Clyde Kennard (1927–July 4 1963) was an African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) pioneer and martyr born in
Hattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census.Founded in 1882 by pioneer lumberman and civil engineer William H. Hardy, Hattiesburg was named in honor of Hardy's wife Hattie. The town was incorporated two years later with a...
who attempted several times to enroll at Mississippi Southern College (now known as University of Southern Mississippi), still reserved for whites in the segregated 1950s. Instead, Kennard was framed by the
Mississippi State Sovereignty CommissionThe Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission was a state agency directed by the governor of Mississippi that existed from 1956 to 1977. The commission's stated objective was to "[...] protect the sovereignty of the state of Mississippi, and her sister states" from "federal encroachment." Initially...
, which conspired to have him arrested on false charges. He was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Early years
Kennard was born in
MississippiMississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...
in 1927, moving to Chicago at the age of 12 to aid his injured sister, Sarah. He then stayed and graduated from Wendell Phillips High School, then entered the U.S. Army. After serving as a paratrooper during the
Korean WarThe Korean War is a war that started between North Korea and South Korea on 25 June 1950 and paused with an armistice signed 27 July, 1953...
, he returned to the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1955, at the end of his junior year at the
University of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private, coeducational research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by oil magnate and benefactor John D...
, Kennard returned to Mississippi because his stepfather became disabled. Kennard purchased land in Eatonville to start a chicken farm. He taught Sunday school at the Mary Magdalene Baptist Church.
The fight for education
On three separate occasions (1956, 1957 and 1959), Kennard sought to enroll at Mississippi Southern College, one of Mississippi's premier educational institutions, whose student body was exclusively white. Despite offers from
MississippiMississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...
governorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
James P. ColemanJames Plemon "J.P." Coleman was a politician from the state of Mississippi.Coleman was born in Ackerman, Mississippi. He obtained a law degree from The George Washington University Law School in 1939. As a young man, he served upon the staff of Mississippi Congressman A. L. Ford...
to pay for his tuition anywhere else in the state where he could gain acceptance, Kennard declined, stating that the school was closest to his home, a major factor given his family situation. On December 6th, 1958, Kennard published a letter in the Hattiesburg American newspaper. After declaring himself a “segregationist by nature” but “integrationist by choice,” he gave a reasoned explanation why he saw segregation in education to be impractical and bound to be replaced by one integrated system.
At the behest of Zack Van Landingham of the
Mississippi State Sovereignty CommissionThe Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission was a state agency directed by the governor of Mississippi that existed from 1956 to 1977. The commission's stated objective was to "[...] protect the sovereignty of the state of Mississippi, and her sister states" from "federal encroachment." Initially...
, J. H. White, the African-American president of
Mississippi Vocational CollegeMississippi Valley State University is a historically black university located in Itta Bena, Mississippi. MVSU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.-History:...
, tried to persuade Kennard to end his quest to break the color barrier at Mississippi Southern College. When Kennard could not be dissuaded, Van Landingham and
Hattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census.Founded in 1882 by pioneer lumberman and civil engineer William H. Hardy, Hattiesburg was named in honor of Hardy's wife Hattie. The town was incorporated two years later with a...
lawyer Dudley Connor worked together to exact revenge on him for his stand. Files from the Sovereignty Commission that were opened in 1998 showed that members considered a variety of options, including forcing Kennard into an accident or bombing his car.
Imprisonment
The
Mississippi State Sovereignty CommissionThe Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission was a state agency directed by the governor of Mississippi that existed from 1956 to 1977. The commission's stated objective was to "[...] protect the sovereignty of the state of Mississippi, and her sister states" from "federal encroachment." Initially...
instead conspired to have Kennard framed for a crime. On September 15, 1959, Kennard was falsely arrested by constables Charlie Ward and Lee Danniel for reckless driving upon returning to his car from a meeting with
Mississippi Southern CollegeThe University of Southern Mississippi, officially known as Southern Miss, is a large public research university located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi...
President
William David McCainWilliam David McCain . McCain was a recognized leader of the Mississippi political establishment and a leader in its struggle in the 1950s and 1960s to maintain the segregated “southern way of life” against the forces of integration...
. After he was jailed, Lee and Daniels perjured themselves before racist JP T. C. Hobby claiming to have found five half pints of whiskey, along with other liquor, under the seat of his car. Mississippi was a "dry" state, and possession of liquor was illegal until 1966, when Mississippi became the last state to repeal prohibition. Kennard was subsequently cited for illegal liquor possession.
