NAACP Called Three Witness from St. Helena Parish by A.P. Tureaud

A.P. Tureaud

The NAACP called three witness in an attempt to show that Negros have been discouraged from voting in St. Helena Parish election to choose between public and private schools. Ellis D. Howard, Higgins,  and John Hall. A.P. Tureaud, attorney for the three men attempted to stop the election. 

The Civil Rights Movement took place in St. Helena Parish. For whatever reasons, many people do not talk about it.  A lot of the elderly people who was a part of the movement had passed away. 

Others like Mrs. Minnie Lee Stewart, Oscar L. Hall, and Clarence L. Knighten all was farmers in St. Helena Parish, but stood up for the rights of others who was to afraid to take a stand. 

They face men with pistols in their belts who tried to intimated them from voting. "Negroes are not going to vote in St. Helena."  They didn't allow them for lining up to vote. In some cases the Negro voters outnumbered white votes, causing long lines at the polls for Negroes. 

Knighten  said that at one election in which the negroes were entering to vote was closed for three hours, but the white voting polls continue to be open. 

Source: The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana) Sun. August 16, 1964-Page 28

             The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana)   Thur. Sept 1960