Unsung Hero: Elbert Williams, First NAACP Official Killed For Civil Rights Involvement

0 Posted by - November 27, 2023 - BLACK MEN, BLACK POWER, CIVIL RIGHTS

For years, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has worked to ensure people of color have the rights they deserve. Though the organization’s goal has been an admirable one, their fight for equal rights has led to the death of many blacks who believed in their cause, including Elbert Williams, who was the first NAACP member to be killed.

Williams was born in Haywood County, Tennessee on October 15, 1908. In 1929, after marrying his wife Annie Mitchell, the couple moved to Brownsville where they worked in the laundry business. Years later, in 1939, the two would become charter members of the Brownsville NAACP Branch and began their journey fighting the battle for civil rights.

That following year, things escalated between whites and leaders of the NAACP branch which Williams and his wife belonged. An incident that occurred in May of 1940 was a huge catalyst for the whites to start kidnapping black leaders in the area. Five members of the Brownsville NAACP branch attempted to register to vote. This angered the whites who began taking matters into their own hands.

Elbert Williams became a target when he was overhead planning for a NAACP meeting at his home. That same night, on June 20, Williams was taken from his home by two policemen and the manager of a local Coca-Cola bottling business. It was claimed that they only questioned him about the meeting and then released him, but Williams’s body was found three days later in the Hatchie River. He had been shot twice in the chest.

Following the discovery of Williams’s body, authorities ordered that he be buried without a funeral and the cause of death being labeled as “unknown.” The case was closed in 1942 after the Us Department of Justice reversed its decision to present the case to a federal grand jury.

The US Department of Justice initially ordered the case presented to a federal grand jury, but mysteriously reversed itself and closed the case in early 1942. Thurgood Marshall, then special counsel to the NAACP, gathered evidence in Brownsville and became a lifelong critic of the Justice Department’s failure to prosecute Mr. Williams’ assailants. A local grand jury ruled that Williams’s death was due to “foul violence at the hand of parties unknown.”

To this day, it has yet to be discovered who really murdered Elbert Williams.

Source: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/williams-elbert-1908-1940

7 Comments

  • True Light Warrior November 30, 2017 - 5:47 pm

    Yes, after humble beginnings in Canada, affiliates of the N.A.A.C.P. suffered unwarranted persecution 4 opposing Republican Federalists like (1) George Washington (2) John Adams and Donald Trumps boy friend (11) Stonewall Jackson.

    Additionally, and surprisingly, affiliates of the N.A.A.C.P. also suffered unwarranted persecution at the hands of the Jeffersonians—I.e. Democrats like (3) Thomas Jeffersof white Americans don’t know that if they hav been the victim of reverse discrimination, thet can also e N.A.A.C.P. Strom Thurman and the white Democratic Southern Christian Preacher’s Association.

    One misperception of the N.A.A.C.P. is that it is an organization that’s only 4 Black Americans.

    A lot of white Americans don’t know that if they hav been the victim of reverse discrimination, they 2 can seek redress with the N.A.A.C.P.

    Example, in Chicago during the 2016 Presidential Election, sum racist African American Neegroes in their 20’s kidnapped & tortured an autistic 18 yr old white guy.

    As reported, the racist African American Neegroes accosted the (autistic) white teenager bcuz, the autistic white youth was exercising his right 2 wear a Donald Trump shirt and hat, and was on his way 2 vote 4 the candidate of his choice.

    But the racist African American Neegroes knowingly, purposefully, wilfully and intentionally decided they were above the law like the K.K.K.

    So like the racist K.K.K. would kidnap, torture, raepe, rob, murder and try 2 intimidate Black Americans from voting, the racist African American Neegroes had an impromptu meeting of their minds 2 commit the crime of denying the autistic white teenager his Bill of Rights.

    And so, like the K.K.K. did 2 the African American Neegroes ancestors, the afore-mentioned racist African American Neegroes kidnapped & tortured an innocent autistic white teenager—as retaliation 4 the autistic white youth exercising his right 2 vote.

    The point being, if he wanted 2 the accosted (autistic) white teenager could hav sought redress with the N.A.A.C.P.

    That is, he could hav sued the racist African American Neegroes, just like then Alabama Attorney General Jeff Sessions sued and bankrupted the K.K.K. for kidnapping, torturing, murdering and denying Black Americans the right 2 vote.

