Opponents of Racial Violence Will Walk to Mass at Common

Leaders of Boston's black community will head a "walk" to Boston Common during today's papal mass to protest Friday's shooting of a black football player in Charlestown and to focus attention on the city's racial problems.

Participants in the march will gather at the Harriet Tubman House on the corner of Columbus and Mass. Ave., at 2 p.m. today. State Rep. Melvin H. King, the leader of the walk, refused to outline the route of the walk.

Timing

Supporters of the walk hope to take advantage of the Pope's arrival to emphasize the importance of cooperation and the ending of racial violence. "We intend to walk and raise the spiritual consciousness of this city with the moral and spiritual leader of a people here," King said.

Some speakers at the South End meeting said they feared violence directed toward the walkers.

Donald Brown, Roxbury Coordinator of King's recent mayoral campaign, suggested that anyone concerned over this possibility not show up. "We don't want anybody out there who is afraid," said Brown.

Marshal

In addition to calling for the end of racial violence and the prosecution of the assailants of Darryl Williams, the Jamaica Plain High football player shot in Friday's incident, the group will demand the resignation of James Kelly, a member of Boston Mayor Kevin H. White's administration and an opponent of busing for desegregation of the city's schools.

Support and Demand

Eugene J. Green '80, president of the Harvard Black Students Association (BSA), attended the meeting at the invitation of members of the coalition. Green announced in this meeting that black students were seriously concerned with the racial problems of Boston. He said that a group of black students, though not officially the BSA, are circulating a petition calling for a show of solidarity with the protesters.