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

the boycott. Arange of coercive tactics were utilized to punish Black people who
did not recognize the boycott. Tactics included verbal threats, seizing and destroy-
ing commodities purchased from boycotted enterprises, discharging weapons
above the home of the boycott violator, and corporal punishment . In each respec-
tive community that boycotts were organized, it was Shields' job to organize the
team which would carry out these acts of coercion and punishment .
From 1965 until 1968, Shields and Evers worked together as a formidable
team in the Mississippi Movement. Charles Evers became the primary spokesper-
son and negotiator of the Movement. While Shields rarely spoke publicly, he was
very popular in communities he organized and served as the grassroots agitator
and intimidator. Ed Cole, who worked with Evers and Shields in campaigns in
southwest Mississippi, spoke about the relationship the two activists . Cole re-
membered :
Charles gave him the front, the visibility, because Rudy was a low
key guy. And Rudy gave Charles the street organization . . . .
Charles would call the boycott, but didn't enforce the boycott. But
Rudy went in and got together the folks to enforce the boycott . '2
After the campaign in Hattiesburg in 1966, the enforcer squad was called "Da
Spirit."" Because of his participation, Shields became a primary concern of state
and local segregationist white elites and law enforcement. He was arrested several
times in several Mississippi communities and it is possible that he received more
attention from the State Sovereignty Commission than any individual in Missis-
sippi .