Disir
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One of the people who took up Dr King’s call was Jonathan Daniels – a seminarian at the Episcopal Theological School (ETS) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
On 14 August 1965, Daniels was with a group of 29 protestors who were picketing “whites only” stores in Fort Deposit, Alabama. All were arrested and taken to the nearby town of Hayneville. A group of five juveniles were released the next day but the others, including Daniels, were held in custody until 20 August, when they were released.
While they waited for transport to take them back to Fort Deposit, Daniels, along with Father Richard Morrisroe, a white Roman Catholic priest and two black female activists – 17-year-old Ruby Sales and Joyce Bailey – went to one of the local shops to buy some drinks.
The Varner's Cash Store was one of the few shops in the area that didn’t impose a “whites only” policy; but as they approached the store they were blocked by volunteer Special Deputy Tom Coleman who threatened the group.
Coleman pointed his shotgun at Ruby Sales; but before he could fire his shot, Daniels pushed the girl to the ground and shielded her – taking the full force of the shot. He was killed instantly. Father Morrisroe and Joyce Bailey ran away from the scene, but Coleman fired another shot, hitting Morrisroe in the back causing severe injuries.
There was largescale public outcry over the shooting; and deep shock that a white unarmed trainee priest could be shot and killed by a policeman for protecting an unarmed girl. Coleman was charged with manslaughter but claimed self-defence and was cleared by the all-white jury.
Remembering Jonathan Daniels - the white seminarian martyred in the cause of black rights
I didn't realize that he was one of 15 considered martyred by the Episcopalian church in America in the 20th century.
The events take place in a couple of weeks.
On 14 August 1965, Daniels was with a group of 29 protestors who were picketing “whites only” stores in Fort Deposit, Alabama. All were arrested and taken to the nearby town of Hayneville. A group of five juveniles were released the next day but the others, including Daniels, were held in custody until 20 August, when they were released.
While they waited for transport to take them back to Fort Deposit, Daniels, along with Father Richard Morrisroe, a white Roman Catholic priest and two black female activists – 17-year-old Ruby Sales and Joyce Bailey – went to one of the local shops to buy some drinks.
The Varner's Cash Store was one of the few shops in the area that didn’t impose a “whites only” policy; but as they approached the store they were blocked by volunteer Special Deputy Tom Coleman who threatened the group.
Coleman pointed his shotgun at Ruby Sales; but before he could fire his shot, Daniels pushed the girl to the ground and shielded her – taking the full force of the shot. He was killed instantly. Father Morrisroe and Joyce Bailey ran away from the scene, but Coleman fired another shot, hitting Morrisroe in the back causing severe injuries.
There was largescale public outcry over the shooting; and deep shock that a white unarmed trainee priest could be shot and killed by a policeman for protecting an unarmed girl. Coleman was charged with manslaughter but claimed self-defence and was cleared by the all-white jury.
Remembering Jonathan Daniels - the white seminarian martyred in the cause of black rights
I didn't realize that he was one of 15 considered martyred by the Episcopalian church in America in the 20th century.
The events take place in a couple of weeks.
