UNDER THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAW

KNOX, TODD

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 8/30/2005 at 20:09:23

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa
Thursday, May 13, 1909

"SHOCK" KNOX has entered suit against the management of the Temple Theatre,
in this city, for $1000, under the civil rights bill of the state. MR. KNOX
purchased a ticket and went into the theatre and took a seat in the audience
As he is supposed to be a Negro he was asked to take a seat in that part
of the room assigned to colored people. This he refused to do when an
officer went to him and asked him to retire from the room, which he did. He
now brings action against the management on the grounds that he had a right
to sit where he pleased and that Iowa guaranteed equal rights to all
citizens without regard to "Race, color or previous condition of servitude,"
and the action of the theatre management is humiliating to him to the above
amount .

Mr. Todd, the manager, said on Monday, that he had not looked into the case
but would do so later, and meet the issue. He admitted that the theatre was
not a private amusement place, but that it was licensed by the town council,
and came under public control. KNOX claims to be a Caucasian and has not
the appearance of a Negro but at the same time has always passed as a son of
JAMES KNOX, the mulatto, who recently died in this city.

J.A. Campbell and E.H. Storie have taken KNOX's case and will fight it
through the courts. "While we do not have to depend on the "color line,"
said Mr. Campbell, "yet we will defy anyone to prove that there is a drop of
Negro blood in MR. KNOX's veins. However, he has the rights of any other
citizen whether there is or not. Some states provide for the separation of
the races in public houses, railroad cars etc., but it is not the case in
this state. There is simply no distinction made."
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
August 13, 2005
iggy29@rnetinc.net
'A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot'.