Burgland Supermarket was based after the Burgland section of McComb, Mississippi which is why the supermarket under that name. Burgland Supermarket was located in a 2‑story cinder‑block building.
Mr. Pete Lewis was stockholder in a Negro corporation which opened the Burgland Market at 630 Warren Street in the Burgland section of McComb, Mississippi in 1956. The market corporation went into debt Pete Lewis agreed to take over the debts and operate the market until the debts were repaid, when it would return to the stockholders. The store has about $7,000 worth of stock, appliances, and equipment. Burgland Supermarket was operating in a 2‑story cinder‑block building owned by a Negro Masonic hall and lodge, which occupied the second floor. (Ref: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/109010/appendix_3.odt%3Fsequence%3D10%26isAllowed%3Dy+&cd=7)
Burgland Supermarket had long been a hotbed of both political activism and social activism. Reginald Robinson spent his early days in McComb doing the spadework for the project. He set up a bank account and credit accounts at a local restaurant and office supply store. He helped open the voter registration school above the Burgland Supermarket, where he and other SNCC workers prepared locals to take the voter registration exam. (Ref: https://snccdigital.org/people/reggie-robinson/)
This building, Worshipful Master Eureka Lodge #5/Hegira Temple #57 and Burgland Supermarket, was the site of the SNCC’s first voter registration project. Burgland Supermarket were bombed by unidentified racists in 1964. (Ref: https://www.apps.mdah.ms.gov/Public/prop.aspx?id=103072&view=facts&y=1024)
On the night of August 14,1964, a bomb was thrown at the store building of Burgland Supermarket. Mr. Pete Lewis was not present in the store at the time of the bombing. The bomb tore a hole in the sidewalk about four feet from the Burgland Supermarket building. A double door was blown from its hinges into the store during the blast of the bombing. Every window was broken on all four sides on both floors. A wooden awning was destroyed. Walls had received damaged too. The building itself was shaken and long cracks opened in the interior walls. The building was no longer structurally safe. (Ref: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/109010/appendix_3.odt)
Burgland Supermarket lost about ⅓ of his stock which consisted mainly of fruits, vegetables, breads, and cakes, from flying splinters. One counter was broken and a cigarette machine damaged. The lost stock was valued at $1,200 and the cost of replacing windows at $500. Mr. Lewis' equipment was insured by him, but the Masons carried no insurance on the building, so Lewis had to pay for those repairs himself. The store reopened for business the next day. He received no threats before the blast and one afterwards. The incident was reported to the police. However no arrests were made. (Ref: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/109010/appendix_3.odt%3Fsequence%3D10%26isAllowed%3Dy+&cd=7)
It was guessed that the bomb was thrown from a passing car and landed relatively far from the store. The bomb was believed to be set off by a group. (Ref: content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/api/collection/p15932coll2/id/21078/)
There was no good reason for this place to be bombed except for the fact that Bob used to hold voter registration classes in the Masonic Lodge above the supermarket in 1961, The supermarket is two blocks away from the freedom house and right across the street from St. Paul's Church where the freedom school is held. (Ref: content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/api/collection/p15932coll2/id/24165/)
Today the building is unused and a portion of the roof is missing on the lower level on the building facing north of Warren Street.
Burgland Supermarket was located at 630 Warren Street, McComb, Mississippi, US 39648.
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