That's my memory, but I was pretty young at the time. I suspect that it might have been more of a publicity stunt than anything else, but it gave him a real when he ran for public office. Those were the days when civil rights workers were viewed as "outside agitators." ;-)
Not true. The way Maddox told it, a couple of local political activists had been egging people on to come to his restaurant and start trouble (including, BTW, Billy McKinney, parent of Cynthia) and a carload of folks showed up more than once looking for Maddox. He said they threatened him and then tried to force their way inside the restaurant, and that some of his customers took axe handles from next to the fireplace and confronted them. Maddox himself had a pistol. He was charged with assault, IIRC, but was acquitted or the charges were dismissed, can't remember which. He said he thought they were coming in to wreck the place.
If you want to read about it from a well-known article in one of our local free magazines, here 'tis. Be sure to check out Maddox's spirited retort to the article, in which he challenges a number of facts. (He always took umbrage with news and magazine articles - I don't think he was ever satisfied with anybody who ever wrote about him.)