Warren Folks Dies

urbanlibertarian · November 15, 2011, 11:09:54 AM

Known to many as Warren "White" Folks, he was one of Jacksonville's more...uh...colorful citizens. I recall when he would be running for some political office, seeing him driving around in a station wagon with big speakers on top, explaining his...uh...political views.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-11-15/story/warren-folks-1920-2011-retired-barber-was-jacksonvilles-face-segregation

duvaldude08 · November 15, 2011, 11:26:25 AM

Wow I had never heard of him but...Exactly what Jacksonville did NOT need. As hard as it is to say... rest in peace.

Wacca Pilatka · November 15, 2011, 12:54:20 PM

There is a nice anecdote at the end of Rodney Hurst's "It Was Never About A Hot Dog And A Coke" where Dr. Hurst states that Folks (who had made some extremely racist statements about Dr. Hurst specifically) came to him to apologize and extend a hand in friendship. I hope that that gesture was sincere and reflective of a legitimate pattern of repentance.

duvaldude08 · November 15, 2011, 01:05:08 PM

Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on November 15, 2011, 12:54:20 PM
There is a nice anecdote at the end of Rodney Hurst's "It Was Never About A Hot Dog And A Coke" where Dr. Hurst states that Folks (who had made some extremely racist statements about Dr. Hurst specifically) came to him to apologize and extend a hand in friendship. I hope that that gesture was sincere and reflective of a legitimate pattern of repentance.

I have that book. I only read it once though. I dont even remember that part.

I-10east · November 15, 2011, 03:24:50 PM

Quote from: duvaldude08 on November 15, 2011, 11:26:25 AM
Wow I had never heard of him but...Exactly what Jacksonville did NOT need. As hard as it is to say... rest in peace.

Well said. His mug on the link, you can just see all of that pented up racial hate in his eyes. He look like the type that would've said "Woogie Boogie N****, Woogie Boogie!!!" LOL

Dashing Dan · November 15, 2011, 04:11:02 PM

His role in Axe Handle Saturday should be more widely acknowledged. I'm pretty sure that he was one of those who were handing out axe handles, or at least baseball bats. If you don't name the bad guys, then I think that you're letting them off a little too easy.

Wacca Pilatka · November 15, 2011, 06:21:51 PM

Quote from: Dashing Dan on November 15, 2011, 04:11:02 PM
His role in Axe Handle Saturday should be more widely acknowledged. I'm pretty sure that he was one of those who were handing out axe handles, or at least baseball bats. If you don't name the bad guys, then I think that you're letting them off a little too easy.

He did a lot of repugnant things after Axe Handle Saturday too.

Dashing Dan · November 15, 2011, 09:13:27 PM

When I lived here in the Seventies Warren Folks was a well known public figure. When I came back eight years ago it was as if Warren Folks had never existed. I don't know what that means but it must mean something.

In terms of how they made themselves into known public figures, what Warren Folks did in Jacksonville wasn't much different from what Lester Maddox did up in Atlanta, except that after Maddox became a public figure, he was elected governor of Georgia and then ran for president.