New York Amsterdam News — 1963-00-00767

What Did Mayor Say' . By JAMES L. HICKS BIRMINGHAM, Ala —What did the Mayor of New York City say to the Mayor of Birmingham, Ala? Well if you read your daily papers in New York I’m sure you must already know. But down here in Alabama we just learned through a page 2 story of the Birmingham Post Herald that Mayor Robert F. Wagner of New York has informed Mayor Albert Boutwell of Birmingham that his city Is “sick, sick, sick.’* But ’^rirar-did’ the Mayor of Birmingham say to tlie Mayor of New York City? I picked up the telephone here in Birmingham and called Mayor Boutwell at City Hall to find out, I had just met the Mayor's secretary a day earlier when 1 called at the Mayor's office to pick up my working press cre­ dentials and at t^at time she told me that if she, or the mayor’s office could be of help during my work here just pick up the |phone. I reminded her of what she i had said when I picked up the I phone. | When I Identified myself she said she w'ould be glad to help and when I called her attention to the article in the Birmingham Post she said she had read it and that she thought the mayor would give me a statement com- j meriting on Mayor Wagner's statement. Then she left the phone — 1 waited. I waited some more — ,and finally I waited some more. At last she returned to the phone. Obviously not half as poised or friendly as she had been the first time, the young lady said, “Er, Mr. Hicks I thought the Mayor was around here in his office and that I could reach him but er. I’ve Just learned that he’s in a meeting right now with the City Council.” Said she: “Er, I mean, well frankly Mr. Hicks, 1 don’t think the Mayor will be available to make a statement on that today. I’m sorry.” And with a cherry goodbye she hung up. What did the Mayor of New York say to the Mayor of Bir­ mingham? He said Birmingham is “sick, sick, sick.” And what did the Mayor o Birmingham say to the Mayo of New York? He didn't say anything. Man BRIGHTON'S SEPTEMBER SALE "YOUR CHO1CB" $3-79 4/5 Quarts MONTE CARLO BRANDS 1. Bended Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey 100 Preef 2. Imported 100% Scotch 3. Imported Canadian A.B.C. Whiskey HAVING A PARTY? See Our Counter Specials I BRIGHTON LIQUOR & WINE CORP. 136 LENOX AVENUE At West 116th St. Subway EN 9-8484 eighbor... ew quarters Artists9 Service An interracial Writers and Artists Committee will sponsor a Memorial Service Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall to raise funds to buy headstones for the six Negro youngsters killed in Birmingham. Music will be furnished by Carol Brice, William Warfield and Odetta with instrumentals by Don Shirley. James Baldwin will do the obituary; Louise Lomax the eulogy; Ruby Dee the memorial offering and John Killing will preside. 1 • N. t. AMSTERDAM NEWS, Sat, Sept. 81, ,1&63 Nothing Has Changed In Bull Connors’s Town By JAMES L. HICKS BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — If you thought the racial situa­ tion was going to Improve around Birmingham's City Hall when they kicked out Boss Bull Connor last spring you can put It out of your mind. . You may recall that Bull Connor was looked upon as a bigojgd devil with seven horns and he was all that. But everyone then gave you the impression that once Bull was thrown out of office things would change quite a bit under the new mayor, Albert Boutwell. Well, I don’t know what internal changes Boutwell has made In the racial set-up in this city. But I can report that many of the external things set up by Bull Connor in making this the most segregated city in the world are still very much In evidence. For Instance I’ve just left Mayor Boutwell’s office. And on my way In.