Remy Duvall (1924 - 1968) was a New Orleans real estate magnate, local philanthropist, and radio personality who hosted the conservative "Native Son" program and was often interviewed on WBYU. Duvall was also a Ku Klux Klan leader, leading its Southern Union affiliate, and he harbored a deep hatred for African-Americans and Italians. In 1968, he was murdered at one of his KKK rallies by Lincoln Clay.
Biography[]
Remy Duvall was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to a Protestant French-American family; his great-grandfather was a French settler who helped to dig a canal which led to the founding of the first village touching the Gulf; one of his grandfathers was a Confederate States Army soldier who was killed in the fighting for New Orleans (the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip) in 1862 during the American Civil War. Duvall became a real estate magnate in New Orleans and the surrounding areas, and he was one of New Orleans' richest citizens during the 1960s. Duvall used his fame and money to become the host of the ultra-conservative radio talk show "Native Son" and the leader of the white supremacist and Christian elitist "Southern Union" hate group. He also formed connections with the Marcano crime family through his friend Olivia Marcano (née Grady), putting aside his hatred of Italians to work with Lou Marcano to sell him some ground for a casino. In 1965, Duvall became notorious for his involvement in the murders of four civil rights workers, and he decapitated one of them, with her head never being found. Nevertheless, Duvall was popular among whites in the city due to his "white pride" and his popular Native Son show, interviewing conservative State Senator Walter Jacobs and murder case perpetrator Hollis Dupree on his show.
Death[]
Remy Duvall being taken down from the cross
In 1968, the African-American criminal Lincoln Clay killed Lou Marcano, making Duvall lose money; Duvall swore vengeance, and he decided to assemble a "hunting party" of Southern Union members to kill Clay. Duvall held a cross-burning rally near the old lookout post outside the city, and he spoke to a large crowd of Southern Union members about the need to kill Clay. The rally was interrupted when Clay threw a grenade into the crowd, wounding Duvall. Clay proceeded to kill those Southern Union members who were armed, and he confronted Duvall afterwards. Duvall asked him what he was going to do next, and he spat blood on Lincoln's face. Clay decided to tie him to the burning cross, and his body was taken down by police. Police chief Earl Wilson told a news reporter that all African-Americans in the city had to be rounded up and shot because of the "war" going on.