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

An armed community watch was also organized to protect Black owned
businesses in McComb, particularly those owned by local Movement activists.
Particular attention was paid to the cafe owned by Aylene Quin and the cleaners
owned by Ernest Nobles . Quin and Nobles were the backbone of the group of
Black businessmen who provided housing, food, and transportation for COFO
activists and volunteers in Pike County. COFO workers were provided meals at
Aylene Quin's cafe and the truck used by Noble's cleaners often clandestinely
transported Movement workers from one point in the city or another. The
Noble's' cleaners was also a place of refuge for activists being pursued by police
in the Burgland section of McComb . In the evenings, Nobles, his brothers and
friends took turns participating in an armed watch of the business .
From a loft across the street from his business, above a Black-owned cab
stand, armed Black men watched Nobles' business all night long during the
Freedom Summer. Despite the patrol, one evening someone set a fire in the back
of the business, which caused minor damage . On another occasion, the Nobles
brother almost shot aman distributing the newspaper to the cleaners, thinking the
"paperman" was throwing dynamite . Johnnie Nobles remembered "when he threw
that paper we throw the door open and had guns on him. .." Fortunately, the
"paperman" was recognized before there were fatal consequences.-,
After the official end of the Summer Project, SNCC activists continued the
COFO project in McComb . Jesse Harris, a SNCC activist from Jackson, remained
in his post as McComb COFO project director determined to complete the tasks
of the Movement. The forces of segregation and white supremacist terrorism also
continued the efforts to intimidate, harass, and neutralize the Black communities