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Felton Turner, revealing two sets of the letters "KKK" carved into his abdomen, March 7, 1960. Photo by Benny Joseph.
Turner was 27 years old Monday, March 7, 1960, when two masked whites ordered him into their car at gunpoint. The white men said they had been hired because "those students at Texas Southern University were getting too much publicity." Turner was not involved in the TSU student protest movement.
Turner gave the following report to a news reporter: "When I was in the car they beat me with a chain...When we got to the field, the tallest man said, "Give him the works." That was when they beat me with a chain again, and the short man cut me with a knofe. I was afraid they would kill me. So I acted as if I was unconcious. But I could tell they were cutting some kind of design on me...The tall man climbed into the tree with a rope. They tied my hands and knees and pulled me up [by my feet] until I was resting on my head and shoulders."
The kidnappers left and Turner freed himself, walked to a nearby night watchman's shack and called the poilce. Turner had two sets of the letters "KKK" gouged into his stomach. The incisions were one-sixteenth of an inch deep and three and one-half inches high.
The story sent shudders through the state.
Eldrewey Stearns presented Turner with an award on behalf of the Student Protest Movement in March 1960.we would be grateful to hear your personal stories, suggestions and comments