The Class of '65
Page 28
children of Koinonia’s departure from, 191
churches’ failure to promote interracial relations, 143–144, 149–150
citizens’ demand that Koinonia disband, 50–52
Clarence Jordan’s radicalism, 11–14
Deanie Dudley overcoming prejudices, 198, 202–203
exclusion of blacks from Protestant churches, 154, 177–179
Greg’s childhood, 9–10
Greg’s commitment to nonviolence, 118–119, 185–186
Greg’s exploration of European communities, 184–185
Greg’s quest for spirituality, 161, 164–165
Hutterites, 70–72
Joseph Logan embracing nonviolence, 204–205
Joseph Logan’s background, 168
media response to violence against Koinonia, 46–47
posttraumatic stress in Koinonia’s children, 191–192
racist view of, 172
racist violence in church, 17–18
school fights and, 33–34
school violence threatening Christian faith, 64
sojourners to Koinonia, 28–29
Republican Party: backlash from the Civil Rights Act, 105–106
Reunion
apologies and amends, 214–217, 221–223
black students’ exclusion from, 229
Greg’s anxiety over, 206–211
Greg’s open letter to his class, 217–218
student outreach, 193–194, 196
the reception, 211–214
Rightmyer, C.W., 178
Rogers, Joan, 205
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 47
Rushin, Rosie, 127
Sams, Ferrol, 173–174
Sanders, Carl, 147
SCOPE (Summer Community Organization and Political Education project), 141
Segregation
backlash from Brown decision, 35–36
black voting rights, 139–142, 147–149
bus and train terminals, 77
community’s choice of high schools, 59–60
ingrained attitudes, 175
Koinonia’s logo, 16
Margaret Wittkamper’s convictions about integration, 19–21
mixing races at Koinonia, 16–17
of Protestant churches, 143–144
Self-defense, 112–113, 118, 150
Selma, Alabama, 140–141, 155
Sherrod, Charles, 78
Shiver, Willis, 39
Shunning behavior, 36, 66, 88, 106–107, 121, 179, 209
Sitton, Claude, 85–86
Smith, Donnie, 128–129, 213
Sound of Music (film), 134, 157
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), 77, 148
Southern Manifesto, 36
Southland Academy, Americus, 224–225
Spain, 158
Staley Middle School, Americus, 173
State revenue department, 45
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
Albany Movement, 76–77
black voting rights, 141
growing rift between blacks and white supporters, 155–156
Hasty House Diner violence, 104–105
Koinonia involvement, 81–82, 84
voter registration drive, 80
Suicide
Andy Worthy, 123
David’s thoughts of, 89
Greg’s thoughts of, 70
Sumter County civil rights movement, 76–79, 81–84
Sumter County High School, 130–131, 163
Supreme Court, US: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 35–36
Sweden, 156–157
Swisshelm, Dorothy, 78
Talmadge, Herman, 35–36
Thalean Elementary School, 23–24, 29, 33–34, 43–44, 60–64
Thomas, Linda Mitchell, 205
Train station, desegregation of in Albany, 77
Tupperware, 175–176
Turner, Lena, 96, 127
University desegregation, 37
University of Georgia, 61
Vandiver, Ernest, 96
Veterans, 20, 31, 141
Vietnam War, 152, 160, 183
Violence
ACLU suit against Americus schools, 60–62
advocating self-defense, 112–113, 118, 150
against black veterans, 141
against David Wittkamper, 88–89
against Koinonia students, 33–34, 62–64, 111–112
against the Freeman family, 98
ambushing Greg, 117–120
backlash from the Brown decision, 37–44, 42(fig.)
backlash from the Civil Rights Act, 104–105
Birmingham civil rights demonstrations, 79–80
black voting rights, 141–142, 145–149
Clarence Jordan’s threat of, 17
Con Browne’s beating and imprisonment, 54–55
David Morgan’s response to, 119
desegregation of Americus High School, 101–105
Fortson’s integration plan, 97
Greg’s dreams of retaliation, 157, 159, 210–211
Greg’s senior year, 106–108, 135
KKK bombing in Americus, 49–50
Koinonia’s appeal to Eisenhower, 44–45
media response to violence against Koinonia, 45–47
retaliation for Andy Whatley killing, 147–148
Robertiena Freeman’s experience at Americus, 227–228
segregation of Protestant churches, 144
student suicide, 123
Voice of Americus newsletter, 84
Voter registration, 80, 139–140, 149
Voting rights, 139–142, 145–146, 148–149, 164
Voting Rights Act (1965), 140, 149
Wallace, George, 80, 105
Walters, Sherman, 168–171
Walton, Bessie, 228
West Virginia, 186–190
Whatley, Andy, 146–148, 150–151
Where is God? Auschwitz-Birkenau to Dachau, 1942–1945 (Althaus), 202–203
The Whisper of the River (Sams), 173–174
White Citizens Council, 36, 39–40, 143
White students
as scapegoats, 2–3
desegregation of Sumter County High School, 163
supporting desegregation, 2
violent backlash from the Civil Rights Act, 105
White supremacy, 82, 84, 147–148, 169, 209
Wiggins, Dobbs, 109(fig.)
backlash of desegregation, 101–102
integration of Americus High School, 4, 97
leaving Americus High School, 110, 130
reconnecting with Greg, 223–225
Williams, Hosea, 141
Wilson, Juanita, 229
Winter, Ernst Florian, 157
Wise, Jewel, 109(fig.)
integration of Americus High School, 4, 97–98, 102–103
leaving Americus High School, 131
reconnecting with Greg, 223–225
Wittkamper, Anne Gardner (wife), 192–194, 206–207, 211, 214, 217, 222–223
Wittkamper, Billy (brother), 11(fig.)
birth of, 20
corporal punishment, 32–33
high school, 59
move to Koinonia, 21
posttraumatic stress in Koinonia’s children, 192, 194
school fights, 34
television, 27
vandalism and violence against Koinonia students, 63–64
Wittkamper, Danny (brother)
birth of, 25
high school, 163
polio outbreak, 53
&nbs
p; West Virginia community, 187
Wittkamper, David (brother), 11(fig.), 187(fig.), 212(fig.)
birth of, 20
Clarence Jordan’s death, 165–166
Friends World Institute, 165, 183–184
Habitat for Humanity, 163
high school, 163
marijuana stash, 163–164
move to Koinonia, 10
North Dakota farm, 71
student violence against, 88–89
West Virginia community, 186–189
Wittkamper, Greg
ACLU suit against Americus High School, 60
apologies to, 6, 198–206, 210–211, 221–223
attack on Con Browne, 55
backlash from school desegregation, 103–104
backlash of the Civil Rights Act, 105
black voting rights, 143, 145–146
Brown decision, 36
civil rights movement, 78, 81
Clarence Jordan’s death, 165–166
classroom discussion of civil rights, 124–125
Collins McGee and, 74–76
commitment to nonviolence, 112–113, 117–120
corporal punishment, 32–33
David Morgan’s decency, 133–134
desegregation of Americus High School, 102–103
documenting police brutality, 84–85
drive-by shooting, 43
entering Americus High School, 64–65
European communities, 184–186
European tour, 146–149, 158–159
farm injury, 92
fire at Americus High School, 90–91
Friends World Institute, 152–156, 161, 183–184
Georgia Council on Human Relations award, 108–110
Gladys Crabb’s advocacy, 115–117
graduation, 129–130, 132–134
his parents’ deaths, 190–191
increasing depression, 87–88
intention to quit school, 121–122
interracial dating, 126–127
North Dakota farm, 71
open letter to his class, 217–218
photos of, 11(fig.), 26(fig.), 63(fig.), 75(fig.), 127(fig.), 157(fig.), 187(fig.), 209(fig.), 212(fig.)
posttraumatic stress in Koinonia’s children, 192
protesting segregation in Americus, 82–83
reconnecting with the black students, 223–225
religious background and childhood, 9–10
segregation of elementary school, 23–24
survival strategy, 65–66, 68–69
the move to Koinonia, 22
the reunion, 196–197, 206–208, 210, 214–217
tour of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, 159–162
toy weapons, 31–32
violence against, 34, 106–108, 111–112, 117–120
West Virginia community, 186–189
Wittkamper, Margaret Gregory (mother), 11(fig.)
boycott of Koinonia, 39–40
death of, 191
Gladys Crabb and, 193
Greg’s intention to quit school, 122
Greg’s travels after graduation, 162
KKK proposition to buy Koinonia, 48–49
relocation to Koinonia, 20–22
relocation to North Dakota, 70–72
spiritual calling, 19–21
Wittkamper, Sallie (daughter), 192, 207
Wittkamper, Sharon (wife), 188
Wittkamper, Stephanie (daughter), 192
Wittkamper, Stephen (son), 192
Wittkamper, Will (father), 11(fig.)
background and marriage, 9, 18–20
Clarence Jordan’s death, 166
death of, 190–191
Greg’s worldliness, 128
move to Koinonia, 21
pneumonia, 53
relocation to North Dakota, 70–72
transforming the poultry business, 54–55
Women: black voting rights, 139–140, 143, 145–146
Woodstock festival, 165
Worthy, Andy, 122–123
Yearbook, 197
Pam Auchmutey
Jim Auchmutey spent twenty-nine years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a reporter and editor, twice winning the Cox Newspaper chain’s Writer of the Year award. He first visited Koinonia Farm in 1980 and has written extensively about the commune, the South, race relations, religion, and history. He lives in Georgia.