The Tenth Man: Living Black in Blue

Charles E. Day

Apr 2007 · AuthorHouse

About this ebook

The world of law enforcement and criminal justice in the South during the Jim Crow Era was vastly different than it is today, and segregation was especially difficult for black police officers who were challenged to enforce laws. William J. Day was one of the first 10 African American police officers in Savannah, GA. His story is one of courage, fortitude and dedication to his career and his family. In May, 1947, he joined the Savannah police department. In those days of segregation, severe limits were placed on black law enforcement officers. There were segregated drinking fountains in precinct stations. Black policemen were allowed to patrol only in black communities, and had to call in a commander if they arrested a white suspect. White officers would steam-clean the seats of their police cruisers after black officers had driven them. “The black officers were reduced to automatic civilian status when they walked off the job,” recalls his son, Charles E. Day, Sr. “My father had to deal with it, plus keep a job and raise a family.” William and Laura raised a family of four sons, one of whom was an invalid. Laura had studied nursing, but gave up her career to care for her family. She was always home for her children and the home was always filled with friends and good food. William J. Day, Sr. passed away in April 1972, just shy of his 60th birthday. As his son Charles approached his own 60th birthday, he wanted to memorialize the legacy of his father and pay tribute to a remarkable man. This book is written about this father’s life and his family. The Tenth Man: Living in Black and Blue tells the story of this era in Southern history, the city of Savannah, GA, the civil rights movement and the lives of people who endured these hardships.

About the author

A native of Savannah, GA, former airline executive and founder of Charles E. Day and Associates in Alexandria, VA, Charles E. Day Sr. is author of a McGraw-Hill book, Call Center Operations: Profiting Teleservices; co-author of Best Practices for a Continually Improving Customer Responsive Organization; and contributor to the Handbook of Management Consulting Services. His management consulting firm of 20 years specializes in the areas of customer service, business process reviews, and technology transfer. After 35 years of marriage, Charles E. Day Sr. is the father of two sons and has two granddaughters and a grandson who live in the Washington, DC, area. At St. John's Episcopal Church in Fort Washington, MD, he serves as a Lay Eucharist Minister and sings in the choir. He is co-founder and sings with the Fort Washington Community Chorus. Charles is also vice chair and sings with the Metropolitan Chorus in Washington, DC. Charles was a principal actor in the Broadway musical Ragtime and played Booker T. Washington at the John Addison Hall in Fort Washington, MD, with the Tantallon Community Players. He also performed as Reverend Sykes in the play To Kill a Mocking Bird. He is a Life member of the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the National Association of Black MBAs. He is also a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame for three sports lettering at Alfred E. Beach High School in Savannah, GA. Charles is a certified management consultant and a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, Inc. Charles E. Day Sr. received his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, physics, and education from Savannah State University and Master of Science in Administration with concentration in computer science from George Washington University in Washington, DC.