George Raymond Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Raymond Jr.
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Mugshot from Freedom Ride arrest in Jackson Mississippi on August 14, 1961
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| Born | January 1, 1943 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Died | March 8, 1973 (aged 30) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Occupation | activist |
| Spouse(s) | Myrtis Evans 1965–1973 (his death) |
| Children | Two |
| Parent(s) | George Raymond (father), Elsie Smothers Raymond (mother) |
George Raymond Jr. (born January 1, 1943 – died March 8, 1973) was an important African-American civil rights activist. He was a member of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and a Freedom Rider. He also led the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in Mississippi during the 1960s.
George Raymond Jr. inspired many other activists in Mississippi. He helped people like Anne Moody and Annie Devine join the movement. He was a key part of many important Civil Rights events. These included a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Jackson, Mississippi. He also took part in the Meredith Mississippi March and Freedom Summer. Raymond worked hard for voting rights and equal treatment for African Americans.
Contents
Early Life and Family
George Raymond Jr. was born on January 1, 1943. His hometown was New Orleans, Louisiana. Friends and family remember George as a brave and outspoken person. He was always ready to take action.
He went to Tommy Lafon Elementary and Samuel J. Green Junior Elementary School. He finished Cohen High School in 1960. In 1965, George married Myrtis Evans. George even inspired Myrtis's mother, Laura Evans, to become a Freedom Rider. George and Myrtis had two children together.
Fighting for Civil Rights
The Freedom Rides
When George Raymond Jr. was eighteen, he lived in New Orleans. He was arrested for taking part in the Freedom Rides. These rides were protests against segregation on buses. On August 14, 1961, George and Pauline K. Sims were arrested. This happened at the Trailways bus station in Jackson, Mississippi.
Leading Activism in Mississippi
In the early 1960s, George Raymond Jr. moved to Canton, Mississippi. He worked with the Congress Of Racial Equality (CORE). Groups like CORE, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) sent workers to Canton. Their main goal was to help African Americans register to vote.
In 1963, in Madison County, there were about 10,000 potential Black voters. But only 121 were registered. People who tried to register or vote were often threatened. Some officials even carried guns. Another way to stop Black people from voting was the poll tax. This was a fee people had to pay to vote.
George, Dave Dennis, Robert Chinn, and Anne Moody helped lead the voter registration efforts in Canton. George was the main director for Freedom Summer in 1964. He continued to lead these efforts in the years that followed. By 1965, he expanded CORE's work to other counties, like Rankin and Leake.
The Woolworth Sit-in
On May 28, 1963, George Raymond Jr. took part in a brave protest. He joined Medgar Evers, Anne Moody, Pearlina Lewis, Prof. John R. Salter, and Walter Williams. They sat at the "whites only" lunch counter at Woolworth's in downtown Jackson. They wanted to end segregation there.
For two hours, the protesters faced abuse. People yelled at them and threw ketchup on them. They were called names. The owner finally closed the store when the crowd started throwing things from the shelves. Police Deputy Chief J. R. Ray watched as the violence happened.
The Jackson sit-in was one of many peaceful protests. These actions led to Woolworth's changing its policy. They stopped racial segregation in their stores across the Southern United States. Annie Moody wrote about this sit-in in her book, Coming of Age in Mississippi. She described George sitting calmly while cream was poured on his neck. He wore his usual white T-shirt and bib overalls.
Meredith Mississippi March
George Raymond Jr. also joined the Meredith Mississippi March in June 1966. This march happened near Canton. It started when civil rights leader James Meredith began walking from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi. His goal was to encourage African Americans along the way to register and vote. After Meredith was shot and injured, other civil rights leaders continued the march in his name.
The Club Desire
The Club Desire was a famous blues and rhythm & blues nightclub. It was founded by Clarence Chinn in the late 1940s. Many top artists played there. In the 1960s, the club also became an important meeting place for civil rights workers.
Later, George Raymond and C. O. Chinn (Clarence Chinn's brother) took over the club. They were leading civil rights activists in Canton. The New Club Desire was used for meetings by many groups, including civil rights organizations. The club closed in the 1970s.
George Raymond Jr. died in 1973 from a heart attack. He was only thirty years old. It is believed that his health was affected by the dangers and stress of his activism. He was buried in Resthaven Memorial Park in New Orleans, Louisiana.
