Back in the late 60’s.
Watts ‘65
I can remember as a teenager hitchhiking through Bogalusa during their race riots in, I believe, ‘65. I never saw so many different sorts of police. It took me and the fellow I was travelling with 8 or 9 hours to get across the city because we had to be stopped and searched by every cop we passed. We had to convince each one that we were not there to stir up the ruckus, that we were just fishermen heading to Texas. The Jap hooks and 130 pound leader stock in my bag helped. We finally got a ride to the parish line and walked from there to Baton Rouge before we got another ride. Everyone was afraid to pick up anyone coming from Bogalusa way.