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In 1954 Carl and Anne Braden purchased a home in Shively, a suburban community of Louisville, Kentucky, for the Wade family. The Wades, an African-American family, were "color-lined" out of the community, as no realtor would sell to them in the white community. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288509568578777088
The Wades moved into their home after the Bradens deeded it over to them with their 2 year old daughter, Rosemary. Shortly thereafter people began throwing rocks through the windows of the home and firing guns at it. A cross was burned as their welcome to the neighborhood gift.
The local dairy refused to deliver milk to them. Their newspaper subscription was cancelled because nobody would deliver to the house. While the Shively police posted a guard on the house, the all white force in a color-lined community was not viewed as trustworthy.
Allies of the Wades took to standing guard in the home's kitchen at night, armed, to protect against attacks.
On June 27, 1954, a dynamite bomb went off underneath the home, destroying it.
The bomb was placed under 2 year old Rosemary's bedroom.
On June 27, 1954, a dynamite bomb went off underneath the home, destroying it.
The bomb was placed under 2 year old Rosemary's bedroom.
Luckily, the Wades were not home at the time of the explosion, and nobody was killed.
But nobody was ever arrested for it either, even though neighbors readily admitted to the cross-burning, the rocks, and the gunfire.
But nobody was ever arrested for it either, even though neighbors readily admitted to the cross-burning, the rocks, and the gunfire.
Actually, that's not quite right.
7 people were arrested.
Carl and Anne Braden, along with 5 other white activists who helped the Wades, were arrested for sedition for helping them.
Carl Braden would be convicted and sentenced to 15 years, serving 7 months of the sentence.
7 people were arrested.
Carl and Anne Braden, along with 5 other white activists who helped the Wades, were arrested for sedition for helping them.
Carl Braden would be convicted and sentenced to 15 years, serving 7 months of the sentence.
When he was eventually released pending appeal, it was on a $40,000 bond - the highest bond ever set in Kentucky at that time. His conviction was later overturned.
A month after the Wades home was firebombed, my father was born in Shively - which remained a segregated community for long afterwards. My mother would be born there a couple months later.
The site of the Wade House was on Rone Court, which later was renamed Clyde Drive, which was where my grandparents had lived at the time and indeed continued to live while I was growing up.
While I hate to admit it, the simple truth is there was always a chance members of my family were part of the mob that drove the Wades from their home.
So please, Mr. President, let me be very clear:
You are attempting to roll the clock back to 1954, and it is despicable.
So please, Mr. President, let me be very clear:
You are attempting to roll the clock back to 1954, and it is despicable.
You are not making neighborhoods safer.
You are making them more dangerous for those who "don't belong" based on the biased views of the members of those communities.
You are making them more dangerous for those who "don't belong" based on the biased views of the members of those communities.
