Timothy B. Tyson writes about the civil rights movement that most people do not know about, the self-defense movement. Tyson's book, Radio Free Dixie, focuses on Robert F. Williams. Robert was the NAACP leader in his hometown. Williams believed in self-defense for Black people. His story and beliefs reflect the Black War II veterans who came home from the war and experienced discrimination.
These veterans decided to take up arms against the Ku Klux Klan and the racist law enforcement. Williams believed Black people should use self-defense to defend themselves against attacks. Robert F. Williams' story shows the change in many African Americans who once believed in the nonviolent movement and became the roots of the Black Power Movement.
Williams was born on February 26, 1925, in a small town called Monroe, North Carolina. Many of the whites had fond memories of living in Monroe. Williams did not have many sweet memories of living in that town. One of his first memories was very bitter. It was the image of a black woman being hauled off to jail by “Big Jesse”. “Big Jesse” was the father of Jessie Helms, a senator (Tyson, 1). Williams was also molded by his relatives and the lessons they taught him. His uncle Charlie had a huge impact on his beliefs.
Charles did not believe in the Black church because the institution failed to address and solve the racial issues that blacks had to deal with. Charles' reasoning reflects several civil rights activists’ actions, which were not seeking the help of the church.
Williams' grandmother, Ellen Isabel played a part in his activism. Her storytelling allowed him to know about the past. She also encouraged. He was an interpreter of the news for older people who could not read (8-9).
What also shaped him was being a soldier in World War II. He saw firsthand how the government treated Black people. He saw the similarity between the racist ideology of the United States and Adolf Hitler's ideology. He also saw the similarity between how the United States during World War II portrayed Japanese men to Black men. He saw a poster of how a Japanese man with very dark skin was trying to attack white women. This was how the United States showed Black men as abusive.
The “Kissing Case” also reflects this sentiment. The police charged and arrested two young black boys (ages 7 and 9) in the hometown because they kissed three white girls. This time Williams was able to do something to help. He and others demanded the release of the boys. Williams was successful in getting the boys out. Williams was also successful in integrating the library and pool in that area.
What pushed Williams to the self-defense movement was the lax way the NAACP was trying to protect blacks against the attacks of the Klan. Williams had established gun clubs where blacks would use weapons when attacked. In 1957 when Dr. Perry, a Black doctor was targeted by the Klan, Williams had several men armed to stand guard at Perry’s home. Several Klansmen arrived at Perry’s home. The Klansmen fired at their cars and homes. The armed guards returned fire and drove them away from Perry’s home. This incident caused city officials to ban the Klan from gathering unless they had a special permit to gather.
Also, the release of a white man who attacked a Black woman caused him to lose faith in the current Civil Rights system. This comment he made shows his feelings. “We cannot rely on the law”. “We get no justice under the present system. If we feel that injustice is done, we must right then and there on the spot be prepared to inflict punishment on these people . . . if it is necessary to stop lynching with lynching, then we must be willing to that method.”
Despite believing in self-defense, he welcomed the nonviolent movement. He was involved with the Freedom Riders when they came to his hometown. The presence of the Freedom Riders angered racist people throughout the South.
In 1961, a clash between whites and Blacks occurred. Williams tried to defuse the situation. He led a white couple who came to cause harm out of a dangerous situation. That couple went to the cops and accused Williams of kidnapping. In Charlotte, the FBI issued a warrant for his arrest. They wanted to charge Williams with kidnapping. They accused him of being dangerous and deranged. He and his wife escaped the charges and fled to Cuba. While in Cuba he started his radio show "Radio Free Dixie”.
On the radio, he voiced his ideas about the United States. His being in Cuba and later China sparked the belief he was a Communist. This of course was not true because he did not follow or ask for any party support, claimed Tyson. If anyone provided him with assistance, he was willing to take it.
Williams returned home and faced the charges of kidnapping. Eventually, the State of North Carolina dropped charges against Williams were dropped. Williams lived in the United States until he passed away in 1996. Rosa Parks spoke at Williams' funeral and spoke highly of him. She commented on "his courage and his commitment to freedom". She concluded, "The sacrifices he made, and what he did, should go down in history and never be forgotten.”
To learn more about Robert F. Williams, read Timothy B. Tyson’s Radio Free Dixie. Also, read Negroes with Guns written by Robert F. Willams. I hope by sharing his stories and these two books, Wiliam will be remembered for his bravery and his commitment to his beliefs and freedom for Black people.
