skinheadz
2007-11-29 05:17:39 UTC
FROM SEGREGATION-BENEFACTOR TO RESTAURANT-GRAFTER
The man who converted the assets of the once-powerful, segregationist
Citizens Council to his own, personal-restaurant-business has died at
age ninety-one. Perhaps the example of graft and greed of William
Simmons inspired Trent Lott, who, only a few days later, announced that
personal-gain was more important than public-service, in stepping down
from his government-post. Simmons had presided over a vast organization,
which promoted segregation, built white, private schools and underwrote
the presidential-campaign of Alabama-Governor George Wallace. But,
his insistence on "sectionalism" deprived him of influence outside the
South and relegated him to a regional, brief career.
Simmons began his group in 1954, along with Robert "Tut" Patterson,
to circumvent the attempt by the Warren Supreme Court to force
Negroes into white-schools. Although called a "council," the organization
was Simmons' sole-proprietorship, in which accounting was rare and
edicts were the rule. Patrons would often deed segregated academies
to Simmons. However, when Simmons received the Thomas Jefferson
School in Natchez, he sold it to the integrated Head-Start. Irate parents
tried to buy it back, but Simmons refused. When he folded "The Citizen"
magazine, subscriber Wendell Gardner quipped, "He could have at least
refunded our subscriptions."
After a nearly two-decade run, Simmons liquidated the assets, which he
used to open the Fairview Inn in Jackson. In his final public-appearance,
he showed up at a zoning-hearing with a Negro, who supported his begging
for a liquor license. When he was pressed for comments about segregation,
he would change the subject and refuse to answer. Simmons had
maintained a policy of never being interviewed by Negroes and bristled
when dubbed the "White Citizens Council." He insisted that he stood
for "states rights" and "racial integrity," a point criticized by one of his
own members, Carleton Putnam, who insisted that the fight for segregation
had "nothing to do with states rights."
Putnam argued that Negroes were inherently inferior, along the lines of
Rhodesian Prime-Minister Ian Smith, who termed Negroes "incapable of
self-government." Smith, an affable statesman, organized a strong, free
and independent nation, whereas Simmons was regarded as "aloof" and
"tyrannical," as quick to jump into a fight as to retreat. When author
Robert Weems asked him for literature, during the battle to keep the
First Baptist Church segregated, Simmons refused, saying that "the fight
is lost." Simmons had attempted to convey property to a church, to
avoid income-taxes, but could not find lawyers to bolster his plan. He,
then, grew a long beard and became a recluse.
Simmons' standoffish personality failed to attract younger leadership.
He once tried grooming David Clark, but Clark switched to being an
integrationist. He courted Lott, who later switched to the Black-Caucus
side. Aubrey Henson had been his brightest, rising star, until the
political-aspirant met an untimely-death in a car-accident. Simmons
distanced himself from any "grass-roots" or "revolutionary" activity.
He built an impressive headquarters, from donations of patrons, but
which contained no meeting hall and which he eventually sold in order
to bankroll his eatery. Gordon Baum, who had been his mouthpiece,
tried to resurrect the group, but never reached Simmons' heights.
Contrary to Simmons, Baum proclaimed that he admitted non-white
members and invited guests, such as Ward Connerly and Harold Ford,
to his gatherings. Simmons had considered himself to be an "intellectual,"
