Lester did not like ‘colored people’ mixing with ‘Good folks’.  Even the AJC realized Lester felt much the same way about colorful people.

The Phooey party mix intentionally included both.

 

Phooey Party invitation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such was Maddox’s notariety that the party got mentioned in the New York Times

Maddox used the axe handle as a symbol. He gave them out at his restaurant as “Pickrick toothpicks” to intimidate anyone trying to segregate his business. He then used that not so subtle symbol of segregation in his successful run for governor.

The Phooey Party made a peace symbol of axe handles.

 

 

 

 

 

Lester was a fool and acted so in public as camouflage for his racism as benevolent affection for his ‘lesser Colored folks’.  He even had a Black man  as Uncle Tom join him in a stage act.  One of the neighbors to the old Governor’s mansion was Mugsy.  In 1965 Time Magazine  described him thusly: “Milton M. (“Muggsy”) Smith, 63, an Atlanta insurance salesman who made a name during 16 years in the state legislature trying to repeal every segregation law in Georgia.” Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,842098,00.html#ixzz0lgEuyZnw

In 1961 Muggsy had run interference for Lester’s run for mayor of Atlanta. By drawing Black voters to himself as their benevolent friend, he almost got Lester elected mayor. Imagine if he had been Mayor during the events of Allen’s term, the early 1960s. Don’t think Atlanta would have been known as ‘the city too busy to hate’.

 

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Ever loyal to Lester, Muggsy gathered supporters to jeer at arriving guests and called the police repeatedly to complain. 

The police chief was sad he had to leave the party early lest he be seen by Muggsy’s group.