• UlyssesT [he/him]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      29
      ·
      1 year ago

      The guy who caned Sumner also sold like commemorative novelty canes to his fans in the south.

      That kind of tacky shit would soar today too. joker-amerikkklap

        • culpritus [any]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          17
          ·
          1 year ago

          we need some sort of combo emoji for this shit

          agony-deep + surprised-pika

          Lester Maddox ax handles

          Lester Maddox was a Georgian who owned a restraunt in Atlanta known as the Pickrick. As a staunch segregationist he was against the 1954 Brown V. Board of Education, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Maddox actually filed a lawsuit to conintue his segregationist policies.

          In April of 1964, some african american student demonstrators attempted to stage a sit-in, however before they could arrive Maddox confronted the group with a bare axe handle. Maddox along with some employees and customers pulled the handles from the nail kegs on each side of the resturant fireplace. These handles came to be known as the Pickrick Drumsticks. Due to this response Maddox was heralded as a political figure defending “private property rights” and segregation.

          Maddox closed the restaurant rather than serve african american customers. When he attempted to re-open the restaurant and tried to only serve “acceptable” customers he was taken to court and was held in contmept. Maddox used his actions as a launchboard for his political ambitions and became the 75th Governor of Georgia from 1967-71.