Will Trump Use "Ax Handle Saturday" to Unite the Country on Racial Issues?
Hopefully Trump will use this opportunity to bring unity to the nation, highlighting what happened on Ax Saturday 60 years ago and contrasting that "suppressed history" with what his administration has done for improving economic opportunities in Black communities, reducing black unemployment, as well as taking the first step toward real criminal justice reform. He could also point out that Ax Saturday occurred in large part because of the Mayor of Jacksonville at that time, Hayden Burns, a Democrat that is said to have not provided adequate police protection for the sit-in. He tried to blame the event on outsiders, while the Police accused those from the city. Even after nationwide news coverage of the violent event, Mayor burns refused to appoint a bi-racial committee to have constructive dialogue on the city's racial disparities. As a segregationist, Burns reasoned that if he appointed a bi-racial committee, everyone would interpret his action as condoning integration.
Recent Media coverage:
https://youtu.be/cCCco7O2I6E