—and on my way out, I feasted my eyes upon the cleanest, shiniest sign I have ever seen on the wall above a drinking fountain. There To Stay —Relatives (Continued from Page One) ly after 1 p.m., the Robertsons began a series of calls — “so many I can't remember whether they were four, six or more," Mrs. Robertson drew from a hazy, numbed memory. It took time for the first long distance call to go through. Mrs. Robertson said, and for the first time in her life time seemed like a dozen protracted lifetimes. “My God, don't ask me that. I don't remember how long I talked. I don't know how much the bills (telephone) will cost. They didn’t matter,” said Mrs. Robertson. They tried to reach Carol's mother, Alpha. No word. They tried again. No news. Other Calls In between the outgoing calls, incoming calls wired in, each carrying a cry of fear and an­ guish from concerned relatives and friends about the city. The sign Is a work of art. It is about 18 Inches long . .. __ . , , . One came from Mrs. William and it undoubtedly must be made of the same kind of lOwens Robertson's schoolteach- Sterling Silver used by Tiffany's for Its name plate outside; er-sister of Amityville, L.I. Its store on Fifth Avenue. “Did you hear about the bomb­ ing? Did you call Birmingham there with a couple of screws. No sir. This Important sign yet? Any word?” a nervous voice Is recessed Into the thick marble wall so that anyone implored in mixed fright and de- on the other end of the trying to remove It will need something like a crowbar The sign is not'Tust hung on the wall, nor is it attached or one of those sticks Of dynamite for which this city Is famous! . _ Yessir, that sign was definitely put there to stay! And oji yea—the sign itself reads: “C-O-L-O-R-E-D”. Killed Negro Youth Arrest Of 2 May Give Bomb Clues >oys BIRMINGHAM— line. It was Mrs. Owens who finally got the desperate call through to Carol’s parents — and heard the heart-breaking news: "Carol’s dead. She was killed. Yes. She was one of the four.” AU Noisy But the news came in the sort of confusion that death custom­ arily brings on its unwelcome, suspenseful caUs. “She (Carol's mother) couldn't talk,** recalled the Robertsons. "Everything was noisy, upset. It was confusion. She was sob­ bing. We could hardly hear.” A charge of murder lodged against two 16-year- old white boys for the wanton slaying of a 13-year-old Negro boy may not only lead to the death penalty for the two white youths but it may also provide ^nearby5cha?yhihdPleSSly’ Robertson, who had been Jn and out, had returned just in time to receive the news of his niece’s death. He slumped, his tv’ifc recalled some valuable clues to the identity of the person or,"^’’^e7y had given way to persons who bombed a Negro church Sunday killing numbness and despair and gloom four girls and wounding 20 others. — and anger. Here In *U Robertson last saw his niece in 1955 when Carol and her parents and other relatives came to New York on a visit, her uncle and aunt remembers. Her uncle last visited her in her Birmingham home in 1951 — “many years ago, when she was a child.” Robertson, a realtor, had left the City of Death in 1945. The two white youths reported-, ly have confessed to shooting and without so much as an exchange killing 13-year-old Virgil Ware as of words between himself and the he rode past them with a friend killer. The two white youths were on his bicycle shortly after the; riding a motor scooter from the Negro church was bombed and'segregationist meeting when they came upon Ware rioing his bicy- Negroes began rioting. The clue, if one is given, may cle with a friend who was piggy- come from the .22 caliber Ger- backing on the same bicycle with man revolver used by the boys Ware. in the killing. font SIS Police said one of the white youths, Michael Farley, said he bought the gun from another white youth paying him $15 for Police said Farley had the gun at that time but passed it to the other white youth, Larry Joe Sims, who then shot Ware in the chest and jaw without a warning Police said the white boys had been “inspired” at the segrega- Declaring that a city ordinance rafly against the sale of firearms will. be used against that youth if found, Sheriff Melvin Bailey said he learned that the t>o boyi charged with murder had just at­ tended a segregation meeting prior to the murder and that there is the possibility that the murder weapon changed hands several times prior to the mur­ der. I1Y1O AT TV 1111ni The Apollo” Debuts On TV