Chronology of Negotiations for Lunch Counter Desegregation in Knoxville, TN in 1960 page 9

A CHRONOLOGY OF NEGOTIATIONS LEADING TO LUNCH COUNTER DESEGREGATION IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE JULY 18, 1960 Distributed by: Knoxvillie Area Human Relations Council Box 1011, Knoxville 1, Tennessee A group of citizens working for equal opportunity for all people The Rev. Harry S. Jones, E. Dir North Carolina Council on H.R. 121 East Third Street Room 209 Charlotte, North Carolina A CHRONOLOGY OF NEGOTIATIONS LEADING TO LUNCH COUNTER DESEGREGATION ON JULY 18, 1960 IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE Preliminary Events Feb 3 President Colston of Knoxville College meets with deans and counselors of the College to discuss the handling of a lunch counter movement if one should develop among the students. It is agreed to seek a "progressive and constructive" approach to the problem in Knoxville. Feb. 15 Knoxville College students, after having visited several merchants without receiving any promises to desegregate, plan a sit-in on Feb. 17th. Feb. 16 President Colston meets with the students and persuades them instead to negotiate so long as there is hope of reaching a settlement by these means. In the days that follow, students continue their visits to merchants and talk with Chamber of Commerce officials. In general, merchants commend the students for their intelligent approach to the problem, but feel that they (the merchants) are not in a position to desegregate at the present time. The Mayor�۪s Committee Mar. 1 At the invitation of Mayor Duncan, some 22 persons meet in his office to constitute a bi-racial citizens committee to work on the lunch counter problem. The committee, as ultimately composed, included the following persons: City officials, Mayor John Duncan (who served as chairman) and City Councilman Max Friedman; Chamber of Commerce officials, William Arnett, Harry Brooks, Charles Herd, and William Nash; Businessmen, George Dempster, Hugh Sanford, Jr., John Hart; Educators, James A. Colston, o. T. Hogue, Mrs. Emma Stokes, Ralph Martin, Porterfield Bradby; Physician, Dr. O. B. Taylor; Ministers, Dr. Joseph J. Copeland, Dr. Charles Trentham, Dr. W. T. Crutcher, the Rev. R. E. James, the Rev. Carroll M. Felton, the Rev. Frank R. Gordon, the Rev. Nathaniel Linsey; Housewife, Mrs. T. G. Perry; Students, Robert Booker, Marian Smith, James Clay. There 1a a general feeling on the part of committee members that the solution lies in the direction of desegregation, and that desegregation can be accomplished in Knoxville through negotiation. Chamber representatives agree to seek a meeting of the merchants concerned, to take place within the next several days. Mar. 4 Downtown Restaurant Association, having been contacted by the Chamber, ask for a joint meeting of merchants with the Mayor's Committee on March 7. The lunch counters in view at this time are those of the variety stores and 3 department stores. Mar. A "tile-through" by 20 to 25 K.C. students, walking past the lunch count.era in several downtown stores, but not sitting down. Students say they did this to express their feeling that merchants�۪ meeting is being unnecessarily delayed. Merchants say they had planned to meet this very day, but have been unable to do so because of the "file-through". - 2 - Mar. 14 Mayor's Committee meets, decides to work out a quiet, planned program for desegregation. A sub-committee is designated to work out details of the plan. It is reported that some merchants feel the time is wrong for desegregation due to the national attention being given to sit-ins. Hostess Seating Proposed Mar. 21 Mayor's Committee meets. The Committee has in mind to work toward announcing a desegregation plan jointly with Nashville and possibly Chattanooga. A written communication is sent to the merchants asking if they will consider desegregation using a hostess plan of controlled seating, and provided evidence of broad community support is secured. (The Mayor's Committee, including its Negro members, is willing to accept controlled seating by a hostess in the initial stages.) Mar. 22 Executive Committee of the retail Merchants Division of the Chamber of Commerce meets, acts affirmatively on the communication received from Mayor�۪s Committee, adding other conditions, however. The text of their statement: "The Executive Committee of the Retail Merchants Division of the Chamber of Commerce announces acceptance of the recommendation of the Mayor's Joint Citizens Committee with the following stipulations: "That seven (7) of the principal stores serving food participate in the program and that a trial period of 60 days be used with the right to declare a moratorium in the event of difficulty. "That this acceptance be subject to Home Office approval of any national chain involved. "It was the decision of the Committee that this trial program be timed to coincide with a similar program from Nashville; that the announcement from both cities be simultaneous." It is understood that the stipulated number of 7 stores were party to this agreement provided the other conditions could be fulfilled. Mar. 23 11:30 a.m. - President Colston, believing that an agreement has almost been reached in Nashville and understanding the merchants to feel that