“We lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but my father passed and my mother moved us back to her home to Jackson, Mississippi. We played with white kids at an early age. They came to our yards and we went to theirs, but there was an unwritten rule that we couldn’t enter each other’s houses. The summer of 1961, Jackson became very tense based on what was happening in Alabama. My principal got on the intercom and said it was best for us not to get involved when the Freedom Riders came through here. They warned us of what could happen to us our or family. My pastor, community folks and mother said to stay away, too. But I was nosy. I wanted to see what a Freedom Rider looked like, talked like and dressed like. We lived close to the bus station and my friend and I thought we could walk over and look around, then get back to the house and never be missed. We didn’t know the Freedom Riders had already been arrested by the time we got there. We looked in the windows and could not see anything, so my friend pushed me inside the front entrance. Then he ran and I was arrested. I was 13. They asked me two questions, my name and my place of birth. Saying Milwaukee, Wisconsin was my place of birth landed me in Parchman prison because they assumed I was a Freedom Rider. I was number 21129 and put in a cell on death row with two individuals who had been convicted. I had no trial and didn’t get to call my mama. For five-and-a-half days she didn’t know where I was. The friend who pushed me in refused to say anything to anyone. I was released by Ross Barnett, one of the most racist governors this state has ever had. I never met or spoke to him, but he will always be a part of me because he saved my life.
I’m a banista
“‘Come get a snack, friend. Happy Funday Monday. We're manifesting that it's Friday.’ Those are a few things I say...
I also moved to Canton from Milwaukee in 1966 after spending most of my youthful years in St. Louis Mo. Billy Noble controlled with pure hatred for blacks and highest form of racial bigotry I ever experienced. Although he never beat me, I saw some of his handiwork. He would call his beatings prayer sessions. I believe that I owe my life to one of his deputies. I can only remember the deputies last name which was Mott. Billy and the entire Canton Police Dept stole from black business owners and blamed it on young black men whom they targeted. Some of these young people were imprisoned and some were killed. The night Billy and Police Chief Dan Thomas planned my demise , Mott let me here his Police Radio. Billy and Dan were telling officers to shoot me and make sure I was dead. Mott hid me that night and I was taken to safety the next day with the help of some very kind black citizens. Although I have forgave all whom I have shared any form trespassing, my most pronounced sin is hoping Billy Noble is spending eternity in Hell.