    Like the name says, it’s the NAACP or the National Association for the Advancement of all black, brown, red, yellow and white Colored People.

    As all of u know, Black people come in 5 colors: black, brown, red, yellow and white.

    Likewise, humanity comes in 5 colors: black, brown, red, yellow and white.

    Thus, luv & hate comes in 5 colors.

    So that’s why the crier says, the 5 colors and the respondent says, they all blind the eye.

    Accordingly, the African American Neegroes should be prosecuted 4 engaging in the same unlawful conduct as the K.K.K.

    NOW u see why Black Americans don’t want 2b called an African American. It’s just like calling sum body a n-gger.

    Calling sum 1 an African i.e. annexed, joined together, added 2 by divide & conquer military tactics is a slur just like calling sum body a N-gger (ignorant).

    Neither are of, 4 and by the People. They are racist white slurs that came n2 existence AFTER sum racist white tribe unjustifiably attacked, raeped, robbed, murdered and enslaved sum innocent Black people.

    True that?

    Mau-auh Kirroo

    True of Voice. Justified!

  • True Light Warrior November 30, 2017 - 9:23 pm

    Yes, after humble beginnings in Canada, affiliates of the N.A.A.C.P. suffered unwarranted persecution 4 opposing Republican Federalists like (1) George Washington (2) John Adams and Donald Trumps boy friend (11) Stonewall Jackson.

    Additionally, and surprisingly, affiliates of the N.A.A.C.P. also suffered persecution at the hands of the Democrats like (3) Thomas Jefferson, Senator Strom Thurman and Alabama Governor George Wallace.

    One misperception of the N.A.A.C.P. is that it is an organization that’s only 4 Black Americans.

    A lot of everyday, working class white Americans don’t know that if they hav been the victim of reverse discrimination, they 2 can seek redress with the N.A.A.C.P.

    Example, in Chicago during the 2016 Presidential Election, sum racist African American Neegroes in their 20’s kidnapped & tortured an autistic 18 yr old white guy.

    As reported, the racist African American Neegroes accosted the (autistic) white teenager bcuz, the (autistic) white youth was wearing a Donald Trump hat, and was going 2 exercise his right 2 vote 4 the candidate of his choice.

    But just like the racist K.K.K. did 2 their ancestors, the racist African American Neegroes knowingly, purposefully, wilfully and intentionally decided they were above the law.

    So just like the racist K.K.K. would kidnap, intimidate, torture, raepe, rob, murder and try 2 dis-suade Black Americans from voting, the racist African American Neegroes 1st had an impromptu meeting of their minds 2 commit the crime of denying the (autistic) white teen his Bill of Rights.

    And so, with the exact same pre-disposition, stereo typing, bias, prejudice, seething malice and fore-thought that the K.K.K. acted under wen they raeped, robbed, murdered and enslaved the African American Neegroes ancestors, the afore-mentioned racist African American Neegroes acted with the same avarice 2 kidnap, intimidate and torture an innocent (autistic) white teenager—in retaliation 4 the (autistic) white youth exercising his right 2 vote.

    The point being, if he wanted 2 the accosted (autistic) white teenager could hav sought redress with the N.A.A.C.P.

    That is, he could hav sued the racist African American Neegroes, just like Alabama Attorney General Jeff Sessions sued &:bankrupted the K.K.K. for kidnapping, torturing, murdering and denying Black Americans the right 2 vote.

    Like the name says, it’s the NAACP or the National Association for the Advancement of all black, brown, red, yellow and white Colored People.

    As all of u know, Black people come in 5 colors: black, brown, red, yellow and white.

    Likewise, humanity comes in 5 colors: black, brown, red, yellow and white.

    Thus, luv & hate comes in 5 colors.

    So that’s why the crier says, the 5 colors and the respondent says, they all blind the eye.

    Accordingly, the African American Neegroes should and are being prosecuted 4 engaging in the same unlawful conduct as the K.K.K.

    Now all of u reading this post should be able 2c why Black Americans don’t want 2b called an African American.

    It’s like calling sumbody a N-gger.

    Calling sum 1 an African—i.e. an annexed, joined together, added 2 by divide & conquer Roman military tactics— is a slur, just like calling sumbody a N-gger (ignorant) is a slur.

