And Justice for All

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Clyde Cox, One of the First Two African-American Police Officers

Clyde Cox (d. 1970) was one of the first two African-American police officers in Durham and the first black detective in the state of North Carolina. He and James B. Samuel were hired July 1, 1944, to provide more law enforcement coverage in the African-American Hayti community. They were not allowed to use the bathroom or water fountain, eat lunch, or change their clothes at police headquarters. They knew that the white community would be watching them and that the leaders in the black community would have high expectations for them. As pioneers on the force, they struggled, survived, and paved the way for other African-American police officers to follow.

"Clyde Cox, One of the First Two African-American Police Officers"

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