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tuesday am Dear Werners, good morning from the cofo office, should be out canvassing in bolivar county but am awaiting the return of one of our two sncc cars, we're going to concentrate on the counties and let greenville pretty much take care of Itself, a girl is having a mass meeting thursday night in lamont in bolivar..our first, aside to hank—I found that the reason i never heard anything about humphries county is because it's so rough no one ever went in there but they plan on opening It up out of our project after the first of the year, makes you feel good, huh? it's been awfully rough right around here, a kid was badly beaten in belzoni, sunday while we were circumventing indianala accidentally their whole project was arrested for integrating a restaurant, one of our people was arrested at a meeting up in batesville and spent ten days in the batesville jail because no one had bail money, he and another guy wereshot at another day and spent the night sleeping in a culvert, the vicksburg freedom school was bombed sunday while we were on the highway, et cetra, et oetra./we're working mostly on the mock election the end of t^e moiith and the real one november 3 as well as getting nehroes Blwcted to the cotton allotment board the beginning of december. this is difficult Biere both because the farmers are almost all on plantations and we haven't worked much with them during the summer.//end of letter, muriel just came back from hollandale and said let's go to Cleveland. I'm going Jo be there a couple days while another guy comes here, will probably write tonight from Cleveland..//"^ now friday morning in Cleveland but you know how that goes, i'm here til monday then g'ville for a couple qeeks then i have the pleasure of opening up rosedalo also hore in bolivar county, negroes don't go into toosedale to register because they're afraid of the town and TVO have no one there, guess who gets to go in? everything i've seen and been filled in on makes the entire summer project seem like an orientation se'ssion for the winter, from the increased violence and general danger to things like sleeping in 35° without heat to walking two blocks to shave and brush your teeth (situation here in Cleveland) e r0 ' to increased hostility from the n 6 community (greenville's noticably turned and people who were all smiles on nelson street in juljr don't respond to "hello" in October), nitty gritty, bob mosos stopped in here yesterday with gil alperovitz of sen. nelson's staff (legislative assist.), he (gil) talked w/ me awhile and left his card and said anytime i want the senator for anything over the winter to call, ho was down here looking for wise, people in the state, had just seen mary, and was looking for y'all (as jackson seems to think you're here), he said there's a good chance we can get reuss down here to campaign for lbj-hhh for the fdp as he doesn't need to worry about his or.nrace. edith green is coming down to campaign as are others, i'm to work on reuss as is tereaa in the jackson office-, mosea-, as you probably know if j. was at that dinner, just got back from africa last week where he and mrs. hamer and lewis were invited by the guinec govt, to speak on mids. summer project, did you see the free southern theatre's "in white america" this summer? one of the leads, cynthia Washington, is project director here in Cleveland.! like her very much—very savvy girl, the-eatir©—if^-someone 3aid the teamsters have made an offer that anytime people in tha north want things driven to miss, and have a truck, they'll donate a driver, check into it&tell maggie. mock election 2°oct-2nov. w/mrs. hamer, annie devine, victoria gray running for congress, aaron henry for senate (he got on the ballot as an ind. while mrs. hamer was disqualified) and lbj-hhh. there will be a challenge made when congress opens its next session testing the seating of people like jaraie whitten here in the 2nd district (who is elected by something like 3 out of every 100; whites in the district), our .other big project after nov. 3 is the cotton allotimnt board elections, i find all around that official commiques to the contrary, no one is using jackson to distribute anything, including funds, for one good reason—it doesn't work, with just a ferr exceptions, jackson hasn't taken it too seriously in actual practice
— "•"*'• in - " ""ii lwqmnm miiiWWii^^iiliiiini.iMiui'iHijii II|I>I 'I.' Hum i. I»I ••• 11 in in nor has anyone else, when you learn things like the three people on the project here in Cleveland are all living on one #18 a week check without h eat or plumbing coupled with what you know about the jackson office, i think it bocon-3 important to get something in the workers stomachs in Cleveland as we all know that$$3000 in jackson won't be heard up here. Belzoni is said to be in desperate need of coats and cold weather clothing, there are dozens of instances like this and i feel it important for someone to keep tabs of them and get directly plugged into them, end of sermon. if possible, send reading matter..not especially library stuff but for us and library, i.e. -week old nation if f/sncc has duplicates amongst members (even newsweek would be nice), liberation sent hs four bask issues and an offer of a frae sub if we wanted it. nice letter said they know we don't have any money and while they don't either, they appreciate 'what TO-,re' ddiiig^'Tiberator would be nice or anything liberal-political. anything you can do what be appreciated, an old table model am radio to Cleveland community center, 1323 church extension, Cleveland, miss, would be greatly appreciated, the only news here is the newsiess weekly bolivar commercial which is citizens council financed and shows it. while i was writing about a paragraph up, pickup rode buy w/ guy selling fish, i was told his brother killed emmett till (which makes all the bros.- 13-local horoes here in boliyar). please write—cofttinuo to write to nelson address as that will be my base and I'll eventually catch up to mail there, hope you can see your way clear to gat back soon as t'would be nice to see you here in the good old magnolia state, hello to colin, jerry b. and others whom I know. in freedom, fe, ; 1 • • .,.'••• urn IM iijuwyum^MLiijj.Miiii•••rw^www^tii»ijiww^ipiji»iiwjipijyMi.••^•miJii^•^^^•Jww^»^ww.w»pwpwpww^»jw^w^i.ij... wmmmmmmmmimimmmm^r,m^ium'mmmmmmM HIIIM i—y /*%0'/t&JsW/€>t. PROPERTY OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE * MILWAUKEE CORE - PLEASE RETURN SEGREGATION IN MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS - a paper oresented to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors special hearing 12/l0/6j5 de Milwaukee chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) presents its findings and opinions before the Milwaukee School Board's Special Committee in order to point out some of the serious problems existing primarily in the inner core, schools, In the following discussion, the sociological and academic problems are discussed together, as we feel that the two fields are interconnected, and cannot be separated. Whether segregated facilities are purposeful, circumstantial, or accidental, they must be corrected immediately. Hie separation of students and schools because of race is an obvious injury both to the student's academic accomplishments, and to his psychological development. Although correcting the established segregation based on housing restrictions and zoning will take some serious, vigorous planning, and study, there are many inequalities In Milwaukee's educational facilities which can be corrected immediately. Excuses generally given to keep separate educational facilities are the alleged lower level of Negro educational ability, or the poor family background of students. The difference of ability between children due to race has never been defended by any competent social scientist, and this view Is worthy of no serious consideration, 2he other excuse of a poorer background Is true In some cases. But to place all the parents of Negro children into one class is a sterotyped and prejudiced view. There are certainly school districts in Milwaukee outside of the inner core with similar parental economic and social backgrounds. An experienced core teacher commented that the school has the student longer than he is at home, and that with understanding and an interest in the subject being taught, it is possible to educate a large majority of students well, regardless of the family background. So there is no defendable basis for the racial separation of school children, and CORE will consider this its position in this report. CORE feels that the almost 100$ Negro attendance at many Milwaukee schools is extremely detrimental in Itself. Regardless of the fact that the inner core is heavily Negro in population, to build a system of public education on separate schooling by race goes against the 1954 Supreme Court decision In Brown vs. Board of Education that in public education, separate but equal educational facilities are inherently unequal, and violates basic common sense views on educational equality. To find examples of racially integrated schools that have been very successful, one need go no further than the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Campus Elementary school. If the Milwaukee School Board would quit looking for ' details and cases to prove that integration will cause hardships and trouble, and start taking the positive side and see what progressive cities and educators have accomplished in similar circumstances, we could begin to have a good system of integrated schools. ^W *u»,iijW>»»WJJiiiiiiJJ.'W'i'.''l.iii'i|L',|i-'.W..l» 11 . • •••" JWui.JiiiJUPpi.iiiMi. 11 II .1.1 1 1 .. 11 — • • n.m.j 1 Wtl^plWlWN 1 - 2 - In the placement of teachers In inner core schools, there seems to be a feeling by the School Board that placing Negro teachers in the core schools "works out better that way". It is logical that more Negro teachers would tend to teach in the heavily Negro inner core schools? but why are so few Negro teachers placed in other Milwaukee schools? This would be an excellent way to break down the prejudices that now exist in many Milwaukee school children. Another problem is the quality of teachers placed in core schools, and the amount of effort spent on special guidance, special classes, etc„ One young language teacher Interviewed was assigned to the core area as her first placement directly from college - evidently a rather normal procedure. She did not have any experience, and was assigned to a class that consisted of problem students many years older than their classmates - students normally put in special classes in other areas of the city. Her initial experience so angered her, that she quit the Milwaukee Public School System, and Is now teaching In a suburb. Not only did the city lose a good teacher, but this case Is not unusual in the assignment of inexperienced teachers to the core area In disproportionate numbers. Ihe inner core should not be a training ground for new teachers - it should be the area In the city where some of the best and most experienced teachers are placed. If the School Board considers the standards here low, then why not correct this with better than average teaching staffs? The establishment of special classes for both slow and fast learners must be accelerated to keep up with the rest of Milwaukee's schools, plus the improvement of curriculum to meet the standards of the rest of the city. It is no excuse to offer an Inferior curriculum, and then state that the students coming out of these schools have an inferior education due to their race or economic position. The free transfer policy of the Milwaukee School System is a sound plan, but there seem to be some very obvious discrepancies in carrying out its stated goals. In many cases, parents CORE contacted (both white and Negro) stated that it was easy for a white pupil to get a transfer, while Negro children had a hard time, or were refused, Negro teachers' children, naturally, had no trouble, but many Negro parents had to come back, and fight hardto get a transfer for their child, The standard procedure is for both the new and old principals to approve the transfer application. The excuse for refusal to grant transfers is that the receiving school has its full quota of students„ After interviewing parents of transfer students, CORE believes that some principals are using the full quota e::cuse to keep qualified Negro students from transferring to their schools,, We believe that it should be tha Board's stated policy to encourage tho free transfer of students for the purpose of integration. In some typical cases? CORE found the following results: A Negro parent who wanted a transfer of her child to prevent time lost in bus iDW.II.i . IHI..IW • II I I I II • • in II . II .11 . ... - 3 «• transfer was refused, and given no reason for the refusal. Another Negro parent who wanted her child transfered to a predominantly white school this fall, was told by the receiving school's principal to go back to "her district" (North Division High), and was given no excuse of.school overcrowding, A white student in a predominantly Negro high school was transfered at the suggestion of the school's principal into a mainly white school. The student had not even thought of, or requested a transfer until the principal suggested it. Is this a normal policy for some Milwaukee schools? In this case, there is little doubt that it was a quiet, behind the scenes move to enforce segregation in the city's schools. Parents of a grade school pupil at LaFollette school were told their son had to transfer to Twenty-Fourth St, school due to remodeling of LaFollette, The LaFollette school has finished remodeling some time ago, according to the pupil, some teachers, and the last PTA meeting. The forced transfer is still in effect - a teacher has stated the transfer was for purposes of integration, but neither principal, or any school official has made any explanations. The Milwaukee School Board certainly has the responsibility to keep parents informed on why transfers are made, how long it will take, and when the children will be returned to their regular school. What is especially important in this case is that the grade school student at LaFollette was on the honor role, and Interested very much in his schooling. After being transfered to Twenty-Fourth St, school, his grades have dropped significantly - he is no longer on the honor role, and seems less interested in his schoolwork. The student's mother puts the blame on the present bus transport policy. She feels that the Twenty-Fourth St, school teachers are capable, and in this case since the student is sent by bus with some friends, he is not completely alone at the new school, The only logical explanation is that the time lost during lunch period in bussing students back and forth (taking over a half an hour of school time), plus the interruption and discontinuity of his school day has lowered his academic standing, and his overall interest in schooling. How many similar cases are there in Milwaukee inner core schools? In the present "temporary" transportation of pupils by bus from a school being remodeled to the receiving school, CORE strongly believes that the effected students are being denied an equal chance for education, and are handled In such a way as to cause damaging psychological and sociological consequences. The students of inner core schools are not treated in the same way as others in Milwaukee public schools, and this obvious "special treatment" causes a disruption in the ordinary life and schooling of these children. One of the most damaging results of the existing bus policy is the time lost to the transfered student during lunch period. uMi,,w><*mm?Mmmw*mmmm»mj»mm™ The students are picked up at normal class time from the regular school - perhaps this is unavoidable, but with the present policy of transporting the pupilB back and forth at mealtime, much more time is unnecessarily lout. If there are enough classrooms in the receiving school to take care of the transfered students, then the school mast be able to provide some sort of satisfactory temporary lunch facilities, But more crucial than even the unnecessary time loss Is the disruption of normal school routine, A pupil who spends the noon period riding back to his old school for lunch ennnot ..;.•;.. be adequately prepared, to study, and feels too transient to fit into a school routine,, Receiving schools complaining about discipline problems of the bus transported students should think of what would happen if tho situation were reversed •» and their students were bussed around during noon meal period,, The School Board should have analyzed the detrimental effects of its transfer policy before instigating it - and certainly should have eliminated the many problems, both academic and psychological, before starting the plan0 In the transportation of students, CORE objects to the present plan of bussing students back to their home schools for lunch, not in bussing per se. If at some future time, as a concrete and positive step in fighting school segregation, a policy is devised to bus school children once a day at the beginning and end of regular class periods out of their segregated district, this will be viewed in an entirely different light by CORE, Once the transfered students arrive at the receiving school, some of the most unequal, and what CORE feels to be direct and purposeful segregation begins0 There seems to be a definite policy of keeping the transfered children directly separated from the regular student body0 Even conversation is discouraged «• the pupils are herded into the school without a chance to mingle, or even have normal contact with the other students. At recess, only a very small token integration has occured, letting a few lower grade classes mix in with the regular school pupils. Of course, there is no mingling in the lunchroom, since the pupils are transfered back to their home school. Uhe separation of i,he classes within the school is complete, in many cases giving almost 100$ segregation within the school classrooms. Is tMs the way the Mtlwaukeo School Board wabts to start integrating, its schools? An even mere damaging separation is the case of Echocl principals, where the transfered pupils are 1 denied the use of the receiving school s principalG How is it possible for the home school principal sitting a mile or so awayj out of contact with his students, teachers, and counselors, to properly evaluate disciplinary and academic problems relating to the students? The reverse situation does not seem to occur; when children of a predominantly white school are transfered for building remodeling, they do not regularly come Into the inner core schools, although these are in many cases the most convenient for this purpose. If the argument is used that the core schools are Inferior, is this not the most obvious recognition that an Immediate special effort must be made to bring them up to standards? And if no excuse is give:;iP then what policy does the Milwaukee School Board hold in regard to transfers? A former member of the JJllwaukce School Board, M.