    Neither are of, 4 and by the People. They are racist slurs that came n2 existence AFTER sum racist white tribe unjustifiably attacked, raeped, robbed, murdered and enslaved sum innocent Black people.

    True that?

    Mau-auh Kirroo

    True of Voice. Justified

  • True Light Warrior November 30, 2017 - 9:34 pm

    I had 2 repost bcuz my initial post got all garbled and incoherent while i was trying 2 post it.

    Hence, the above corrected post.

  • Erick Dean Tippett December 2, 2017 - 1:28 am

    One would think that after all these decades of degradation negroes would support the empowerment of
    themselves in their own communities at least in the north if not the south where there was so much violence
    waged against those particular kinds of activities that brought about this gentleman’s murder. Continuing
    to pass on to their children the use of the ‘N’ word in their everyday language, negative backbiting and other disgusting expressions of self hate now even in communities where they have been in the majority for over fifty years (Chicago’s Lawndale, Austin, and Englewood communities) continue to fail to heed the warnings of Dr. Carter G. Woodson as to what their plight would be if they failed to develop their own stores and business, establish mentoring orgs for their youth, and impart to them a proper work ethic. The blatant murders of Elbert Williams and even years later Medgar Evers merely represent horrid footnotes for a people who have failed to develop and abide by their own narrative and assert true equality through self excellence and an insistence upon self development, a sense of their own history, institutions, and the passing on to their own children the legacy, accomplishments, and names of these would be icons and heroes. “Mis-education of the
    Negro” by the brilliant Carter G. Woodson should be a conversation piece and daily read, discussed, and
    applied to the lives of young black children everyday even before they learn to read or write! They should
    not have to wait until years later to hear how racist whites have done this and racist whites have done that over the years with impunity and unpunished for those hideous acts they so boldly committed while the
    administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt turned its head the other way despite the impassioned and
    ever increasing pleadings of his own wife Eleanor whom (according to a History Channel documentary last year) FDR once publicly put in her place to silence her letting her know HE would do what HE wanted about
    such matters when HE felt like it!

    Erick Dean Tippett
    Retired Musician/Teacher
    Chicago, Illinois

  • True Light Warrior December 2, 2017 - 8:35 pm

    I agree with most of the things Mr. Tippett says. However, i disagree with his opposition 2 the use of the n-word as a term of endearment.

    To get a better understanding of wut i’m talking about, it woyld be a good idea to go back 2 wen the Black human race 1st came n2 existence, note our language idioms.

    Wen we do the above, we hav 2 note that in the beginning there were only Matriarchal Southern L0 dna, Nile Valley L1 dna, the Akintay or Western L2 dna, the N.E. Horn L3 dna, N.W. L4 dna, S.E. Mozambique L5 dna, the Great Lakes L6 dna and the Central L7 dna Black people on earth.

    The original Matriarchal, 100% pure Black Nile Valley L1 dna tongue in turn became the oldest written language.

    First in Nubia, where the oldest hieroglyphs are found, then in Egypt who expanded them.

    Thus, in the original Matriarchal, 100% pure Black Egyptian tongue, OUR fore-mothers etched in stone that we are the Kim-mau-ooh or the black people of the black earth.

    Our fore-mothers went on 2 etch in stone that we come from a place called KIMIT (Black) TAU (Land).

    It should further be noted that the original Matriarchal, 100% pure Black, L1 dna Egyptian tongue does not hav the “C” “L” or “V” consonant letters.

    Nor does the original Matriarchal, L1 dna 100% pure Black Egyptian tongue hav a soft “e” or an “eh” sound.

    Accordingly, there was no Africa, African, Africans or Africanus. No Negroes, Negras, Negrils, Negrittoes, N-ggers, Critters or Colored green eating people.

    These are all racist white slurs that came n2 existence AFTER sum white tribe attacked, raeped, robbed, murdered, enslaved and slurred sum innocent Black people.

    The sexually perverted Hollywierdoes then made Millions of dollars off movies that used these slurs in reference 2 our people.

    Consequently, i commanded the Rappers like Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Biggie Smalls and Jay-Z to take the n-word, turn it n2a term of endearment, and keep using the slur until we make as much muny off of it as the racist white Hollyweirdo’s hav.

