Former White Supremacist Mourns the Death of His Black Godmother

 

Scott Shepherd is pictured with Rebecca Scott Hawkins, the woman he credits with saving his life. "I love and miss her so much already," said Shepherd.

By Gary Glennell Toms

If there were organizations or individuals with racist views, chances are Scott Shepherd was closely associated with them. Shepherd, who spent the early part of his life in Mississippi and Texas, attended college in Mississippi and Georgia.

After graduating, he relocated to Memphis, Tennessee; where he was introduced to the white nationalist movement and went on to obtain a high-ranking leadership position within a number of white nationalist organizations. Shepherd was also a member of the Ku Klux Klan and served as Imperial Wizard, Grand Wizard, and national leader of the Omerta Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.

His other affiliations included the National Association for the Advancement of White People and The European-American Unity Rights Organization, both founded by former Louisiana Congressman and Klansman David Duke.

In effort to teach what he described as "uneducated" whites about the movement, Shepherd created The National White Rights Association and The White Rights Organization. The Mississippi native also had connections to "pro-white" organizations in South Africa and other countries. These connections included extremist and anti-government groups. Some were labeled militia or mercenary groups and were considered paramilitary, such as The Civilian Material Assistance Group (CMA), an anti-government and anti-Communist organization with operations in Central America.

Shepherd was a candidate for state representative and governor in the state of Tennessee in the late 80's and early 90's and proudly campaigned as a white nationalist.

Today, Scott Shepherd has a very different view on race in America, which is largely due to a 10-day stint in a county jail in Nashville and interactions with people of color. He now speaks out against the white nationalist movement and other racist organizations he loved and supported. The man who spent the majority of his life vehemently campaigning for racial separation has become an advocate for racial harmony and the recipient of numerous death threats from individuals and organizations associated with the white nationalist movement. Despite the threats to his life, he is determined to prevent others, especially young people, from falling victim to the propaganda and recruitment tactics used by the white nationalist movement and other racist groups.

Shepherd credits his lifelong relationship with his godmother, Rebecca Scott Hawkins, as part of the reason for what many have described as "an incredible transformation". On September 27 of this year, Hawkins, whom family and friends lovingly called "Miss Becky", passed away peacefully in her sleep. She would have celebrated her 104th birthday on October 3. "I'll never be able to explain how this compassionate, loving and remarkable woman impacted my life, and to say I love her would be an understatement. "I'm so thankful to have had her in my life.," Shepherd stated. 

"Miss Becky" and Shepherd during her 103rd birthday celebration.

The former Klansman also noted that Miss Becky was always there and never turned her back on him, even when he was doing and saying the most hateful things as an international spokesman for the movement. "Without question, it was her faith in God, her faith in me, and her love that brought me through those dark years," he said. "Heaven gained a new angel today. I, and my family, will miss her dearly. She was my backbone, my source of strength and my heart! She was a mother and grandmother who, all around, held my heart. I love and miss her so much already, and I ask that people please pray for her family and mine. Fly high, Becky. You deserved it all. I love you, and I always will."