He was convicted and fined $600 for the latter offense, and soon became the victim of an unofficial local boycott whereby his credit was cut off. He was then arrested again on September 25 1960 with an alleged accomplice for the theft of $25 worth of chicken feed from the Forrest County Cooperative warehouse. Kennard went to trial, with the accomplice, Johnny Lee Roberts testifying that Kennard paid him to steal the feed. On November 21 1960, an all-white jury deliberated only 10 minutes before finding Kennard guilty. He was sentenced to seven years in prison to be served in Parchman Penitentiary, a high-security facility. Despite his alleged role in the crime, Roberts was given five years' probation and freed. Years later Roberts testified under oath that Kennard was innocent "Kennard did not ask me to steal, Kennard did not ask me to break into the co-op, Kennard did not ask me to do anything illegal."
Just after the conclusion of the trial,
MississippiMississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...
NAACPThe National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP and pronounced N-double-A-C-P, is one of the oldest and most influential civil rights organizations in the...
official
Medgar EversMedgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi who was murdered by Byron De La Beckwith.- Early life :...
was cited for contempt after issuing a statement stating that the conviction was "a mockery of judicial justice." Evers was fined $100 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, but on June 12, 1961, the Mississippi Supreme Court overturned the conviction.
Cancer and death
While imprisoned in 1961, Kennard was diagnosed with colon cancer and taken to the
University of MississippiThe University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1848, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford and three branch campuses located in Booneville, Tupelo, and Southaven...
hospital for surgery. The medical staff recommended that Kennard either be put in their custody or that they be allowed to make regular visits to check on his condition. Instead, authorities sent him back to Parchman Prison, where he worked as a laborer.
Civil rights leaders in
Hattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census.Founded in 1882 by pioneer lumberman and civil engineer William H. Hardy, Hattiesburg was named in honor of Hardy's wife Hattie. The town was incorporated two years later with a...
, embarked on a campaign to secure Kennard's release. After the story gained national attention in 1963, Mississippi Governor
Ross BarnettRoss Robert Barnett was the Democratic governor of the U.S. state of Mississippi from 1960 to 1964.Born in Standing Pine in Leake County, Barnett was the youngest of ten children of a Confederate veteran...
gave Kennard an "indefinite suspended sentence."
Kennard was released on January 30, with comedian
Dick GregoryDick Gregory is an American comedian, social activist, social critic, writer, and entrepreneur....
's paying for his flight back to Chicago. He twice underwent surgery at Billings Hospital on the
University of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private, coeducational research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by oil magnate and benefactor John D...
campus over the next five months, but died of cancer 10 days after the latter procedure.
On July 7, a funeral service for Kennard was held at Metropolitan Funeral Parlor in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
, with an April 16 1962 poem written by Kennard read to the congregation. Sensing his limited lifespan, he titled the poem, "Ode to the Death Angel:"
- Oh here you come again
- Old chilly death of Ol'
- To plot out life
- And test immortal soul
- I saw you fall against the raging sea
- I cheated you then and now you'll not catch me
- I know your face
- It's known in every race
- Your speed is fast
- And along the way
- Your shadow you cast
- High in the sky
- You thought you had me then
- I landed safely
- But here you are again
- I see you paused upon that forward pew
- When you think I'm asleep
- I'm watching you
- Why must you hound me so everywhere I go?
- It's true my eyes are dim
- My hands are growing cold
- Well take me on then, that
- I might at last become my soul
Three days later, he was buried in his family's plot at Mary Magdelene Cemetery in
Hattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census.Founded in 1882 by pioneer lumberman and civil engineer William H. Hardy, Hattiesburg was named in honor of Hardy's wife Hattie. The town was incorporated two years later with a...
.
Pardon efforts
In an interview with award-winning reporter Jerry Mitchell published December 31, 2005, the informant Roberts asserted that his testimony in 1960 was false, and Kennard had no connection to the crime. Mitchell, who had been investigating the case for many years, had previously helped close several other infamous "cold cases" from the Civil Rights Era.
In 2006, three high school students from Illinois: Mona Ghadiri, Agnes Mazur, and Callie McCune, working with their teacher, Barry Bradford (renowned for helping reopen the "
Mississippi BurningThe Mississippi civil rights workers murders involved the 1964 slayings of three political activists during the American Civil Rights Movement....
