1. Hill, Lance Edward. “The Deacons for ... - Freedom Archives

protestors would later muse that it was the first time in history that someone had been
arrested for "disturbing the dead
."' s
The direct action demonstrations increasingly posed problems for Kirkpatrick's
black police squad . Authorities were determined to use the squad to enforce the illegal
segregation laws . The predicament came to a head on July 29 . As part of the first
concerted public accommodations tests, a group ofyoung protestors converged on the M
& D Restaurant and Cafeteria in downtown Jonesboro . The restaurant owner, Margaret
Temple, refused service to the testers at the front entrance, ordering them to purchase
their food at the back door, as was the custom . When the testers refused, Temple angrily
shouted, "Y'all damn niggers ought to be out trying to find work to do, beca~x~~ aint no
damn nigger coming through my front door as long as fm running this place .'''
The protestors and cafe owner were at a standoff until Kirkpatrick and another
black officer arrived . Temple demanded that Kirkpatrick "come get these damn niggers,"
but Kirkpatrick ignored her order and, instead, turned to the protestors and asked ifthey
were disturbing the peace . The group responded in unison with a resounding "No!" The
commotion quickly attracted a crowd of whites, including an angry elderly white man
wielding a stick . Kirkpatrick confronted the white man and stood his ground . The stand
off lasted several minutes until a second black officer intervened and abruptly ordered the
protestors to "move out ." ts
`6Ibid . ; Annie Purnetl Johnson, Hill interview.
"On this incident, see "The M and D Restaurant and Cafeteria, July 29, 1964,"
CORE(Jackson Parish), GMHP ; Kirkpatrick, HaU interview .
is ~id .
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