% Hampel, suggested that the temporarily transfered children be integrated into the receiving school,, Evidently, nothing has been done yet with this good, constructive suggestion, CORE r , •'• feels strongly that here is an excellent place for the 1 ,. beginning of total Integration in our schools. Since the children have to be transfered, why not make a determined effort to integrate the children Into the receiving school? As a beginning toward integration, and an excellent way to put students into contact with each other, this would coat no money, would involve at the present time no redistrieting or inconvenience, and would pave the way for useful cooperation and understanding between all fttuAantt* The Milwaukee CORE chapter is urging the Immediate investigation of these problems in trausfering students, and correction of abuses not only to speed integration per 3e, but to correct the very damaging personal and academic disruption and confusion in pupils' school life* Is it reasonable to expect students to be bussed around the city twice in the middle of a school day, to be treated in the receiving school as outsiders, as somehow different from the regular pupils, and still expect them to receive a normal, adequate education? The Milwaukee School Board, CORE feels, will have to take an Increased interest In and pay more attention to the problems of minority group pupils, and the inner cere school inequalities. There is a growing interest and concern of students and parents about the quality of their schools, and the city's efforts to correct problems. The School Board will have to show in the very near future concrete and constructive plan changes in the operation of many Milwaukee schools. The beginning of integrating Milwaukee's school children is no insurmountable, or even .very difficult Job if the problem is looked at constructively,. Such measures as pointed out above, in Integrating the already bussod students, cc3t nothing, and will show a willingness on the part of the Board to end school segregation In Milwaukeen The Superintendent of Schools has stated that he has no data on the racial makeup of the city'3 public school children, CORE hopes this very serious omission is Just an oversight, which will be Immediately corrected, and not a deliberate policy of keeping the status quo in the city's schools. It is, of course, obvious that even to begin a serious study of needed changes and plans in our schools, the statistical data will have to be collected, and shoxild be made public to any interested parents or groups, as well as the Board, to let all' interested Milwaukee citizens work towards totaly integrated and equal schools. "7JW i I mm J ... .1 •lll»|lll«»l»llllllipi|.., Ill.ll II Mil The School Board must also take the Initiative in keeping parents informed about its practicest As an example of a lax policy, the PTA at McKinley sohcol h&e .JF>« only enoa this year. Some teachers have voiced the opinion that they don't want to come out for these m^etings a R3gardless of wLc is at fault «* the School Board,, teachers, the school ad.ainlstration, or parents, Milwaukee aohcoLj should haTTV definite polilies to meet such conditions, and spark the J.ncore3t of both te^chsx^ and parents in democratic meetings vh3re schorl prrLleiir can be discussed on the district leval0 We assume that there 13 no need to point up to the School Board, or any Milwaukee cltir.ens. the positive rerults of integrating school children in our public 'JCLOOIK,,, Toe unwarranted piejudicesr stereotyped myths and anger resulting in many Milwaukee and American adults could so easily have been avoided, and CORE hopes will be avoided In the future generation of Americans, ay the mixing and contact between all school children, regardless cf -their race, school grade, or location In the oity0 Ihrough .integration and the upgrading Of academic standards in our schoolsP CORE hopes Milwaukee will take definite 3teps to correct existing Inequalities0 JIM. I.U J!.|iUu.i..»!Mi|>i.«llll' —<-~ mimuiiinii. mm. ...II «... inn II II «• ,._..„„.,., . Ill" • ••• -•• - .... —'•^-IT^-'i-Sfiin Freedom Registration Form (1) Write today's date:. (2) Write your full name:. (3) How old are you today: (A) Are you a United States citizen: (5) How long have you lived in Mississippi:. (6) What county do you live in: (7) How long have you lived in that county: (8) What is your address now: (9) Are you a minister or the wife of a minister: All of the statements above are true: (signature of applicant) i(dio__no_t_pwrii^ie>_be_l£w__thiisi .line2. __ __ State of Mississippi, County of:. Sworn to and subscribed before me by the above named on this, the day of , 196 . .>-SS2" -IP—I——— ' • ' ' • " '* '• I" !..".'fl Win! ...•nil i II i.miiiii.mil i in,. i i.i, limn..., i,ii„,i,iu mi - • .II . mini II IUI..I ' &>;£ tf^/r-Z^ C£.jf/.U;.' .NhiS-lC Nanio of Canva3sor ..Dai^, ' Aroa Canvassod Town (or Cwrt-y,' Total Contactod Rogistorod ;—Paid Poll Tax. • Namo Addross Phono RoEistorod Paid Commonts Nutfbor Poll Tax V 1 1 j 1 t1 1 j 1 ' i | « t \ • • •-"» "»•''. i-w-r JfajtjtJ&M&L. Reproduced below is a facsimile of the form currently in use for registration: Sxrorn Written Application for Registration (By reasons of the provisions of Section 2Liii of the Constitution of Mississippi and House Bill Mo.9$, approved March 2U, 1955, the applicant for registration, if not physically disabled, is required to fill in this form in his own handwriting in the presence of the registrar and without assistance or suggestion of any other person or memorandum.) 1. Write the date of this application; 2. What is your full name? 3. State your age and date of birth:_ U, What i3 your occupation? 5. Where is your business carried on?_ 6. By whom are you employed? 7, Are you a citizen of the United States and an inhabitant of Mississippi? 8, For how long have you resided in Mississippi? 9, Where is your place of residence in the districtlm 10. Specify the date when such residence began: 11, What is your prior place qf^residence if any? 12. Check which oath you desire to take: (1) General (2) Minister's (3) Minister's Wife (U) If under 21 yearc at present, but 21 years at date of general election 13a If there is more than one person with the same name in the precinct, - by what name do you wish to be called? 1U. Have you ever been convicted of any of the following crimes: bribery,' theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretenses, prejury, forgery, embezzlement or bigaay? 15• If your answer to question lU is "Yes'," name the crime or crimes of which you have been convicted, and the date and place of such conviction or convictionst 16. Are you a minister of the gospel in charge of an organized church, or the wife of such a minister? ipililll in il iljn »i i ii, m. i .mi. ...mi inimWli_ , ii,,!,.iiii. i.uj, IW)I-»MIIIWJ-»I,JW(,H,IMJ ll.l- I ., "••"••"-"-'"-* •-••'"•' •- ••' •'•' —•••-••••••'- '-• . ,1 17* If your answer to question 16 is "Yes," state the length of yo\vb residence in the election district* ' 18, Write and copy in the space below, Section...; of the Constitu tion of Mississippi* (Instruction to Re ,lstrar: You will designate the section of the Constitution and point out same to applicant,) 19. Write in the' space below a reasonable interpretation (the meaning) of the Section of the Constitution of Mississippi which you have just copiedj 20, Write in the space below a statement setting forth your understanding of the duties and obligations of citizenship under a constitutional form of government, "f ' ; \ ' ' ' • • " ' *\ 21, Sign and attach hereto the oath or affirmation named in Question 12, TThe applicant will sign his name here.) State of Mississippi County of Sworn to and subscribed before me by the within naned on this the day of 19 "^County Registrar) --mUllHii. I i ..iiWi|i-|i-«iiw|i>iilimft-ip|HM'W^^^ MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY Mf&& &y?zyz- P. 0. Box 3127 Jackson, Mississippi For Further Information: Washington Office INFORMATION SHEET Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party 1353 U Street, N.W. (202) 332-7732 The primary basis for the Freedom Democratic Party*s convention challenge is the systematic denial of the constitutional rights of Mississippi Negroes by state and local governments controlled by the all-white Democratic Party. Negroes constitute nearly one-half of the population of Mississippi, The vast majority of Mississippi Negroes (more than 93 percent) are denied the right to vote. Out of an eligible Negro voting population of 450,000, only 25,000 are registered to vote. In many Mississippi counties, Negroes constitute a majority, yet thay make up only a small minority of registered voters. After 100 years of Freedom only 25,000 Negroes can vote in Mississippi. To prove that Negroes want to vote, the MFDP organized a Freedom Registration drive, using registration forms similar to those used in the North. The result: 50,000 people registered in less than two months. In June 1964, for the first time since Reconstruction, registered Negroes tried to take part in precinct meetings of the all-white Democratic Party. Those few who were not barred from attending, were denied full participation as equal citizens. Starting in early July the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party began the series of precinct, county, district and state meetings required for the formation of a new party. A 68-man integrated delegation to the National Democratic Convention was elected by the State Convention of the MFDP on August 9th. The MFDP has received support from the Democratic State Conventions or State Bxecutive Committees of California, Oregon, Wisconsin, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Washington and the District of Columbia. These nine states plus the D.C. will send delegations to Atlantic City which have been instructed to initiate and support appropriate action at the convention to seat the challenge delegation. The Freedom Democratic Party delegation is going to Atlantic City pledged to support the platform and candidates of the National Democratic Party. In 1960 the regular Mississippi Democratic Party repudiated the national party, its platform, and its candidates. 1964 promises more of the same. Dr. Aaron Henry of Clarksdale, Miss, is chairman of the delegation. Mr. Lawrence Guyot of Pass Christian, Miss, is chairman of the Party. ——————«•*» "' ' """ '••• M'I'Miii II I" II $m£tfj& COFO LEGAL COORDINATOR 1017 Lynch St. Jackson, Miss, July, 1961* Staff members and volunteers are should be for name, signature, asked to familiarize themselves dates, address. Also, form should with oontents of the Legal News be double-spaced when reproduced. letter, both to protect them selves and to further tho aims of ******** * * * ***** the Project. « AUTOMOBILES ***************** All cars in the state must have: COFO AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL 1. Mississippi Highway Patrol in 1. Public Accommodations spection sticker (get from local Negro garage). Concentrating on political rights such as voting, education and 2. Mississippi license tag (plate). eliminating violence, COFO is not Obtain from county courthouse tax at this time sponsoring demon office. Law requires tag if car is strations for desegregation of in state for 30 days. Police fre public accommodations. However, quently arrest one with out-of- certain rights of citizens are state tags even if one is a recent more clearly defined nox*. In arrival. The expense is k& of val this regard, when non-compliance ue of car and is refundable by with the public accommodations Jesse Morris, 1017 Lynch St., section of the new law is found, Jackson. -, ,, . suits can be considered. Send the Legal Coordinator a statement OBTAIN THESE IMMEDIATELY!' YOU CAN of the facts, affidavits or BE ARRESTED FOR HAVING MISS. TAGS signed statements of people re AND MO INSPECTION STICKER! fused servioe, and signed verifi cations, which will be supplied 3. Insurance. Obtain yourself. by your lax* student or this of The only alternative is to have SNCC fice. oxm the car through its new Sojourn er Motor Fleet plan of ownership 2. Voting and insurance. (See 5 below) A form (based on the CR Bill) to h. Operator's license. Must have request from the Registrar a copy if in state 60 days. Good anyxiray. of the test taken by applicant, Get from Highnray Patrol officer on together with his ansxirers, is his "day" at the local police sta shoim on the following page. We tion. He gets your old license. request every Project to dupli You pay $2.50 and just take written cate this form for each county in test. Obtain booklet first and ttfhich they work. Prospective re study it. gistrants (or re-registrants) should submit this form to the 5. Ownership. SNCC and COFO need Registrar together with self- cars, but not liability of old mod addressed, stamped envelope. els. Write us concerning any of fers, etc. The only way we can own When reproducing this form for cars is through the Atlanta SNCC your own County, please be sure Sojourner Motor Fleet. l/rite. At that the name of your County and lanta SNCC, 8f Raymond St., N.W., the name of your Registrar appear. Atlanta, Ga. 3031^ Pbone 688-0331. The only blanks on the form ***** "• • •"••• ''" ••"• '•••' . 11. iniMMWim I-...-IIH— -•—.. -I- I 11 \ To: Registrar of Sunflpxirer County-- Re: Request for Copy of Registration Test and Ansx/ers It pursuant to the provisions of Title I of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill, do hereby request Cecil C. Campbell, Registrar of Sunfloxirer County, Mississippi, or anyone acting in such capacity, to furnish this applicant xirith a certified copy of the registration test and of this applicant's answers to this test within 25 days of receipt of this request, I took this test on , 196_. Applicant's Signature Submitted to the registrar this day of 196_. Attached: Self-addressed, stamped envelope Name Address 1 . ************************************ BLIND APPLICANTS If applicant is blind (or suffers other disability xrtiich prevents him from reading or xirriting), refer to the folloxtfing section of the 1962 Supplement to the Mississippi Code: Sec. 3209.7. EXAMINATION OF APPLICANT FOR REGISTRATION - AFFIDAVIT OF PHYSICAL DISABILITY - PRESERVATION OF RECORDS. The county registrar shall examine each applicant for registration by having such person write, date and sign an application as prepared by the State Board of Election Commissioners, in the presence of the county registrar, xvlthout assistance or suggestion from any person or memorandum xrtiatever; provided that in case" an applicant be physically disabled to read and write, or read or x\rrite, his application, the same shall, upon oath of such disability, be x/ritten at his unassisted dic tation by the county registrar. Affidavit shox^ing such disability and the nature thereof shall be filed x/ith the county registrar. In addi tion to the aforesaid x/ritten examination, the county registrar shall determine the applicant's qualifications to register by propounding of suitable questions to be answered under oath by the applicant. * * reminder reminder WRITE YOUR SENATOR AND CONGRESSMAN ALL of.our work is voter registra FOR COPIES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS tion work. Be sure to state that /clearly x/hen any difficult situa BILL SO THAT EACH PROJECT AND LOCAL tion arises. NEGRO COMMUNITY CAN HAVE SEVERAL. -'"- ""in"' • I """"•»" »»-——*-»-»--—«-——•--——- cial emphasis on the Philadelphia DO YOU KNOW OF ANY NEGRO TEACHERS story. IN MISSISSIPPI WHO HAVE BEEN FIRED FROM THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF Because of our objections to a con THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION ACTIVI sideration of the defense motions TIES ?. ? ? to dismiss (federal rules provide five days' notice; x*e x^era served The National Council of Churches in Court on Thursday morning), the would like to knoxir about it -so case was continued until the follox*- • that:. ing Thursday, July 30. We did man age, hoxtfever, to get a statement of a) The Justice Department can be | proof into the record which con asked to bring suits against the j sisted of affidavits, press re rmunicipalities, and leases, nextfs stories, etc., all de • ..- •! scribing acts of force and violence b) The teachers can be informed in the state. Since there is a very of the legal rights they have to good chance that this case will be 'recover damages in a breach of decided on affidavits only, ve are contract action. contacting all local projects to get as many more reports of acts of ^Please report details of any such force and violence against CR Xifork- case to Legal Coordinator. ers as xve can. ****************** • REPORT ON "COFO VS. KLAN" BAIL BONDS On July 23 a hearing was held in Meridian before District Judge Each summer volunteer is required Mize in the matter of COFO v. to have bond contacts back home xirho Rainey. This is the suit x*e xfill have at least $500 ready to filed on July 10, asking the xirire doxirn for his bond. If possible, Court to issue an order restrain volunteers should attempt to get ing the local law-enforcement their contacts to have additional agencies, white supremacist money for staff and local people groups, and individual citizens who do not have any money contacts. of the state from any acts of Each project must have a complete force or violence against those list of their people and x>rho their engaged in civil rights xirork. contacts are. When only a fex* people are arrested, the local proj To enforce this restraining or ect calls the contacts collect and der, if granted, we are asking has the money x^ired down to a de the Court to apply Title hZ U.S.C. signated person. 'When larger num Sec. 1989, which empox/ers distriot bers get arrested. Greenwood JSSVOC judges to appoint federal commis xirill handle the bond situati., :> sioners to see that federal laxirs (This means that Greenxirood SW~;Q9 are enforced. We are requesting 708 Ave.. N, phone ^53-^995 &&*%• that one of these commissioners have all bond info on all p-.o^lo.) be stationed in every county courthouse and sheriff's office • ****************** in the state. SEND US REPORTS' , . At the hearing last Thursday, xire v 1 1 ••:''' xirere ready xirith 19 live witnesses ,-•••"•.•.•. of our oxm and 12 subpoenaed xirit-; OF ALL LOCAL PEOPLE ,. ." nesses of the other side. We x>rere prepared to present testi FIRED OR HARASSED mony about acts, of force and vio lence that have taken place in BECAUSE OF the state since 1961, with spe CONNECTION WITH US". 11 • J..IMIILIIIJWJL. TELEPHONES COFO LEGAL POLICY Each individual desiring a phone This policy is flexible, but to be should xirrite the nearest tele follox^ed unless x*e agree to a phone office and make a formal change. application (with copy to us). The application should make re- . 