Police said there have been re­ ports of other teenage youths be­ ing heavily armed at segregation­ ist meetings and they hope that further questioning of the two murder suspects may lead to the leaders of this gnn ring and pos­ sibly to a member, or members of the bombing party. Young Ware was murdered On Saturday Sept. 21, at 11:30 a m., “Showtime at the Apollo" makes its TV debut on WPIX (Channel 11). starring Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughn, Lionel Hampton with Willie Bryant as emcee. The Posner Beauty products company has purchased from Pathe Television, 26 weeks of top Negro talent which will be seen each Saturday. VICTIM’S HARLEM KIN — Herman Robertson (right>, un­ cle of Birmingham bomb-vic­ tim Carol Robertson, looks at picture of pigtailed niece, being held by William Owens, Mrs. Robertson, and aunt Mrs. Alestine Owens (1 to r) at Le­ nox Terrace Apartments home. They flew Monday night to funeral rites, with anger in their hearts toward segrega­ tionist Gov. George Wallace (Gilbert Photo) ■Carol (Continued from Page One) the Negroes in two separate fun­ erals held Tuesday and Wednes day with one of the girls being buried on Tuesday and the other three buried at a mass funeral on Wednesday. At Tuesday’s funeral, held for little Carol Robertson, 14, a mem. ber of the City Council of Bir­ mingham, led approximately 100 whites as they joined with 2500 Negroes to pay tribute to Carol as her last rites were held in the 75-year-old St. John AME Church, 15 St. and 7th Ave., N., 67 Cars A funeral procession of 67 cars, which included two station wa­ gon loads of flowers and three cars in which white Birmingham fathers drove to the burial site with their entire families, tied up traffic for miles in north Birmingham during Tuesday eve­ ning rush hour. deep breath, squared her shoul­ ders and walked out of the Church with her head held high despite the copious tears which streamed down her face. Her husband walk­ ed at her side the same way. They were obviously struck down by the weight of the mo­ ment but there was something about the way they carried their load which seemed to say, “We’ll rise again.” Little Carol’s grey coffin was covered and blanketed by 87 flor­ al sprays sent by sympathizers from all over the nation. She had been a clarinet player in the Parker H.S. Marching Band and the band attended en mass. Four of her classmates dressed in soft green dresses, sang and recited religious readings as part of the services. 1,500 In Church 1,500 persons Jammed the main auditorium of the church, the balcony and the basement. 1,000 more surrounded the church out­ side as the services were held Prior to her burial at Shadow Lawn Memorial Park, Carol and the others who died with her were As the body headed for the given places in Negro history be- cemetery in a 1963 peach color- side that of Revolutionary War ed Cadillac hearse of the Daven- hero, Cripus Attucks, the first port-Harris Funeral Home, po- man to die at the battle of Bun- ]jce had no difficulty handling ker Hill who is honored by a the throng which blocked the cor- statue on historic Boston Com- ner at 15th Street and 7th Ave. mon's. ! where the Church is located. He. his wife, Carol’s mafried sister, Mrs. Diane Braddock and Mrs. Owens returned there Tues- day morning at 2 a.m., two hours after they left New York Mon-^of the St. John AME Church who day night, to help bury their is the minister of Carol’s father One uttie ten-vear-old boy faint-j withCripus Attucks was made by area, the crowd dispersed and the Rev. C. E. Thomas, pastor went home. The linking of the four girls' After the procession left the1 young dead. What's left now? “Only bitterness for Alabama's out 16th St Bapt’st Church. (Alvin. Carol herself was a Bap- in the church. He was taken tist and a member of the bombed- next door t0 a doctor's home. when he was revived, he became Governor (George Wallace)," plied Robertson. "He is blame.” "It (Birmingham) will never change — not in 30 years, not In this generation,” his distraught wife cried. Funeral services for little Car­ ol were held Tuesday