Ax Handle Saturday – Jacksonville, Florida
By
John C Abercrombie
We often wonder why White people do not want people to study Black History which is part of American History. This post exposes one of the major reasons that these people DO NOT want Black History studied.
A little over sixty years ago on August 27, 1960, a mob of an estimated two hundred White men, some thought to be connected to the Ku Klux Klan and other White Supremacy groups gathered at Hemming Park, in Jacksonville, Florida armed with ax handles and baseball bats which they used to attack students protesting the lack of service at dining facilities.
63 years ago, there was a riot in Jacksonville, Florida that in some respects resembles the recent killings of Black citizens. The thing that remains constant is the reluctance to discuss the problem and propose solutions. To examine this lingering problem, we feature a discussion. Join us Sunday, September 3, 2023.
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America has a long history of going to great lengths to disenfranchise Black citizens. As you watch the videos that accompany this post, you will see a Black worker who would switch the White and Colored signs every time he would pass the water fountains. Nobody complained about drinking whatever color water the sign indicated as long as it made Blacks aware that they were “inferior.” The practice is recognized when it comes to making Blacks sit in the least desirable sections of the buses, street cars, trains, and other conveyances. It continued to rest rooms, movie theaters and other places of “public” accommodations. In some places, you could order food but only for takeout. These disgusting practices were even imposed on military personnel who were willing to fight for principals of freedom in other countries that were denied Blacks here in hopes that the consciousness of America would be awakened, and full citizenship granted. Oh, how wrong they were because we still see it happening today, although with refinements.
These actions are best described as domestic terrorism, and because of inaction, were condoned by law enforcement and the justice system.
Whites had worked on a plan of attack which shows evidence of great planning. There were enough ax handles available to arm the group. These weapons were hidden before the event which were used to attack those involved in the sit ins and others who were completely unaware. These weapons were capable of inflicting severe injury, permanent injury, even death. This involved a great deal of planning and was definitely not a spur of the moment act of domestic terrorism.
Complicity with the event was implied by the lack of police to enforce peace. Although a member of the police department called the station several times, the group was given free reign to attack men, women and even children. While it is possible that some adult White people were quite proud of beating innocent Black children with the savage weapons, there may be one or two who expressed regret at a later time in life. There may be some who are wary that a young White child may experience discomfort at the thought of their ancestor being involved and are more than willing to perpetrate a lie to avoid personal recognition of their activity.
Imagine a child asks about the situation and you know the pride of your ancestor who swung with all his might hitting a young innocent Black child in the head. The easiest way to avoid this discussion is to declare any discussion of race taboo. Result? The problem persists. The answer? Talk about facts, honestly.
Many White people carry a burden that is not necessary. Fear that they are related to one of these bad actors. This is not necessary as you were unable to stop the disgusting acts that happened before they were even born. Even those who participated should be granted some amnesty, but knowing how uncivilized these acts were, what they do at this point is of significant importance. Do you continue to condone this conduct, or do you speak out against it? Condoning leaves our descendants to wrestle with the problem that is not going away until we recognize it and correct it.
These armed White thugs attacked the protesters conducting sit-ins. The violence spread, and the White mob started attacking all African Americans in sight. Rumors were rampant on both sides that the unrest was spreading around the county (in reality, the violence stayed in the same location, and did not spill over into the mostly White, upper-class Cedar Hills neighborhood, for example). A Black street gang called the “Boomerangs” came to protect the demonstrators. Although police had not intervened when the protesters were attacked, they became involved when “Blacks started holding their own,” arresting members of the Boomerangs and other Black residents who attempted to stop the beatings.
This is an example of police action based not on what is right, but who is involved.
Nat Glover, who later worked in Jacksonville law enforcement for 37 years, including eight years as sheriff of Jacksonville, recalled stumbling into the riot. Glover said he ran to the police, expecting them to arrest the White thugs, but was told to leave town or risk being killed.
Several Whites had joined the Black protesters on that day. Richard Charles Parker, a 25-year-old student attending Florida State University, was among them. White protesters were the object of particular dislike by racists, so when the fracas began, Parker was hustled out of the area for his own protection. The police had been watching him and arrested him as an instigator, charging him with vagrancy, disorderly conduct and inciting a riot. After Parker stated that he was proud to be a member of the NAACP, Judge John Santora sentenced him to 90 days in jail. Parker, like so many other Whites who display moral courage, are ostracized by White society. This should be something to be proud of, but White historians avoid praising these people like the plague and many of those fearful of finding the bad actors in their linage are intimidated and ashamed for the actions of the bad actors.
Ax Handle Saturday is also known as the Jacksonville Riot of 1960. It took place in Hemming Park, now known as James Weldon Johnson Park or JWJ Park.
Johnson was an American writer and civil rights activist married to another great name in the fight Grace Nail Johnson. James Weldon Johnson is recognized as the righter of the lyrics “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and known as the Negro National Anthem. The music was written by his younger brother J Rosamond Johnson.