1. All arrests are to be fought ference to the specific previous all the xtfay, at every level. Deals times the person applied to the are not generally in our interest phone company for service. Write at all, along x*ith "guilty" and us about any other problems,.- "nolo contendere" pleas. Keep accurate records 6f all in cidents, • , 2. All prosecutions of civil- ..>-•: rights xirorkers should be removed, * * * * * * * ******* * * * xirith each petition alleging impos sibility of a fair trial due to NOTARIES ' systematic exclusion of Negroes. Sometimes special local conditions Much of the material we collect exist xtfhereln minor cases can be xirould have great v/eight if it xiron in the state court* xirere notarized. There are not many Negro notaries. We need to 3. When arrested, request your recruit them all over the state. phone call and then make it to your Here are the requirements. (See COFO office. Mississippi Code, Seo, *J-0l6.) One must be a registered voter, k, NO ONE SHOULD AGREE TO ANY be able to post a $2,000 bond, TRIAL WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY. Ask for and be approved by the governor. a continuance so that you can get a Applications may be obtained from lawyer. If the judge insists on the Secretary of State in; Jackson, trying you x^ithout a lax^yer, stand mute—i.e., refuse to plead at all. ***************** If possible, we want time to romovo the case before the J.P. trial. TWO VOTER REGISTRATION SUITS WON I Also, DO NOT SIGN ANY STATEMENT xtfithout your lawyer. We must VR xvorkers should make sure to spread the word among local people read the decisions -of the dis that they do not have to sign any trict judges in suits brought by, thing in jail about their case. the U.S. against the registrars of Panola and Tallahatchie coun ****************** ties. (These are presently being mimeo'd and will be sent out RETAINING AN ATTORNEY shortly.) Laxffyers should be retained c •• ' ' Workers in these txiro oounties . through the Legal Coordim."•• v should check carefully to see that the registrars are observing We have txiro basic forms fr -Is the judge's orders, e.g. in the - purpose. (l) "Poxtfor of At •,•>•/ Panola decision: for Selection of Legal Covw—.V1 should have already beon signed by ....in determining xtfhether an every staff and volunteer worlcor, applicant for regis tration shall either at orientation or at the demonstrate a reaso nable ability Project. If any more forms are to read and xirrite a section of needed, x*rite us. (2) Shortly, xire the Mississippi Con stitution, will be sending out a retainer form that the Defendant Ike Shankle to be used x/ith the lax-;yers xvho are (the registrar) may use any sec- direotly on the scene or, in spe tlon not over four lines long of cial cases, when x*e request that the Mississippi Con stitution.... you get them filled out and sent to said section to be selected by us. the applicant by lo t." - more on this later - FREEDOM '—•—"-'--•.... i.... wmmmww minmmmnN* dtm&j-£&&€&< RESOLUTION .- A Resolution of Tribute to the Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi: Whereas, from Jr-nurry I876 to this moment the Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi has conducted the government of this strte with such skill, valor, and faithfulness that we have today become one of the greatest states of the Union, with a populace whose spirit, progress, and courage is unmatched, and Whereas, the compzign to rid this state of Republican Reconstruction was begun in the Democratic State Convention here in this same Jackson, Mississippi, on /ugust 3> 1875$ ^nd Whereas, L.O.c. Lamar, Gen. J.Z, George, Gen. E.C, Walthall, Gov ernor B.G. Humphries, Governor Charles Clark, Robert Lowry, and other great Mississippi Democrats participated in that Convention and made the plans which broke the yoke of Reconstruction, and Whereas, each of the following distinguished governors of our State was a member of our State Democratic Party, namely, John M. Stone, /nse McLaurin, A.K, Longino, James K. Vardaman, B.P, Noel, Earl Brewer, Theodore G, Bilbo, Lee Russell, Henry 1. Whitfield, Dennis Kurphree, Mike Conner, Hugh White, Paul B, J0hnson, Sr,, Thomas L. Bailey, Fielding L. Wright, J.?» Coleman, Ross R. Barnett, and Paul B. Johnson, Jr. Whereas, the evil forces of Communism, despotism, atheism, immorality, integration, and lawlesslness are now at our very gates, and stand as a direct threat to our women, children, and all that we know to be right, good, and true, and Whereas, it now behooves csch of us to cast aside all matters of pride, ambition, and selfishness, if there be such Emong us, and seek only God's will as to how vie, as members of our beloved state Democratic Party, can best and most successfully defend our people, End also those principles of freedom and decency which are dearer than life itself, now Therefore, Be It Resolved that we, as members of the Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi, in this great hour of peril, when the invader is already within our borders, pledge one to the other in defense of our beloved State and her great principles, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor, So Help Us God, i! «i.p—11-—. 111 ii,—i,jliip,pipM»,w.liliiiINiiiii-wp-juwnwwwpi— -1.111-.I.I—I IN.»'••-• «,mmmmmmimmm umwmmKm^m^^mm»mmm^mimm-mm -WMWI-W-W-WU*'''.'•.••,• WW-WWUM!" •—«m\iii.-www,*• «mm w•w»' 1. What is your full name??( .ys': u>£j> •••' • .1,1 K I.,,, ,. —_ —— 2. What is your address? j -v>; ( ' ~/',. '•' •• '-' ' -. -I^.' 3. How old are you? A Birth date? C./lc'!/i-h 4. Are you married? '/ V/ife ' s name?_ 5. Do you have any children? 6. What are the names of your children and their birth dates? 7. How many of these children are dependent on you for their source of income? 8. Do you have any other dependents?- 9. What is your present yearly income before taxes? 7 / / / 10. What is your present occupation, if any?_ .,,•-•I.n.—U-. ••——— —• -- .,- U • ..I*. •-- «- 11. How long have you had this .job? / -/ 12. List the last two (2) jobs you held previous to your present job (if any); how long you worked there, and why you quit or were fired. Job Date started-Date ended Reason quit/fired 13. Do you think that you have been discriminated against in your present" and/or previous .job? 14. If the answer to the last question was yes, would you be willing to fill out a written complaint telling specifically about this discrimination and other important details? 15. Do you enjoy your present job?_ -•' ' 16. Would you enjoy your present job if there were no discrimin ation? ' \, ' < — -— - ii, . u -i-ii - iii -- i - -- ~- 17. What type of work would you like most to do?, " 18. Name several other jobs that you might enjoy, or other skills that you think would be valuable ,to you." -• - , f . A ,'} y / / n i.i i J i • • i r i i i - • i 1 • I • . ' • « III « - ..-. I • 111 .1.1 • • . . . . • • . -«— — 19. Have you had any previous job training? If so, what? . i a II \mrnm \* -piim-i. M--.I tmiwij-t II » »JW P-I urn \x\. mn^mmmmmw. pn IHIUMI-JIJ t I.-P i wi»« -mi imijjpi ipw, i nmmmmmm* wmwmm. •! jnmi I.I iw w^'^'i m\ *mm \ m\: i-f-i-w.p-wi -HMWW-II-MM -*>•• > II-"--"» • •»-""'" • •• v* 'm i •«•>'» i m mi u w • J m • ••••'.!'. •' "•".' •' '.•.' »WP " ______ 20. Would you like training in these areas if a job in connect ion with these areas could be attained after such training? (Training includes $5/day subsistance pay for fifty-two (52) weeks and a traveling allowance to and from the training center of ten cents/mile maximum). 21, Do you know any other persons who might be interested in such a training program? If so, give names and present home addresses to the best of your knowledge. Name Address 7 , iA • 'Date <7/? Y/itness S i gne d—__ Thank you. We will send a representative to see you again soon to let you know about our plans for a job training program. We will try to set up a program that will suit each applicant's needs to the best of our ability and within the provisions of the federally-supported training programs. Stephen L. Smith Dept. of Labor Fed. Programs Research Jackson Council of Federated Organizations Suggested Jobs machinest tool and die maker tractor driver routeman bus driver assembly line painter dispensing opticians gas station attendent jeweler welders laboratory technician electrician carpenter sheet-metal worker clerk mechanic baker bank teller radio operator salesman lineman dairy farmer peanut farming wheat farmer cattle raising post office corn growing soil scientist poultry farming printing forester home decoration commercial art home economist surveying draftsman dental technician dietician •"" „|iM»,..|iil,lili.. IIH ... in wMJllH„»[lli J&&£> &&^6C / COUNCIL OF FEDERATED ORGANIZATIONS 1017 Lynch Street Jaokson, Miss. On July 7, 196**f a community center constructed more than ten years ago by residents of the Bovina community near Vicksburg, Mississippi, was completely destroyed by fire. The oenter, a wood frame building located on a hardtop asphalt road six to seven miles outside Vicks burg, was last used for civil rights aotivity in November 1963 during the mock Freedom Ballot gubernatorial campaign. The following affidavit provides an example of the behavior of local law enforce ment officials in Mississippi. AFFIDAVIT ON BURNING OF BOVINA COMMUNITY CENTER DAVID RILEY, being duly sworn, deposes and says: In my capacity as research man for the Vicksburg COFO Project, I have talked x*ith several (five) leaders of the Bovina community whoso names, for their protection, x*ill not be used here. I talked with them about the burning of the Bovina Community Center on Tues day night, July 7, 196U, between 10:30 and 11:30. The building was completely destroyed; no one was in the building at the time; no one was injured. A small group of people gathered around the burning building between 10:1*5 and 11:^5 on Tuesday night. Many were Negro leaders of the Bovina oommunity; some were whites from Bovina; others were police offioers, including Warren County Sheriff Vernon 0. Luckett. At least three Negroes present--t}wo of xirhom I spoke to—saw firemen pull a torch out from under the front part of the building. The torch, still blazing xrtien the firemen pulled it out, was a three- foot long pole with rags wrapped around the end and wire wrapped around the rags, according to an eyewitness. Also, according to eyewitnesses, policemen took several pictures of the burning build ing and the torch. One man x*ho saw the torch on Tuesday night said it was not there when he stopped by on his xiray to work the next morning at 5:00 A.M. Another xfoman who also sax* the torch said she did not see it when she returned to the burned building late Wed nesday morning. Wednesday's Vicksburg Evening Post carried a short article on the burning. There were no direct quotes but one paragraph read: "Sheriff Vernon 0. Luckett said the preliminary investigation shox*ed no indications that arson might be involved." The article went on to say that sinoe there was a mild xirind" and since the "fire did start in the rear of the building," it xiras likely that burning rub bish in a trash can eight feet behind the building started the fire, according to Sheriff Luckett, This is in complete contradiction to what the Sheriff later told one man xrtiose name will not be used here. He said that he did not believe the fire was set by the burning rubbish, and "no doubt it was set" by someone deliberately. in inn ^niMwmtmmmmrmmmmm It is also in oontradiotion to my personal examination of the ruins of the building. The floor beams at the front of the build ing were oompletely destroyed, x/hile several oharred ones remained at the rear; one beam, directly opposite the trash can from x/hich the fire supposedly x*as started, even had a completely uncharred portion of x/ood on It. The trash can itself xiras about one-quarter full of rusted and somewhat oharred cans; one can still had paper in it, and there was more unburnt paper only slightly below the surface trash which had been burnt. The trash barrel did not have holes in the bottom to allox* a draft to build up a large fire. So it seems extremely unlikely that a fire in the trash can could have been or was large enough to set a whole building on fire, especially a building more oompletely destroyed in the front and one covered on the outside xtrith inflammable asphalt shingles. I have photo graphs of all of this evidence at the ruins of the building. The Sheriff's account of the fire in the nexirspaper article of July 8 is further contradicted by the fact that no one from the Bovina Community Center had been burning trash in the barrel either on Tuesday, July 7, the day of the fire, or for several weeks be fore the fire. The last time trash had been burnt in the barrel xiras in the beginning of June, according to officials of the Bovina Community Center. Again, according to officials of the center, the last time a party had been held in the Center was in the third week of June. On Monday night, July 6, a routine meeting xiras held at the Center, but only cokes and cookies were served; so there x*ras no trash that needed to be burned after the meeting. What has Sheriff Luckett done to investigate the information recorded here? He had photographs taken of the torch, but there was no mention of either the torch or the photographs in the nexirs paper artiole. No official of the Bovina Center has seen the photo graphs. Sheriff Luokett never contacted the president of the Bovina Center; he did not speak with her the night of the fire although she xras there at the burning; he has not spoken x*ith her or con tacted her in any way in the three xireeks that have passed since the burning. Nor has any of his deputies contacted her. Two deputies did visit Bovina about tvro weeks after the fire and talked with some officials of the Center, but that is apparently the only effort county officials have made to find out xrtio burned dox/n the Bovina Community Center. (signed) David Riley Riley, 21, later informed the COFO office in Jackson that the Monday, July 6 meeting referred to in the affidavit might provide some in dication of the cause of the burning. One member of the center came to the meeting in a relative's car which had Ohio license tags, and it is rumored in the Bovina community that passersby might have thought the oar belonged to summer volunteers. # # # # # "i"""" IIPI-MIII. • i i n..i»..i.iiji,i.ii,mi <6£w£-&kWZZ^ SOME PROVISIONS FOR FEDERAL PROSECUTION IN CIVIL RIGHTS From Title 18 U.S.Code FBI Arrests - 18 U.S.Code, Section 3052: The Director, Associate Dir ector, Assistant to the Director, Assistant Directors, inspectors, and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the.Department of Justice may carry firearms, serve warrants and subpoena issued under the authority of the United States and make arrests without warrant for any offense against the United States committed in their presence, or for any felony"cognizable under the laws of the U.S. if they have rea sonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such felony. Interference wiith the Vote - 18 U.S. Code, Section $%.: Whoever inti midates, threatens, coerces, or attempts to intimidate, threaten or co erce, any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of such other person to vote or to vote as he may choose, or of causing such off: the Commi solely or in pj.. be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year or both. Deprivation of Constitutional Rights - 18 U.S. Code, Section 2l|2: Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any inhabitant of any State, Territory, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, (or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such inhabitant being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens,) shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. WIPMWWPPWPPJIII'II.IP»IM^^^ ' •*•"-»""'-•»W".Wll.ipi*wiM »»iii.ii •WI.IMIJPMIH u )l I.I ': ""*P ' REPRINTED FROM: Newsweek February 24, 1964 MISSISSIPPI: Allen's Army g» ••IIIIIMFESS °" •• -.••-<... ^^.-,..,..,<.~r,-V,v~-v^ The second summer of the Negro revolt was still months off. But ever since the first, Allen Thompson, the HI w%~ graying, satin-smooth mayor of unrecon structed Jackson, Miss., has been acting : as though Armageddon were just around i^r if- ^iW~-~4~u^OMJ" -X e-. the corner. Girding for a new wave of civil-rights demonstrations this summer, Thompson is massing an impressive—and expensive —deterrent force of men and military -^ — '* , k": ~V - •. - v-VN&l hardware. To defend the capital city of t • *3-*_£9 144,422, he is building up his young, tough, riot-trained police force from 390 . •*.'. to 450, plus two horses and six dogs. ' J •1"\»...iii",w~;!)pi • c The force is "twice as big as any city •..• •• our size," Thompson boasted last week— \. . .-•«"«""'""",Jp] and it will be backed by a reserve pool of deputies, state troopers, civilian city 5 -a employes, and even neighborhood citi vf^r zen patrols. 5^v With a hefty $2.2 million budget to spend, the department recently bought 200 new shotguns, stockpiled tear gas, ti ipq. -1 and issued gas masks to every man. Its motor fleet includes three canvas- canopied troop lorries, two half-ton searchlight trucks, and three giant trailer trucks to haul demonstration POW's off to two big detention compounds. "I think we can take care of 25,000," the 1 mayor said. Weeppriii But the pride of Allen's Army is Thompson's Tank—the already popular nickname for a 13,000-pound armored battlewagon built to the ma yor's specifications at roughly $1 a pound. The twelve-man tank, abristle with shotguns, tear-gas guns, and a sub machine gun, flopped on its first mission Thompson, troops—and armor —putting down a demonstration at all- Negro Jackson State College two weeks ago. As it rolled up, a tear-gas shell went off inside, and all twelve men stumbled out crying. Nevertheless, "freedom schools," community centers, and peaceful picketing," he vowed. "We Thompson says reverently: "It's a won and voter-registration drives. "The sum are not going to let them come into derful thing." mer of 1964," SNCC chairman John the downtown area." Would a collision come? Thompson Lewis said, "could really be the year The mayor insists his army is only a thought so—and so did the young war- for Mississippi. Before the Negro people second-strike force designed to preserve hawks of the Student Nonviolent Co get the right to vote, there will have to law and order. "We have to wait," he ordinating Committee, already mapping be a massive confrontation, and it proba told NEWSWEEK'S Karl Fleming, "until a massive summer campaign in Missis bly will come this summer ... We are they start trouble." But Thompson is sippi. SNCC was dispatching question going to Mississippi full force." certain trouble will come. "This is it," he naires last week to prospective recruits And when they come, Thompson feels said. "They are not bluffing and we are for its own nonviolent army of 500 to he has the means to contain them. not bluffing. We're going to be ready 1,000—mostly college students—to staff "There will be no unlawful marching for them . . . Thev won't have a chance." Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee 8V2 Raymond Street, N. W., Atlanta 14, Georgia Labor Donated I I I II II.M———!»•—)». in nil -UMMI..I .11 in—n 111 1 1 1 11 I.I 11 IIUII-P---—---.-- June 22, 1964 I-'iELO RE: The disappearance of three summer project workers in lleshoba county, Mississippi, while investigating the bombing of a Negro church which was to be the site of a community center this summer. Three workers for the Council of Federated Organizations (CCFO) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) have been reported missing since 3ate yesterday afternoon during a trip to Neshoba County in middle-eastern Lississippi, The three are i,ichael Gchwerner, 24, and Andrew Goodman, 20, both from New York City, and James Cheney, 21, of Meridian,'Miss. Schwerner and Cheney 1 are CORE workers and Goodman a summer volun teer. Cheney is Negro. They had gone to Philadelphia, Liss., in Neshoba County, to investigate the bombing of lit. Zion church and the beating of three Negroes there June 17. **"" The communications spokesman for the meridian, i.iss., CORE office said that the three left Meridian at 10 a.m. yesterday with the intention of returning to Leridian before 4 p.Ki. They have not been heard from since they left Leridian. COFO and SNCC workers have been in touch with all local jails and hospitals, but only the sheriff of Neshoba has said that he knows anything about the group. The sheriff said the group was arrested late yesterday afternoon on a charge of speeding in their car, but were released by 10 p.m. Ke said that he knows nothing of their whereabouts qfter their release. John Doar, a top lawyer of the civil rights division of the Justice Department, said today that the Justice Department is investigating. Earlier, a Department lawyer in Philadelphia, Hiss., and an FBI agent in Jackson, the state capitol, said that they did not feel they had the authority to become involved in the search for the three workers. They said they were not sure a federal statute had been violated. Fathers of hoth Goodman and Schwerner have spoken to Nicholas Ii'atzenbach. and Djjar of the Justice Department to demand investigation ofTKecase. Summer Project volunteers at the orientation session at Oxford, Ohio, are telephoning and sending telegrams to their Senators and Congressmen to demand Justice Department and FBI investigation of their disappearance. Schwerner, project director at Leridian, is a graduate of the New'Jfork School of Social Uork. Goodman is a junior at Queens College, Senator Jacob Javits (R.-N.Y.) has notified summer volunteers from New York who called him today that he is apprised of the situation in Lississippi and is in contact with the Justice Department, - 30 - "• MWjM-Bllt-WfWWIi'lJPpl'WPJJI'P 2- COFO CONTACTS WITH NESHOBA COUNTY LAV/ ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE SCHWERNER * CHENEY * COODMAN CASE SUNDAY, JUNE "! 5:30 PM: The Jackson COFO office called the following jails and cities in an attempt to locate the three, missing workers: the Phiadelphia City Jail, Neshoba County Jail, Me.idian City Jail, Decatur City Jail, Suqualens, and Collins- ville. The calls, to the'last two cities were referred to the Neshoba, Meridian, and Philadelphia jails.' A. these jails all knowledge of the party was denied. In particular, the Philadelphia police said that they knew nothing at all about the case. The Mewhoba County " sheriff was in Meridian at the time (Sheriff Rainey), MONDAY, JUNE 22. 1:00 AM The Philddelphia and Meridian jails were called again. They again denied any knowledge of the case. 6:55 AM Jackson COFO called the Philadelphia jail again. VJe spoke to the wife of the jailkeeper, Mrs-. Herring.- Con / trary to xvhat we had been told the preceding nig] t, she now said that the three hhd been arrested the previous afternoon for speeding and were released after paying a $20 fine. She said the three had been released at about 6:00 PM, just after eating dinner. 7:15 AM All other jails as well .as hospitals between Philadelphia and Meridian were then contacted again. The Decatur jail was ca??-'ed and Deputy A. L. Johnston said he knew nothing further on the case. Deputy Bill Jackson at the Lauderdale County jail said the same. 10:50 AM We received information from come white people in Phila delphia that the workers were still in jail as of 9:00 PM ' last night: that the workers appeared to have been beaten, though not seriously; that it was believed that the workers were still in jail in the m orning. As the sources did not want their names revealed to us, we had no means of checking out these unconfirmed reports; but the in formation was given to the FBI. 1:00 PM A UPI story reported that Philadelphia police said that the three workers were released at 1.0:30 PM. Another report reached reporters that they had been released at 6:00 AM. It was also learned that the arresting officer was sheriff Deputy Cecil Price, that the Justice of the Peace w&6 passed sentence was Mr. Len Warren, and that Sheriff Rainey held to the story that the trio were released at 6:09 PM. / ' ' • " •• PIIWHU.J IIIIUIUI .I.. II . I I IIIUKII Mill , \ i«xmnx\Ximn»«,\X,,X»nmmmmmim^mim^^mm^^^mmmmmmmtmmmmmm^m0tmmi\\ \\.l\\t . III II .HI IIU I ti. ™~ - • .. a... J.I u i,..,..! in II.III.LIIJIIIH ,I • ' iiifi.pML.niri •*•._»—• COFO Contacts .... 2 MONDAY/, JUNE 22 (Continued) 1:40 PM: Meridian reported that workers who searched the highway between Philadelphia and Meridian saw no evidence o^ a search being carried on. They claimed they saw idle Highway Patrol cars. 2:55 PM It was reported that reporters had been permitted to go through the Philadelphia jail and were satisfied that the three workers were not there. While returning to Meridian, the reporters also checked out the jails along the way. TUESDAYK JUNE 23 5:00 AM: CORE workers Landy McNair and George Raymond left Merid- dian for Philadelphia as a search party investigating the Schwerner case. 8:00 PM: McNair and Raymond reported back that they were followed closely by local police during the day - - Only after they (McNair and Raymond ) had contacted the FBI; When they went to the sheriff's office to investigate, the sheriff of Neshoba County refused to see them. They were held for half an hour and questioned rudely by officers in the office, WEDNESDAY> JUNE ZL 6:00 PM: Meridian reported that John Lewis, James Farmer, Dick Gregory, and George Raymond returned from Philadelphia after an unsuccessful attempt to inspect the area in which the burned car was found and the area where the church had been burned. Police stepped all but two cars: at the border of county. The four met with Philadelphia officials and presented their request to go into those areas. They were told that the FBI, the Mississippi State Investigators, and the Highway Patrol had their own searching and investigating system worked out. Furthe more, they were, told, these areas are private property and search warrants would be needed to enter and search.' Entry would involve-the risk of jailing or of being shot. They were, in short, refused permission to look at oither spot. 'They returned to Meridian with their convoy of 35 people. Another car, traveling alone with Dona Moses, Matteo Suares, and others, wqs stopped by the Highway Patrol in Neshoba County on the way back to Meridian, The officer told Dona Moses she had better address him as "Yes Sir." His whole demeanor was aggressive and in timidating. When told that they had come to find out about the missing trdo, he replied, "There's nothing to in vestigate." .mi . n.ii mi i.i. i |~——»—w————»——i—w—.•——•in. x-* Sn-z- flJ&n&i TO: ALL FRIENDS OF THE MFDP FROM: THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY We are enclosing a report explaining the role of the M^DP at the Convention in Atlantic City and the plans of the MFDP for the future. We hope that this report will help you understand moro fully the position and focus of the MFDP. As the Convention made clear, there are many things that you In the North can do to help the MFDP. There is the obvious and omnipresent need for money and supplies. In the next fow weeks we will be running 5 campaigns for Senate and the House of Representatives. And poverty in Mississippi means not only that people are poor, but that they have no money with which to help themselves. Wo must have material support from outside the state if wo are to koop pace with the growing strength of organization among the poople themselves. We also need political support. Because we had that support, wo made the Democratic National Convention stand still for four days, and received the coverage in press and television we so vitally needed. But we lost the battle at the Convention, Now we are work in f to challenge the Mississippi representatives to Senate and the Congress, if wo arc to win this battle against the Rogular Democratic Party of Mississippi, we must have pressure from you on the President and on the repre sentatives of the National Democratic Party in year' scato. But it is most important to remember that the members of the MFDP are Mississippi Negroes first and foremost, and it is this condition that shapes their lives. Unless the state itself changes, their lives cannot improve - and the state will not change without pressure from the rest of the country. You must help by making, sure the people of the MFDP are not forgotten, by insisting that the story of Mississippi continue to be told, and by calling for the kind of Federal presence that will bring Freedom to those people's lives. Freedom Democratic Party 852 i Short Street Jackson, Mississippi FDP THE CONVENTION CHALLENGE Many friends of'the FDP have expressed concern and confusion as to why the FDP delegation at Atlantic City refused to accept the decision of the Credentials Committee. That decision gave Dr. Aaron Henry -and Rev. Ed King votes as Delegates-At-Large, .required that the Regular Democratic Party of Mississippi pledge support to Johnson Humphrey in November, and provided for a committee to work on requiring that at the 1968 convention all delegates bo chosen through processes which do not exclude Negro registered voters. In analyzing why the FDP did not accept this compromise, it is important to under3 tand first what the FDP delegation represent- ed and what it accompl ished at the convention. The FDP delegation was not simply an "alt ernative" delegation chosen by Negro instead of white Mississippi ans . The FDP is not a Negro party, but an integrated party, open to all whites. It grows directly out of the civil rights movem ent in Mississippi. It came to Atlantic City domanding, not si "iply that Negroes be represented, but that racism bo ended - in M ississippi and in the Democratic Party. Moreover, the conditions under which the FDP delegation was chosen were certainly uniqae. Though the FDP delegation was chosen according to the laws of Mississippi, its role was only partially political. This is so because simply to t ake part in the political process of the state makes the Negro In Mississippi automatically a rebel against the segregated society, This me;..ns that he is in immediate and grave danger of losing his job, his home, and possibly his life. Many of those who represented the FDP a't Atlantic City have suffered the most brutal and continual reprisals over since they began working for their political rights. This lends a peculiar and unique air to their efforts to attend the Convention, and moan3 that they were literally gambling their lives against the right of being seated in Atlantic City. The third thing that must bo understood is that the FDP had the support it needed to win the fight at Atlantic City. Within the Credentials Committee their was sufficient support to get the FDP's demands on the floor of the Convention, through the"signing of a minority report. On the floor, there was j sufficient "support to force a roll call vote. Once a roll call i . was allowed, most observers agroed that the FDP would have been seated. What prevented this was the most massive pressure from the White House, through the mediation of Hubert. Humphrey. The FDP.delegation was awiro of all of this, and It therefore knew that the leadership of the party and the Convention was denying it what in fact it had tho pooular support to win. This kind of dictation is what Negroes in Mississippi faco and have always faced, and it is precisely, this that they are learning to stand up against. • •11 iimn. 3* The specific reasons for the rejection of the Committee's decision follow: 1. Supporters of the compromise argued that the two seats would have great symbolic value. But 68 symbols would have been a lot bettor than two. We must stop playing the game of accepting token recognition for roal change and of allowing the opposition to choose a few "loaders" to represent the people at large - especially if, as at the Convention, the opposition is all white and the poople' are all Negro. If the people are going to be heard in this country, then we must make the country talk with and listen to them, and not a handpicked committee. The people sent 68 representatives that they chose In open convention. The delegation could not violate that trust, 2. The first provision of that compromise was that the Regular delegation would be fully seated and recognized. The FDP did not go ' to Atlantic City to vote for a proposal which would recognize the Regular party as the Democratic representa tive in Mississippi, The FDP came to unseat the regulars because they don't represent the people of Mississippi. Even the two seats offerod to the FDP would not have been Mississippi votes, but merely votes at large,. 3. The compromise made pretense at setting up means of challenging, delegations in 1968 from states which interfere with Negro participation in the party. But the Credentials Committee, in private talks with the FDP delegation, said that it would not guarantee a single registered voter added to the lists in the next four years. Loss than 6 percent of voting- age Negroes aro now registered in the stato. In order to participate in regular democratic party politics in Mississippi you must be a rogistored voter. The compromise proposal dealt only with "votors". So, oven if Negroes aro permitted to attend meetings in 1968 to prove the party"is "open", they don't sta_d any real chance of having a voice in the decision of that party. i\. Some supporters of the compromise argued that tie FDP was representing all Negroes In the country and the two seats offered would mean a lot to them in the Northern cities, where rioting has been taking place. But the 68 persons came to Atlan ic City to represent the Negroes of Mississippi and not the country as a whole. That is the nature of all delegations at the convention. It is unreasonable to ask the Mississippi delegation to bear the burden of tho entire country - especially since it is one of tho most powerless groups in the country to actually affect conditions. Thore is no reason why the Negroes of Mississippi should be sacrificed on the altar of national politics. 5. The compromise offered no precedent for the future, especially since it was not based on any precedent in tho past. It offerod tho FDP nothing in the way of permanent recognition, patronage, official status or a guarantee of participation in the i960 convention. The compromise was a completely one-shot affair; tho FDP is not. y- P-a*Mli-*>'p« fin 2. 6. Tho committee set up to review such matters for the 1968 convention has no official status or power with regard to the I968 convention. It may look good on paper, but its strength lies there on the paper and nowhere else. 7. The compromise was an offort by tho Administration, led by President Johnson, to prevent a floor fight on tho issue at tho convention. The compromise was not designod to deal with tho issues raised by the FDP in challenging the regular delegation. The FDP delegation came to Atlantic City to raise the issue of racism, not simply to demand recognition. It could not accept a token decision which had as its goal the avoidance of the question of racism. Finally it must be understood that the FDP delegation did not come to Atlantic City begging for crumbs. They came demanding full rights, for themselves and for 1,000,000 other human beings. They would have accepted any honorable compromise betwoen reason- able men. The test was not whether the FDP could accept "political roalism" , but rather whether the Convention and tho National Democ ratic Party could accept the challenge presented by the FDP. Tho Convention and tho National Democratic Party failed that tost. PLANS OF THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY Undor the impetus of the Convention Challenge at Atlantic City, the Froodom Democratic Party has undergone great growth and solidification throughout Mississippi. Local leadership is taking over a larger and larger share of the organizational work of tho party and the related efforts of voter registration and education. District, County, and Precinct meetings are being hold all over the state fo further those programs. Tho main task of tho FDP in tho next few months will bo to see that focus is givon to tho political work and that materials aro available to further the educational program. Those efforts will center around the Freedom Vote and tho now Freedom Primers. THE FREEDOM VOTE The main effort of tho FDP in the next six weeks will bo a Freedom Vote to bo held October 31 and November 1 and 2. The freedom Vote will bo open to all people, Negro and white, register ed or unregistered, who are at loast 21 and residents of Missis sippi. Lyndon Johnson and Hubert Humphrey will bo placed against Barry Goldwater, and William' Miller in tho Freedom Vote. The FDP will also run Dr. Aaron Henry for the Senate, Mr. Harold Roby for Congress in the 1st District, Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer in the 2nd District, Mrs. Annie Devine in the I|th District, and Mrs, Victoria Gray in tho 5th District. Tho PDP is also supporting the Johnson-Humphrey ticket in the regular election November 3. The FDP candidates (except Mr. Roby) will enter that election as Independents. The FDP will be tho only major group in Mississippi supporting Johnson-Humphrey in November. ill n 1 mil mmmmmmmm 1 • 1 14. The Regular Democratic Party of Mississippi has openly endorsed the Barry Goldwater-William Miller ticket. The FDP is supporting Johnson and Humphrey even though it was Johnson and Humphr'ev who blocked the seating of the FDP at Atlantic City. It is doing this because it recognizes the importanco of a Johnson-Humphrey victory in November; and because it believes, despite Atlantic City, in the ultimate ability of the Democratic 'Party to meet the challenge of the FDP and eliminate racism from its ranks. It also knows that support for Johnson will help in its fight against the Regular Democratic party because of the,,latter's (^position to the candidates and Platform of the National Party. But since 9l|$ of Mississippi's Negroes of voting age still are not registered, the FD? can offer only token support for candidates in tho regular election. Instead, its efforts will focus on the Freedom Vote, whore anyone can vote. The importance of the Freedom Vote is that it gives to Mississippi's dison.