James Gardner Clark Jr. was born in Alabama on September 17, 1922, and in WWII, he served as an engineer and gunner with the Army Air Force in the Aleutian Islands. Afterward, he settled in Dallas County, Alabama, where he raised cattle. After the former sheriff's death, Clark was appointed by Governor James E. Folsom, who would ironically be voted out of his position for being too "liberal" with regards to civil rights.
During his duty from 1955 to 1966, Clark would proudly bear a “Never” button on his uniform, symbolizing white resistance toward black voters. On his authority and tenure, protesters were routinely tear-gassed and beaten by his forces, which sometimes included "the sheriff's posse," a group of segregationist volunteers armed with whips and clubs. By 1965, he was receiving around 200 letters a day from supporters and opponents. He even had to move his wife and children to the Selma jail because of the number of death threats he was receiving. "What they want is black supremacy," Clark said to the New York Times.
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| Sheriff Jim Clark, who was loved by segregationists and reviled by civil rights activists, was deeply influential in swaying popular attitudes toward the Civil Rights Movement. |
Even after the success of the Civil Rights Movement, Clark never backed down from his cause. One characteristic of a good knight is loyalty, and Clark certainly delivered. Four decades later, the Montgomery Adviser interviewed Clark, who claimed that he'd "do the same thing today if [he] had to do it all over again." Despite his claims that he hasn't changed a single bit since the Civil Rights Movement, Clark is reportedly "supremely fond of the cluster of nurses who dote on him, many of them black," even though he refuses to eat with them in public.
Just one year after his interview with the Montgomery Adviser, Clark passed away at the age of 84. However, just as the heroes' legacies live on, so do those of individuals like Clark. His way of thinking has not died, and it certainly is not limited to those in nursing homes. Therefore, it should be our responsibility to educate and reestablish the moral code so that the future of America can be one of unity and equality.
Sources:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19075327/ns/us_news-life/t/sheriff-jim-clark-segregationist-icon-dies/
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/07/us/07clark.html?auth=login-email&login=email
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/fun-with-chess/piece-personalities
https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/22/obituaries/james-e-folsom-colorful-politician-and-twice-governor-of-alabama-is-dead-at-79.html
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4787741
You brought up an interesting perspective that I hadn't considered before. In that light, a comparable figure to Sheriff Jim Clark would be Governor George Wallace. He was the Alabama governor notorious for his slogan, "segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever!" He was also the governor who attempted to block the passage of two black university students, before finally backing down when the president sent federal troops to clear the way. One major difference between the two men was their sincerity in promoting segregation. I can somehow respect Clark's commitment to segregation, even after segregation and Jim Crow fell. On the other hand, Wallace, who had been at the forefront of pro-segregation, recanted segregation by the 1980s and attempted to make amends with civil rights activists. His turn-around earned him another term as Alabama's with the backing of black voters.
ReplyDeleteBetween the two men, I cannot decide whether I respect Clarks commitment but despise his values or if I can overlook Wallace's political strategy and value his attempt at reconciliation.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-C-Wallace
https://www.npr.org/2013/01/14/169080969/segregation-forever-a-fiery-pledge-forgiven-but-not-forgottenhttps://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/press-past/2013/06/11/george-wallace-stood-in-a-doorway-at-the-university-of-alabama-50-years-ago-today
I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts about Clark's role in the Civil Rights Movement, as it is something that I had not considered before. It is true that his strong views and violent actions spurred the work of Civil Rights leaders in response. His violent methods were even surprising to some fellow segregationists, particularly the brutality of Bloody Sunday. This goes to show how he was unique in his influence during the movement because of the means that he was willing to go to to stop "black supremacy." I think it is a good representation of his legacy that in the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, Clark's "Never" badge that you mentioned as well as a police baton from Bloody Sunday are still on display.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/07/us/07clark.html?auth=login-email&login=email
This article gave me an insight into Jim Clark and his origin on how he got appointed to sheriff in Selma. I really enjoyed your metaphor for him as a knight in chess. One thing I was curious about was why was Clark so aggressive to African Americans. After doing some research, I found a quote of his stating that he thought protesters desired "black supremacy", which happens to be the same quote the comment above addresses. This quote leads me to believe that he was fearful that African Americans would do the same to him as other whites had done to them before, including lynching and other heinous hate crimes.
ReplyDeleteSource:
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/07/us/07clark.html?auth=login-email&login=email