Traveling through memory lane Dr. C.O. Simpkins recalls working and marching along side reverend Dr. Martin Luther King jr.
"We talked about problems that he had in Montgomery," said Dr. Simpkins. "I was telling him about the problems we had in Shreveport, Louisiana."
Problems that help form the Southern Leadership Conference and bring Dr. King to Shreveport to address voter registration.
"It was very good we had a workshop that morning," added Simpkins. "He spoke that evening and the church was packed to capacity."
While all seemed well inside, trouble and violence soared outside.
"People were threatened and told they would be killed, bomb the church, that they would do all kind of things," he continued. "They did do some things to the cars, flatened the tires gas tanks broke some windshields."
Back home Simpkins encounted disturbing news of his own.
"My home was bombed," explained Simpkins. "They bombed my home I was building."
It was all Simpkins needed to get him to pack up and move north. He's back now and says Shreveport compared to that august 14th 1958 day is progressing.
"Well this was a catalyist it help really get us started realizing that other people started and had some help from then outside," he added. "It as quite a blessing to have him come speak to us."