-^ * franchised Negroes tho chance to participate in politics and indicate their political preferences. Tho FDP hopes to have more votes cast for its candidates in tho Freedom Vote than are cast for the opposition candidates in tho regular election. In this way, tho Freedom Vote will show, not only that Mississippi's Negroes would vote if they were allowed to do so, but that the outoome of the oloctions under such circumstance would be r adically different. It would also show that Negroes would be elected to public offices in Mississippi If the Negro half of the state's population were allowed to vote. The 196I| Freedom Vote will load to further challenges on the -national level. In January tho FDP will attempt to have the Mis sissippi representatives to Congress unseated on the grounds that they, were chosen through a discriminatory voting procedure. The FDP will show thrtugh the Froodom Vote that some at least of the rogular candidates would not h" ve been elected if Negroes had the right to vote.- If this effort fails, the FDP will ask the Democratic caucus to strip all Mississippi representatives of thoir seniority in Congress. This will also bo done on the grounds of voting discri mination, and on the grounds of regular party disloyalty. The FDP expects to emerge from the Freedom Vote with a much strengthened organization at the local level and with m\ich broader awareness of its goals among the Negroes of the state. THE FREEDOM PRIMERS - Tho •• FDP has'launched a major new educa tional program in tho 3tato through the use of the Freedom Primers. The Froodom Primo rs aro short, simple booklets on different phases •of politics, economics, and civil rights as they effect Mississip- pians. The first primer concerned Tho 'Convention Challenge and ^he Freedom Veto. Tho primers will bo distributod to MFDP activists and to students In the Mississippi Project's Froodom Schools. As much as possible, MFDP distribution will bo made through local officers of the party. In this way they will serve an organizational as woll as an educational function. The primers will be used as tho basis of discussion at precinct and county meetings and at voter registration meetings. It Is hoped •':. •' that the primors can be published once every 10 days for a full year, each Issue on a di.fforont topic. It is .hoped tho primors will provide a breadth of facts and concepts more vital to the growth of political understanding than a more rigid educational program. ''l"H""«l'i.l"'—'l "«"- "-»'• "" ll-ll I"' ln.ll, UMIJimijililMi.lll.il . I ill In lUI.I.JWHIWli. 1 ' • • II.II.III.HWW.IMII - • »' Ul.un.ml «n|UHIuni mil • <» «• .'• Imi i i m .in11 ...in n... #mi- lOewWL ^^ FREEDOM CANDIDATES MISSISSIPPI For the first time in this century, four Negroes are candidates for national office from Mississippi. One is a candidate for the Senate and three for the House of Repre sentatives . 4 The four campaigns are being .coordinated under the auspices of the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO), an umbrella civil rights organization in Mississippi com prising the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), CORE, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and the NAACP. All four candidates are entered in the regular Dem ocratic primary in Mississippi to be held June 2. They are running on what is be called the FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY. If they are defeated in the Democratic party, they will be able to continue their campaigns as independents in the General Election in November. The candidacy of the Freedom Candidates is a;-direct challenge to the lily-white one-party political structure of the state. Only 28,000 or 6.6$ of Mississippi's 422,000 Negroes of voting age have been registered to vote. 525,000 whites are registered voters. All the Freedom Candidates will make Negro voting rights one of the basic issues of their campaigns. The campaigns themselves will serve as the focus for Voter Reg istration activities by COFO during the' coming months. For those not allowed to -register on the official books, there will be a separate program-: . FREEDOM REGISTRATION. The Freedom Democratic Party has set up its own unofficial voter registration books for the purpose of registering as many as possible of Mississippi's 400,000 disenfranchised Negroes. These books, known ss Freedor, Registration Books, will be managed by Freeuotr, Registrars appointed by COPO in every county. The Freedom Registrars will have the power to ap point deputy registrars to ale" them in covering ths county to provide every lifegrb with the opportunity to register to vote. •;• Freedom Registration has several purposes. First, it will serve as a mechanism through which Negroes can, organ ize across the state. Secondly, it will be the focus of attempts to get Negroes registered on the official county books. Thirdly, Freedom Registration will form the basis for FREEDOM ELECTIONS to be held at the same time as the official i. niiiiiiinniiii [i.ii II I.i. mi i mi n. mi i .in ii I i il in. nuiiiiVii. . iin.m IIIIKII mi i.I.II u .. iiii.uiii.i inn in mini , nun II. unw.liil..il.|ililllliu.uj II IPL! P-1.JHJI • tiwr-ii-n vmi • elections in June and November. In the Freedom Elections, the only qualifications will be that voters are 21 or over, residents of the state, and registered on the Freedom Reg istration Books before the election. Whites as well as Negroes willl.be allowed to vote. Democratic and Republican candidates will be listed together with Freedom Democratic Candidates. Through Freedom Registration and the Freedom Elections, it will be made clear that thousands of Negroes who are de nied the right to vote in the official elections would do so if they could. On this basis, the seating of successful Re publican and Democratic candidates will be challenged in Congress and in the Federal Courts on the grounds that a significant portion of the voting-age population has been denied the right to vote because of color or race. Thus, the Freedom Candidates will serve not only to bring- the issues to the people of Mississippi, dramatize voter discrimination, and the atmosphere of harrassment and resis tance by the official state apparatus, but will serve as a ba sis for challenging the rights of the incumbents to assume their seats in Congress. As a further part of its political program, the Freedom Democratic Party will send a FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC DELEGATION to the National Democratic Convention at Atlantic City -in August. The Freedom Candldat es will serve as the titular heads of the Freedom Democratic Delegation. -Other delegates will be chosen through a series of meetings on the precinct, county, district, and state levels just as in the regular Mississippi Democratic Party. Unlike the regular party machinery, however, which is all-white, exclus ive, and often dominated by White Citizens Council members, Freedom Delegates will be chosen In open meetings In" which all. registered voters (whether official or Freedom registered), Ne gores and whites alike, will be'al- lowed to participate. At the National Convention, the Freedom Democratic Del egation will attempt to have the Regular Democratic Delegation unseated and the Freedom Delegation seated in its place. It * will, do this on the grounds that'the Regular Democratic Del egation was chosen by undemocratic means and that the Dem ocratic Party of Mississippi has been disloyal to the National Democratic Party. The Regular Mississippi Democratic Party split with the National Democratic Party in i960. It did not support the National Democratic Ticket selected by the National Con vention: John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. It also ..^refused to support.the platform adoptel by the National '•"WP 'III ... ll.lll.l-l- ' "•'• • Convention. The Regular Mississippi Democratic Party pan- didates in the gubernatorial race of 1963 told the voters : that the Mississippi Democratic Party stands .for white su premacy and against Negro voting power. The principles of the National'Democratic Party make it clear that a State party which behaves in the manner of the Mississippi Dem ocratic Party stands in violation of National Party policy. '. This is sufficient grounds, according to National Democratic Party rules, to. withdraw recognition of the State party. The Freedom Democratic Delegation will be pledged to support the National Democratic Ticket and the National Dem ocratic Platform chosen at the National Democratic Conven tion -- as well as being pledged to work for the full and equal rights of all Americans. FREEDOM CANDIDATES: Below are brief biographical sketches and campaigning programs for the four Freedom Candidates. MRS. FANNIE LOU HAMER --- running in the 2nd Congres- : sional District against Rep. Jamie Whitten, Chairman of the House Appropriations Sub-Committee on Agriculture. Mrs. Hamer, 47, comes from Sunflower County, the home of James Eastland, where Negroes are- 69% of the population. She is the wife of Perry Hamer, a cotton gin worker in Rule- ville. Until 1962, the Hamers had lived for 16 years on a plantation four miles from Ruleville. On August 31 of that year/ the day Mrs. Hamer registered to vote, they were told the# would have to leave the plantation..Immediately. Mrs. Hamer began working.with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee in December 1962 and has been one of the most active workers in the state on Voter Registration. On June 9, 1963, while returning from a SNCC workshop, she was arrested in Winona, Miss., and brutally beaten with a blackjack while in jail. Mrs. Hamer opened her campaign in Ruleville on March 21. She hopes to use her campaign to ar ticulate the grievances of Mississippi's Negroes, particularly in the cotton-rich Delta, the 2nd Congressional District, where Negroes are a clear majority (59$) of the population. Mrs. Hamer constantly tells her audiences that she Is only saying "what you have been thinking all along." But Mrs. Hamer plans to dire.ct'her campaign to whites as well as Negroes. It is her thesis that all Mississippians, white and Negro alike, are victims of the all-white^ one-party power structure of the state. In her campaign, she explains how Jamie Whitten, from his position on the House Appropria tions Sub-Committee on Agriculture, killed a bill to train 2400 tractor drivers. Six hundred of those to be trained were white. Mrs. Hamer Is presently ill in Ruleville (the nearest.doc tor is 10 miles away). Her condition is provoked and made more serious by after effects of the 1963 beating, from which she has never fully recovered. in. 1 i... i.iutpaitWWIWP'iMi'.''')' nun iii.'nuiiiii 11. 11.1. 1 .in .' 1 1 111 1 111111 MI. 1 1 1 1. IIIIIIIIIII.I.IIHIII.I,IIWI r JAMES MONROE HOUSTON — candidate from the 3rd Congres-, sional District against Robert Bell Williams, second in command on the interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee.' Mr. Houston, 74 years old, is a retired machinist from Vicksburg, member of the NAACP for over 20 years. He was ar rested in 1934 for participation in a rural district meeting called to discuss the new Roosevelt programs. He was arrested, again in Jackson in 1963 while attempting to march from a Meth odist cfeurch to City Hall. In his opening campaign speech in Vicksburg on April 5, Mr. Houston told a crowd of 200-300 peo ple 'that he would use his campaign to show what conditions for Negroes in Mississippi are really like. He claimed active sup port in all fourteen of the 3rd District's counties and said that he would represent all the people in the District if elec ted. For this reason, he-said, his election would restore honor and digiaity to the state of Mississippi. REV. JOHN E. CAMERON --- candidate - for the seat of William Meyers Colmer, second in command of the House Rules Committee, from the 5th Congressional District. Rev. Cameron, 31, opened his campaign in Hattiesburg on March 26, addressing an audience of approximately 200 from the .' back of an open truck. His campaign will stres jobs, education, and citizenship rights for Negroes. In Biloxi, on April 4, Rev. Cameron called on both state and federal governments to provide training for unskilled laborers so that they may qual ify for fulltime and rewarding employment. He stressed'the importance of a candidate running in the 5th Congressional Dis trict who would represent the entire population of the district, rather than only one racial group. Rev. Cameron is a former President of the National Baptist Student Union (1954-55), and holds a B.S. degree from Rust Col lege and a Bachelor of Theology'from American Baptist Theologica? Seminary. He is a member of the NAACP and a Friend of SNCC. On April 4, Rev. Cameron was refused entrance to a public forum in Hattiesburg unless he agreed to sit in a section reserve for Negroes. A white minister with Rev. Cameron was threatened with arrest for attempting to discuss the matter with the Chair man of the forum. At present1, Rev. Cameron is in jail, one of 66 people arrested.in Hattiesburg April 9-10 under Mississippi's new. anti-picketing lav;. MRS. VICTORIA JACKSON GRAY --- candidate for Senate agaihst John Stennis. Mrs. Gray, 37, of Hattiesburg, is the mother of three children. She was one of the-first Negroes tp register in Forrest County, where Registrar Theron C. Lynn Is uilder Federal indictment for refusing to register Negroes on an equal basis wit whites. In an opening campaign statement given to the press April £ Mrs. Gray stressed that "Unemployment, Automation, Inadequate Housing, Health Care, Education, and Rural Development are the .real issues in Mississippi, not 'States Rights' or 'Federal En- •croachment'." Mrs. Gray's own emphasis during the campaign will be on the problems of education faced by Negroes in the state. * April 12, 1964 SEGREGATION/ HflRRASSMENT, AND ARREST FOR NEGRO CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE Rev. John E. Cameron is the first Negro to run for Congress in Mississippi 5th Congressional District since Reconstruction. In attempting to play a full civic role in his own community of Hattiesburg, Rev. Cameron has had to face: SEGREGATION: On April 4, Rev. Cameron tried to attend a public legislative forum. The forum was originally scheduled for an unsegregated courtroom in the annex of the Forrest County Courthouse. After Rev. Cameron and a secre tary and two white ministers accompanying him were seated, however, the chairman of the forum entered and said that the forum was too crowded and would be moved to the main courtroom in the Courthouse. The main court room is segregated . When Rev. Cameron "and his party attempted to enter the second hall, they were barred from the floor of the courtroom and told that they must sit in the balcony. Rev. Cameron refused to accept this segregated seat ing, and asked to see the chairman of the forum. The chairman refused to come out to see Rev. Cimeron or to allow the latter to come in to see hin; When one of the white ministers went in to talk with the chairman, he was threatened with arrest if .he did not either sid down immediately or leave Rev. Cameron said: "I refuse to go upstairs and segregate myself from the other members of this public legislative forum," and left the Courthouse. HARRASSMENT: Rev. Cameron is constantly followed by police cars as he moves aroun Hattiesburg. This harrassment intimidates Negroes whom Rev. Cameron trie to approach in his Congressional campaign. On the night of April 3, Rev. Cameron was stopped by Officer Hill of the Hattiesburg Police Department. The first thing the' officer said, was, "I hope you don't have your license." Rev. Cameron replied that he was sure the officer hoped for this, but that he was not so foolish as to be that careless in Hattiesburg. The officer let him go. ARREST: Since. January 22, 1964, Hattiesburg Negroes had maintained a picket line at the Forrest County Courthouse as part of a campaign for voting rights. Late in the afternoon on April 9th they were told they could no longer picket, and when they returned on the morning of April 10 police arrested 43 picketers. Rev. C meron and 7 white ministers from various Northern states were among those arrested. The picketers were arrested und-er a new anti-picketing law pushed through the Mississippi legislature to combat picketing activities in such places as Hattiesburg. The picketers have been peaceful and they have accepted a limited area at the Courthouse in which to picket. Moreover, their cause is just --• Forrest County Registrar, Theron C. Lynn is under Federal indictment for refusing to register Negroes. Though the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful demonstration and the right of all citizens.to vote, even a candidate for Congress can be arrested for asserting these rights if he Is a Negro in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. "•'"" ' - H'P.P'I* Ai&^ FT To: rrlWl W From The: Ministers of Jackson O We Endorse . Public School Desegregation ...WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO GET THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE ...BETTER EDUCATION MEANS BETTER JOBS ...WHITE AND NEGRO CITIZENS IN MISSISSIPPI NEED TO LEARN TO GET ALONG TOGETHER ...LEARNING AND STUDYING TOGETHER OUR CHILDREN WILL DEVELOP A COMMON BASIS FOR CITIZENSHIP D We Encourage Parents to Enroll Their 1st Grade Children in Formerly All- White Schools On Registration Day, Thursday, August 20, from 8:00 a.m. until Noon, take your child to the school of your choice. Under the Jackson school board's desegregation plan, Negro first grade children may register in ANY elementary school in the district REGARDLESS OF RESIDENCE • We Support the Announced Efforts of City Officials to Preserve Law and Order When Schools Are Desegregated D We Commend Bishop R. 0. Gerowfor Desegregating, AND URGE NEGRO CATHOLICS TO RESPOND TO THIS OPPORTUNITY PARENTS Equal Educational Opportunity Is the Cornerstone of Freedom! Make A Wise Decision for the Future of Your Children! Make A Courageous Decision for the Welfare of Our Community! For Information and Guidance: Call 352-6087, Aug. 14-20, 8 AM-6 PM. MINISTERS ENDORSING SCHOOL DESEGREGATION STATEMENT ' Rev. J. C. Matthews Rev. W. C. Davis Rev. A. W. Bell Rev. W. R. C. Taylor Rev. C. P. Payne Rev. W. J. Gibson Rev. R. G. Bolden Rev. Henry Thomas Rev. R. M. Richmond J Rev. G. R. Haughton Rev. Barbara Boyd Rev. S. V. Thomas Rev. B. D. Rushing Rev. G.* S. James Rev. R. C. Brown Rev. James Washington Rev. G. T. Sims, Sr. Rev. Allen Johnson Rev. T. B. Brown Rev. S. L. Webb Rev. R. L. T. Smith Rev. Charles Jones Rev. J. S. Butler Rev. Leon Whitney Rev. R. M. Stevens Rev. C. E. Lewis Rev. L. A. Clark Rev. G. W. Williams Rev. J. C. Sutton Rev. W. L. Lewis Rev. J. W. Collins • Rev. L. L. Williams . s Meeting on School Desegregation, Tue.,Aug. 18, Pearl St. AME Church • .. •••II .--.i, UI...UI.I--.., • i. ... M,,, „•..„ i •.««•» ikJu &enywu— COUNCIL OF FIDERATED ORGANIZATIONS 101? Lynch St.. Jackson, Mississippi Press Phone: 355-3276 r>\>,.;. C For Release Jpon Receipt Jackson—Seventy__five outstanding students from the Missis7"j.: f sippi Summer Project's first Freedom School session will gather for a Freedom School Convention in Meridian, August 8-9. (Editor: Delegates will arrive in Meridian the evening of August 7») The Mississippi youngsters will construct a political program for the State of Mississippi. Three delegates will be selected from each community in which there are one or more Freedom Schools, and each will bring with them the recommended program from Freedom School constituencies ranging from 25 to 600. Mr. Robert M oses, Mississippi Summer Project Director, and Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer,Freedom candidate for congresswoman in Mississippi's second district, will address the convention. This weekend (Saturday, July 25), 15 students from throughout the state gathered to plan the convention. Appointed chairman of the planning committee was Miss Joyce Brown, 15, of' McComb. A poem written by Miss Brown in response to the first McComb Free dom School session being held on the lawn of the bombed Freedom House there persuaded the Negro community in that hard-core area . in Southwest Mississippi to provide a church for the school to meet in. According to Freedom School Director Dr. Staughton Lynd, the Freedom School Convention will "stimulate the sustained process of group thinking about political programs among the young people who are the future leaders of Mississippi." The convention,in the eyes of the student planners, will attempt to arrive at the , political answers to the problems of Mississippi-'s Negro citizenry. They will formulate the demands they would make upon state officials and national representatives if they constituted a voting majority. Lynd notes that this pro'cess has arisen spontaneously throughout the Freedom Schools, citing as an example the Declaration of Independence written by the Palmer's Crossing Freedom School in Hattiesburg. (Editors: Declaration attached.) Lynd has been a professor at Atlanta, Georgia's Spelman College and will join the American History faculty at Yale this fall. There are currently 4-1 Freedom Schools operating in the state with 2,135 registered students in attendance. It was on a mission to find a Neshoba County Freedom School site, and investigate the planned site at the burned-out Mi?. Zion Church that James Cheney, Mickey Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman were lost during the first days of the Summer Project. # Council of Federated Organizations 1017 Lynch Street Jackson,. Mississippi Press Phone: 385-3276 FREEDOM SCHOOL DATA: ai) Background on Freedom Schools: The Freedom Schools were proposed late in 1963 by Charles Cobb, a Howard University student until he joined the SNCC staff and '"a gifted creative writer," according to Freedom School Director Professor Staughton Lynd. That "help from outside Mississippi is needed if the Negro youngster were to have any chance of access to a larger world," was an obvious fact, accor ding to Lynd, after preliminary studies of the Mississippi educational system. In Mississippi: The Closed Society, James Silver noted that the per capita expenditure of the Mississippi local school boards for the white child is almost four times the figure for the Negro child. More than the statistics, the limited subject matter available for study to Mississippi Negro students, the fear of dis missal that restrains their teachers from exploring controversial topics demonstrated that if Mississippi's Negroes were to take part in an academic process it would have to be in a context supplemental to the schooling available through the state. . b) Freedom Schools In Operation: As of July 26, there were 41 func tioning Freedom Schools in twenty communities across the state with an enrollment of 2,135 students—twice the figure projected in plan ning for the summer. There are approximately 175 teaching full-time in the Freedom Schools, with recruitment of 50 to 100 more in process, The,.typical Freedom School has an enrollment of 25 to 100 and a staff of five to six teachers, and is held in a church basement or sometimes the church itself, often using the outdoor area as well Typically, the morning will be taken up with a "core curriculum" built around Negro History and citizenship. The late morning or afternoon is taken up with special classes (such as French or typing— both very popular) or projects (such as drama or the school newspaper.; In the evening classes are held for adults or teenagers who work during the day. The idea of the school is centered on discussion of the group. One suggested guide distributed by COFO to Freedom School teachers noted, "In the matter of classroom procedure, questioning is the vital tool. It is meaningless to flood the student with information he cannot understand; questioning is the path to enlightenment. It requires a great deal of skill and tact to pose the question that will stimulate but not offend, lead to unself-consciousness and the desire to express thought....The value of the Freedom Schools will derive mainly from what the teachers are able to elicit from the students in terms of comprehension and expression of their experiences." At a time when the nation's educators have become concerned— and stymied—by bringing to children of the non-verbal "culturally deprived" community the ability to formulate questions and articulate perceptions, the daily pedagogical revolutions that are the basis of any success in a Freedom School classroom become overwhelming upon considering that the students are Mississippi Negroes—possibly the single most deprived group in the nation—and the teachers are the culturally alien products of the much-maligned liberal arts undergrad uate education. An indication of what is happening among the students and their young teachers in the Freedom Schools is given by a single L 2-2-2-2 Freedom Schools line of COFO advice given to the teachers: "The formal classroom approach is to be avoided; the teacher is encouraged to use all the resourdes of his imagination." According to Director Lynd, the Freedom Schools may be dealt with in the context of three general situations: a) rural areas; b) urban areas where the civil rights movement has been strong; c) urban areas where the movement has been weak. "In the first and third situations," analyzes Lynd, "the Freedom Schools have been most successful, not just in numbers, but in what is going on there." In the rural areas where there is little recreation or diver sion available to the Negro community, the Freedom School becomes the center of teen-age social activities, according to LJfnd. Lynd draws upon the Holmes County and Carthage Freedom Schools as exam ples of this rural success. When the Freedom School staff arrived in Carthage, the entire Negro community was assembled at the church to greet them; when,(two days later, the staff was evicted from its school, the community again appeared with pick-up trucks to help move the library to a new school site. As this is being written, the Carthage community, with the help of summer volunteers and a National Council of Churches minister, is building its own community center which will be staffed by civil rights workers and local volun teers. An example of the second situation, the urban success, is the Hattiesburg Freedom School system, which Lynd refers to as the "Mecca of the Freedom School world." In Hattiesburg there are more than 600 students in five schools. Each teacher has been told to find a person from the community to be trained to take over his teaching job at the end of the summer. Much of the second session in Hattiesburg will be devoted to the training of local Freedom School teachers. "Here, as in Canton," states Lynd, "there can be no doubt that the success of the schools stemmed from the incensive civil rights campaign in the community during the months of late winter and spring." In Gulfport and Greenville, urban environments with alternative attractions, the movement has nit been strong enough in the past to counteract traditional time-passing activities. Lynd notes, however, that the generalization has exceptions. Holly Springs, an urban area in which the movement has not been strong in the past, has a highly successful Freedom School. It should also be noted that in Holly Springs, Carthage, and Shaw, the Freedom Schools are competing against the regular public schools which are currently in session as public schools close in early spring to allow students to chop cotton. In Mississippi's stronghold of organized terror, the Southwest, the McComb Freedom School has proven the political value of the schools as an instrument for building confidence in the Negro commu nity when canvassing is impractical. Lynd cites the instance of Miss Joyce Brown's poem concerning the Freedom School held at a bombed home which moved the community to provide a meeting place for the school. "Thus," notes Lynd, "the presence of a Freedom School helped to loosen the hard knot of fear and to organize the Negro community." There are 108 students at the McComb Freedom School. -J n .mm,, "»•-»' urn mi. -mmm •MOT-"" MW-j-w*..™-^-**-*.*.' •• j^ 3-3-3-3-3 Freedom Schools c) The Future of the Freedom Schools: The Freedom Schools will continue beyond the end of the Summer Project in August. Freedom Schools in several areas are already running jointly with the regular public schoolssession. The Freedom Schools offer subjects --such as foreign languages—not offered in the regular schools, and students are attracted to the informal questioning spirit of the Freedom Schools and academics based around their experiences as Mississippi Negroes. In situations like McComb, the Freedom School has proven its value to the overall COFO political program as an organizing instrument. Also, among the various COFO programs, the Freedom School project is the one which holds out a particular hope of communication with the white community. In at least two situations, Vicksburg and Holly Springs, white children have atten ded for short periods. Another factor in the decision to continue the Freedom Schools is the possibility turned probability that the Mississippi legislature will offer private school legislation designed to sidestep public school integration (already ordered for the fall of 1964 in Jackson, Biloxi, and Leake County). One is faced by situations such as that in Issaquena County where there are no Negro public schools, and children must be transported into other counties. The backwardness of Mississippi's educational system in the context of racial discrimination is demonstrated by the fact that in many areas the impact of the 1954 Supreme Court decision that separate cannot be equal was to have separate schools erected for the first time; the step previous to school segregation is conclu ding that Negro children should be educated. The rural hardcore area of Issaquena County is an example of a prolonged holdout. A final but not secondary factor is the "widespread apprehension among Mississippi Negroes as to what will happen to them when the Summer Project volunteers leave." Staughton Lynd adds, "We want to be able to tell them that the program will"not end, that momentum cumulated during the summer months will not be permitted to slack off." The long-range Freedom School program will probably be carried on through evening classes in local community centers. "Already in many communities Freedom School and Community Center programs are combined and often in the same building," according to Lynd. One source of teachers for the continuing Freedom School program will be volunteers who decide to stay beyond the summer; if only one in five stayed, fifty teachers would remain in the state. Another source would be Southern Negro students coming in under the work-study program which provides them with a one-year scholarship to Tougaloo College after one year's full-time work for SNCC. Other teachers would come through the local communities, under programs of training such as that which has already begun in Hattiesburg. Teachers could also be provided from thetfanks of full-time SNCC staff members; in areas such as McComb where the movement can't register American citizens as voters, civil rights workers can teach in Freedom Schools. There.is.no doubt but that, in Professor Lynd»s words, "It is a political decision for any parent to let his child come to a Freedom School." mi inn urn m I. in in II urn nniiiii.ii.1 ii.,. i.unnu.i,.jim, IIIII. urn HIMUI 111111.111.J .111 111.1m. numi-iam inn 11 unw-P— 11 Freedo m Schools The Freedom School program can develop as an aid in enabling Mississippi Negro students to make the transition from a Mississippi Negro high school to higher education. Standardized tests will be administered to the most promising Freedom School students under the direction of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) in mid-August. Evaluation of these scores and. other data by the National Scholarship Service Fund, for Negro Students will lead some of the Freedom School students to a program involving a) a transitional educational experience during the summer after high school, b) a reduced load during the freshman year at college, and c) financial aid. Others can be helped by the already-existing work-study program. d) ,Free Southern Theater; As the second Freedom School session (August 3-21) begins, a tour of the Freedom Schools throughout the state is scheduled, for tfee Free Southern theater production of In White America. The Free Southern Theater was organized early this year by SNCC with the assistance of COFO and Tougaloo College as an attempt to "stimulate thought and a new awareness among Negroes in the deep South," and "will work toward the establishment of permanent stock and repertory companies, with mobile touring units, in major population centers throughout the South, staging plays that reflect the struggles of the American Negro...before Negro and, in time, integrated audiences," according to a Free Southern Theater prospectus. An apprenticeship program is planned which will send a number of promising participants to New York for more intensive study. The company will include both professional and amateur participants. The development of the Free Southern Theater was sparked by the "cultural desert" resulting from the closed society's restriction of the patterns of reflective and creative thought. Each performance of In White America will be accompanied by theater workshops in the Freedom Schools designed to introduce students to the experience of theater through participation. As the classroom methods of the Freedom School are revolu tionary in the context of traditional American patterns of education, so the Free Southern theater brings a new concept of drama to these Mississippi students. Dr. Lynd comments that the aim of the Theater "is the creation of a fresh theatri cal style which will combine the highest standards of craftsmanship with a more intimate audience rapport than modern theater usually achieves."_ Segregated schools, controlled text books, lack of discussion of controversial topics, the nature of the mass media in Mississippi demand the development of a cultural program, to be viewed, in the context of education, among an entire people. Among the objectives listed, for the Free Southern Theater by its originators are "to acquaint Southern peoples with a breadth of experience with the theater and related art forms; to liberate and explore the creative talent and potential that is here as well as to promote the production of art; to bring in artists from outside the state as well as to provide the opportunity for local people with creative ability to have experience with the theater; to emphasize the universality of the problems of the Negro people; to strengthen communication between Southern Negroes; to assert that self knowledge and creativity are the foundations of human dignity." Among the sponsors of the Free Southern Theater are singer Harry Belafonte, authors James Baldwin and Langston Hughes, performers Ossie Davis, Ruby Lee, and Theodore Bikel, and Lincoln Kirstein, general director of the New York City Ballet. The proposal for the Free Southern Theater originated with SNCC workers Doris Derby, Gilbert Moses, and John O'Neal, and Tougaloo drama instructor William Hutchinson. .tWI u, .Ul .11.1 . ..n „i mi. ,MI ' ..'.'mm.. »I.JM"M 5-5-5-5 Freedom Schools e) Mississippi Summer Caravan of Music: Approximately 25 perfor ming artists, including Pete Seeger, the Chad Mitchell Trio, Theodore Bikel, and SNCC's Freedom Singers, will have toured the Mississippi Summer Project Freedom Schools and Community Centers before the close of the summer. During the day they will teach in Freedom School workshops, and perform in community concerts in the evening. Communities throughout the state have already been visited by the Caravan. The Caravan is sponsored by the New York Council of Performing Artists (Gil Turner, Chairman), and is directed by Bob Cohen at the Mississippi Summer Project Headquarters. ^ ) Excerpts from Freedom School Newspapers: The first ones to insist upon connecting the Freedom Schools to the opening of the closed society of segregated Mississippi are the young students of the Freedom Schools. The average author of a Freedom School newspaper article is.between 15 and 15 years of age. The cover of the first issue of the McComb Freedom School's "Freedom Journal" depicts a Negro in chains with a scroll below him reading, "Am I not a man and a brother?" One girl, in the same paper remarks, "...too long others have done our speaking for us...." Her mother is a domestic v/ho fears for what will happen to the family due to her child's attendance at the Freedom School. One 15 year old student there remarked that the Freedom School "enables me to know that I can get along with the whites and they can get along with me without feeling inferior to each other. " Two young students in the Holly Springs Freedom School describe their home town: "The working conditions are bad. The wages are very low. The amount paid for plowing a tractor all day is three dollars. . . .The white man buys most of the supplies used for the annual crops, but the Negro contributes all the labor. In the fall of the year when the crop is harvested and the cotton is sold to market, the white man gives the Negro what he thinks he needs, without showing the Negro a record of the income the white man has collected for the year. This process of farming has become a custom. This way of livelihood is not much different from slavery." A student describes her life in the "Benton County Freedom Train:" "We work eight to nine hours each day and are paid daily after work is over. We get only $3.00 per day. . .and. . .chop cotton Q% hours to 9 hours each day. . . .The man whom we work for is responsible for having fresh cold water handy in the field for the workers to drink. The whites also fail to take.us to the store in time to eat dinner. . .'