afternoon. The rites for the other three vic­ tims were held on Wednsday. re- "Why, to Ifl hij pray„ prior to the fun. why. why?” over and over again. hysterial and shouted: a Symbol eral sermon. Rev. Thomas said: “Grant 0 Lord that her blood and that of her dead playmates may be a symbol like the blood of Cripus Attucks on Boston Com­ mon’s.” Carol's funeral was preached by her own minister the Rev. John H. Cross of the 16th St. Baptist Church. Mass Memorial Set Friday A mass memorial for the vic­ tims of the last Sunday Alabama church bombing will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at the Taking note of the national and The memorial will be spon­ international respect and tributes sored by the National Civil being paid to the bomb victims Rights Party. Rev. George Law from many of the world’s capi- — tals. Rev. Cross said: “Out offence of Brooklyn will be one ol Hotel Empire, 63 Broadway. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Among New Yorkers arriving here Tues­ day for the funeral of 3 Negro girls killed In a bomb blast Sun day was a Brooklyn delgation by the Rev. W. A. Jones, of the Bethany Baptist brought together as never be­ Church In Brooklyn and leader fore regardless of demoninations of the Job Opportunity ProgramLr ethnic Unes, regardless of the for Negroes in that Borough. 1 least, we have been brought to- this dastardly act we have been 1 the speakers.__________ A Message to a Man about to Buy Scotch GLEN ROSSIE Wl Schiff^ OXhMWIMkxW IMPOeTkO BV rnl*lt*N Oil MOUB A CO. tTO. PHILADELPHIA. PA .ARGEST AUTOMORIU SCHOOL IN THE WORLD LteeaeeU by Th« Stile of N«w York Learn to drive a TRACTOR- TRAILER. TRUCK OR BUS. Inatructton leadtng to Claaa 1-1-1 chauffeurs license now nvnllaMa Specially equipped can for the handicapped and diaabled You (ale confidence quickly Inatructton 1963 SAFETY DUAL CONTROL CARS AUTOMATIC, STANDARD SHIFT SPORT CARS AND TRUCKS SMALL FOREIGN Wt FURNISH CM FOR »0A0 TUT A FREE trial lesson in a new automatic or standard shift car. All cars equipped with dual controls. A FREE 60 page booklet giving complete instruc­ tions on how to drive. E. 81th St Lu. A3rd ArtsJ LEUgh 44G9S Accompanying Rev. Jones were gether not as Negroes or whites, Protestants or Catholics, but to­ gether as children of God.”, -- the Rev. O'Neil Mackey of the St. Johns AME Church of Brook­ lyn, the Rev. Richard Cox of the While there was high emotion Knickerbocker Greene Avenue at the funeral, it was neverthe- Methodist Church, the Rev. Jer- less, very much restrained, with both Negroes and whites silently ry Strober of the Lafayette Ave weeping into their handerchiefs. nue Presbyterian Church and the Rev. James Watson of the com­ mission on Race and Religion There were no loud outcries of the New York City Presbytery and the Rev. Calvin Pressley of by members of the family and the Church of the Open Door and when that moment came for the the Board of Christian Social Con family to leave the Church for cent of the New York East An the cemetery Mrs. Alvin Ro- bertson, mother of the dead girl. nual Conference. On the same plane arriving ft)S(> unaided, took a noticably No Outcries WIG ‘-■31 HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA _ If you never finished high school, or went to school In other lands, you can get a State High School Equival­ ency Diploma, accepted by business. Civil Service. 12 session evening class pre­ pares you. Ask for Folder AY. 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Ail of the dele­ gations arriving here included white people. Fr. Harrison Injured In Subway Fall The Rev. C. Edward Harrison, curate of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church et 134th St. near Seventh Ave., was described as "coming along well" at St. Clare’s Hospital. Father Harrison suffered a fractured left hip and left elbow last Sept. 9 when he tumbled from a subway platform which he was pacing while waiting for a train. Poor Melon wee given as the cause of the mishap. The priest, an assistant of the church's rector, the Rev. Dr M. 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