Battle of Hayes Pond
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Hayes Pond refers to an armed confrontation between the Ku Klux Klan
and Lumbee
men near Maxton, North Carolina
, on the night of January 18, 1958. Sanford Locklear, Simeon Oxendine and Neill Lowery were leaders among the Lumbee who challenged and routed the Klan that night.
(KKK) conducted terrorist
actions throughout the American South, in part in reaction to rising civil rights actions, economic progress by African Americans, and the US Supreme Court ruling in 1954 calling for public school desegregation
. Cars filled with KKK men traveled from South Carolina to small towns in North Carolina to intimidate people.
In 1957, Klan Wizard James W. "Catfish" Cole, an evangelist
and radio
preacher
in South Carolina
, began to harass the Lumbee
Indians and other minorities of Robeson County, North Carolina
. He had been charged with building up the Klan in the state. Cole told newspapers: "There's about 30,000 half-breed
s up in Robeson County and we are going to have some cross burnings and scare them up".
On January 13, 1958, a group of KKK burned a cross on the lawn of a Lumbee woman in the town of St. Pauls, North Carolina
, as "a warning" because she was dating a white man. The Klan burned a cross on the lawn of a Lumbee family who had moved into a white neighborhood. Cole spoke against the "mongrelization
" of the races and announced plans for a Klan rally on January 18, 1958, near the small town of Maxton, intended “to put the Indians in their place, to end race mixing”. His speeches, referring to the "loose morals" of Lumbee women, provoked anger among the Lumbee. Robeson County Sheriff Malcolm McLeod met with Cole and told him that "his life would be in danger if he came to Maxton and made the same speech he'd been making". Cole proceeded with his plans.
Afterward, the Lumbee celebrated by holding up the abandoned KKK banner; Charlie Warriax and World War II
veteran Simeon Oxendine were shown wrapped in it in Life
magazine photos. Oxendine, Neill Lowery and Sanford Locklear were acknowledged leaders among the Lumbee. Many local, state and national newspapers covered the event and captured photos of Lumbee burning the regalia and dancing around an open fire in nearby Pemberton. North Carolina Governor Luther H. Hodges
denounced the Klan in a press statement. Cole was prosecuted, convicted, and served a two-year sentence for inciting a riot
. Since then, the Lumbee celebrate the day of the Battle of Hayes Pond annually as a holiday.
The Klan ceased its activities in Robeson County.
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
and Lumbee
Lumbee
The Lumbee belong to a state recognized Native American tribe in North Carolina. The Lumbee are concentrated in Robeson County and named for the primary waterway traversing the county...
men near Maxton, North Carolina
Maxton, North Carolina
Maxton is a town in Robeson County and Scotland County Counties, North Carolina, in the United States. The population was 2,551 at the time of the 2000 U.S. Census.-History:...
, on the night of January 18, 1958. Sanford Locklear, Simeon Oxendine and Neill Lowery were leaders among the Lumbee who challenged and routed the Klan that night.
Events leading up to the confrontation
During the 1950s, independent chapters of the Ku Klux KlanKu Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
(KKK) conducted terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
actions throughout the American South, in part in reaction to rising civil rights actions, economic progress by African Americans, and the US Supreme Court ruling in 1954 calling for public school desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
. Cars filled with KKK men traveled from South Carolina to small towns in North Carolina to intimidate people.
In 1957, Klan Wizard James W. "Catfish" Cole, an evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, began to harass the Lumbee
Lumbee
The Lumbee belong to a state recognized Native American tribe in North Carolina. The Lumbee are concentrated in Robeson County and named for the primary waterway traversing the county...
Indians and other minorities of Robeson County, North Carolina
Robeson County, North Carolina
Robeson County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010 it had a population of 134,168. Since then, it has been one of the 10% of United States counties that were majority-minority; its combined population of American Indian, African American and Latino residents comprise over...
. He had been charged with building up the Klan in the state. Cole told newspapers: "There's about 30,000 half-breed
Half-breed
Half-breed is an historic term used to describe anyone who is mixed Native American and white European parentage...
s up in Robeson County and we are going to have some cross burnings and scare them up".
On January 13, 1958, a group of KKK burned a cross on the lawn of a Lumbee woman in the town of St. Pauls, North Carolina
St. Pauls, North Carolina
St. Pauls is a town in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,137 at the 2000 census.-History:The town of St. Pauls was built up around St. Pauls Presbyterian Church which was built on land donated in 1799 by William Davis. St. Pauls grew slowly from a town of just the...
