In the late 1940s, Knoxville's black community faced various challenges and experiences. They ranged from a Ku Klux Klan cross-burning on Lay Avenue to student demonstrations at Knoxville College for the firing of a popular professor. There were discussions about closing the Ethel Beck Home for Colored Orphans. And there were sometimes controversial efforts to improve Carl Cowan Park in West Knox County.
The News Sentinel of June 18, 1946, reported that city detectives believed that the KKK was responsible for the burning of a cross in the 2600 block of Lay Avenue the night before. "Detectives Floyd Raley and Henry Morris investigated, and the former said he was told that the demonstration was the result of a Negro's planning to build a group of houses in the vicinity. The cross, about 10 feet tall and wrapped in soaked flammable rags, was burned near the former Booker T. Washington Park," the item stated.
At the time, it was reported that the Knoxville Klavern of the KKK had a membership of 500 to 600. A former exalted cyclops, J.T. Lewis, said he got out of the organization in November 1945 because of trouble over membership. "I had a man thrown out of the organization because he had caused trouble in the name of the Klan," he said.
The Knoxville Council of Community Agencies on June 21, 1947, recommended that the Ethel Beck Home be discontinued and that "its work be absorbed by the Negro unit of John Tarleton Institute." At the time, the Beck Home, which had been established in 1919, had 14 children.
The three-member Knox County Commission and the Knox County Parks Board wrangled over who had the authority to let a contract for the digging of a well "at the Lowe's Ferry Pike Negro Park area" in January 1949. It seems that the matter was "settled peaceably after Squires Bob Knott and Harley Bittle spoke strongly about the board getting the 'runaround' on the matter."
Almost a year later, the Knoxville Journal of Dec. 21, 1949, reported that the "U.S. Army Engineers' district office in Nashville is considering County Park Board's request for construction of a breakwater and float at Carl Cowan Park near Lowe's Ferry. The float will accommodate fishing and recreational boats, and the 200-foot breakwater will protect the cove from wave action." Meanwhile, things were a bit more turbulent at Knoxville College. The News Sentinel of May 19, 1949, reported that classes were "suspended indefinitely — authorities act as students protest firing of teacher." Vice President John M. Frazier said the student unrest began with the firing of popular professor the Rev. E.A. Paul, a middle-aged teacher of religion.
Quoted students said, "President J. Reed Miller asked Paul to resign. The only reason given for that request is that Mr. Paul is not a graduate of Xenia Seminary in Pittsburgh." Although Paul was reluctant to discuss the situation, he confirmed that, adding that he "is a graduate of Knoxville College, Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta and Northwestern University."
The 250-plus student body met in the college chapel and voted to hold demonstrations. They painted signs on the school buildings reading "We want Paul" and "We want Paul; Frazier can go." The paint was washed from the buildings, but students vowed to continue their protests. Classes were discontinued on orders from the executive committee of the Board of Trustees in Pittsburgh. "Classes will be resumed as soon as the demonstrations cease completely," they said.
Robert J. Booker is a freelance writer and former executive director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. He may be reached at 546-1576.