We all sought to press charges in different environments and Virginia was the only one that was able to. He served in the U.S. James Bevel - Wikipedia The two agreed to work together to end segregation, obtain voting rights, and to ensure quality education for ALL children in America. And I wanted so much for him, not just to be a grandfather for grandfather's sake, but for him to find healing in himself and to come to some peace in himself so that he could be a grandfather and father. In 1962 Bevel met with Rev. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). And I was always buffering between my father, I never let her be alone with him. Mr. Bevel had been released from prison in November because he had pancreatic cancer. The following day, when more students arrived at the church and started to walk to city hall, Eugene "Bull" Connor, City Commissioner of Public Safety, ordered that German Shepherd dogs and high-pressure fire hoses be used to stop them. He worked on a cotton plantation for a time as a youth and later in a steel mill. 3. MARTIN: One thing I want to point out is that one of the reasons that you decided to move forward with pressing charges is that there was a young woman in the house or a young girl in the house, with your father at the time your parents marriage had ended. [13] Six weeks later he died of cancer, at the age of 72, in Springfield, Virginia. And then also for us to go together, because we didn't grow up together. After a stint in the services, Bevel was called to the ministry and enrolled in the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee. That was very hard for me. In spite of everything, I was a happy kid, resilient, she says. Bevel was later instrumental in organizing the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., an event that was credited with helping to usher in the Voting Rights Act (1965). MARTIN: Aaralyn Mills tells her powerful story of rape and recovery in the pages of the Washington Post Magazine. Recently, Mills shared her story in the Washington Post Magazine, and she joins us now. But it's this idea that he was teaching all his daughters to look at the evils in the world and within men whatever - whoever the man was, whether it's your father or the guy next door or your husband. At the age of seventy-two, James Bevel had seen and experienced more than most men. Bevel was born in 1936 in Itta Bena, Mississippi, the son of Illie and Dennis Bevel. At that meeting, which had been suggested by James Lawson, Bevel and King agreed to work together on an equal basis, with neither having veto power over the other, on projects under the auspices of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The Rev. My childhood was isolated in terms of - I wasn't isolated in terms of I couldn't interact with people outside, or I didn't go to school but in terms of my father's teachings. And unfortunately not all of us are able to see the abuse even things that are obvious. SNCC had been conducting a Voting Rights Project (headed by Prathia Hall and Worth Long) since the early 1960s, meeting with violence in Alabama. Ms. MILLS: Yeah, that could be some, definitely can. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Associated Press generally does not identify the victims of sexual abuse. King asked Bevel to refrain from recruiting students, and Bevel instead said that he would organize the children to march to Washington D.C. to meet with Kennedy about segregation, and King agreed. You know, he would make that kind of analogy. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. During the trial, Bevel's daughter testified that she was repeatedly molested by Bevel beginning when she was just 6 years old, culminating in sexual intercourse in 1993 or 1994 that formed the basis of the incest charge. He was also the largely absent father, Orrin said, who molested her one night when she was 12. All rights reserved. In March 1965 protesters made a symbolic march, inspired by a fiery speech by Bevel at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, where much organizing was done. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Bevel died Friday in Virginia. They were severely penalized for missing work and were trying to support their families. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. And so, I had moved on and I had felt that my father perhaps - like it was my fault. And you describe this - I don't know what words to use, it's almost like a trial at - so you decided you should put him on trial, and then he defended himself in this, I don't even really know how to describe it. In May 2007, Bevel was arrested in Alabama on a charge of incest committed sometime between October 1992 and October 1994 in Loudoun County, Virginia. In 1961 James and Diane were married. At her father's recent funeral in an Alabama church, Chevara Orrin of Winston-Salem listened to one civil-rights veteran after another praise him. PDF Civil Rights Icon, Diane Nash, Sues Estranged Daughter For Improperly Related Videos Bloody Sunday (TV-14; 4:10) American civil rights leader and politician, American comedian and civil rights activist. [14], The Open Theater Movement, led by Bevel, had success in Nashville, the only city in the country where SCLC activists