Buddy Tucker
Dewey H. "Buddy" Tucker (d. c. November 2022) was an American minister from Dandridge, Tennessee, and former pastor of the "Temple Memorial Baptist Church" in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was a white nationalist, antisemitic, former Baptist and founder of the now-defunct group National Emancipation of our White Seed.
His activities associated him with Christian Identity leaders and white supremacists such as Dan Gayman, Gerald L. K. Smith, Byron De La Beckwith, Richard Butler and Bertrand Comparet, along with groups that include the National States' Rights Party, and Aryan Nations.[1][2][3]
Christian Identity activism
[edit]Tucker founded the Temple Memorial Baptist church on July 14, 1969, in Knoxville, Tennessee.[4] The Congregation oriented itself towards certain Comparetian beliefs; particularly the "two-seedline" belief. This belief states that Jews are the product of Cain, due to a sexual encounter between Eve and Satan, while whites are the product of Adam and Eve.[5]
In 1973, Tucker collaborated with Christian Identity leader Dan Gayman. The Anti-Defamation League reports that Gayman became affiliated with Tucker's National Emancipation of our White Seed (N.E.W.S) and also assisted in the publication of its anti semitic publication, The Battle Axe News.[6] The two later conducted a tour of the west coast, at which time Tucker became associated with Bertrand Comparet and Richard Butler. Butler aligned his own church with N.E.W.S. in 1976 before forming Aryan Nations.[7]
In April 1975, Tucker became acquainted with Christian nationalist Gerald L. K. Smith. Though this lasted less than a year as the result of Smith's death, Tucker was chosen to deliver the eulogy at Smith's funeral based on their shared extremist views.[8]
On April 12, 1976, Tucker officially Incorporated N.E.W.S in Tennessee.[9] On June 3 of the same year, in Schell City, Missouri, Tucker and Gayman, along with 34 other individuals, forced their way into the church pastored by Gayman's brother, Duane Gayman and unfurled banners reading "National Emancipation of our White Seed".[10] This altercation was the result of Duane Gayman's split from Dan Gayman's increasingly extremist congregation.[11] A clash with police occurred and Tucker and Gayman, along with 10 others were arrested for trespassing. Tucker failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for his arrest on July 9, 1976.[12]
In 1977, Tucker ordained white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith as a minister in the Temple Memorial Baptist Church, just before Beckwith began serving a prison sentence in Louisiana on charges related to a bombing and the attempted murder of A. I. Botnik, director of the New Orleans–based B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League.[13][14]
Prison sentence
[edit]Tucker was imprisoned in 1977 due to a 1974 conviction for willful failure to file. After losing his appeal, he surrendered to U.S. Marshals and served nine months in federal prison.[15][16]
Internet activities
[edit]Tucker ran two websites and a YouTube channel. One was an outreach website that posted antisemitic, white supremacist, anti-communist, and homophobic articles which dated back to the N.E.W.S. publication, The Battle Axe News, alongside Bible studies and then-current articles. The other website had content focused on Gerald L. K. Smith and contained writings of, and correspondence with, Smith as well as articles by Wesley Swift and other Christian Identity leaders.[citation needed]
Death
[edit]On November 23, 2022, Tucker's son Paul used his father's Facebook account to report that he had died.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ Sims, Patsy (December 12, 1996). The Klan. The University Press of Kentucky; 2 edition. pp. 65,66. ISBN 978-0-8131-0887-2
- ^ The Nevada Daily Mail - Mar 27, 1977 p. 1
- ^ Sims, Patsy (December 12, 1996). The Klan. The University Press of Kentucky; 2 edition. pp. 143. ISBN 0-8131-0887-X.
- ^ TN State Corporate Entity Control Number 51514
- ^ "Christian Identity". Archived from the original on 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-02-01.
- ^ "Dan Gayman". Archived from the original on 2012-02-01. Retrieved 2012-02-01.
- ^ Marks, Kathy (Feb 1996). Faces of right wing extremism. Branden Books. p. 79. ISBN 0-8283-2016-0.
- ^ Jeansonne, Glen (June 1997). Gerald L K Smith Minister of Hate. May 1997: Louisiana State Univ Pr. p. 210. ISBN 0-8071-2168-1.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ TN State Corporate Entity Control Number 80577
- ^ Lambertson, Giles (June 3, 1976). "11 Arrested At Church After Take Over Try". Nevada Daily Mail.
- ^ Kaplan, Jeffery (June 14, 2000). Encyclopedia of white power: a sourcebook on the radical racist right. Altamira Press. p. 118. ISBN 0-7425-0340-2.
- ^ "The Nevada Daily Mail - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- ^ Byron De La Beckwith
- ^ Lloyd, James B. (1 November 1995). "TENNESSEE, RACISM, AND THE NEW RIGHT: THE SECOND BECKWITH COLLECTION". The Library Development Review 1994-95: 3.
- ^ "Rev. Tucker Ordered Arrested". Daily Post News. 4 (128): 2. June 28, 1974.
- ^ Sullivan, Joe (March 27, 1977). "Schell City Slurs By Racist Group". The Nevada Herald.
- ^ Tucker, Paul (November 23, 2023). "This is very difficult for me to say for I have cast off my mortal bonds. Those of you whom I loved, I continue to do so as true love is eternal. For those who are troubled by my passing, may YAHWAH bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May YAHWAH lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. For those whom might gain some joy by my passing, may YAHWAH shine a light in your life. As this is my final post, I will leave you with Glory be to YAHWAH almighty and blessed be YAHWASUA. Post by Paul Tucker for Buddy as I envision his best and last sentiments". Facebook. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- 2022 deaths
- American anti-communists
- American members of the clergy convicted of crimes
- American people convicted of tax crimes
- American prisoners and detainees
- Christian Identity
- Neo-Confederates
- People from Dandridge, Tennessee
- Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government
- Southern Baptist ministers