, as "a warning" because she was dating a white man. The Klan burned a cross on the lawn of a Lumbee family who had moved into a white neighborhood. Cole spoke against the "mongrelization
Miscegenation
Miscegenation is the mixing of different racial groups through marriage, cohabitation, sexual relations, and procreation....
" of the races and announced plans for a Klan rally on January 18, 1958, near the small town of Maxton, intended “to put the Indians in their place, to end race mixing”. His speeches, referring to the "loose morals" of Lumbee women, provoked anger among the Lumbee. Robeson County Sheriff Malcolm McLeod met with Cole and told him that "his life would be in danger if he came to Maxton and made the same speech he'd been making". Cole proceeded with his plans.
Rally
On the night of the rally, only 50-100 Klansmen arrived at the private field. Before Cole began speaking, over 500 Lumbee men, many armed with sticks, appeared and encircled the assembled Klansmen. First the Lumbee shot out the one light, then began yelling and attacked. They shot their guns into the air; two Klansmen were lightly wounded. With the light out, the remaining Klansmen fled the scene, leaving family members, the public address system, unlit cross, and various Klan regalia behind. James W. "Catfish" Cole reportedly left his wife behind and escaped through a nearby swamp. Curious onlookers had also shown up.Afterward, the Lumbee celebrated by holding up the abandoned KKK banner; Charlie Warriax and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran Simeon Oxendine were shown wrapped in it in Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine photos. Oxendine, Neill Lowery and Sanford Locklear were acknowledged leaders among the Lumbee. Many local, state and national newspapers covered the event and captured photos of Lumbee burning the regalia and dancing around an open fire in nearby Pemberton. North Carolina Governor Luther H. Hodges
Luther H. Hodges
Luther Hartwell Hodges, Sr. was an American politician, who served as the 64th Governor of the state of North Carolina from 1954 to 1961 and as United States Secretary of Commerce from 1961 to 1965.-Biography:...
denounced the Klan in a press statement. Cole was prosecuted, convicted, and served a two-year sentence for inciting a riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
. Since then, the Lumbee celebrate the day of the Battle of Hayes Pond annually as a holiday.
The Klan ceased its activities in Robeson County.
Further reading
- "Raid by 500 Indians balks North Carolina Klan rally", New York Times, January 19, 1958, p. 1.
- "Cole Says His Rights Violated", Greensboro Daily News, 20 Jan. 1958: A1.
- "The Lumbees Ride Again", Greensboro Daily News, 20 Jan. 1958: 4A.
- Morrison, Julian. "Sheriff Seeks Klan Leader's Indictment: Cole Accused of Inciting Riot Involving Indians and Ku Klux", Greensboro Daily News, 20 Jan. 1958: A1-3.
- "Cole faces indictment; disgusted . . . quits", Robesonian, 21 Jan. 1958: 1.
- Ryan, Ethel. "Indians who crushed rally were mature tribesmen", Greensboro Record 21 Jan. 1958: A1.
- "Judge deplores Klan entry into peaceful Indian land", Robesonian 22 Jan. 1958: 1.
- "Redskins whoop Lumbee victory." Robesonian 23 Jan. 1958: 1.
- Brown, Dick. "The Indians who routed the ‘Catfish’." News and Observer 26 Jan. 1958: Sec. 3 p. 1.
- "North Carolina: Indian raid", Newsweek 51 (27 Jan. 1958): 27.
- "Bad medicine for the Klan: North Carolina Indians break up Kluxers’ anti-Indian meeting", Life 44 (27 Jan. 1958): 26-28.
- "When Carolina Indians went on the warpath–", U. S. News and World Report 44 (31 Jan. 1958): 14.
- "Indians back at peace and the Klan at bay." Life 44 (3 Feb. 1958): 36-36A.
- "Klan Wizard Cole gets 2-year sentence; Titan Martin draws 12 months. Both free on bond; both file appeal", Robesonian 14 March 1958: 1.
- "Heap bad Kluxers armed with gun, Indian angry paleface run", Ebony, 13 (April 1958): 25-26, 28.
- Craven, Charles. "The Robeson County Indian uprising against the Ku Klux Klan", South Atlantic Quarterly 57 (Autumn 1958): 433-42.
- Henderson, Bruce. "Robeson civic leader dies at 69: Simeon Oxendine won fame confronting Klan", Charlotte Observer 28 Dec. 1988: 1B.
- Tyson, Timothy B. Radio Free Dixie: Robert F. Williams & the Roots of Black Power, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001.
External links
- "The bedsheet brigade", Archives, University of Utah
- Guide to the James William Cole Papers, 1863, 1946-1967 (Manuscript Collection #40)