Beginning in 1962, the town of Americus was the site of mass beatings of black protesters. Carter was quiet on the issue at first. He did speak up on a few divisive issues, giving speeches against literacy tests and against a change to the state constitution. At the time of President Kennedy's assassination, Carter was informed by a customer of his peanut business of the killing. Carter later called the assassination "the greatest blow that I had suffered since my father died".