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

argument between Shields, and a white merchant in downtown Port Gibson. Prior
to the police arriving on the scene, armed Deacons positioned themselves on
building above the argument . When the two police officers arrived, guns drawn
and threatened the boycott organizer and other Blacks around him, George Walker
remembered Shields responding :
I tell you what officer, . ..You got your weapon on me and you got
your weapon on the rest of the people out here . . .If you shoot me
tonight, you gonna die too, `cause if you don't believe it, there's
guns on you too .
According to Walker, upon hearing Shields threats, the two white officers returned
to their car and left the scene. The protection of armed Deacons made Shields
more bold in his actions and agitation and confrontation with white merchants and
police .'3
The boycott of white owned enterprises in Port Gibson lasted over three
years driving several white merchants out of business. The boycott of white
businesses in Port Gibson was definitely made more effective by the leadership of
Shields and the activity of "Da. Spirit." Shields organized a network youth in
neighborhoods throughout the county to harass violators of the boycott in their
community. James Scott was one of the militants of the "Da Spirit" of Claiborne
County described the activities of the group to researcher Emile Crosby. The
following excerpts of his interview, demonstrates the clandestine, illegal character
of "Da Spirit." In his interview with Crosby Scott revealed:
In order to make the movement successful, we had a list, we used