had organized such an action. You can cancel at any time. Ms. MILLS: Her - the exact statement was that I spelled molest wrong. A wild man from Itta Bena, Mississippi, Taylor Branch called him in Parting the Waters, the first volume of his history of the civil rights movement, a self-described example of the legendary chicken-eating, liquor-drinking, woman-chasing Baptist preacher.. MARTIN: I mean you were a very young girl when the abuse started. Anyone can read what you share. In a Post story chronicling Lieses decision to come forward about the abuse, she described a trauma room, where her father slid onto her bed fondling her. Liese formerly Mills before creating a new last name to replace her ex-husbands says she forgave and let go long before the trial. In March 1965, Mr. Bevel, a fiery orator, spoke at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma, Ala., the starting point of a symbolic march to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where demonstrators had been beaten two days earlier a day remembered as Bloody Sunday in a first attempt to march to Montgomery to protest discriminatory voting practices. Children of the Movement - amazon.com Bevel was in the parking lot of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis and witnessed King's assassination on April 4, 1968. Suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer, Bevel was released on bond due to ill health in November, and died at another daughter's home in December. She got inspiration for her cause from her father's funeral, especially from one song that was a civil-rights standard, "Ain't gonna let nobody turn me 'round." James Bevel (1936-2008) - BlackPast.org Family members who confronted Bevel in 2004 during a family meeting testified that Bevel read a written accusation by his daughter and replied that he did not contest the facts as laid out by his daughter. I don't want to relive any of that. Market data provided by Factset. MARTIN: You confronted your father at one point. [13], Feeling an inner call to become a minister, he attended the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee from 1957 to 1961 and became a Baptist preacher. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The Rev. Lafayette and his wife, Colia Lidell, also opened an SNCC project in Selma, Alabama, to assist the work of local organizers such as Amelia Boynton. And he usually - he played the role of judge and jury in these meetings. And I think, all of us were abused in some way or another. It's back! When:August 3-4, 2016, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm daily Trainers:Mary Lou Finley, Pam Smith & Gail Schechter With remarks on nonviolence by Sherri Bevel, daughter of Chicago civil rights activists James Bevel and Diane Nash LEARNyCONNECTyORGANIZE The beloved community Six Principles and Six Steps How to conduct a nonviolent campaign He subsequently joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), serving as project director and becoming one of the most influential advisers to the SCLCs head, Martin Luther King, Jr. On Bevels recommendation, hundreds of youth were mobilized in 1963 in the childrens crusade to participate in peaceful antisegregation protests in downtown Birmingham, Ala. [21], In 1968 Dr. King objected to Bevel and other SCLC organizers' opposition to proceeding with King's planned Poor People's Campaign. And there is plenty of darkness. And yes, she dismissed it in that regard. One way he brought attention to the brutality of Jim Crow was to bring children . I wrote her I love you letters, and you know, this was my day letters. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. He renamed the organization the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, recruited members of many diverse groups, and organized the April 15, 1967 march from Central Park to the United Nations Building in New York City. Four other daughters make allegationsProsecutors estimated that Bevel, who is eligibile for parole, would serve no more than five years if he were to live that long. That it's supposed to be only for procreation, and you have to be forced to see that, just like you have to be forced to accept nonviolence by getting beaten. She. Instead, she told the jury to focus on the single incident for which Bevel is charged: an act of sexual intercourse that occurred in 1993 or 1994 while the daughter was a teenager and was living with her father in Leesburg. Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! James Bevel, one of the architects of the civil rights movement, a chief lieutenant to Dr. Martin Luther King, was also a child molester. She was kind enough to join us here on our Washington studio. Bevel would not reveal the evidence, and Ray was convicted of the crime. But before the Poor People's campaign occurred, King and the SCLC organizers traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to organize a march in support of a sanitation strike after King's and James Lawson's first march had turned into a riot. Hoffman said there were questions about the timeline the daughter said she could not recall exactly what year the act occurred, and her recollection of when she lived in Virginia did not fully mesh with school records and other testimony. James