Hate in Apopka, Orange, Florida, USA

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Apopka, Orange, Florida, United States
Surnames/tags: Womack, Moore, Tucker, Talkton, Limpus, Dunnaway, Reisner, Harpole, Starr, Coleman, Warren Apopka Ku Klux Klan, Hate Crimes, Racial Hate, Ethnic Hate, NAACP, Grand Jury, Klan,

Contents 1 Hate in Apopka, Orange, Florida, USA 1.1 Melvin Womack 1.2 Union Organizer Beaten 1.3 Creamery at Church Street and Orange Blossom Trail 1.4 Christmas Bombing of Civil Rights Leaders Home 1.5 Grand Jury Hearings 2 Sources

Hate in Apopka, Orange, Florida, USA

Racial and ethnic hate groups thrive and die over time as people perceive the need for power. The Ku Klux Klan flourished in Apopka at various times in the history of the community. There are stories in our in newspapers, books, and even grand jury minutes documenting Apopka KKK crimes from Gulf Coast to Mims, Florida and Orange County down to Dade County.

Klan members in the early 1950s included a county commissioner (John Talton), the clerk of the court (Charles Limpus), a justice of the peace (Pete Tucker, Winter Garden), Apopka's police chief(s) (William Dunnaway, Fred Reisner), Winter Park's city manager (Earl Y. Harpole), and then-Sheriff Dave Starr, according to sworn statements given to the FBI. Others included Mose Bryant former Ocoee councilman and marshal, constable Harvey Reisner, and deputy sheriff P. C. Coleman. Obviously getting justice was difficult. Even then Governor Fuller Warren was a member.^[1][2]

Melvin Womack

Melvin Womack (abt.1924-1951) was a grove worker in West Orange County, Florida, USA. He became famous for his tragic and horrific death due to mistaken identity at the hands of several members of the infamous Apopka Ku Klux Klan.^[3]

Melvin Womack, West Orange County Negro, died of bullet wounds March 31, 1951, after allegedly being abducted by four white men March 28.

Womack was found in an orange grove off the Black Lake Rd (in the Stomping Grounds) and died of five buckshot wounds. No arrests have been made in the slaying.^[4]

Grand Jury hearings were held but no justice was received.

Union Organizer Beaten

A Black man attempting to unionize his fellow workers at an Apopka crate manufacturing company was abducted and taken to the Stomping Grounds. He was abused resulting in permanent scarring on his back.

His case was also presented at the Miami Grand Jury Hearings by the US Attorney General.

Creamery at Church Street and Orange Blossom Trail

On 1 Nov 1951, the Klan dynamited a ice creamery, Creamette, at Orange Blossom Trail and Church Street, Orlando, Florida, USA. The store had been serving allowing Black patrons to purchase products at the Whites-Only window after the KKK had warned them to stop.

Christmas Bombing of Civil Rights Leaders Home

On the night of 25 Dec 1951 Civil Rights leader Harry Tyson and Harriette Vyda (Simms) Moore were at home. Their Mims, Brevard, FL home was bombed with three pounds of dynamite on their 25th wedding anniversary. He was the first civil rights leader killed in the United States. Harriett died nine days later.^[5]

Grand Jury Hearings

The National Association of Colored People (NAACP) became involved. A grand jury convened in October of 1952 and June of 1953. Six Orange County Klan members including Harry Reisner were indicted for perjury in another case during the hearings but but the charges were thrown out when a judge ruled the FBI lacked jurisdiction to investigate what amounted to state crimes. '^[6]

It took the killing of the Civil Rights leaders, the Moores, to spur the FBI to investigate and unhood 300 KKK members.

Sources

1. ↑ Newspapers Clip: 235501637
2. ↑ Newspapers Clip: 235493799
3. ↑ Newspapers Clip: 222453466
4. ↑ Newspapers Clip: 222453466
5. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/30148758
6. ↑ Newspapers Clip: 235501637