Direct Action and the Search for “Freedom of Movement”

Abstract

Chapter 4 examines Wheeler’s activism during the direct-action phase of the civil rights movement. It pushes us to consider how a black businessman in Wheeler’s position could serve not as an obstacle to but as a steadfast advocate of alternative tactics during the 1960s. Despite the emergence of student-centered leadership with the 1960 sit-in movement, Wheeler did not take a sidelines position. Instead, he continued to operate behind the scenes while publicly and privately lending his support to student activists. Wheeler had a reputation for always being ahead of his time, and white leaders considered him to be a radical. His acceptance of young activists and his integrationist views represented a unique departure from many of his black business contemporaries. I argue that while direct action represented a shift away from strict reliance on legal tactics, as well as a generational shift in leadership, Wheeler recognized that ongoing civil disobedience meant that he was in a much better position than ever before to fulfill the ideals of New South prosperity through increased involvement in reform and policymaking at the local, state, and national levels.