Bevel, October 19, James Bevel was an American minister and prominent civil rights activist.. James Bevel, October 19, James Bevel was an American minister and prominent civil rights activist.. . [37] On October 15, 2008, the judge sentenced him, based on the jury's recommendation, to 15 years in prison and fined him $50,000. MARTIN: Your father's name is one that appears in many, many history books. Its that lovely thing A society grows great when old men , Justice Clarence Thomas' example shows need for better standards. A top lieutenant to Martin Luther King Jr. has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for incest. In subsequent years Bevel continued his political activism. And being there for two years, I was saturated in the environment where family values and just you know, I grew up where there was a lot of talked about love and peace, and happiness, and family values. No one wants the government in their home. So, I grew up with a fear of society and of people, and a great mistrust for the system and a great trust in my father. Ms. MILLS: I mean we have to look at a lot of aspects of life, in those parallels. He also is the man who persuaded . Facebook Watching her 3-year-old daughter, Athena, clad in a pink leotard, twirl around her bright downtown Washington apartment, Aaralyn Liese says she cant help but be reminded of her own childhood. They agreed to continue until they had achieved these goals, and to ask for funding from the SCLC only if the group was involved in organizing a movement. The daughter testified that she went back because she had nowhere else to go. James Bevel, Activist, and Minister born - African American Registry Organizers appealed to the federal court against an injunction by the state against marching in order to complete their planned march to the capital. [31], In 1992, Bevel ran on LaRouche's ticket as the vice presidential candidate. Copyright 2008 NPR. In the melee, Jackson was shot in the stomach while defending his mother from an attack. After serving seven months, he was freed awaiting an appeal; he died of pancreatic cancer in December 2008 and was buried in Eutaw, Alabama. And then, so what are the options for children? The accuser was one of his daughters, who was 1315 years old at the time and lived with him. It was such a fundamental affront to human dignity, to force sex upon a girl who's too young to consent, too young to understand what's going on, to abuse your position as the head of the household. Liese also shares custody of an 11-year-old son with her first husband, with whom the boy lives. How many of your sisters? "There is something that reeks of moral depravity when an individual, whose sworn responsibility is to protect and serve and is fired for what. [5] Together the groups became collectively known as the Selma Voting Rights Movement, with James Bevel as its director. James L. Bevel, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement whose legacy was clouded by an incest conviction has died, a relative said. She is the daughter of James Bevel who was recently convicted of molesting her when she was a child. But he was also a child predator, who exploited the trust of his family by molesting his daughter Aaralyn Mills. In the '80s he broke ranks to join the controversial Lyndon LaRouche, and in 2007 he was arrested on charges of sexually abusing one of his daughters. And we'll decide what to do as a family. In 1992, he was vice presidential running mate to political maverick Lyndon LaRouche, who has a home in Loudoun County but at the time was in a federal prison for a tax conviction. [28][29], Bevel moved to Omaha, Nebraska, in November 1990 as the leader of the "Citizens Fact-Finding Commission to Investigate Human Rights Violations of Children in Nebraska", a group organized by the Schiller Institute. He was 72. A young man, he died a few days later. James Bevel was one of the key strategists of the civil rights movement. Last week, Joanna Connors a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer told us about how 20 years later being raped still made her feel powerless and ashamed. I don't believe so. This kind of pseudo-philosophical - I'm not even sure - how do would you describe it? Virginia Jury Convicts MLK Confidant James Bevel of Incest With His And we have to find a way, because they exist. MARTIN: Some people would call it intervention. King wanted to fill the jails with protesters, but it was becoming more difficult to find adults to march. That's not to excuse the extremes in which people go, but it's the understanding. Blake excels at uncovering the questions gnawing at his subjects. Bevel testified during Wednesday's hearing that he was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that has spread to his liver. MARTIN: You wrote her a letter telling her what happen. Do you think that's what it was? Another daughter, Sherilynn Bevel, confirmed the death, The Washington Post reported. Rights leader sentenced to 15 years for incest Hoffman also questioned why the daughter returned to voluntarily live with her father after the alleged incest. Bevel selected the student teams for the buses. This was financially backed by the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon, which appeared to be trying