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Racial Violence in Cambridge, Maryland

May 11, 1964 - National Guardsmen hurled tear gas tonight to turn back several hundred stone-throwing Negroes who were demonstrating after a primary-campaign appearance in Cambridge, Md., by George Wallace, segregationist Governor of Alabama.

The demonstration was the second of the night and followed a fiery speech by Wallace before a wildly enthusiastic audience of about 1,200 persons. In his address, Wallace urged his listeners to vote for him in the Maryland Presidential primary next Tuesday as a protest against the civil rights bill now before Congress.

His 50-minute speech was interrupted by cheers and applause 35 times. There were none of the jeers and boos he has often experienced in his campaigning in the North — except when he mentioned U.S. Senator Daniel Brewster of Maryland, his opponent in the Maryland primary.

Thirteen demonstrators were arrested in the second protest march. They included Mrs. Gloria Richardson, Cambridge protest leader, and two of her young assistants. Seven persons were injured.

Neither demonstration was witnessed by Wallace, who left Cambridge soon after his address.

After having broken up the second protest, National Guard patrols with fixed bayonets went into Cambridge’s Second Ward, the Negro section, where the two marches had originated, and drove all Negroes off the streets.

Nearly 400 Guardsmen, more than 50 state policemen, and the 18-man police force of this Eastern Shore community of 12,000 had been mobilized and deployed for the Governor’s visit.

Cambridge has been under modified martial law since last June 8 because of racial disturbances. Demonstrations have been prohibited.



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