Ax Handle Saturday, also known as the Jacksonville riot of 1960, was a racially motivated attack that took place in Hemming Park (now known as James Weldon Johnson Park or JWJ Park) in Jacksonville, Florida, on August 27, 1960. A group of white men attacked African Americans who were engaging in sit-in protests opposing racial segregation. The attack took its name from the ax handles used by the attackers.
One of the questions that should be asked is does this history embarrass you and are you shifting the blame to a child feeling uncomfortable with facing the truth and seeking understanding and resolution to the problems facing America?
This is not the end of the post, continue to scroll down for some revealing videos and books to enhance your understanding. There are five videos included in this post
Ax handle Saturday
Ax Handle Saturday, 60 Years Later
Almost nothing survives the shocking event known as Ax Handle Saturday. Almost no film footage. Hardly any photographs. Just memories. Memories locked away for half a century. Until now…
Written and produced by Bill Retherford, videography and editing by Rich Conner, Executive in Charge of Production, Gary Saltsgiver.
Copyright 2010 Jacksonville Historical Society
Sponsors include: Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, the Florida Humanities Council, and Jacksonville, Where Florida Begins.
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Book
It Was Never About a Hotdog and a Coke! A Personal Account of the 1960 sit-in Demonstrations in Jacksonville, Florida and AX Handle Saturday
On August 27, 1960, more than 200 whites with ax handles and baseball bats attacked members of the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP in downtown Jacksonville who were sitting in at white lunch counters protesting racism and segregation. Referred to as Ax Handle Saturday, “It was never about a hot dog and a Coke” chronicles the racial and political climate of Jacksonville, Florida in the late fifties, the events leading up to that infamous day, and the aftermath.
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Survivor relives violence from Ax Handle Saturday
‘People simply wanted to hurt me because of the color of my skin,’ Alton Yates recalls
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Book
Note: books are often in different formats, paperback, hard cover, Audible or Kindle. Use the links to sample a book before you purchase. Great source of enlightenment and entertainment!
Moving Forward: From Space-Age Rides to Civil Rights Sit-Ins with Airman Alton Yates
Meet activist Alton Yates, an Air Force veteran who dedicated his life to propelling America forward—from space travel to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond—in this inspiring nonfiction picture book.
As a child growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, Alton Yates watched Black veterans return home from fighting for their country, only to have that country turn its back on them. After Alton joined the Air Force and risked his life to make spacecraft and airplane flight safer, he returned home to the same Jim Crow laws.
Alton now had a new mission: To make a stand against Jim Crow.
Based on author Chris Barton’s extensive interviews, witness Alton Yates’s lifelong commitment to his country, as he put his life on the line time and again for science, for civil rights, and for America’s progress.
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Ax Handle Saturday protester: ‘No one backed away’
Marjorie Meeks Brown knew danger awaited her & others staging a sit-in protest
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Book
Lunch Counter Sit-Ins: How Photographs Helped Foster Peaceful Civil Rights Protests (Captured History)
On point historical photographs combined with strong narration bring the saga of the Woolworth lunch counter sit-ins in the early 1960s to life. Readers will learn about the four brave college students who started it all, as well as the many who came after. These events changed the world. The photographer who took the photographs shown in this book is now in his 90s, but he agreed to an exclusive interview for this book.
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“Ax Handle Saturday”: Jacksonville Commemorates the 60th Anniversary (FCL Aug. 25)
Remembering ‘Ax Handle Saturday’ in Jacksonville.
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Book
The Great Book of Black Heroes: 30 Fearless and Inspirational Black Men and Women that Changed History
The world is full of many great black men and women who changed the course of history. Because of their contributions, they are rightfully considered heroes by not just black people around the world, but people of all backgrounds.
In The Great Book of Black Heroes: 30 Fearless and Inspirational Black Men and Women that Changed History, you’ll learn about thirty of the greatest black heroes and heroines from three different continents over a span of more than 2,500 years of history.
This book is unique because it focuses on the personal struggles and triumphs that made each individual a hero to countless people across the globe. The definition of hero in this book is any person who influenced a great number of people and often continues to long after his or her death. Heroes can be politicians, activists, philosophers, warriors, artists, or musicians, but most of all they are inspiring!
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How did B.B. King get his start and become the King of the Blues?
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Remembering Ax Handle Saturday
This is the 62nd Anniversary of Ax Handle Saturday. This event is very important to the civil rights movement in Jacksonville. Former Jacksonville Sheriff Nat Glover joins us this morning.
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There are howls of protest when the subject of race and Black history are mentioned. Questions abound about why. It takes nothing away from anyone else. While Black history seems to be the third rail, America should include all in history and not the selective choices that glorify one race to the exclusion of all others. All of this is important, not just to the group involved but the inspiration and motivation that we are all Americans. Yes, some of it may be embarrassing but without a firm foundation based on facts, we are only fooling ourselves about learning from history. We learn from the facts, not distortions.