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Waiting for Justice

Published

11 years ago

January 7, 2015

Civil Rights ‘Cold Cases’ Drag On

Evangeline Moore holds photos of her parents, Florida civil rights activists Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore, in this 1999 file photo. (CHUCK KENNEDY/MCT)

Special to the NNPA from The Florida Courier

Juanita Evangeline Moore hates Christmas.

It was on Christmas night 1951 when her father, Harry T. Moore, was murdered instantly when a bomb placed by racists exploded under the family’s Mims home. Nine days later, her mother Harriette V. Moore died as a result of injuries sustained in the bombing.

The Moores were some of the earliest civil rights leaders in Florida and began their work in Brevard County. Harry Moore, a graduate of Bethune-Cookman College (now University), was the Florida state field secretary for the NAACP. He fought for equal pay for teachers, spoke out against violent atrocities against African-Americans, and registered thousands of voters.

At the time they were killed, Harry Moore, who also founded the Brevard County chapter of the NAACP, was registering large numbers of Blacks to vote and protesting the circumstances around a rape trial in Groveland – including the killings of two of the defendants by the Lake County sheriff.

Such activism, in a state still under the harsh rule of Jim Crow, drew the ire of the Ku Klux Klan.

Circumstantial Evidence

In 2006, Florida’s then-Attorney General Charlie Crist spoke about the Moores’ murders under a rambling oak tree just yards from where the Moore home stood, now the site of a cultural center honoring the couple.

Crist said strong circumstantial evidence – unearthed during a 20-month investigation – pointed to ultra-violent factions within the KKK “as being responsible for this horrible act.’’

In the Moore case, investigators interviewed more than 100 people and combed through 50 years of documents. The bombsite was even excavated, though it yielded no new evidence.

But the stories of witnesses did. They told of a particularly violent group of men who were working to squash the efforts of the Moores. Those implicated were Earl J. Brooklyn, Tillman H. Bevlin, Joseph N. Cox and Edward L. Spivey. Crist, who said others may have been involved, failed to elaborate on the roles each man played.

All Dead

Spivey reportedly confessed to investigators and an anonymous tipster before his death from cancer in 1980. But by that time, the case was nearly 30 years old and the other three men were long dead.

Bevlin died less than a year after the bombing, reportedly of natural causes. Brooklyn died on the attack’s one-year anniversary, and Cox committed suicide in 1952 – one day after an interview with the FBI about the case.

Investigators said Brooklyn and Bevlin had floor plans of the Moore home, and Cox may have been rewarded with a paid-off mortgage for participating in the crime. Spivey is believed to have been at the home on the night of the bombing.

‘Never Have Closure’

Sixty-three years later, Moore has given up hope that her parents will receive justice. She was praying that the four suspects in the killings would be formally named as suspects when she received a letter from the FBI telling her that investigators had been unable to find anything that would help them to definitively identify the culprits.

“I haven’t heard from them since. I guess I will never have closure,” said Moore, of New Carrollton, Maryland.

Moore, 84, is among hundreds of loved ones of men, women and children killed in decades-old civil rights cases who still yearn to have someone held accountable for the killings.

Congress Acts

In 2007, at the urging of civil rights activists, Congress passed the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Act that was named for 14-year-old Emmett Till, a Chicago youth who, in 1955, was brutalized and killed by racists in Money, Miss. after he whistled at a White woman.

At a panel discussion Dec. 9 at Washington, D.C’s National Press Club, relatives of civil rights murder victims described their efforts to see done for their loved ones. The event was sponsored by the Cold Case Justice Initiative (CCJI) of the Syracuse University College of Law, one of a handful of university-based programs where law students investigate civil rights murders.

“For years, I didn’t know anything about what happened. I guess my mom didn’t want us to know what went on because we still live in that town,” said Darlene Morris-Newbill, 41, whose great grandfather, Frank Morris, died after he was set on fire by racists in Ferriday, La., in 1964. The case was investigated by the CCJI and turned its research over to the Department of Justice, which said it was unable to determine or prosecute a culprit.

Speakers urged Congress to extend the Till Act, which is set to expire in 2017. Under the act, Congress appropriated funding to the DOJ to investigate unsolved civil rights murder cases and, whenever possible, to bring killers to justice.

