 The SCLC 's goals were to fill the jails with protesters to force the city government to negotiate as demonstrations continued . However , not enough people were arrested to affect the functioning of the city and the wisdom of the plans were being questioned in the black community . The editor of The Birmingham World , the city 's black newspaper , called the direct actions by the demonstrators " wasteful and worthless " , and urged black citizens to use the courts to change the city 's racist policies . Most white residents of Birmingham expressed shock at the demonstrations . White religious leaders denounced King and the other organizers , saying that " a cause should be pressed in the courts and the negotiations among local leaders , and not in the streets " . Some white Birmingham residents were supportive as the boycott continued . When one black woman entered Loveman 's department store to buy her children Easter shoes , a white saleswoman said to her , " Negro , ain 't you ashamed of yourself , your people out there on the street getting put in jail and you in here spending money and I 'm not going to sell you any , you 'll have to go some other place . " King promised a protest every day until " peaceful equality had been assured " and expressed doubt that the new mayor would ever voluntarily desegregate the city . 