approval of their home office is largely a formality, discloses to K.C, students that he expects official notice of the merchants�۪ agreement on March 24, He counsels students on how to cooperate with store managers to make the 60-day trial successful 8:00 p.m. - K.C. students meet with faculty advisors to plan program to enhance success of 60-day trial period. Plan to go into schools on March 25 and churches on March 27 to urge cooperation with merchants. Mar. 24 Merchants inform Mayor and President Colston that nothing can be done at this time. The home offices of chains feel that too much pressure is being exerted upon them by the national situation and that more locally owned stores should share in the responsibility. K.C. students meat at 5:30 p.m. to - 3 - continue plans to make desegregation successful, but receive instead the news that the desegregation will not take place after all. Mar. 29 Meeting of Mayor's Committee with merchants scheduled for 10:30 a.m., but merchants send word that they prefer to meet alone so they can decide "something concrete" to present to meeting of Mayor's Committee on May 30. Community Support Sought Mar. 30 Mayor�۪s Committee meets. Chamber President William Arnett reports from the Merchants' meeting of March 29 the following five-part proposal: (1) Get support of influential community groups; (2) Involve more local retail merchants to balance the chain stores; (3) Controlled seating; (4) Mayor's Committee accept responsibility to get approval of community groups and to enlist locally owned stores; (5) Publicity should be of a general nature, pointing up the move as a community effort rather than focussing on individual stores. Two subcommittees are appointed, one to get endorsement of community groups and the other to solicit participation by local stores in the move. (Five organizations gave endorsements. They are the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Knoxville Improvement Association, the Board of Directors of the Association of Women�۪s Clubs, the Central Labor Council, and the Knoxville Ministerial Association.) The identical resolution adopted by these groups reads as follows: "Believing that 'What is morally sound is good for our community, we support the principle that all food services of retail establishments be opened to all citizens alike, and that as a means of getting this program started, a plan of controlled seating be instituted initially, in the event the merchants deem it necessary," In addition, the Knoxville Area Human Relations Council and Union Presbytery of the United Presbyterian Church adopted resolutions calling for lunch counter desegregation. April 6 Knoxville College students in a written communication to Negro adult leaders express their displeasure with the lack of progress. They ask support of the Negro adult community in a withdrawal of trade from those who discriminate at lunch counters. Adult leaders persuade students instead to join them in a request to merchants and Mayor's Committee for definite action by April 13. Seek Participation of Local Stores April 18 Subcommittee of Mayor's Committee meets with merchants for 2 1/4 hours. Store managers say that since economic success of their stores, and even their own positions, depend on success of any step taken, they cannot move unless at least 3 downtown drugstores participate. (Subcommittee of Mayor's Com.has already contacted the drugstores and found that two refuse, while one would cooperate, but not without the others. Two drugstores outside the downtown area, one a multiple operation, have indicated willingness to go along with a downtown solution.) - 4 - April 22 Mayor's Committee meets. The Mayor reports that it has proved impossible to broaden the base by the inclusion of several locally owned downtown stores as the merchants requested, so negotiations are back where they were in the beginning. He reports that the druggists, meeting today, decided they cannot go along as a body with the program--that while they agree in principle, it would be economically disastrous for them to desegregate if other food stores (i.e., presumably restaurants and cafeterias) were not included. The Mayor proposes that he, two Chamber of Commerce officials and the two student members of the Mayor's Committee go to New York to confer with the executives of the four variety store chains, to try to persuade them that their stores should go ahead without additional local stores. (continuing visits were being ma.de throughout this period by representatives of the Mayor's Committee to merchants. Reactions of the merchants varied, but most merchants made their participation dependant upon the participation of certain other stores while there were several who never agreed to participate under any circumstances.) Mayor, Chamber Officials Go To New York May 6 Mayor Duncan, two Chamber officials, and two students make the trip to New York. Variety store executives refused to see the students on the ground that if they did, students would be coming from all over the country to petition them. The Mayor and Chamber officials conferred with the executives. No official report was made immediately of the trend of the conversation. Unofficial reports circulated that the talks were "disappointing.�۝ May 12 MAyor tells President Colston that merchants are planning to meet the next day, and he thinks things "may be completely worked out.�۝ A few minutes later the Mayor calls Colston to report that he has heard students are sitting in at two Cole's drug stores. Colston contacts student leader by phone at the store and receives his assurance that they have accomplished their limited objective and are coming back to the campus. May 13 Students inform President Colston in early afternoon that they are preparing to sit-in in numbers at several stores that afternoon. Colston informs students what he has heard from the Mayor about the merchants meeting. Student leaders reply, "They have said that so often. We don�۪t believe it anymore". Since merchants have previously met at 3 p.m., students agree to withhold demonstration until 3:30. At 3:30 they call from downtown to ask if President Colston has heard anything more; he has not. Students say the managers are still in their stores; they think the report of the meeting was a ruse to prevent their sitting-in. They proceed to sit-in at 3 variety stores and 1 drug store, using 8 or 9 students in each store. President Colston checks with Chamber official who verifies that merchants were planning to meet at 4 p.m, but it is too late to stop the sit-ins. Later merchants say they were unable to attend a meeting because students were in their stores at the hour set. - 5 - May 16 9:00 a.m. - Negro adult leaders agree not to try to restrain students from demonstrating while negotiations proeeed. They express concern that no report has been given of the conference in New York 1 and that no meeting of the Mayor's Committee has been held since April 22. Early evening - A mass sit-in by K.C. students is attempted at downtown stores. A crowd of hecklers collects and police protect students' return to the campus. May 17 Mayor�۪s Committee meets. Decides to send subcommittees to each of the 7 original stores�۪ managers asking them to cooperate by opening immediately on a desegregated basis. The subcommittees report back to the Mayor that evening: All express a willingness to do so except one variety store and one department store; these two stores were anticipating a change in management. May 18 Morning - Merchants meet. Afternoon - Mayor's Committee meets. Mayor reports on conference in New York. Mayor also reports that merchants have requested a 10-day ���cooling-off period�۝. Their written ommunication was as follows: "In view of the events occurring last Friday, the merchants want a ���cooling-off�۪ period of ten days during which there will be no sit-ins or other demonstrations. This--as evidence of good faith. At the end of ten days the merchants will consider implementing a plan similar to Nashville�۪s.�۝ (Nashville had some weeks earlier desegregated the lunch counters of 6 downtown variety and department stores. The plan followed was that Negroes might come in small numbers during specified slack hours the first week and beginning with the second week the counters would be completely desegregated.) Ten-Day "Cooling-Off" Period Interpreted Discussion arises as to what the merchants meant by "will consider implementing". The Mayor states that from his conversations with representatives of the merchants, it is his understanding that the merchants intended actually to put the Nashville plan into effect at the end of 10 days. While the Committee continues meeting, he checks this by phone with one of the merchants and is assured this is the correct interpretation. Wishing to make absolutely certain, however, the Mayor's Committee sends the following communication to the merchants: ���We accept the proposal made by the merchants to the Mayor�۪s Committee May 18th and interpret the good faith of the merchants to mean that a plan similar to the Nashville plan will be put into effect at the close of the ten day period, and request a report back to the Mayor�۪s Committee if this is an inaccurate interpretation.�۝ Evening - A subcomnmittee consisting of Mrs. Perry, Mr. Dempster, Rev. James and Rev. Linsey meet with Knoxville College students to persuade them to accept the 10-day 11 cooling-off period" proposed by merchants. They assure students they are confident this is a bona fide offer and merchants will desegregate at end of ten days. Since 10 days would be the end of school, students ask for a 5 day period instead. -6- May 19 Mrs. Perry confers with merchants asking if 5 days acceptable. Merchants state that 5 days acceptable if local stores can be persuaded to participate, otherwise the 10 day period would stand. May 20 President Colston meets with merchants. Merchants express fear of losing business to stores located outside the downtown area if downtown stores desegregate. Colston asks merchants to help persuade other stores to go along, and they agree to do so. Agree to report back on May 23. May 23 President Colston again meets with merchants. Report is that merchants and Mayor's Committee have been unable to secure cooperation of major locally owned drug stores, therefore the 5 day compromise cannot be granted. Negotiations therefore revert to the 10-day "cooling-off" period. Merchants agree to indicate their intentions. to Mr. Nash of the Chamber of Commerce by Saturday morning, May 28, the end of the 10-day