John Hulett

John Hulett (November 19, 1927 – August 21, 2006) was an American civil rights activist, sheriff and judge. He was a leader in the civil rights movement in Lowndes County, Alabama, United States, and the founder of the Lowndes County Christian Movement for Human Rights. He was also the first chairperson of Lowndes County Freedom Organization (LCFO) in 1966, Hulett was instrumental in the founding of LCFO. Hulett would serve as LCFO's chairperson and was also one of the first of two African American voters whose registration was successfully processed in Lowndes County. According to Hulett, LCFO's symbol – the snarling black panther – represents the "strength and dignity of black demands today". Hulett also explained that the black panther is "an animal that when it is pressured it moves back until it is cornered, then it comes out fighting for life or death," and that the symbol was fitting for the oppressed black community to take back power. In Lowndes County, the black panther was an emblem for democracy. However, the symbol obtained a different meaning of black power and militancy after the black panther symbol was adopted by Black Panther Party in Oakland, one that Hulett and his colleagues did not fully agree.

Political career As an independent political party, LCFO joined the November 1966 county government election with a slate of twelve candidates. By then, LCFO had been able to get 2,758 of the 13,000 blacks in Lowndes County registered to vote. Hulett himself was running for county sheriff but none of the LCFO candidates won. Hulett was later elected as the county sheriff on a National Democratic Party of Alabama ticket in 1970. He became not only a civil rights activist fighting against racial segregation but a symbol of reconciliation.

Hulett would continue to serve as county sheriff for 22 years. He then served as a probate judge of Lowndes County for three terms.

Other activities Hulett considered the black people's economic dependence on whites a significant barrier to their free and equal political participation in Alabama. Hulett worked closely with the War on Poverty program, which empowered the local black residents. He had served on the board of the Lowndes County Office of Equal Opportunity health program, then the only biracial board in the county. he became a Democrat in late 1972 and endorsed George Wallace for reelection as governor. According to Hulett, the main reason for this reluctant change in political affiliation was to secure aid for local programs, as social welfare program funding for Lowndes had been cut under Richard Nixon.

Personal life Hulett's second marriage was to Eddie Mae Aaron. They had two daughters and one son. One of his sons from a previous marriage, John Hulett Jr., also served as probate judge of Lowndes County. Hulett's son-in-law's uncle the late John "Big John" Williams was also sheriff until his untimely death on November 23, 2019.