Sweet Willie Wine's Walk Against Fear #3

Fifty years ago, for four days between August 20 and 24, 1969, Lance Watson (alias Sweet Willie Wine), leader of Memphis black power group the Invaders, led a walk against fear along across eastern Arkansas from West Memphis to Little Rock. Once out of the media spotlight, Watson felt the full repercussions of his actions. On August 26, hundreds of whites in Forrest City began picketing City Hall demanding an end to demonstrations. The crowd attacked Watson, a local newspaper reporter, and a local radio announcer. Watson was taken to Little Rock with a broken elbow and various cuts and bruises. He pledged to return to Forrest City to hold a “freedom rally” on September 14. Three hundred blacks turned up but Watson was absent under threat of arrest.