period. (Sometime during the course of the 10-day period, merchants reply in negative to communication from Mayor's Committee. Merchants state they did not commit themselves to desegregate at the end of ten days, but only to consider putting the Nashville plan into operation. This statement never reached the full Mayor�۪s Committee, however, since the Committee never met again after May 18.) May 28 End of 10-day "cooling-off" period. Five stores have registered their intention to desegregate if a total of 7 would. Two abstaining stores did not report either yes or no to the Chamber. No official word is received from the merchants as to what they plan to do. Subseguent Events May 30 Knoxville College Commencement. Students leave the campus not having heard that merchants stated Mayor's Committee misinterpreted their promise. Knowing only that counters are still segregated, students believe merchants deceived them with 10 day "cooling-off" period, aiming only to avoid sit-ins until students would be gone for the summer. June 7 Negro leaders, including students still in Knoxville, meet to plan further action. Present are virtually all Negroes who were members of the Mayor's Committee. None holds any hope for continued Negotiations through the Mayor�۪s Committee. All believe that the ten days which have elapsed since the end of the 10 day "cooling-off" period has given the merchants ample time to consider putting the Nashville plan into effect. Adult leaders recall their promises to students that if and when all hope vanished for reaching a solution through negotiation, they would join the students in demonstrations. The group decides that first a test should be made to see whether counters have been desegregated. June 8 Negroes go two by two to each of the ten establishments involved in the negotiations and are refused service in all except one place which served them (���by mistake�۝ as they 11ere later told). -7- The Associated Council for Full Citizenship formed to lead lunch counter movement. Rev. R. E. James elected Chairman, Rev. w. T. Crutcher, Co-Chairman. Sit-Ins Begin June 9 Sit-ins in numbers commence at Rich's, Grant�۪s, Sear�۪s, Todd & Armistead (downtown store). Public statment explains why sit-ins are necessary. Customers continue to patronize counters while they remain open, but as soon as several Negroes arrive, the counters are closed. Rich's have barricade arounld counter, guards to exclude Negroes; Negroes form protest line, counter is closed to avoid violence. (Sit-ins continue from this date through July 1, occurring Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until about 2 p.m., sometimes longer. There is regular, organized participation by white women and white men.) June 12 First mass meeting, Mt. Olive Baptist Church. Enlists sit-inners and previews as possible moves "Trade With Your Friends" and "Economic Withdrawal from Downtown�۝. June Kress�۪s included in sit-ins (one day only). Miller�۪s operate as usual with signs up: "For Employees Only�۝ June 16 By this time groups of white youths are collecting in stores and outside them to heckle and threaten sit-inners. Their efforts are directed mostly against white sit-inners. Grant's counter is now staying open during sit-ins; customers continue to come even though at times there are 10-12 Negroes at counter. June 17 Large crowd, including many of the hecklers, gathers in Todd & Armistead to hear a harangue by white segregationist; the police are called. Rich's close "for repairs", Sear�۪s "for two-week vacation", Todd & Armistead "for vacation and repairs". After U.T. student roughed up on street and white K.C. professor follow9d and threatened, sit-inners adopt procedure of protecting white sit-inners as they leave stores. June 20 With 3 counters closed, sit-ins shifted to Cole's (next to Hamilton Bank) and Walgreen�۪s; Grant�۪s still included. June 21 Cole's rope off counter, attempt to keep Negroes out. Demonstrators form standing protest line. Several demonstrators at Walgreen�۪s sprayed with insecticide which makes one white woman demonstrator ill. News-Sentinel reports Rich�۪s counter is "closed permanently." June 22 Demonstrators go under the rope at Cole's after white customers are admitted. June 23 Two Negro women turned away from Rich�۪s Laurel Room. (on subsequent days, others go and are refused service.) Two Negro ministers refused admittance to Miller�۪s counter, while whites are admitted. (A few days later, after more visits by Negroes, Miller�۪s counter is closed, and the word given out privately that it 11111 not be reopened.) - 8 - June 24 Fifteen white and Negro ministers meet to discuss lunch counter situation, ask official meeting of Knoxville Ministerial Association. Negro leaders rally in increasing numbers to support the lunch counter movement. Handbills distributed throughout Negro residential areas urging "Trade With Your Friends." June 26 Second mass meeting, Mt. Olive Baptist Church. Crowd estimated at 1400. Emphasis on "Trade With Your Friends" and demonstrations. June 27 All-day picketing of Rich's involving several hundred Negro and white picketers. The "news barrier" is broken, with fair newspaper, radio and TV coverage and thousands driving by to watch. The Negro community is now fully aroused. Todd & Armistead re-opens its