Stokely Carmichael, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, was arrested following a black revolt September 6-in the ‘Summerhill slum of Atlanta, Georgia. Charged with "inciting a riot," his bail was set at $10,000.
"Mr. Carmichael is a political prisoner," James Forman, former head’ of SNCG, told the press. "He wants us to let him stay in jail." Carmichael was reportedly reading a book. He said he would refuse to put up bail and would remain in jail asa political prisoner. a
“The revolt broke out.when an Atlanta cop shot a fleeing Negro whom he claimed he "suspected" of stealing an automobile. The wounded man, 25-year~old:Louis Prather,. was, reported | in "poor. condition" in the hospital with two bullet. wounds.
Ghetto residents began mobilizing immediately after the _ incident of police brutality. "Black power," they chanted. "Police brutality. " They overturned a police car and smashed windows in others. When Mayor Ivan Allen, backed by squads of police, sought to calm the crowd, he was met with shouts of "White devil!"
The mood of the crowd was indicated by a bearded black speaker who mounted a police car. "The riots in Watts made people listen to their problems, " he shouted. "Atlanta needs to be treated the same way. Atlanta is just a cracker town."
When Stokely Carmichael arrived on the scene where Louis Prather had been shot, he reportedly said, "We're going to be back at-4 o'clock and tear this place up. hi
The police sought to suppress the demonstrators by force. They used tear gas but were met with volleys of bricks and bottles. The police scored one victory when they closed in on a home and threw tear gas into it. A mother, her five small children and her grandmother were forced out. The 22-year-old mother, nearly hyster- _ ical, was” taken with her family to a hospital.
The press reported that Georgia officials were going through the law books hunting for some way to bring still graver charges against the well-known advocate of black power..