Lucius Davenport Amerson (October 7, 1933 – March 15, 1994)U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 was an American sheriff who in 1967 became the first Black sheriff in the South since Reconstruction. He was elected to office in Macon County, Alabama and started his role in January 1967.Life Magazine. January 27, 1967. Volume 62. No. 4. Page 30B Amerson served for 20 years, until 1987, being re-elected four times.
He said that all his white deputies quit when he took office, "They wouldn't work with me". "The people in the public didn't see the experiences I had with the circuit judges, clerks, and prosecutors, who were supposed to help me with my job, They were trying to show that a black sheriff couldn't be effective"
So he hired black war veterans to replace the racist white deputies that quit. The following years also saw the disappearance of almost 20 high ranking KKK members and leaders. Despite all of the violence and hatred that the klan members directed towards him, somehow there always seemed to be a more violent event that happened to the klan members shortly after. The FBI investigated Amerson and his deputies but couldn’t prove that they were killing or terrorizing the klan members.
March 15th 1994 local leaders paid honor to the trials that Amerson endured but the results he obtained were downplayed by history.
He had a heart attack in 1991 and was trying to start a restaurant "Captain Catfish" in Tuskegee when he died.
Amerson was born in Clinton, Alabama in 1933,U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 the son of Henry Amerson, a farmer, and Lewinie Amerson.1930, 1940 United States Federal Census He was survived by former wife and 3 sons Lucius Amerson Jr. Peter Amerson, Anthony Amerson.
There are plans to make a historical / Action/ movie based on his life and challenges he faced from racist Klan members during his tenure as a sheriff, in 2030.
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