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P: Could I ask you to repeat that answer about opposition from black ministers?

L: Nothing overt or deliberate attempt to sidetrack what we were doing, but no
 participation on their part. No active participation. They felt that a minister had
 no right to be involved in those kinds of things.

P: They are, after all, secular activities.

L: That is right, and I considered it a part of my responsibility as a minister to look
 out for my people. If you were experiencing a denial of our rights and our
 freedom, that the minister who was a fierce person in the community, who did not
 have to rely on the white community directly, who was supported by his people,
 was the person to become involved. To me the gospel had a social aspect and
 anything that had to do with the life, the livelihood of people, the minister had a
 responsibility to become involved in that. other than that, I do not see how he
 could preach a full, true gospel with people in bondage and in slavery.

P: Were you a member of the Progressive Voter's League?

L: No.

P: Were you a member of the Democratic party here?

L: Yes, I was a Democrat.

P; Was there any sort of auxiliary black Democratic group at that time?

L: Maybe quasi. I did not even bother too much with it because I knew where they
 were and where they were coming from, and they would not have been in favor
 of what we were doing.

P: How about some of Tampa's mayors, I believe in the late 1950s, Mayor Nick
 Nucio was around?

L: Yes, it was under Mayor Nucio that the Commission of Community Relations
 became a part of city government.

P: Are you sure that was not under Julian Lane?

L: Nucio, under him then, later Lane came. Lane succeeded Nucio and Lane was
 not a bad mayor, although, he was opposed to anything of this nature and it took
 him by surprise.

P: When you say anything of this nature, what are you referring to?