    That may be 2 much power for 1 man 2 hav. But i got it and as u see i’m using that power 2 make this a more Perfect Union.

    After the Black community has made just as much muny off of the n-word as the racist white Hollyweirdos, i will then wave my hand in the air and society will never hear the slur again. as

    If you’re not enraged by the use of the n-word in all of the movies the racist Hollyweirdos hav made, then u would be a hypocrite 2 demand that the Rapper’s refrain from using the n-word, while u use all of the other slurs like Africa, African, Africans, Africanus, Negroe, Negra, Negril, Negrittoe and etc.

  • True Light Warrior December 2, 2017 - 10:53 pm

    I agree with most of the things Mr. Tippett says. However, i disagree with his opposition 2 the use of the n-word as a term of endearment.

    To get a better understanding of wut i’m talking about, it would be a good idea to go back 2 wen the Black human race 1st came n2 existence and note our language idioms, syntax and the original rules of grammar.

    Wen we do the above, we note that in the beginning, there were only Matriarchal Southern L0 dna, the Nile Valley L1 dna, the Akintay or Western L2 dna, N.E. Horn L3 dna, N.W. L4 dna, S.E. Mozambique L5 dna, Great Lakes L6 dna and the Central L7 dna Black people on earth.

    There are no other human lifeforms anywhere else on the planet.

    This proves there is only 1 race, and that’s the Black human race, and all others are just a subclade species of it.

    This pure objective, mathematical, factual and actual dna migration pattern also disproves the far-eastern philosophies that claim humanity originated from an ADOMA (ruddy red) ISH (man) named Adam.

    Anyway, as time went a marching on, the original Matriarchal, 100% pure Black Nile Valley L1 dna tongue became the oldest written language.

    First in Nubia—where the oldest hieroglyphs are found, then in Egypt—who expanded upon them.

    Thus, in the original Matriarchal, 100% pure Black Egyptian tongue, our fore-mothers etched in stone that we are the “Kim-mau-ooh” or the black people of the black earth.

    Our fore-mothers went on 2 etch in stone that we come from a place called KIMIT (Black) TAU (Land).

    It should further be noted that the original Matriarchal, 100% pure Black, L1 dna Egyptian tongue does not hav the “C” “L” or “V” consonant letters.

    Nor does the original Matriarchal, L1 dna 100% pure Black Egyptian tongue hav a soft “e” or an “eh” sound.

    Accordingly, in the beginning there was no Africa, African, Africans or Africanus. No Negroes, Negras, Negrils, Negrittoes, N-ggers, Critters or Colored (green eating) people.

    These are all racist slurs that only came n2 existence AFTER sum white tribe attacked, raeped, robbed, murdered, enslaved and slurred sum innocent Black people.

    Next, as all of u know, the sexually perverted Hollywierdos then made MILLIONS of dollars off movies that used these slurs in reference 2 the black people of the black earth.

    Consequently, i commanded Rappers like Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Biggie Smalls and Jay-Z to take the n-word, turn it n2a term of endearment, and keep using the slur, until the Black community has made just as much muny off of it as the racist Hollyweirdo’s hav.

    That may be 2 much power for 1 man 2 hav. But i got it, and as all of u see, i’m using that power 2 make this a more Perfect Union.

    After the Black community has made just as much muny off of the use of the n-word as the racist white Hollyweirdos hav, i will wave my hand in the air, and society will never, ever hear the slur again.

    My generation is tired of being told 2 sit down, be humble & obey your enslavers. So that won’t work anymore.

    If you’re not enraged by the use of the n-word in all of the movies the racist Hollyweirdos hav made, then u would be a hypocrite 2 demand that Rappers refrain from using the n-word, while u use all of the other slurs like Africa, African, Africans, Africanus, Negroe, Negra, Negril, Negrittoe and etc.

    Calling someone an African—an annexed, joined together, added to by divide & conquer Roman military tactics—is a slur, just like calling someone a N-gger (ignorant) is a slur.

    So who is the NAACP to demand that the n-word be stricken from our vocabulary, but they can use all of the other slurs racist white people made up?

    True Light Warrior

  • True Light Warrior December 2, 2017 - 11:09 pm

    I again had 2 repost my initial post bcuz, once again the initial post got all mangled and garbled up.

    Hence, my corrected repost.