Hattiesburg in Forrest County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

Taking our Rightful Place in History / We Honor These 15 Brave Men Who Filed The Voting Rights Case

Taking our Rightful Place in History Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, June 24, 2021

1. Taking our Rightful Place in History Marker

Inscription.

Taking our Rightful Place in History, also, We Honor These 15 Brave Men Who Filed The Voting Rights Case. . Taking our Rightful Place in History The Birthplace of the Voting Rights Movement in Mississippi Rev. I.C. Peay et al. vs. Luther Cox. , It was here on Mobile Street at various businesses that 15 African- American Men regularly met and donated their personal money to retain a local White Attorney to represent them in the U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg in the first Voting Rights Case filed in the State of Mississippi. This lawsuit was filed on April 11, 1950. against the Forrest County Circuit Clerk Luther Cox for refusing to register them as Voters. The case of the 15 Petitioners was dismissed by the U.S. District Court on October 13, 1950, and they appealed their case to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A favorable decision was rendered on June 21, 1951, by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals thereby reversing the dismissal by the U.S. District Court and the Court ruled that the Petitioners could only be required to Read or Interpret a section of the Mississippi Constitution and they should not be required to do both., We honor these 15 brave men who filed the voting rights case: Rev. Isaac C. Peay - Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church Mr. Benjamin F. Bourn - Owner of Bourn Grocery Mr. Rufus Howze - Owner of Whitney's Grocery and Williams Cleaners Mr. Ratio Jones - Educator/Teacher at Eureka School Dr. Charles W. Smith - Physician Rev. Johnnie H. Mayes - Pastor of Sweet Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. Charlemagne P. Payne - Pastor of St. Paul Methodist Church Dr. Theodore J. Fykes - Dentist Mr. Joe Knox, Sr. - Retired/Farmer Mr. Milton Barnes, Sr. - Owner of Barnes Cleaners and The High Hat Club Mr. Alfonso Clark - Owner of Clark Funeral Home Mr. Barry L. Neal - Retired Military Officer Dr. E. Hammond Smith - Pharmacist and owner of Smith Drug Store We honor the Southern White attorney who represented the 15 African-American men: Former Chancery Court Judge T. Price Dale, We honor the appeal bond sureties: Mr. Frank Williams - Owner of Williams' Grocery Mr. Paul J. Weston - Relator and Owner of OK Cleaners Mr. McKinley W. Jones - Railroad Laborer Dr. L.A. Nash - Dentist

Taking our Rightful Place in History
The Birthplace of the Voting Rights Movement in Mississippi
Rev. I.C. Peay et al. vs. Luther Cox

It was here on Mobile Street at various businesses that 15 African- American Men regularly met and donated their personal money to retain a local White Attorney to represent them in the U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg in the first Voting Rights Case filed in the State of Mississippi. This lawsuit was filed on April 11, 1950. against the Forrest County Circuit Clerk Luther Cox for refusing to register them as Voters. The case of the 15 Petitioners was dismissed by the U.S. District Court on October 13, 1950, and they appealed their case to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A favorable decision was rendered on June 21, 1951, by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals thereby reversing the dismissal by the U.S. District Court and the Court ruled that the Petitioners could only be required to Read or Interpret a section of the Mississippi Constitution and they should not be required to do both.

We honor these 15 brave men who filed the voting rights case:
Rev. Isaac C. Peay - Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Mr. Benjamin F. Bourn - Owner of Bourn Grocery
Mr. Rufus Howze - Owner of Whitney's Grocery &

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Williams Cleaners
Mr. Ratio Jones - Educator/Teacher at Eureka School
Dr. Charles W. Smith - Physician
Rev. Johnnie H. Mayes - Pastor of Sweet Pilgrim Baptist Church
Rev. Charlemagne P. Payne - Pastor of St. Paul Methodist Church
Dr. Theodore J. Fykes - Dentist
Mr. Joe Knox, Sr. - Retired/Farmer
Mr. Milton Barnes, Sr. - Owner of Barnes Cleaners & The High Hat Club
Mr. Alfonso Clark - Owner of Clark Funeral Home
Mr. Barry L. Neal - Retired Military Officer
Dr. E. Hammond Smith - Pharmacist and owner of Smith Drug Store
We honor the Southern White attorney who represented the 15 African-American men:
Former Chancery Court Judge T. Price Dale

We honor the appeal bond sureties:
Mr. Frank Williams - Owner of Williams' Grocery
Mr. Paul J. Weston - Relator & Owner of OK Cleaners
Mr. McKinley W. Jones - Railroad Laborer
Dr. L.A. Nash - Dentist

Erected 2020 by Attorney Glenda F. Funchess.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights. A significant historical date for this entry is April 11, 1950.

Location. 31° 20.047′ N, 89° 17.392′ W. Marker is in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in Forrest County. Marker is on Mobile Street

We Honor These 15 Brave Men Who Filed The Voting Rights Case Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, June 24, 2021

2. We Honor These 15 Brave Men Who Filed The Voting Rights Case Marker

north of East 5th Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 508 Mobile St, Hattiesburg MS 39401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Rev. W.D. Ridgeway (within shouting distance of this marker); A Bench By The Road (within shouting distance of this marker); J.B. Woods Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Roots of Rock and Roll (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Eureka School (about 400 feet away); East 6th Street USO Club (approx. 0.2 miles away); St. Paul Methodist Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pittman Park (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hattiesburg.

Also see . . . 15 men stood up for voting rights in Mississippi. Now they will be honored 70 years later. Article on the Hattiesburg American site, dated October 1, 2020. (Submitted on December 4, 2020.)

Taking our Rightful Place in History / We Honor These 15 Brave Men Who Filed The Voting Rights Case Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, June 24, 2021

3. Taking our Rightful Place in History / We Honor These 15 Brave Men Who Filed The Voting Rights Case Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 22, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 4, 2020. This page has been viewed 420 times since then and 29 times this year. Last updated on June 13, 2021, by Glenda F. Funchess of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Photos: 1. submitted on December 4, 2020, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. 2. submitted on June 9, 2021, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. 3. submitted on June 24, 2021, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.