After They Exploded His Car, The Black Residents of This City Responded In a Powerful Way

sign that says natchez
Via Flickr
Adé Hennis
October 12, 2023

Activism in Natchez, Mississippi was growing, and in 1965 the KKK retaliated by a car bomb attack on George Metcalf, president of the Natchez NAACP. The racist group hoped that the Black people of Natchez would be devastated. Instead we were more fueled than a car ever could be.

The Natchez community called statewide leaders to assemble one of the largest civil rights movements in Mississippi history. From NAACP leaders to teenagers, the community was determined for change.

With their eyes set on change, Natchez’s jail overflowed with protesters, so much so that some had to be sent to prisons outside the city. But there was no prison that could contain the resilience the community had.

In December of 1965, city officials agreed to the civil rights demands of the people of Natchez. The movement also led to the creation of the Deacons for Defense and Justice in Natchez, providing protection for the Black community. However, the fight still isn’t over.

Racists wanted the Black community of Natchez to give up after their bomb attack, but it only strengthened them. Obstacles can come in our life to try to knock us down, but the Natchez movement showed that we can get right back up and fight for what we believe in.

We have a quick favor to ask:

PushBlack is a nonprofit dedicated to raising up Black voices. We are a small team but we have an outsized impact:

  • We reach tens of millions of people with our BLACK NEWS & HISTORY STORIES every year.
  • We fight for CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM to protect our community.
  • We run VOTING CAMPAIGNS that reach over 10 million African-Americans across the country.

And as a nonprofit, we rely on small donations from subscribers like you.

With as little as $5 a month, you can help PushBlack raise up Black voices. It only takes a minute, so will you please ?

Share This Article: