Koinonia Farms
from "The Times-Recorder" and "Tri-County
News"of Americus, Georgia
compiled by Alan Anderson
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Aug. 16,1945 TCN - "J.M. England and C.L. Jordan, doing business as Koinonia Farm, sold to Koinonia Farm, a corpora- tion, 400 acres in the 17th district, for $400 and other valuable considerations." Mar. 24,1956 Rev. Clarence Jordan was one of two white sponsors of unsuccessful attempt to racially integrate Geor- gia State University July 2,1956 Continuance granted by Judge Cleveland Rees in in- junction case brought by county commissioners against Koinonia Farms' attempt to establish a sum- mer camp July 24,1956 Anonymous bombing of Koinonia Store at Sumter City Nov. 27,1956 drive-by shooting at Koinonia's store on Albany Hwy. Jan. 15,1957 Koinonia Farm Store, 2 1/2 miles south of Americus on Hwy. 19, dynamited Jan. 17,1957 Americus and Sumter County Ministerial Association published resolution condemning Koinonia bombings and related violence Jan. 29,1957 Shots fired at Koinonia residence Feb. 1,1957 Georgia Council of Churches also publicly condemned anti-Koinonia violence Feb. 2,1957 shots fired at Koinonia again Feb. 25,1957 70+ car caravan of Klansmen visited Koinonia for peaceful talks, with photos Feb. 27,1957 GBI began investigating Koinonia for possible "sub- versive activities" Mar. 2,1957 Koinonia Farms issued formal announcement of their intent to stay in Sumter County Mar. 5,1957 another shooting incident at Koinonia Mar. 6,1957 Ga. Atty-Gen. Eugene Cook emphatically rejected in- vitation to visit Koinonia Mar. 14,1957 published resolution by bi-racial Macon Council on Human Relations supporting Koinonia Mar. 21,1957 another drive-by shooting at Koinonia (follow-up story 3-22-57) Mar. 23,1957 drive-by shooting of Rev. Clarence Jordan's home at Koinonia Mar. 27,1957 "Times-Recorder" editorial, "Violence and Criti- cism", blamed bad publicity on Koinonia Apr. 5,1957 Sumter County grand jury investigation accused Koi- nonia of being a Communist front (full transcribed text included, jurors: F.L. Butler, foreman, Tommy Hooks, III, clerk, John A. Oxford, Henry L. Colli- er, William H. Cobb, Jr., G.A. Long, A.W. Smith, Jr., E.H. Kinnebrew, E.C. Veal, Joel F. Thomas, W. A. Lansford, George S. McGarrah, C.L. Walters, Jr., G.W. Murray, Sr., S.R. Stevens, Jr., C.J. Dupree, W.C. Wright, C.S. Pryor, Leonard Waitsman, H.A. Hart, Jr., Webb H. Bradley, W.D. White, Joseph M. Hagerson) Apr. 6,1957 Rev. Clarence Jordan, in Washington, D.C., declined comment on grand jury report Apr. 8,1957 Koinonia's preliminary commentary on grand jury re- port denied all charges; letter from 23 Georgia mi- nisters supporting Koinonia Apr. 16,1957 Rev. Clarence Jordan denied all grand jury charges, claiming they were "biased and unfair" Apr. 17,1957 publication of "Times-Recorder's" censored version of official Koinonia statement (T-R claimed cen- sored parts were "libelous") Apr. 18,1957 Ga. Atty-Gen. Eugene Cook announced investigation of Koinonia's contributors Apr. 23,1957 drive-by shooting at Koinonia hit night watchman's car Apr. 24,1957 another drive-by shooting at Koinonia Apr. 29,1957 photo and article re KKK rally in front of Sumter County courthouse Apr. 27th, protesting Koinonia May 20,1957 dynamite blast at 1 a.m. Sunday, May 19th, in front of Birdsey Feed Store, Byne Block, for violating local boycott against Koinonia (store closed and left Americus May 28th) May 21,1957 photos of bomb damage Nov. 15,1957 photo of 20 Sumter County Klansmen burning a cross at the fairgrounds Jan. 27,1958 Sumter's Rep. Jack Murr introduced a resolution in the General Assembly calling for investigation of Koinonia Feb. 5,1958 House Judiciary Committee considered, but did not act on, Rep. Murr's resolution Feb. 13,1958 House Judiciary Committee appointed 3-man panel to investigate Koinonia Mar. 5,1958 Gov. Marvin Griffin killed proposed legislative in- vestigation of Koinonia with pocket veto Mar. 27,1958 Gov. Marvin Griffin reversed himself and approved Koinonia investigation, appointing Rep. George Bus- bee to head the committee May 26,1958 zoning laws caused shut-down of Koinonia group in New Jersey July 7,1958 gubernatorial candidate Rep. William T. Bodenhamer of Ty Ty, accused Rev. Clarence Jordan's brother, Rep. Robert Jordan, of Talbotton, of helping Koino- nia get chartered while working for Ernest Vandiver Jan. 13,1959 Koinonia residents, Lee Perry and Paul Goodman, convicted in city court of stealing 1 1/2 tons of limestone from W.H. Austin's May 22,1959 Paul Goodman, of Koinonia, arrested after being found voluntarily nude in front of a Columbia Dr. residence Sept 12,1960 Jan Jordan, 13, Lora Ruth Browne, 13, and William Wittkamper, Jr., 15, white Koinonia residents, de- nied enrollment at Americus High School, while 27 other county white students were admitted, result- ing in filing of federal suit Sept 28,1960 Americus School Board attorney argued that admis- sion of Koinonia students to AHS would cause vio- lent reaction from other students Sept 29,1960 U.S. District Judge W.A. Bootle heard final argu- ments and announced a decision in two weeks Oct. 26,1960 U.S. District Judge W.A. Bootle ordered admission to AHS for Koinonia students Oct. 27,1960 Koinonia students entered AHS without incident Jan. 16,1961 Federal District Judge Wm. A. Bootle hung in effigy at county courthouse while conducting court at fed- eral building (now municipal bldg.) Aug. 25,1969 interracial Koinonia group refused entry to First United Methodist Church, although Rev. Key publicly expressed regret Oct. 13,1976 Millard Fuller interview, with photo, after return from African mission
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