Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement (original) (raw)

CORE — Congress of Racial Equality

Oretha Castle Haley (deceased). Her family had a back house where Freedom Riders could take a safe break and be fed with food that her Madear brought from Dookey Chase's and food she cooked. She was mentor to the movement in New Orleans and travelled the state to oversee various voter registration projects. She would ultimately become Director of the Charity Hospital complex. There now is Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in her honor.

Richard Haley (deceased) was south eastern Director for CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) covering from Florida to Louisiana. He married Oretha in the late sixties and they had 4 boys. (two from her previous marriage) Their grandson Blair Dottin-Haley is the creator of Blairisms and #SAVAGECHATSERIES

Dr. & Mrs Mitchell (deceased) helped support the movement and were active in New Orleans

Rudy Lombard (deceased) ran for Mayor in New Orleans and sought Oretha's mentorship and direction. His brother is Judge Edward Lombard.

Freddie Tolliver was just out of high school and lived on sharecropper land. He never missed a day working with us and speaking to his neighbors.

James Farmer — Founder/Executive Director of National CORE. An original member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation evolving ultimately into the Congress of Racial Equality. He worked alongside of Martin Luther King, Jr., initiated/organized the first Freedom Ride in 1961.

Rev. Ronnie Moore was chief of operations for Freedom Summer and Louisiana statewide CORE efforts. He lives in New Orleans and works with former prison inmates re-entry home to family and community with a program he created and is housed with New Orleans Catholic Charity.

Dookey Chase restaurant is legend in New Orleans and functioned as a segregated restaurant until the late sixties, after the civil rights bill was passed.

Annie P. Mason Johnson was/is still an activist in Jonesboro, was arrested for protesting and remained steadfast in her civil rights work to this very day as the head of her family.

Pernella Mason (deceased) was the Rosa Parks of Jonesboro for confronting the school desegregation for the education and respect she knew she deserved. She was mother to two daughters and three sons who supported the family efforts for civil rights going back and forth to Detroit auto industry jobs.

Vasti (deceased) was the queen of BBQ and she fed and supported civil rights workers while maintaining a segregated two room restaurant.

Elmo Jacobs(deceased) worked at the mill and had rental houses. He gave use to CORE for the Freedom House which housed four workers. (a founder of the Deacons for Defense and Justice)

Ernest Thomas (Chilly Willie) (deceased) worked at the mill and did political networking nationally and internationally (a founder of the Deacons for Defense and Justice).

Lee Gilbert aka Skip (deceased) worked at the mill and armed with his sawed off shotgun kept watch at the Freedom House) from midnight til dawn.

Charlie Fenton lived on and off in Jonesboro for years working with CORE. He was the first white student enrolled in Grambling University. He was very badly beaten in the Jackson Parish jail after a protest and was hospitalized. Almost 80, he now lives in Tennessee and ran marathons until the past few years.]