to improve its controversial image by allying with such respected leaders. You know, it was just me. This defendant should die in jail.". The Rev. James Bevel was born on October 19, 1936 (age 71) in Itta Bena, Mississippi, United States. He was convicted earlier this year of having sex 15 years ago with his then-teenage daughter in Virginia. And as if it was a conspiracy against him. "We continue to cloak and veil child sexual abuse in shame and secrecy. He reminded SCLC's executive board and staff that evening that King had left "marching orders" that, if anything should happen to him, he intended for Abernathy to take his place as SCLC's Chairman. MARTIN: Sounds like you would have made a hell of an organizer? "Everyone dies. "If you're going to bring it up at all, deal with it in a way that's helpful and healing," she said last week. [13] Virginia had no statute of limitations for the offense of incest. And I always thought that was odd and that people would do something that's not going to be forgotten. At the turn of the 20th century, southern state legislatures had passed new constitutions and laws that effectively disenfranchised most blacks. James L. Bevel is shown in a photoprovided by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. That really made me feel not just powerless but that, what can you do? They also revealed that at least four other daughters Bevel had with various women have made similar allegations against him. During the call he explains the importance of teaching his daughter "the science of marriage" and admits that he did not want her to get pregnant after the incident. He worked on a cotton plantation for a time as a youth and later in a steel mill. Ms. MILLS: I don't, I don't think he's mentally ill. He's been violent, mean and abusive, but he's always been honest.". James Bevel Biography, Life, Interesting Facts - Famous Birthdays By Do you see it that way? One of the reasons you pressed charges and it was decided that you would press charges is it's the statute of limitations in Virginia which is where this acts took place allowed him to be prosecuted. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Well, it still comes as a shock to some people, but the Rev. Hamer was incensed by efforts to deny Blacks the right to vote. Ms. MILLS: Well first of all, I had that feeling, too, that I didn't want to touch it, that I have moved on with my life. I mean my little sister was 14 at that time, but what if you know - what can you really do? {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Residents ask school board where is the outrage after drag performance; school system will revise agreement with Forsyth Tech, No new vaccinations would be allowed in North Carolina for 3 years under bill filed in N.C. House, Slice of Napoli closing; new pizza place moving in, Jim Spivey, a former athletics director at Reynolds High School, dies. She wrote a remarkable series of articles that told his story as well as her own. A loud opponent of American involvement in Vietnam, which he viewed as an extension of white oppression of nonwhites, Mr. Bevel was instrumental in Dr. Kings increasingly vocal opposition to the war. And he placed himself in the position of being the person who was going to save the world. It happened in the Memphis area when she staying with her father while her mother was out of town. James L. Bevel | Encyclopedia.com Did you always know that it was wrong? She spoke out about her abuse to protect a younger sister. [7], Prior to his time with SCLC, Bevel worked in the Nashville Student Movement, which conducted the 1960 Nashville Lunch-Counter Sit-Ins, the 1961 Open Theater Movement, and recruited students to continue the 1961 Freedom Rides after they were attacked. Because the executor of Bevel's estate had not sought to prosecute the appeal, the Court affirmed the dismissal of his appeal as moot. Mr. Bevel had been released from prison in November because he had pancreatic cancer.. He joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Charismatic and eloquently quick-witted in a vernacular style, Mr. Bevel was known as a man of passion and peculiarity. It must have been even more painful to tell. And know that it could come back to them pretty harsh. And that you know they're my children, because my son knows his grandfather and he knows Martin Luther King and you know very respectful of him. In 2008 Bevels legacy was tarnished when he was found guilty of having engaged in an incestuous relationship with a teenage daughter in the 1990s. Chris Kaiser bought a kit and built a grain silo thinking he would use it for storage. He was tried in April 2008, convicted of incest, sentenced to 15 years in prison, [11] and fined $50,000. And she was telling things that I experienced and that connected to me. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. "It's fading, but I still have a strong feeling that my father was doing something, that he was working on some truth," said Mills, who agreed to be identified publicly. James Bevel, a civil rights leader and close associate of Martin Luther King Jr.s, being sentenced to 15 years in prison for unlawful fornication. Aaralyn Mills, good luck to you. James Bevel - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia