Black Mom's Lawsuit Shuts Down South Carolina Confederate Group

A South Carolina Confederate group is no more after a circuit judge effectively put an end to the organization, all because of a Black mother’s lawsuit. The mom in question, identified as Alicia Greene, sued the S.C. Secessionist Party over images that were taken of her children with the Confederate flag at The Battery in Charleston. Those photos were then posted to social media, according to the Post and Courier. The organization was ordered to dissolve all of its online assets and organizing power, as well as pay over $1,000 to the Charleston NAACP as part of a settlement. If the party ever decides to reactivate, they would have to pay a total of $3 million ($1 million each) to the mother and her two children. According to the report, Judge Alex Kinlaw Jr., the first Black circuit judge ever elected for Greenville, expressed his frustration that “we are still dealing with that kind of stuff,” as he approved the agreement. His decision was met with praise in the community and cited as a step in the right direction. “This is a big day for our community, for South Carolina as a state and for the nation,” Charleston attorney Roy Willey IV, who represented the family, said according to the Post and Courier. “We have no doubt that while we have financially bankrupted a morally bankrupt organization, hate still exists. People will still appear with hate in their hearts and with the flag. But today is a very big step forward in the right direction for our community.” The incident all started in June 2017, when the Confederate group held one of its pro-flag rallies. Greene and her family had been enjoying a picnic at White Point Garden when first responders—including a firetruck—drew the attention of the small children. The organization’s founder, James Bessenger, who is also named in the lawsuit, had been hit by a car during the event. At one point, Greene’s children got away from her. Then, later in the day, photos started showing up on Facebook of the kids holding the Confederate flags. After the suit was filed, Bessenger announced that the group, consisting of 25,000 members, would dissolve, because although he once thought that the racists holding on to the battle flag were in the minority, he now believes this is not the case (and water is wet). An attorney representing the organization waived an appearance and agreed to the settlement. And the rest is history, because you don’t mess with Black children and expect Black moms not to snap back.