Aug. 13, 1964 - Lester Maddox closed his restaurant doors against two Negroes today, angrily shouting that “the President, the Government, and the Communists” had put him out of business.
“You no-good, dirty devils. You’ve just put 66 persons out of a job. You dirty Communists,” Maddox screamed at the two Negroes trying to enter the Pickrick Restaurant, an Atlanta establishment which he owns.
Shortly after barring the Negroes, Maddox said the restaurant was “closed for good.” He vowed to continue his fight in the courts against the Civil Rights Law.
The Negroes were accompanied by two white men who identified themselves as agents for the FBI. However, the FBI denied its agents had served as escorts, although several were in the crowd.
One of the Negroes identified himself as Calvin Jones. The other refused to give his name.
The restaurant was doing a brisk business when the Negroes showed up today. A white man in a rocking chair by the door spotted them and yelled: “Lester, here they come again.”
Within seconds, Maddox had bounded to the door and was shouting at the Negroes, accusing them of being Communists.
“I’d like to know what a Communist is,” one of the Negroes said.
“You ought to know. Now, get out of here!” Maddox screamed.
To a reporter, Maddox said: “We’re closed for good. I can’t integrate. God forbid.
“The only thing I regret is that Bobby Kennedy could not come down here and get some chicken,” Maddox said. His restaurant specializes in skillet-fried chicken.
“We will continue to fight in court. Most of the people in the United States are against it [the Civil Rights Law.
“The President and the Government and the Communists closed the Pickrick. Not me — they did it.”
After today’s confrontation, Maddox hauled his restaurant’s public address system outside and lectured the crowd on the “evils of Communism.” he read from a well-thumbed Bible that he had placed on his improvised podium.
He slowly recited the Ten Commandments, giving his interpretation of each one and explaining how it affected present-day life and separation of the races. Occasionally he sobbed.
In a faltering voice, he told the crowd he would do everything he could to find jobs for his employees, Negro and white. Then he stopped and invited his employees to eat their regular meal. The crowd cheered.
Maddox said he and his wife had worked 17 years without a vacation to build the business, which he values at $450,000. He estimated he would lose $70,000 between now and the time his case went before the Supreme Court, probably in November.
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