2.3 University of Missouri building

The university’s defense, led by William Hogsett, countered that the University was bound by law to reject Gaines’ application and stated that Lincoln University had to provide higher education for Negroes. This is the point that Houston wanted the court to address. Houston got Canada to admit the only students he would bar would be of African descent. Hogsett, on the other hand, was unable to unnerve young Mr. Gaines with speculation that the NAACP had put him up to applying at MU. Gaines replied,” No, that is my idea; about the [law] suit.”

2.5 J. Edgar Hoover FBI Director 1935-72

Many theories, much speculation and a considerable amount of guessing can be attributed to the sudden and complete disappearance of Lloyd Gaines. Known as a loner and having a habit of taking off for days at a time, the whereabouts of Lloyd was not a concern to his family. In fact, Gaines wrote to his mother three weeks before he vanished that if she did not hear from him he would be okay. Local and federal authorities, including the FBI were not notified immediately of his disappearance. Houston and the NAACP lawyers had not been in contact with Gaines for several months.

2. 6 Memorial for Lloyd Gaines, St. Peter's Cemetery, Normandy, St. Louis County, Missouri

What happened to Gaines? There are many ideas ranging from being murdered or lynched, being bribed to run away, or disappearing on his own to get away from the pressure of celebrity. That final possibility was brought about by Dr. Greene, who claimed that a man who sounded like Gaines had phoned him while in Mexico and wished to meet. The man never showed up. A recent theory is one of where Lloyd was kidnapped by opponents of the Gaines court decision who took him to Jefferson City and lynched him in McClung Park. All of these theories are speculation and the fact remains that Lloyd Gaines’ whereabouts are a mystery to this day.