" case) and Professor Steven A. Drizin of the
Northwestern University School of LawThe Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was independently founded in 1859 as the Union College of Law and is one of eleven academic entities at Northwestern University. Northwestern enjoys a strong national reputation...
, Center On Wrongful Convictions, spearheaded a movement to convince Mississippi Governor
Haley BarbourHaley Reeves Barbour is an American politician currently serving as the Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
to issue Kennard a full pardon. Standing alone against the advice of leading Mississippi politicians, academics, and media outlets, Barbour declined the opportunity to do so. He stated there was no precedent for a posthumous pardon. He ignored the fight led by U.S. Senator
Trent LottChester Trent Lott Sr. is a former United States Senator from Mississippi. He has served in numerous leadership positions in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, including House Minority Whip, Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, and Senate Minority Whip...
which resulted in a posthumous pardon for
Jefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis was an American politician who served as President of the Confederate States of America for its entire history, 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War....
. Instead he designated March 30 as
Clyde Kennard Day, saying that it was the appropriate way to honor Kennard.
African-American students from the University of Southern Mississippi joined the fight, collecting more than 1,500 signatures in support of the pardon. The students noted that the school then had more than 2,000 blacks attending, the acceptance Kennard had wanted. Despite pleas from four former Mississippi governors, on May 10, 2006, the Mississippi State Parole Board refused to recommend a pardon. The Board's vote was split according to racial lines, with all of the white members' voting to oppose a pardon recommendation.
Every major newspaper in Mississippi denounced the decisions of the Governor and the Board. Kennard's brother-in-law, Rev. Willie Grant, expressed disappointment over the Board's decision. He stated the state appeared to be looking to avoid any potential litigation damages over wrongful imprisonment. The Kennard family had already stated publicly that they had no interest in seeking damages.
Resolution
Faced with the setback on the pardon request, Bradford and the students from Illinois shifted their efforts to using the courts to secure a reversal of the conviction. They contacted former Federal judge
Charles PickeringCharles Pickering may refer to:* Charles Pickering , physician and naturalist* Charles W. Pickering , Appeals Court judge* Chip Pickering , U.S. Representative from Mississippi; son of Charles W. Pickering...
and former Mississippi governor
William WinterWilliam Forrest Winter is an American politician from Mississippi. He served as governor of Mississippi from 1980 to 1984 as a Democrat. He is known for his strong support of public education, racial reconciliation, and historic preservation. Winter is best remembered for the passage of the...
, who fashioned precedent-making legal strategy.
Using the historical research done by Bradford and the students, and the exhaustive legal research prepared by Professor Drizin and Bobby Owens, a Northwestern University law student from Mississippi, the effort to clear Kennard's name finally paid off. After arguments by Pickering and Winter, heading a blue-ribbon legal team, on May 17, 2006, Judge Bob Helfrich threw out Kennard's original burglary conviction, stating, "To me, this is not a black and white issue; it's a right and wrong issue. To correct that wrong, I am compelled to do the right thing."
Even with this conclusion, the Kennard case still stirs emotions on both sides of the issue. Six days after Helfrich's decree, white supremacist
Richard BarrettRichard Barrett is an American lawyer, white nationalist and self-proclaimed leader in the nationalist Skinhead movement. Barrett is a speaker and editor of the All The Way monthly newsletter...
filed documents to throw out the decision. Barrett was a vocal supporter of
Edgar Ray KillenEdgar Ray "Preacher" Killen is a former Ku Klux Klan organizer who conspired to kill three civil rights activists in 1964....
, the man convicted in June 2005 of manslaughter in the killing of three civil rights workers in 1964. Barrett's motion was later summarily dismissed by Judge Helfrich. Barrett's appeal to the Mississippi State Supreme Court was likewise dismissed, thus ending the legal saga.
Cultural legacy
In February 1993, the University of Southern Mississippi renamed its campus Student Services Building Kennard-Washington Hall in honor of Clyde Kennard and
Dr. Walter Washington- Biographical Information :Walter Washington in Hazelhurst, Mississippi was a U.S. pioneer educator. In 1949, Washington married his college sweetheart, the former Carolyn Carter, who is a retired college professor. A daughter, Wendy Carol, was born in 1963 but died shortly after birth.-...
(then president of
Alcorn State UniversityAlcorn State University, located near Lorman, Mississippi, United States, is a public land grant university. It was founded in 1871 as the nation's first state-supported higher education institution for African American students...
).
External links