who hob-knobbed with the likes of newspaper-editor George Shannon
and author Medford Evans. He "put up with" band-leader Jimmy
Swan and political-firebrand Byron de la Beckwith, but never invited
them into his "inner circle." Although Simmons would boast of having
"doctors" and "lawyers" in his organization, the work-horses were
common men, such as Meredith Tatum, an insurance-agent, and
R. C. Bradshaw, a school-teacher. The family kept the funeral secret.
http://www.skinheadz.com/news/articles/2007/112801.html
Skinheadz
Trademark/service of The Nationalist Movement
skinheadz.com
Not necessarily Skinheadz views
© 2007 Skinheadz
The man who converted the assets of the once-powerful, segregationist
Citizens Council to his own, personal-restaurant-business has died at
age ninety-one. Perhaps the example of graft and greed of William
Simmons inspired Trent Lott, who, only a few days later, announced that
personal-gain was more important than public-service, in stepping down
from his government-post. Simmons had presided over a vast organization,
which promoted segregation, built white, private schools and underwrote
the presidential-campaign of Alabama-Governor George Wallace. But,
his insistence on "sectionalism" deprived him of influence outside the
South and relegated him to a regional, brief career.
Simmons began his group in 1954, along with Robert "Tut" Patterson,
to circumvent the attempt by the Warren Supreme Court to force
Negroes into white-schools. Although called a "council," the organization
was Simmons' sole-proprietorship, in which accounting was rare and
edicts were the rule. Patrons would often deed segregated academies
to Simmons. However, when Simmons received the Thomas Jefferson
School in Natchez, he sold it to the integrated Head-Start. Irate parents
tried to buy it back, but Simmons refused. When he folded "The Citizen"
magazine, subscriber Wendell Gardner quipped, "He could have at least
refunded our subscriptions."
After a nearly two-decade run, Simmons liquidated the assets, which he
used to open the Fairview Inn in Jackson. In his final public-appearance,
he showed up at a zoning-hearing with a Negro, who supported his begging
for a liquor license. When he was pressed for comments about segregation,
he would change the subject and refuse to answer. Simmons had
maintained a policy of never being interviewed by Negroes and bristled
when dubbed the "White Citizens Council." He insisted that he stood
for "states rights" and "racial integrity," a point criticized by one of his
own members, Carleton Putnam, who insisted that the fight for segregation
had "nothing to do with states rights."
Putnam argued that Negroes were inherently inferior, along the lines of
Rhodesian Prime-Minister Ian Smith, who termed Negroes "incapable of
self-government." Smith, an affable statesman, organized a strong, free
and independent nation, whereas Simmons was regarded as "aloof" and
"tyrannical," as quick to jump into a fight as to retreat. When author
Robert Weems asked him for literature, during the battle to keep the
First Baptist Church segregated, Simmons refused, saying that "the fight
is lost." Simmons had attempted to convey property to a church, to
avoid income-taxes, but could not find lawyers to bolster his plan. He,
then, grew a long beard and became a recluse.
Simmons' standoffish personality failed to attract younger leadership.
He once tried grooming David Clark, but Clark switched to being an
integrationist. He courted Lott, who later switched to the Black-Caucus
side. Aubrey Henson had been his brightest, rising star, until the
political-aspirant met an untimely-death in a car-accident. Simmons
distanced himself from any "grass-roots" or "revolutionary" activity.
He built an impressive headquarters, from donations of patrons, but
which contained no meeting hall and which he eventually sold in order
to bankroll his eatery. Gordon Baum, who had been his mouthpiece,
tried to resurrect the group, but never reached Simmons' heights.
Contrary to Simmons, Baum proclaimed that he admitted non-white
members and invited guests, such as Ward Connerly and Harold Ford,
to his gatherings. Simmons had considered himself to be an "intellectual,"
who hob-knobbed with the likes of newspaper-editor George Shannon
and author Medford Evans. He "put up with" band-leader Jimmy
Swan and political-firebrand Byron de la Beckwith, but never invited
them into his "inner circle." Although Simmons would boast of having
"doctors" and "lawyers" in his organization, the work-horses were
common men, such as Meredith Tatum, an insurance-agent, and
R. C. Bradshaw, a school-teacher. The family kept the funeral secret.
http://www.skinheadz.com/news/articles/2007/112801.html
Skinheadz
Trademark/service of The Nationalist Movement
skinheadz.com
Not necessarily Skinheadz views
© 2007 Skinheadz