Crossing Border Street by Peter Honigsberg

1370 Words3 Pages

Crossing Border Street by Peter Honigsberg Typical stories of civil rights demonstrations by African Americans and civil rights workers in the south tell accounts of passive resistance and nonviolent protest. They tell accounts of African Americans being neglected and ignored in restaurants, verbally abused for being out of “their neighborhoods”, and beaten and arrested for speaking up or acting out against such grave injustices. They were further repressed by the fact that the police, prosecutors, judges, mayors, and even governors of southern areas not only turned a blind eye to newly enacted civil rights legislation but also actively participated in ensuring the continued suppression of African American acceptance. This complete segregation from society and lack of protection under the law naturally spawned groups of African Americans who decided that the only protection they were going to get was the protection they provided for themselves. They began to arm themselves, forming small bands that set out to protect civil rights demonstrators and retaliate against racist acts. One such group was the Deacons for Defense and Justice in Louisiana. In his book Crossing Border Street Peter Jan Honigsberg tells of his experiences with the Deacons while working as a civil rights worker in Louisiana. Becoming deeply immersed into African American culture Honigsberg learns what it means to be black and living in the south during the civil rights movement. Furthermore he reveals some of the motivations of white individuals who participated in the movement. One of the early scenes in the book that breaks the mold of passive resistance is of Honigsberg’s first trip into Bogalusa. He describes pulling over to the side of the road and seeing two cars, each of which was occupied by several black men with “their rifles pointed straight ahead” (Border Street, p. 24). This was not a unique welcome however, as it was a regular occurrence. Each and every time Honigsberg made the trip into Bogalusa he was escorted by at least one car with armed occupants. The car was occupied by members of the Deacons for Defense and Justice. Their duty was to defend the black community. They were formed in response to “intimidation, harassment, and beatings of black demonstrators and picketers” (Border Street, p. 27). Given that not much was done to curb the violence on the part of the local law enforcement a group like the Deacons was the only obvious force able to maintain some level of protection.

More about Crossing Border Street by Peter Honigsberg

Open Document