Clarence Triggs facts for kids

Clarence Triggs (born 1943 – died July 30, 1966) was an African-American bricklayer and veteran. He was tragically killed in Bogalusa, Louisiana, in 1966. This happened about a month after he took part in a march for civil rights. The march was about making sure everyone, especially African Americans, could vote.

Who Was Clarence Triggs?

Clarence Triggs was 24 years old when he died. He worked as a bricklayer, building things with bricks. He had recently moved to Bogalusa, Louisiana, with his wife, Emma. They came from Jackson, Mississippi.

Fighting for Voting Rights

Clarence was part of a big movement in the 1960s. This movement was called the Civil Rights Movement. Its goal was to make sure African Americans had the same rights as everyone else. For many years, African Americans in the South were not allowed to vote easily. This was called being disenfranchised.

Clarence joined marches organized by groups like the Congress on Racial Equality. These groups wanted to make sure black citizens could register and vote freely. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 had just been passed. This law was meant to protect the right to vote for all Americans. But some places in the South were still making it hard for African Americans to vote.

Clarence's death happened about a year after another sad event. Oneal Moore, the first black deputy sheriff in Washington Parish, Louisiana, was killed. These events show how difficult and dangerous the fight for civil rights could be.

What Happened to Clarence Triggs?

Clarence Triggs was found shot in the head on July 30, 1966. His body was near a wrecked car by the highway. Two white men, Homer R. "Kingfish" Seale and John W. Copling, Jr., were arrested. They were suspected of killing him.

The Investigation and Community Concerns

The police chief at the time said the killing had "no racial implications." This meant he believed race was not a reason for the murder. However, many people in the black community felt differently.

Royan Burris, who led a local group called the Deacons for Defense and Justice, went to the scene. This group helped protect civil rights activists. Burris told police that witnesses saw two white men following Triggs in a car. But Burris himself was arrested for supposedly getting in the way of the police. This made many people believe the police were not looking into the case fairly.

John W. Copling, Jr. was tried for the murder. The jury found him not guilty very quickly. Homer R. "Kingfish" Seale was never tried. The details of what happened to Clarence Triggs and why have never been fully explained to the public.

An Unsolved Case

Clarence Triggs' name is listed on the Civil Rights Memorial. This memorial honors those who died during the Civil Rights Movement. His case was later reopened by the FBI. This happened under a law called the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act. This law helps look into old, unsolved civil rights cases. However, Clarence Triggs' murder remains unsolved to this day.