KKFI Program Guests Reflect on Race History through 1923 Catcher, Ark Incident

Special guests and studio audience members for special radio show
“Civil Rights and the Story of the 1923 Catcher, Arkansas Race Incident”:
(Back Row from left: Terri Peevy, Ft. Smith, Ark.; Jeff Humfeld, producer of
KKFI program "Jaws of Justice"; Suzanne Mwirigi; Desmond Ables with
ACT-SO and NAACP, Atlanta, Georgia; Anthony White; studio guest;
program staff; Trisha Taylor, Ft. Smith, Ark.; Lynn Bryant, Ft. Smith, Ark.
Front row from left: Larry Coleman; Calvin Richardson;
M.C. Richardson; Moira Bryant.
Several KKFI-FM 90.1 studio guests spoke about the history of a little-reported-on 1923 race incident in Catcher, Arkansas. Mr. Alvin Skyes, president of the Emmett Till Justice Campaign, underlined the importance of bringing justice to victims of racial violence despite decades of legal neglect. His organization was successful in bringing a cold case to trial for the racially-motivated killing of 14-year old Emmett Till in 1955. Other guests on the KKFI radio program included Moira Bryant from Ft. Smith, Arkansas, author of "Healing Catcher — An Oral History of Murder and Racism"; Calvin L. Richardson, former president of the Ft. Smith, Ark. NAACP chapter; Larry Delano Coleman, civil rights attorney; Jeff Humfeld, producer of KKFI radio program “Jaws of Justice,” Linda Mitchell Griffith, great-grand niece of Effie Latimer, among others.
One guest spoke about the forced removal of all blacks from Catcher, Arkansas as a result of the racial violence and ensuing rage.

Alvin Skyes spoke about pursuing the truth behind Emmett Till's father, who was executed by the US Army while serving during World War II in Italy.

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