Sanctuaries of Segregation : The Story of the Jackson Church Visit Campaign

Winner of the 2017 Eudora Welty Prize Sanctuaries of Segregation provides the first comprehensive analysis of the Jackson, Mississippi, church visit campaign of 1963-1964 and the efforts by segregationists to protect one of their last refuges. For ten months, integrated groups of ministers and laypeople attempted to attend Sunday worship services at all-white Protestant and Catholic churches in the state's capital city. While the church visit was a common tactic of activists in the early 1960s, Jackson remained the only city where groups mounted a sustained campaign targeting a wide variety of white churches. Carter Dalton Lyon situates the visits within the context of the Jackson Movement, compares the actions to church visits and kneel-ins in other cities, and places these encounters within controversies already underway over race inside churches and denominations. He then traces the campaign from its inception in early June 1963 through Easter Sunday 1964. He highlights the motivations of the various people and organizations, the interracial dialogue that took place on the church steps, the divisions and turmoil the campaign generated within churches and denominations, the decisions by individual congregations to exclude black visitors, and the efforts by the state and the Citizens' Council to thwart the integration attempts. Sanctuaries of Segregation offers a unique perspective on those tumultuous years. Though most churches blocked African American visitors and police stepped in to make forty arrests during the course of the campaign, Lyon reveals many examples of white ministers and laypeople stepping forward to oppose segregation. Their leadership and the constant pressure from activists seeking entrance into worship services made the churches of Jackson one of the front lines in the national struggle over civil rights. Sanctuaries Of Segregation: The Story Of The Jackson Church Visit Campaign Provides The First Comprehensive Analysis Of The Jackson, Mississippi, Church Visit Campaign Of 1963-1964 And The Efforts By Segregationists To Protect Their Final Sanctuary. For Ten Months, Integrated Groups Of Ministers And Laypeople Attempted To Attend Sunday Worship Services At All-white Protestant And Catholic Churches In The State's Capital City. While The Church Visit Was A Common Tactic Of Activists In The Early 1960s, Jackson Was The Only City Where Groups Mounted A Sustained Campaign Targeting A Wide Variety Of White Churches. Carter Dalton Lyon Situates The Visits Within The Context Of The Jackson Movement, Church Visits And Kneel-ins In Other Cities, And Controversies Over Race Within Churches And Denominations. He Then Traces The Campaign From Its Inception In Early June 1963 Through Easter Sunday 1964, Highlighting The Motivations Of The Various People And Organizations, The Interracial Dialogue That Took Place On The Church Steps, The Divisions And Turmoil Created Within Churches And Denominations By The Campaign, The Decisions By Individual Congregations To Exclude Black Visitors, And The Efforts By The State And The Citizens' Council To Thwart The Integration Attempts. Sanctuaries Of Segregation Provides A Unique Perspective Of How A Church Community And Individual Church People Reacted To Civil Rights Activists And The Movement As A Whole During Those Tumultuous Years.--provided By Publisher. When Integration Comes To Mississippi, It Will Enter Through The Front Doors Of Churches: 1954-60 -- Jackson Ministers Proclaiming Their Convictions: 1961-63 -- There Can Be No Color Bar In The House Of God: Spring 1963 -- I Began To Have A Little Hope: June 1963 -- The Christian Church Is Down The Road: Summer 1963 -- Saving The Churches From Integration: August-october 1963 -- We Knew Strength And We Knew Peace: October 1963 -- Betraying Jackson: Late October-early November, 1963 -- Behind The Magnolia Curtain: November-december 1963 -- Jackson Has Become A Symbol Of Our Common Sin: Winter 1964 -- Easter In Jackson: March 1964 -- The Nation Needs Our Witness Now: April 1964 -- The Church Needs A Scapegoat: 1964-73 -- Afterword: Doing A Little Something To Pave The Way For Others. Carter Dalton Lyon. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.