Perhaps as early as the late 1960's Wilkie Clark and a handful of other outspoken black citizens had begun to slowly chip away at lack of opportunity when it came to the absence of blacks serving in public service jobs within the municipality of Roanoke, and surrounding communities.  With respect to the issues of the lack of black men and women serving on the police force, at one time or another, he began to confront city officials concerning the need to have black police officers who could work within black communities to maintain harmony without having its black citizens be abused.  The article below, is one that appeared in the local newspaper probably as a means of attempting to "pacify" the community, as was often done.  The city fathers were always looking for some token Negro they could point to as an "example" of their absence of prejudice.   Perhaps that is why they started featuring officers on the local police force in the local paper.  

In the clipping below, Municipal Police Officer J.W. Baker was the featured token Negro for that week.  He is shown in his uniform, and is identified as the third Black Police Officer to be hired in the City Of Roanoke. 

NOTE:  This incident is posted strictly from my memory of the events that gave rise to the incident described in this section.   Where available, efforts will be made to provide documentation of the facts.  However, after many years, evidence has in all likelihood, faded from memory and existence.   We will, however, continue to do the best we can to reconstruct the story. 

On July 27, 1974, 19 year old David Jr Pickard, a young black man, was shot and killed by a Georgia State Highway Patrolman. 

The Story was:  that a Georgia State Highway Patrolman chased Pickard across State Lines from Troup County, into Alabama.  Pickard sped into a residence in Rock Mills, Alabama, and got out of the car running "Like a Bat Out Of Hell" in the words of the homeowner(s) who witnessed the incident.   He was said to have been "running for his life."   

The Georgia State Trooper Shot him in the back as he attempted to run from the officer.

Wilkie Clark's funeral home had custody of the body.   At Clark's insistence, a special funeral service was held for Mr. Pickard at Bethel Methodist Church in Roanoke.  The church was packed.  Funds were raised and a "David Pickard Fund" was established" in support of the effort to  bring the Trooper to justice.  People were concerned. However, NOTHING was ever done to bring the Trooper to justice.

Two incidents ignited the entire community, who began to have regular meetings in anticipation of a big Civil Rights March Against Police Brutality.