Louisiana Mayor Promises Repeal of Segregation Ordinances

May 23, 1965 - Mayor Jesse Cutrer Jr. (pictured) of Bogalusa, La., promised today in a radio address that all city ordinances requiring segregation would be repealed and the city would hire Negroes for the police force and possibly for other departments of the city government.

“Everyone must recognize,” the Mayor said, “the fact that Federal laws supersede city and state laws in the field of civil rights of all citizens.”

The Mayor’s policy statement apparently resulted from a meeting last Sunday between city officials and the Negro Bogalusa Civic and Voters League, the local affiliate of CORE. The meeting was arranged by three volunteer mediators with the approval of Governor John McKeithen.

Negroes have demanded installation of sewage and water lines in their neighborhoods. Cutrer said the commission council would take steps to see that this was done.

He also said the police would enforce laws fairly without regard to race.

“Anyone, white or Negro, who attempts to violate the rights of another or cause bodily harm will be promptly arrested, charged, and prosecuted,” he said.

Cutrer said if any police officer failed to do this, he should be reported, and appropriate steps would be taken.

He again apologized for an attack on a newspaper photographer last week at a city park where Negroes had planned a demonstration.

“While these changes may seem drastic to some, let me assure you they are not,” he said. “What your commission is doing now has been done by government authorities in many other Louisiana cities and, in some instances, many years ago.”

An hour after the Mayor spoke, James Farmer, national director of CORE, told 500 cheering Negroes crowded inside and outside a Baptist church that they were on the threshold of the “greatest breakthrough in any Southern city in the past five years.”

“I think you are going to win total citizenship,” he declared. Farmer said the Mayor had “fine words and we must applaud them.”

“Now we must see to it that the deeds follow the words,” he said. “The fight is not ended — the most difficult part is ahead. You must hold your movement together.”

Earlier today, the police arrested two white men at the church where Farmer was to speak. 

Police Chief Claxton Knight said the two men had a two-gallon can of gasoline in their car. He said one of them, Richard Krebs, 25, had confessed they planned to set fire to the structure. Arrested with Krebs was Willis Blackwell, 40. Both men are from Bogalusa.

Both men were arrested and charged with attempted aggravated arson.

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