Eye for an Eye: The Role of Armed Resistance ... - Freedom Archives

on, in Brown's words, the "organizational strength" of the Mileston farmers for
protection .'1 In fact, early in the summer, when it was determined it was too
dangerous for the white volunteers to go directly to Southwest Mississippi, sum-
mer volunteers were instead sent to Holmes County. In Holmes County the volun-
teers could adjust to Mississippi and receive some of the best protection in the
state .
Of course, Mileston farmers had a great example of efficacy of armed self-
defense in their neighbor Hartman Turnbow. Turnbow was a living legend in the
Holmes County and Mississippi Movement, particularly due to his successful
defense of his life and his family in 1963 . A poem written by a participant in a
Mileston Freedom School is an example of the admiration Holmes Countians
reserved for Turnbow . This local youth, Lorenzo Wesley, wrote his poem about
the legendary Tumbow. Titled "Tumbow," Wesley's poem reads:
I know a man who has no foe
His name is Mr. Tumbow
He is about five feet six
Every time you see him he has a gun or a brick
If you want to keep your head
Then you'd better not come tripping around his bed
When he talks to you
His fingers talk too
Some people might not understand
But Mr. Turnbow is a good old man's
Wesley's poem demonstrates that it was general knowledge that Turnbow was
always prepared to defend himself . This fact was also shared among COFO staff
and volunteers . Most evenings after the 1963 defense of his home, Turnbow,