Thursday, July 21, 2011

Letters from a segregationist past (Warning: Language)

U.S. District Judge Harold Cox. To civil rights activists, the name evokes a wave of anger as he referred to blacks as "xxxxx" and "xxxxxzees" while on the bench. Jere Nash and Andy Taggart devoted several pages to the unlearned jurist in Missssippi Politics: The struggle for Power, 1976-2006. I never knew much about Judge Cox but after reading about him, I thought it might be worth posting his letters on this site to give younger readers a little view of Mississippi history and what civil rights activists faced in the courtroom as its history that should not be forgotten. Communist bomb-thrower Jere Nash was kind enough to provide me with copy of them from his research.  The book states:
"As it turned out, no judge was reversed more regularly thereafter on civil rights cases than Harold Cox. In 1964, when the federal government was litigating a voter registration case in Judge Cox's courtoom, Cox told the Justice Department attorney that was "not interested in whether the registrar is going to give a registration test to a bunch of xxxxx on a voter drive." Later that day, Cox complained that the African-American plaintiffs were 'acting like a bunch of xxxxxxzees...."

(Greenville attorney Victor McTeer arguing civil rights case before Judge Cox) "As McTeer was preparing to make his argument, cox said, "I guess this is another one of those xxxxx versus white folks cases."

However, Judge Cox's tactics and what can only be loosely called jurisprudence backfired on him: "In the end though, civil rights lawyers came to view Harold Cox as their best friend, as one of them later observed: "If the Fifth Circuit saw Cox's name on an opinion from Mississippi, they would reverse it without hardly looking at it" (Ironically, I hear the same thing said about by more than a few lawyers about two particular circuit judges in Hinds County of the opposite race.).

JJ obtained from Mr. Nash copies of two letters Judge Cox wrote. The first one was in reference to a mural in Judge Cox's courtroom, yes, the mural that has been the focus of more than a few comments and articles over the years as it was made in 1938 and shows blacks "picking cotton and playing the banjo and were the only adults in the painting not wearing shoes."

Attorney Frank Parker, a Harvard Law School graduate representing the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, asked the Judge to cover or remove the mural because it "compromises the dignity of black litigants". Judge Cox responded with this letter. No excerpts are posted as its better just to read the letter in its entirety.




A second letter is on page 3 in the above embed. Judge Cox complains in a letter to the Justice Department about a Justice Department attorney Cox thought got too aggressive towards the Judge. Once again, no excerpts will be posted, just read the letter in its entirety.









19 comments:

J. Kev said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Frugal Gal said...

J. Kev., "stately" Mr. Taggert is a co-author and business partner with Mr. Nash and considers him a friend. Many more people could learn from the example of Taggert and Nash -- with a little maturity and character, you can disagree with someone wholeheartedly without hating them.

J. Kev said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

1) KF - I can't read the faded copy of the 2nd letter. I didn't even try page 3.

2) Perhaps Mr Nash can remind us to which political party did the "unlearned judge" (love it!) belong? I expect these omissions from all "news" sources except Fox, and found it curiously missing here ;-)

Frugal Gal said...

(sighs)

I keep forgetting how many people just NEED to hate someone.

(withdraws, seeks place where reasoned discourse wins the day)

(slits wrists upon discovering such places no longer exist)

J. Kev said...

Tell me, ma'am, where anything I said was inaccurate.

Anonymous said...

Just curious if we readers would have been provided a "language warning" had harsh words, other than those of a racially-insensitive nature, been included in these letters..........

Many will disagree with me (because this position is currently unpopular), but history will correctly attribute the fall of the U.S. to political correctness. It's behavior that's tantamount to seeing something, understanding it, and knowing it's the truth, but simply choosing to deny it out of fear that others might look upon you unfavorably.

Just think of the number of problems you encounter in everyday life that are a direct result of a society who chooses to look the other way.....have to closely guard your possesions at ALL times? Afraid to let your wife/children go to the store at night? The list goes on......

Now think about it as you experience a knee-jerk desire to blast me for being bold enough to say/imply what I have: Are any of my suggestions here untrue?

Anonymous said...

Do you think Jere Nash ever felt uncomfortable with Sen Robert Byrd
past?

J. Kev said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anderson said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
J. Kev said...

Anderson:

You may find my language distasteful. And Leftists like yourself love to squeal, "Hatemonger!" at the slightest challenge to one of your own. ("Racist!" being the default deflector.)

Rhetoric aside, point to one inaccuracy in my characterization of Mr. Nash. Go ahead.

Kingfish said...

All right, I zapped them all. Not one of them had anything to do with the subject of the post but instead were about trashing someone who was nice enough to provide this website a copy of the letters despite the fact we are on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Don't like it? Oh well, not my problem.

Anonymous said...

I really don't understand why reasonable people can't disagree in an agreeable manner? It is called, "the loyal opposition" (no matter which end of the political spectrum you fall on) for a reason. Please, give us all a break people and GTFU when you don't agree with someone.

Anonymous said...

Kingfish,

I would appreciate seeing the posts you removed. Being critical of Jere Nash does not justify removal of the posts. Nash is a big boy and can handle criticism.

Go Cubs!

Anonymous said...

Judge Cos was appointed to his seat in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, the first judge Kennedy appointed after taking office. His appointment was cleared by the Justice Department.

Cox's nomination for judge was bitterly opposed by the NAACP and by other civil rights groups.

But Judge Cox was supported for the post by Mississippi Senator James O. Eastland.

Judge Cox and Senator Eastland were classmates at the University of Mississippi in the early 1920's. For years, Judge Cox was chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee for Hinds County. Before his appointment, Judge Cox was interviewed by Robert Kennedy then the Attorney General. Judge Cox gave assurances that he could administer the law fairly to all Citizens.

From the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission Files Online.

Anonymous said...

Supposedly the appointment of Cox was the price Eastland charged Kennedy for allowing Thurgood Marshall to be approved by Eastland's judiciary subcomittee.

Anderson said...

Not one of them had anything to do with the subject of the post

Fair enough.

Anonymous said...

I fail to understand why people can't understand the difference between " political correctness" and civilized discourse. Nor can they seem to understand the difference between free speech and being a rude, crude, hateful boor.

It is possible to disagree and disapprove without name calling or using foul language. Intelligent GROWN UPS can do that. Children and idiots cannot learn those skills.

Anonymous said...

" Kennedy appointed Cox" is the same as " we didn't treat our maids like that" or " that's the way it was back then and not everybody was bad" or " Nathan Bedford Forest" was a great general.
All statements are technically true.
And,it's true that segregation and prejudice were common everywhere.
The difference is that brutal killings and violence not only took place here, there was no moral outrage and those committing or abetting those violent acts not only avoided justice but in some cases ,remained in positions of authority.
Eastland was reelected. There were demands from the Mississippi Bar that Cox be impeached. Forest was part of a vigilante group that killed people, some of whom did nothing deserving of the death penalty. There are still excuses rather than outrage when one of our own behaves badly or even criminally.
The past haunts us only because, unlike the Germans, we haven't completely denounced the bad behavior. Sometimes I wonder if Ted Bundy was a Mississippian, a group would be saying, " Well, he volunteered at a suicide hot line so he wasn't THAT bad".



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.