legislatures Should Extend the Statute of Limitations for Specific Jim-Crow-Era Reparations Lawsuits in the Wake of Alexander vs. Oklahoma". Stetson Law Review. 37.
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