Black History: Racism in Birmingham in 1963 with Ray Charles Band

I interviewed Leroy Cooper, baritone saxophone player for Ray Charles, talking about the band's experience at the Salute to Freedom on August 5, 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama and the changes he has seen since then. These are the results of the interview. Cooper passed away on January 15, 2009 but at age 80, he lived long enough to see Barack Obama elected President.

Susan Cross: While a member of the Ray Charles Band from 1957 through 1977 did you experience any discrimination?

Leroy Cooper: Plenty of times. The scariest place I remember was Birmingham. We were there more than once. Birmingham, ooo-eee!

Susan Cross: Can you tell me about what you experienced there?

Leroy Cooper: In August 1963 we were in Birmingham, Alabama and two or three planeloads of entertainers came down from New York for this freedom rally. It was at a football field. Joe Louis, Johnny Mathis was there, Ray's band, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Basie's band, you know, just people.

Susan Cross: What happened next?

Leroy Cooper: There was one white guy with us from the agency that booked Ray's Band; the Shaw Agency. He was a 'cat' like us and he hung out with the musicians. All these southern rednecks was standing around looking at us. One of the musicians asked him, "How come you hangin' with the cats so much?" He said, "These people scare me!" He was looking at all these white people with them overalls, and what looked like a shotgun down there. A couple of them had hoods on.

Susan Cross: How did you feel

Leroy Cooper: I was so scared. Ray flew his plane down there and them kind of guys was guarding the plane. I said, 'I hope they don't do nothing to the plane,' 'cause we were leaving after we finished the gig. We were going back to New York because we didn't want to stay there that night. It worried me that all them cats were watching us getting off that plane and we had a black pilot.

Susan Cross: Were there any problems after the gig?

Leroy Cooper: No. We went and got something to eat and I sat across from Joe Louis. Then we went back to the plane and got out of there. I didn't think I would ever go back to Birmingham after that.

Susan Cross: Did you ever return to Birmingham?

Leroy Cooper: Joe Namath, when he got popular opened up a club in Birmingham years later. We went to Joe Namath's club and they had us in the biggest hotel downtown; I forget the name of it.

Susan Cross: Were you shocked at the changes since your last visit?

Leroy Cooper: Yeah. I couldn't believe it! I said, This is not Birmingham. Time's have really changed.