“In another article in the Greenwood Voice, Dick Gregory was quoted as saying, ‘I think you are doing a wonderful job here, I think its equal to Germany Berlin, Japan, Korea, in fact we should suppress all of that because it leaves a bad taste in my mouth to know that tomorrow I may be called to any of the 4 corners of the world to leave my family and perhaps losing my life, and fighting for here in Mississippi.’ Gregory was quoted further: ‘It’s illegal for the Agriculture Department to pick up the tab for the distribution of commodities here in Leflore County. I think it should be done double in the rest of the country because Mississippi has been a bad boy.’

“During the period of the marches to the Court House the mayor issued daily statements to the media. On April 1, 1963, a statement read: ‘The City Council is pleased that the great majority of Greenwood’s local colored citizens refused to take part in the silly, noisy demonstrations that have lately disturbed the people of this city. The Council desires to express its gratification at the good sense shown by most of our colored citizens in not supporting the professional colored trouble-makers from other states who have been trying to create violence in Greenwood.'”