[AGL] Theater stand-ins in Austin 1961 or so

[michele mason]

Hi Michael, Sorry I haven't checked on uze guys. Distant seems to  
describe my world these days.
Hope all is well. And, as I answered Fontaine's note, Yes, we did  
picket. mm

On Jul 17, 2010, at 11:51 AM, Michael Eisenstadt wrote:


> What was the name of the cafeteria on Congress & 9th

> (where Chipotle is now)? It was a chain headquartered

> in Louisiana and was segrated until the Civil Rights act

> was passed. I don't remember it being picketed but maybe

> it was.

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: "Fontaine Maverick" <fontainem at att.net>

> To: "Frances Morey" <frances_morey at yahoo.com>; "survivors'  

> reminiscences

> about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 60s" <austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

> Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2010 8:34 AM

> Subject: Re: [AGL] Theater stand-ins in Austin 1961 or so

>

>

>> This is interesting. I hadn't remembered that about the Night  

>> Hawk. In the

> sixth

>> grade (58?), I went to Woolworth's for grilled cheese before the  

>> movie at

> the

>> Paramount or State & didn't even notice that neither was  

>> integrated. As a

> 12

>> year old from San Antonio, I was blissfully unaware of the  

>> "colored only"

>> restrooms on the outskirts of Austin. Took a greyhound down to  

>> Lockhart to

> see

>> my recently transplanted best friend and was shocked to see one as  

>> I gazed

> out

>> of the bus. Woke me the hell up. It wasn't much later that my mom  

>> started

> taking

>> me to the Varsity stand-ins.

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> ________________________________

>> From: Frances Morey <Frances_Morey at yahoo.com>

>> To: survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 60s

>> <austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

>> Sent: Sat, July 17, 2010 12:36:59 AM

>> Subject: Re: [AGL] Theater stand-ins in Austin 1961 or so

>>

>>

>> Harry Akins as mayor had a meeting with the other restaurant  

>> owners and

> told

>> them that if they all integrate their facilities at the same time  

>> then

> there

>> would be no grounds for singling out any one of them to effectively

> boycott over

>> the issue. They saw the logic of that and the public accommodations

> ordinance

>> passed and the restaurants were integrated overnight. That's the  

>> story I

>> remember.

>> Best,

>> Frances

>>

>>

>>

>> ________________________________

>> From: Michael Eisenstadt <mike.eisenstadt at gmail.com>

>> To: survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 60s

>> <austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

>> Sent: Fri, July 16, 2010 4:27:06 PM

>> Subject: Re: [AGL] Theater stand-ins in Austin 1961 or so

>>

>> I arrived in Austin only in 1963. I do remember participating in

>> a protest at a gas station on the drag which did not serve

>> African-Americans. At that time Harry Akins' Night Hawk

>> restaurants were the ONLY integrated restaurants. The

>> next year, spring 1964, the City Council considered but

>> did not pass an equal access ordinance. Their excuse was

>> that Congress was working on Civil Rights laws which indeed

>> were passed that year, forced through Congress by then

>> Pres. LBJ.

>>

>> Mike eisenstadt

>>

>> ----- Original Message -----

>> From: "Jim McCulloch" <mcculloch at mail.utexas.edu>

>> To: <austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>

>> Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 10:39 PM

>> Subject: [AGL] Theater stand-ins in Austin 1961 or  so

>>

>>

>>> Chandler Davidson is arranging a reunion in December of people who

>>> participated in the standins.  Some members of the list may have

>>> participated, and if Chandler has not  contacted you and you  

>>> would be

>>> interested in such a reunion, you can reach Chandler at fcd at rice.edu

>>>

>>> As I understand it, the reunion would be in Austin.

>>>

>>> --Jim McCulloch

>