 With his support, the Jaybirds ordered a list of certain blacks and Woodpecker officials out of the county, overthrowing the local government.The Jaybirds took over county offices and established a "white-only pre-primary," disenfranchising African Americans from the only competitive contests in the county.This device lasted until 1950, when Willie Melton and Arizona Fleming won a lawsuit against the practice in United States District Court, though it was overturned on appeal.