The panel included Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas); Emmett’s cousin, Thelma Edwards, who still remembers the night he was snatched from her parent’s home at gunpoint; Paul Delaney, a former editor at the New York Times who wrote extensively about civil rights murders; and Paula Johnson and Janis McDonald, the Syracuse law professors who co-direct the CCJI.

Avis Thomas-Lester of NNPA and the Washington Informer contributed to this report.

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Mayor Barbara Lee Declares ‘Delroy Lindo Day,’ Presents Acclaimed Actor with Key to the City

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee honored acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo with the Key to the City and declared “Delroy Lindo Day” to celebrate his contributions to film, television, and theater.

Published

1 hour ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee presents Oakland actor Delroy Lindo the key to the cCity Council chambers of Oakland City Hall in downtown Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

Oakland honored one of its most distinguished residents on May 6 as Mayor Barbara Lee presented acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo with the Key to the City and an official proclamation declaring “Delroy Lindo Day.”

The event, titled “Rooted in Legacy: Honoring Delroy Lindo,” took place at Oakland City Hall and brought together community leaders, artists, and young people for an evening centered on storytelling, cultural pride, and intergenerational connection.

Lindo, a critically acclaimed artist who lives in Oakland, was recognized for his extensive contributions to film, television, and theater, as well as his impact on the global African diaspora. Most recently the Oscar-nominated artist was recognized for his phenomenal role as a bluesman in Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” a winner both critically and at the box office.

His celebrated body of work included roles in “Unprisoned,” “Malcolm X”, “Clockers,” “Get Shorty,” and ”Da 5 Bloods,” among others.

“He’s brought depth, inspiration, and authenticity to the screen,” said Lee.

The program highlighted both Lindo’s artistic legacy and his influence as a mentor. A centerpiece of the evening was an intimate fireside conversation between MLee and Lindo.

“I am a living, breathing example of somebody who has achieved the American Dream,” said Lindo. “The other side of that is I walk through the world as a Black man of African descent.”

At 5 years of age, Lindo played King Balthazar in a Nativity play. And years later on Easter of 1973 in New York the Negro Ensemble Company’s play, “The River Niger” left a great impact on him.

“Seeing that production and so many Blacks in the audience, gave me an understanding that maybe I could have a career as an actor,” said Lindo.

Students from the Oakland School for the Arts delivered powerful monologues, adding a dynamic and emotional layer to the program. The students’ instructor, Tavia Percia, chairman of the school’s theatre department, watched the performance proudly. Their performances emphasized the importance of arts education and demonstrated the next generation of talent inspired by figures like Lindo.

Five young men from All Tied Up Academy had the honor of presenting the “Rooted in Legacy” plaque to Lindo with Lee.

The evening also featured a cinematic showcase of Lindo’s work, offering a retrospective glimpse into his decades-long career.

The Golden State Warriors presented Lindo with a custom jersey, symbolizing the city’s appreciation for his contributions both on and off the screen.

The highlight of the evening came as Lee formally presented Lindo with the Key to the City and read the proclamation establishing “Delroy Lindo Day.” The recognition marked not only his artistic achievements but also his enduring connection to Oakland and his commitment to community engagement.

Celebrities, including filmmaker Ryan Coogler, congratulated Lindo via a video presentation. Lindo did not hold back the tears of gratitude. “I carry Oakland with me wherever I go,” said. Lindo, who is Jamaican via the UK, said he chose the Bay Area to call home with his wife and raise his son.

When young men who grew up with his son entered the council chambers, Lindo welcomed them to the stage for a hug and acknowledgement. “These young men are all honorable. I’ve watched them grow up, and they are the future,” he said. “These are three people that give me hope for this country.”

Addressing the audience, Lindo said, “You are part of the infrastructure of my life. My life would not be as it is without you. You give me more than I give you. Wherever I go, I bring Oakland with me.”

advised everyone to push past negativity of the world.

“Hold onto your dreams, particularly now in this country being fed the constant narrative that ‘we are less than,’ because we know we are more than. And kudos to Mayor Lee at the forefront for decades repping us for Oakland and America.”

“Everyone, hold fast to your purpose and charge as a human being and to the young; go for yours!”

Lindo thanked his many fans, friends, and family in the audience. Attendees included broadcaster Dave Clark, attorney John Burris, former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Dr. Albert Brooks who delivered his son, and First African Methodist Episcopal Church Rev. Rodney Smith. Screenwriter David Webb Peoples, who gave him his first film role in Australia, “The Blood of Heroes, was also in attendance.