counter. June 28 Called meeting of Knoxville Ministerial Association adopts statement to merchants, Mayor, and Chamber of Commerce favoring opening counters to all, and asks renewal of negotiations and the support by Christian people of merchants who desegregate. Sit-in (one day only) at McClellan's, Woolworth's, Kress�۪s in addition to Grant�۪s, Cole's and Walgreen�۪s. White U.T, student sitting-in at Cole's struck with fiat 3 times by white youth. Violence at Walgreen's June 29 Violence erupts at Walgreen�۪s. Lunch counter employee throws lighted cigarette on white demonstrator, spills coffee and coke (which had been purchased by white sympathizers and set before sit-inners) on two Negro demonstrators. White youths throw coke over white Knoxville College professor sitting in booth with Negro man, then strike the professor on the face twice and try to pull him out of the booth. A white male customer restores order, since management has made no move to do so. Later another white man .who has been sitting in a booth throws a salt shaker at a Negro demonstrator, hits instead a white woman and her 13-day old baby. He is arrested, ultimately fined $14.50 for disturbing the peace. The story of these incidents goes out through wire services to papers all over the country. Mr. Judson K. Shults, owner of Todd & Armistead stores, gets an injunction from Chancery Court Judge Dawson against any member of the Associated Council, any Negro, or any sympathizer attempting to get service at the counter of Todd & Armistead store at Market and Clinch. June 30 White U.T. professor struck in head at Kress�۪s, requires medical attention. Two Negro boys pulled from stools at Grant�ۢa. Four Negro men picket Todd & Armistead; one elderly picket knocked to the ground by hecklers. July 1 Eleven Negro boys, not sit-inners, arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and inciting to riot (latter a state charge). Is climax of a situation where gangs of youths of both races are roaming dowontown streets, apparently looking for touble. - 9 - City Safety Director Oglesby asks sit-inners be limited to 6 per store. News-Sentinel editorializes against sit-ins. Handbills are distributed calling for a "Stay Away From Downtown�۝ movement. July 2 News-Sentinel runs another editorial with more positive tone, headed ���Let�۪s Start Over Again" (that is, with negotiation) Exec. Comm. of Associated Council, hearing that merchants may meet soon, decides not to demonstrate at all through July 6, nor anytime when negotiations are going on. This also constitutes temporary reply to City Safety Director�ۢs request. July 3 Third mass meeting, First AME Zion Church. Stresses "Stay Away From Downtown�۝ movement. Those who had been demonstrating put to work passing out handbills at bus stops and door to door in Negro areas. July 7 Negotiating committee of the Associated Council meets with Mayor and Chamber officials. Merchants meet and report progress toward.agreement. 2500 handbills are passed out at U.T. explaining the movement for equality at lunch counters and asking for support. (Sit-ins not resumed, negotiations going on.) July 8 Associated Council negotiation committee meets with merchants, who are now organized with a chairman. Agree on procedure. Five Gay St. stores have agreed to open counters to all, and the two suburban stores of one firm will be included. July 10 A one-fourth page ad paid for by Associated Council appears in Sunday News-Sentinel. Headed, "An Appeal for Human Rights", it lists some 16 areas in which Negroes are discriminated against. Fourth mass meeting, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, anticipates victory, but learns few details. Desegregation Announced July 12 A "Good Will Committee" of prominent white citizens meet at call of Mayor and Chamber. Committee requests desegregation. Merchants meet, reply in affirmative. Issue statement which is published in afternoon paper. The merchants are presented with the statement signed by ?4 ministers calling for desegregation, and send this together with the names of members of Good Will Committee to their home offices to show that desegregation comes by local request with local support. July 17 Fifth mass meeting, Logan Temple AME Zion Church. Negroes learn terms of agreement with merchants: A 10-day "easing-in" period during which only 2 Negroes at a time would patronize a counter; the Council to supply each store with a ���host�۝ or ���hostess�۝ during hours counter is open. White friends from churches and civic groups asked to patronize the counters. ���Stay Away From Downtown�۝ movement ended; Council reverts to "Trade With Your Friends" movement. July 18 Counters of 7 stores opened to all. No incidents. Business appears as brisk as usual. Observers note a tour of the 5 Gay St. stores often finds no Negroes at any counter, though the total number during a day is appreciable. July 24 Sixth mass meeting, Tabernacle Baptist Church. Report desegregation going well, no open opposition has appeared, Announced that 2 outlying stores have voluntarily desegregated, two other firms will soon. Continuing "Trade With Your Friends" emphasis. Other goals listed: opening U.T. undergraduate school, removing inequalities at Eastern State Hospital, increasing opportunities for Negroes in employment.