.When it's harvest Negroes pick cotton by hand at $2.00 for a hundred pounds and some places $5.00 per hundred." In the Mt. Zion Freedom School's "Freedom Press," a girl states she comes to the Freedom School because "I want to become a part of history also. " Joyce, Brown, the 15 year old author of "The House of Liberty" (attached) will be a senior next year at McComb's Negro Burgland High School. When she was 12 years of age she was doing voter registration canvassing when Bob Moses, director of the Mississippi Summer Project, first began voter activities in Mississippi for SNCC in 1961. \ l llJI »_-, .,.,i,JT..„,,.iW,i.,i,l.i,,;.pil,,i.,!.iiM...illi..i,..»i,4itiii.tiiLW,.»w.i •.•.i.ai.i.ii..i.li..i!itt.iiiiii.wii»^iii,.;.'-'».»'..!'»iiw-.».»i."W'.w'^ '••"-' ••» >".>"<*•"<- ' '• • "" "'•"-••»•"•'-•"• »••. «»-"«• •-;«"« irr--" -•iirriT-"'-- -j ••]-" ' i I" ••••••-- -"L ———'—— — -in FIRST SESSION FREEDOM SCHOOLS/APPROXIMATE ATTENDANCE 1st Congressional District Columbus (2 schools) 60 "So" 2nd Congressional District Clarksdale (4 schools) o6u0 Holmes County (3 schools) 105 Holly Springs (3 schools) 155 Greenville (2 schools) 35 Greenwood (1 school) 60 Ruleville (2 schools) 50 Shaw (1 school) 25 "zP5o" 3rd Congressional District Vicksburg (1 school) 60 McComb (1 school) 75 135 4-th Congressional District Canton (3 schools) 110 Rural Madison (5 schools) 225 Carthage (1 schoolschool)N " 75 Meridian (1 school) 150 360- 5th Congressional District Hattiesburg (5 schools) 675 Laurel (1 school) /< Moss Point (1 school) 2n Biloxi (1 school) J2 Guldport (3 schools) 75 Grand Total: 3gf5£e 2,I3S I' .nil l!l|IIJI.|l.ll„»l|ii,li|U||». iiii.J. .1 (II II II.I.,- •y: X THE HOUSE OF LIBERTY I came not for fortune, nor for fame, I seek not to add glory to an unknown name> <.. I did not come under the shadow of night, I came by day to fight for what's right. I shan't let fear, my monstrous foe, Conquer my soul with threat and woe. Here I have come and Here I shall stay, And no amount of fear, my determination can sway. I asked for your churches, and you turned me down, But I'll do my work if I have to do it on the ground; You will not speak for fear of being heard, So you crawl in your shell and say, "Do not disturb." You'tbink --because. ycu*\e "tinrnec? me'.-ZKsy; • You've protected yourself for another day. But tomorrow surely must come, And your enemy will still be there with the rising sun; He'll be there tomorrow as all tomorrows in the past, And he'll follow you into, the future if you let him pass. You've turned me down to humor him, Ahl Your fate is sad and grim, For even tho' your help I ask, Even without it, I'll finish my task. In a bombed house I have to teach my school, Because I believe all men should live by the Golden Rule. To a bombed house your children must come, Because of your fear of a bomb, And because you've let your fear Conquer your soul, In this bombed house thses minds I must try to mold; I must try to teach them to stand tall and be a man When you their parents have cowered down and refused to take a stand. Joyce Brown McComb Freedom School I «llii|»lll-——————————I-————«-——•»• luiiunmumwi IIIUIHIIIJI Uli.mw." II ...i lip-——————» DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE by the Freedom School Students of St. John's Methodist Church, Palmer's Crossing, Hattiesburg, Miss. In this course of human events, it has become necessary for the Negro people to break away from the"customs which have made it very difficult for the Negro to get his God-given rights. We, as citizens of-Mississippi, do hereby state that all people should have the right to petition, to assemble, and to use public places. We also have the right to life, liberty and to seek happiness. i The government has no right to make or to change laws without the con sent of the people. No government has the right to take the law into its own hands. All people as citizens have the right to impeach the government when their rights are being taken away. All voters elect persons to the government. Everyone must vote to elect the person of his choice; so we hereby state that all persons of twenty-one years of age, whether black, white, or yellow, have the right to elect the persons of their choice; and if these persons do not carry out the will of the people, they have the right to alter or abolish the government. The Negro does not have the right to petition the government for a redress of these grievances: For equal opportunity. For better schools and equipment. For better recreation facilities. For more public libraries. For schools for the mentally ill. For more and better senior colleges. For better roads in Negro communities. For training schools in the State of Mississippi. For more Negro policemen. For more quarantee of a fair circuit clerk. For integration in colleges and schools. The govern * . i has made it possible for the white man to have a mock trial in the case of a Negro's death. The government has refused to make laws for the public good. The government has used police brutality. The government has imposed taxes upon us without representation. The government has refused to give the Negroes the right to go into public places. The government has marked our registration forms unfairly. We, therefore, the Negroes of Mississippi assembled, appeal to the government of the state, that no man is free until all men are free. We do hereby declare independence from the unjust laws of Mississippi, which conflict with the TTrdt.od Stabes (Jong-feCkms-Mi tut-*"+i* on<«->. : .-.u>mn.i.,i.uuni...ii.i-m IJIII »I.IIII.U.I.IHII. mupjiip lumiiimim i'n.miiiin,in. i IHI.IHJUIIIIIII,..JP.PH»«PIJJJI.HIIIII. m. mm .iimiuMiniiiiinii imu i'.••«' mi.! .1 . 1- immiuni inii 1, .-...... ^ CV&nt&l FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 25, 196^ As a group of parents representing the mothers and fathers of nearly 1000 young people now actively engaged in the Mississippi Summer Project we wish to express our deepest gratitude to President Lyndon B. Johnson for his thorough and untiring efforts in behalf of James Cheney, Andrey Goodman and Michael Schwerner immediately following their tragic disappearance in Philadelphia, Mississippi. It is our most fervent hope that in order to prevent further tragedy befalling any of the people of Mississippi or the brave students helping in the struggle for freedom, the President will do everything in his power immediately to provide every measure of federal protection, particularly the assignment to that troubled area of federal marshals in a number sufficient to deter further lawlessness. We were shocked by the statement (made yesterday by Attorney General Robert Kennedy), as reported in The New York Times, that the federal government could not take "preventive" police action. The hesitant position of the Justice Department is directly challenged by some of the most eminent legal and historical authorities in the country, including Professor Mark DeWolfe Howe of Harvard Law School; the Reverend Robert F. Drinan, Dean of Boston University Law School and Professor Leonard Levy, Dean of Faculty, Brandeis University. We concur with the position of these authorities and it is our firm opinion that more than sufficiently strong powers rest within the government to enable it to provide exactly the protection for which we ask. The attached letter to the President, outlining this position was personally delivered to the White House on June ninth, and copy sent to Mr. Kennedy. '' < win. xjjwmmrmmwHMm-mMmnMMmim..wmmmK»rmm>lm*™iiimm.i\nyiMiimmm**mMii.>i ' . .HJHJII.II I U-IPI-J»P-—^IPPJIIIJ.IIU . .mim ".mm •.••WII.I.WII Mississippi and for our sons and daughters, young people of forty states who care so deeply for our democratic ideals that they have put their very lives in jeopardy.. Soon we will return to our homes, still standing firmly behind our children and supporting them in their efforts. We will continue our appeal to the federal government and will enlist in our communities across the nation the assistance of all who share the conviction that the moral fiber of our nation is at stake. We trust that it will not be necessary for us to go to Mississippi to defend the ideals of our Republic. . • i.i,,i»™iiiiiiimnniLijii«.u(iDPinipii — "-' •--•"•'••' .ii.. //• {ffexitt e ( Personally delivered to the White House on June 9, 1964 ) Mr. President: You are undoubtedly aware that this summer almost 1,000 Americans are traveling to Mississippi under the auspices of the Council of Federated Organizations in that state. The purpose of their trip will be to carry on educational activities, community center programs, and voter registration work, in order to insure equal opportunity for all. Among these volunteer workers will be forty-five students from Harvard, Brandeis, Radcliffe, and Boston Universities, whose names are appended to this appeal. As you know the record of the past several years indicates that the liberties, and the lives of these people will be in jeopardy this summer. That record is full of intimidations, arrests, beatings, shootings and even murder, inflicted upon Negro and white citizens. It is clear beyond doubt that they cannot depend upon the State of Mississippi for protection. The Constitution of the United States vests responsibility in you, Mr, President, to enforce the laws of the nation. For this purpose you have both inherent and statutory powers. We urge you, in the name of that humanity which the nation espouses and that equality of rights to which you have pledged support, to use the plenitude of your Presidential authority to take preventive and collective measures to protect the life and the constitutional liberties of all persons within the State of Mississippi. We ask that you station in Mississippi, in advance of trouble, Federal Marshals sufficient to deter, prevent, or immediately suppress actions which would deprive Americans of their constitutional rights. The eyes of the nation, and of the world, will be on Mississippi this summer. Let them see right and justice prevail in that State through the authority and dignity of the Executive of our nation. Mark DeWolfe Howe, Professor of Constitutional Law, Harvard University Law School Rev. Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Dean, Boston College Law School Prof. Joseph T. Witherspoon, Jr., Univ. of Texas Law School Albert 0. Beisel, Boston University Law School Prof. Sanford J. Fox, Boston College Law School Prof. Robert G. Haber, Boston College Law School Rev. Wm. J, Kenealy, S.J., Boston College Law School Prof. John D. O'Reilly, Jr., Eoston College Law School Prof. Robert S. Sullivan, Boston College Law School (over) iummiiiii • » »-> . ii in i. .iiiiniij.ii •»•. II •ui..iniunii,iii. . I /^" ty&tje&i LIR • a r'' ! Professor Kenneth T. Bainbridge, Harvard University Edmond C. Berkeley, Editor, Computers & Automation Dr. Ruth Berman Right Rev, John M. Burgess, Suffragan Bishop Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts Dr. Ross Cannon Dr. Robert Coles, Harvard University Prof. Paul Deats, Jr., Boston University Rabbi Roland B. Gittlesohn Mr. & Mrs. John Chipman Gray Rabbi Albert I. Gordon Mrs. Melvin Gordon Prof. Oscar Handlin, Winthrop Prof, of History, Harvard University Mary Howe Kivie Kaplan Prof. Leonard W. Levy, Dean of Faculty, Brandeis Univ. Dr. Bernard Lown Mrs. Herbert Marcuse Prof. Bernard McCabe, Tufts University Drs. Win. & Ruth Murphy Mrs, John B. Paine Mrs, Malcolm E, Peabody Rabbi Samuel Perlman, Hillel House, Boston Univ. Katherine B. Perlman Prof. Douglas Reynolds, Tufts University Mrs. David Riesman Mr. & Mrs. Edward Ryerson Arthur Schlesinger, Prof. Emeritus, Harvard University Rabbi Steven J. Schwartzchild, Chariraan, Social Action Comm., New England Region, United Synagogue Dr. Bradbury Seasholes, Tufts University Dr. Alfred Stenton, Director McLean Hospital Rev. Francis W. Sweeney, S.J., Boston College Rev. Richard L. Twomey, S.J., Boston College Mr. & Mrs. Robert C. Webb Prof. Harold Weisberg, Dean, Graduate School, Brandeis University Prof. Victor Weisskopf, M.I.T. Rabbi Leonard Zion, Associate Dean, Student Affairs, Brandeis University Prof. Howard Zinn, Boston University Affiliation of the signers of this appea| are f«r the purpose of identification only. oc: Attorney General Robert Kennedy (List of 45 students attached) .M1H.IJIIHIL .1,111111 ll,lll.ii)il»i|l»HI I l| l| 1. 1 nun 11111111 1 ].... L. I III ' ' •i MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY V 1017 Lynch Street • '. ' ', , '. Jackson, Mississippi, '"•. .1 1. , b' .Basi s for the Development of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and for Challenging the Seating of the Regular Mississippi Democratic Party at the Democratic National Convention. . A. The Mississippi Democratic Party discriminates against Negroes who' wish to participate in the party and in state political affairs. ... 1. The'Mississippi Democratic Party has-control of the state legislative, executive, and judicial branches in Mississippi. All 49 senators and all but one of the ••;.'V--.: 122 representatives are Democrats. All state executive officials such as governor, secretary of state, attorney general are Democrats. .a... The state legislature has consistently passed laws ."•'" "and set registration standards which exclude Negroes from the registration books. b. The state executive was elected to office on the 'basis of a campaign which was largely directed towqrd keeping Negroes from registering to vote. • c. The state judicial system does not give Negroes judicial relief in voting cases. 'Only cases carried to the federal courts have resulted in any measure of relief for Negroe 'applicants. d. County registrars are eledted to office. All county registrars are Democrats. Any registered voter can vote in the Democratic primary and attend Democratic Party precinct conventions. Thus exclusion from the right to vote means exclusion from • . the Democratic Party. 2. The State Democratic Convention is being held in the . Jackson Municipal Auditorium and the Heidelburg Hotel. Both.of these facilities are segregated. B. The Mississippi Democratic Party has consistently deveoted itself to the perpetuation of segregation, racism, and the V oppression of minorities. The party has made it impossible for Negroes of the state or white people who consider all people to be citizens to find it in their interest to partici pate in the Democratic Party of the state as it is now constituted. ' ••• C-, Mississippi Citizens who are in sympathy with the goals, platform, and national candidates of the National Democratic '"•'• Party cannot support these goals, platform and candidates by becoming a part of the Mississippi Democratic Party. 1.' The Mississippi Democratic Party platform is in direct opposition to that of the national party. • ' 2. The Mississippi Democratic Party has in party literature stated that it is not a part of the national party". -'3« ' The Mississippi Democratic Party has not supported Democratic presidential candidates in the past and shows indications of refusing to support them this election. H .II in m mi—JUII. IIWII -i «| "* — MDP p. 2 II. The Development of-the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party Because of these concerns and conclusions, the Council of Fed Federated Organizations (a coalition,of all. the national and local civil rights and citizenship education groups in the state) decided to aid local citizens in setting up a Democratic Party structure to .challenge/ the existing party and give Negroes an experience in the politics from which they have been excluded. This party will be open to citizens of both races,fctij.1 encourag e political participation on the,, part of all., and will conform to,- the platform and. support the candidates, of the National Democratic Partya '. Registrars are being established in every county in the state; •registrants Will' Till out a simplified voting form, the Freedom Registration form,,'based on'the voting application used in several Northern states. No literacy test will be applied to registrants; the'only requirement for registration is that the applicant be over 21 and a resident of the state. 0ver.-100-,000 people will be registered ; in this manner. ,-Anyone who; is registered' is eligible to vote in the Freedom Democratic Party conventions and to take part in party work. III. Challenging the seating of Mississippi Delegates to the National Democratic Party Convention The Freedom Democratic Party has been officially established. At a meeting April 26 in Jackson, approximately 200 delegates elected a Temporary State Executive Committee. _The/Temporary Executive Committee will- bo responsible for supervising the calling of meetings throughout the state which will parallel the meetings through which tho regular party selects its candidates to the National Convention. These meetings will follow the pattern stipulated in the Election Laws of Mississippi as closely as possible-! -.. * - • > This pattern.ic:precinct meetings, which maybe attended by anyone^who has been registered on the FDP registration books. (They need not be officially registered voters, since in many counties no Negroes have been allowed to register at all.) The precinct meetings will select delegates to-the. County Conventions, where delegates will be selected to the State Convention! Prior to the State Convention, these delegates will meet by Congressional-District Caucus. At this Caucus about half the delegates from the state to the National Convention will be selected; the State Executive Committee will be chosen, also.; These delegates will then- attend the State Convention, wherethe rest of the delegates to* the National Convention'will be selected, the State Executige Committee will be ratified, and the National Committeeman and Committeewoman will be elected. These delegates will then attend the National Democratic*Convention, where they will challenge the credentials of the regular "party through the Credentials Committee. In all,-'68 delegates will be chosen', the'number allotted the regular party:. There1 will be 46 delegates and' 22 alternates. ;-. mmmmw*"im**m mvmmwru.mi nn» •nn-wwwi.i- '")UU<^ MISSISSIPPI Freedom Democratic Party Washington Office: 1353 'U' STREET, N.W. 1017 IYNCH STREET \ WASHINGTON, D.C. - 20009 JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - 39203 T.l.ph»>>»! <«<») 332-7732 T.l.phon.1 (601) 352-9605 July 28, 1964 Dear Parent of Mississippi Summer Volunteers, As one who is directly related to the Mississippi Freedom Movement, we know you will want to help the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and ^ the challenge it will present to the existing dixiecratic democratic party of Mississippi at the National Democratic Convention next month. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party is an outgrowth of the voter registration programs which have been carried on for three years, and a realization that voter registration alone will not be able to gain the franchise for Mississippi Negroes. We have begun to develop a party which is just like the existing party, except that the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party is open to all and invites participation. Through the process of precinct, county, and district meetings, and finally at a state-wide convention, which will be held August6th, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party will elect a full slate of delegates to go to the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City on August 24th. The delegates from our party will ask the Democratic Party Convention to seat them instead of the regular Eastland-Bamett group. Many of the summer volunteers are aiding the Mississippi Freedom Demo cratic Party working in the Freedom Registration, and helping to organize precinct and county meetings. Here is what you can do to help. Contact your delegates to the Democratic National Convention and ask them to vote for the seating of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, You can find out who the delegates from your area are through your local county democratic organization. Ask your friends and relatives to do the same. Help make democracy work in Mississippi. Sincerely, Walter Tillow | - • I- - IIIHIIII II. I . IIIIPI I .iillill.ll JWIUli II. I,>P-----1PW,.IM»III .HI. I"" ••'•' tfJ-eAite/L MISSISSIPPI PROJECT PARENTS COMMITTEE 100 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK Dear Parents, In July the Mississippi Summer Bail Fund was set up and was instrumental in collecting about $20,000 and securing the speedy release from jail of a number of civil rights workers. As a result of the summer experience a permanent organization is being set up to be called the Mississippi Bail Fund, Inc. with offices at 100 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York. This bail fund will be used for all Mississippi civil rights workers who require bail. The board of directors will include Robert Ostrow, Robert Moses, James Forman, Judge Hubert Delaney and William Meyers. Other prominent people are being asked to serve and their names will be listed in a future communication. The minimum loan period will be 10 months and the fund will last for a period of two years. Most of the summer volunteers, before they left for Mississ ippi, provided that $500 should be available for their bail if necessary, either from their parents, other interested parties, or local civil rights organizations or churches. Fortunately, most of these funds were never needed and still remain with those who collected them. The Mississippi Project Parents Committee is now earnestly requesting that you or those holding your son's or daughter's unused bail money, now make it available for use by those who will be replacing them in Mississippi when they return home. If you agree, checks should be made out to: Mississippi Bail Fund, Inc. and mailed to 100 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York. Yours in Freedom, Bail Fund Committee Norman Blum Lillian Fraser Louis Friedland $Mo/&y ^-pp-jpp-- —— I, »ll I !,• .I.IUIIIIII, III , li.i»iPJIJJJii,IUIIJ(iil I ninii,l|i.i • i ••i„ii».in»i.iini|.iiui i. i tO&wuzri, • TO: PARENTS OF ALL MISSISSIPPI SUMMER VOLUNTEERS PROM: COFO, 1017 LYNCH STREET, JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI Immediate action is needed by all those concerned with the safety of the Mississippi Summer Volunteers. Unless the President and the Attorney General can be convinced of the need for Federal protection of civil rights workers in Mississippi, the events of Philadelphia^ are almost certain to be repeated over and over again in the next two months. We are asking all parents to use their influence in the coming week to pressure President Johnson and Attorney General Kennedy into a commitment to protect workers before violence occurs, instead of waiting until the worst has happened before they offer their help. To help you understand what can be done, it is necessary to stress the following points: The mood of Mississippi today is one of mounti'ng"'TensTon. Acts of violence or near violence are increasing, we have enclosed a two- page report on incidents from ore twenty-four hour period. The 16 incidents in the report show that violence is not limited to any section of the state and that intimidation takes an unlimited vari ety of forms. The Federal Government did not act quickly enough in-the Philadelphia case. We are enclosing a chronology of the attempts of COFO to obtain an FBI investigation or other Federal aid in the Philadelphia incident. This report shows that it took 24 hours - undoubtedly the critical 24 hours - to get the Federal Government to act. FBI agents in Mississippi are always white, generally Southern, and usually from Mississippi itself. Like local law enforcement officers, these agents often serve to obstruct, rather than aid, the admini stration of justice in civil rights cases. The enclosed chronology deals only with Federal contacts; local police changed their story continually and were useless in the attempt to locate the missing persons. The Federal Government does have the ability to act quickly and effectively in support of civil rights. The tbird~enclosure lists some provisions for Federal action in civil rights cases. It shows that the FBI does in fact have the necessary authority to provide protection for civil rights workers. Moreover, the President could act on executive authority to provide further protection, for instance through the appointment of Federal Marshalls. On the reverse side of this sheet, an incident in Itta Bena is described. In this case, the FBI did help protect Summer volunteers, and actually arrested three white men who had threatened Summer Project workers. The Itta Bena Incident shows that the proper Federal agencies can act effectively when they choose to do so. The difference in the role played by the Federal Government in the Philadelphia and Itta Bena incidents was due not to differences in Federal authority, but resulted from the pressure of private citizens on the Government in the last few days. i.i.im in . ta. MI. .. JIIJIIIPP—————iwf-jpip———IP————————^ . .n.unii.u _-_i It is difficult to stress sufficiently the urgency of our request. Without immediate action, the lives of civil rights workers will be further and senselessly endangered; and we will have failed in one of our primary goals: to offer some semblance of protection to the Negroes of Mississippi, who have suffered for decades from the kind of.incident which occurred in Philadelphia. For instance, there have been five 'unsolved' murders of Negroes in the southwest part of the state since the beginning of the year. These murders received no national publicity until the beginning of the Mississippi Summer Project. Only our presence in Mississippi ensures the continued concern of the nation for the Negroes of that state, and the chance that the Federal. Government will move effectively to provide protection for their lives and civil rights. For this reason, in spite of the danger involved, we are fully committed to continuing the Mississippi Summer Project. This does not mean that we will attempt to provoke the state. Our program remains what it has been from its first inception: .an attempt to bring educational and political opportunity to Mississippi's Negroes, where they have never had these things before. Our workers will.participate in voter registration projects and will teach in Freedom Schools and Community Centers. We are specifically avoiding any demonstrations for integrated facilities, as we do not ?eeTl;Ee state is ready to permit such activity at this time. All workers, staff and Summer Volunteers alike, are pledged to non-vio lence in all situations. As a further precaution, we are limiting work to a small area around each project center. All Summer Volunteers have gone through an intensive training session on coniditions in Mississippi and the responses and actions they should take to allow them to work most safely in the state. A large legal staff is being maintained in the state to help those who get In trouble. We are asking that movement at night be kept to a minimum. We are continuing a check-in system which allowed us to know almost imme diately that the Philadelphia party was missing. However, though all precautions will be taken, we are determined to continue our work; and we need your help. We request that you do the following- things * 1. Contact local papers and radio and TV stations and make certain that the full story about Mississippi is being carried in your community. Use the enclosed documents and the and the experiences of your own children in Mississippi to indi cate the goals of the Summer Project and the continued resist ance it is certain to meet. Stress in particular the need for Federal protection. 2. Contact the President, and Attorney General, and your own state and national representatives and demand immediate Federal protection for all people in Mississippi. Organize friends and relatives to make the same demand. mnMMi.iiiii.iim.jmp. I.I .JIIII i II,.,I—I in IPI i iiiin.iiiu.ii •. I<»I,....I).I„I m ,,immmm LM„ ,,, •III|IIJII,.HWII»»IWIM We are asking the following three things from the Federal Government: 1. That Federal Marshalls be stationed throughout the state. These Marshalls should be present in all cases where violence is likely. They should be clearly empowered to make all necessary arrests, including the arrest of law enforcement officers. They should be on call at any hour of the day when civil rights workers feel they are endangered. 2. That the FBI and Justice Department officials be instructed to provide full and immediate help In all incidents where danger is Involved. FBI agents should use their power of arrest. Even more important, they should investigate imme diately when so requested. 3. That President Johnson confer Immediately with COFO leaders. This meeting has been requested several times in the last two months. The President declined to meet with COFO representatives, though they predicted that violence would occur early in the summer if Federal aid were not forthcoming. The choice before Americans this summer seems very clear. They can either accept at face value the statements of the Attorney General that the Federal Government does not have sufficient power to protect the citizens of the country within its own borders - In which case the consequences will fall on those of us who live and work in"Mis sissippi. Or they can use the influence and power they have over their own government to ensure that the events of Philadelphia are not repeated within the coming hours and days in Mississippi. Robert Moses Director Mississippi Summer Project INCIDENTS REPORTED TO THE JACKSON OFFICE DURING A I 2T~H0UR PERIOD: ', Ruleville June 24, 2 AM: A car driven by whites circled noisily arburid Negro community for about two hours, hurling bottles at cars and into homes. Seven incidents were report- • ed to the police, but they never arrived on the scene. June 25, 2 AM: Williams Chapel, near the home of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, Negro candidate for Congress, was firebombed. Volunteer fireman quickly had the fire under control. The church was a center of voter registration activity. D"rew June 24: 30 voter registration workers from Greenville made the first efforts to register Negro citizens in Drew and met with open hostility from local whites. Verbal abuse and threats were hurled at them from circling cars and trucks, some of which were equipped with "vigilante" gun racks..One white man stopped his car and said,"I've got something here for you," brandish ing a gun. < Greenwood June 23 - 24 2 separate cars of Magazine reporters were chased at speeds up to 90 mph by a car driven by whites on their way from Ruleville to Greenwood. The re porters were returning from a public meeting in Ruleville held that evening. Local whites are reported to be trying to intimidate voter registration workers by circling again and again around the SNCC office at night. Greenville June 24: Summer volunteer, Morton Thomas, who left Greenville to carry on voter registration work In nearby Hol lands le, had to retrun to Greenville because' the Mayor and police force in Hollandale said he could not sleep or work in the Negro community. The Mayor claimed that there was a city ordinance to that effect. Canton June 24: A car frequently used by CORE workers was struck by a bullet about 9:15 PM approximately 2 miles outside of Jackson on the road to Canton. The car was driven by a Canton Negro, Eddie Lepaul. The shot came from the grass at the side of the road. , )over) ..--.—pi.—.,, 11 .ii, . iiii. , -«p.,i- ,- i,- - , .^iffyjMf l l f J w w> > Wi -—. -.— .---.MP. 24 Hour Summary, Page 2. Last night a Canton policeman threatened to strike CORE worker,Scott Smith with a shotgun. The police man accused him of trying to take over the town, and of having told a white man to get out of town. Smith denied the charges.. Moss Point June 24: The keeper of the Knights, of Pythias Hall reported seeing a white man set fire to the building soon after midnight. Damage was minimal, as the keeper soon bad the fire under control. The building was to be used for a coming mass meeting. SNCC volunteers had just passed out leaflets announcing the meeting. Two Negro teenagers were arrested for allegedly having insulted a white woman. They were released the next day after bond was posted. Two white summer volunteers, 'Howard Kirschenbaum and Ron Ridenour, were arrested shortly before midnight on the 23rd and subjected to a night of mental harassment and intimidation in the Jackson County jail, Pascagoula They were released the next day, with no formal charges Collins June 24: 40 M-l Rifles and 1,000 rounds of ammunition were stole from the National Guard Armory in the early hours- of .the morning. McComb June 24 : At least five bomb threats have been reported in the two days since the Monday night bombings in. McComb. y^cksljurg June 24: SNCC staff workers coming back from a mass meeting at nearby Yorkena spotted a suspicious-looking 1959 Buick with no license plates. The same car parked for some time in front of the Freedom house that night. Jackson June 23: A Negro man was hit twice in the head by gunfire, while following a car driven by two white men who had just fired into a Negro cafe on Valley St. The wounded man, Marion Tarvln, 26, was released from University hospi tal with,a bullet still in his scalp. June 24: About noon a group of white men tried to enter the house of Mrs. Grace Helms at 714 Weaver St., and other. homes in the area. They threatened to return again and again until they found some Negro boys with whom they had fought the 'night before. The previous night' the po.ii.ce had.•picked up the Negro boys involved in the fight} but had hot even taken the names of the whites. 6U&Vyuy> PARENTS .MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY COMMITTEE 604 G Street SE Washington, D.C. 202 547-8522 or 547-8524 'Dear:Parents: ... ,."','", ••;:-,'-•, . '•'- .;•••• ,.x.. '••' ,:•: We who send you this letter, like you, are parents of young people ': participating in COFO's Mississippi .Summer Project; i Proud as we. are of our sons and daughters, we are nevertheless' corsr/rrned: about; their safety and the safety of the citizens of Mississippi with whom they are working this summer.' We are sure that you have already taken action, as we have, ••• 'to secure protection for then, but we would like to report to you our activities up to-date..... ' 1. We are enclosing a cop."* of our press release and a letter from Boston legal authorities, presented at a press conference in Washington on June 24, for which we received national TV, radio and newspaper coverage. This conference was arranged with the help of the Washington Human Rights Project, and we have been .assured that groups of parents will have no difficulty in arranging local press conferences. If you need guidance, • contact you local Civil Rights organizations or Mr. Torn Leatherwood or Mr. Ron Wilmore at 202-547-8522 or 8524. 2. Since we have been in Washington this week, (we are parents from -New'York, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington. D.C), we have '.'been successful in arranging interviews with "Nicholas Katzenbach, Deputy Attorney General: of the U.S., Lee White, Assistant to President Johnson, Senators Keating'and Javits of N.Y., Speaker of the House John McCormick, Representative Re-id and Ryah of N.Y., as well as assistants of Senators Case and Williams of N.J., Senator Saltonstall of Mass., Senator- Humphrey of Minn., Sen. Brewster of Maryland and Rep. Osmers of E,-f. . IT IS Mori URGENT THAT CONGRESSMEN RECEIVE DELEGATIONS FROM THEIR COkST.lTurNTS, as well as concerned citizens who feel that all Congressmen represent all the people of the United States. NOTE: In the event that your son or daughter is arrested, notify your Senator and Congressman immediately and ask them to telephone the jail. We have been advised on Capitol Hill that such a phone call from Washington is effective. 3. Fortunately-, t;:he NAACP National Convention is' now in progress "in Washington and we have talked with many leaders of that organization. Their members are enthusiastically supporting us and already many, many telegrams have gone to the President aksing for Federal Marshals to be sent to Mississippi. 4. By means of this letter, we are contacting parents nationally. Enclosed is a list of participants in your state. Will you take the responsibility of contacting other parents immediately to organize group action? This is a MUST! The White House and Capitol Hill must know thut large numbers of people want them to act before any other tragedies occur. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (June 30, July 1 and 2) are vitally important, We need more people to bring the necessary pressure and it is most urgent that parents and friends from every state converge on Washington to lobby for all available protection immediately. ii,ttmM«mmfmm0m''mmm'^^^mmfm^'F'm9mw^^m^^m^m^n'^l>mmm*fm0'mm^mmmmm^r> i .IU-IIJ,«JJPPP—mmmi mum HIM i , mm i mi... ••...•.• .., m • HUIJ.MJI~.HP We are certain that your emphasis, as is ours, will be that the Federal Government can and MUST assume responsibility for the protection of its citizens any place in the Union. We have asked for Federal Marshals to be sent to Mississippi. If you have any additional ideas or suggestions please let us know. Yours in freedom, Parents Mississippi Emergency Committee :.(.-."* THINGS TO DO IN YOUR COMMUNITY 1. Call all other parents in your area and organize. Please send us a -corrected list of participants and parents as soon as possible. 2. Arrange a press conference. (If you need help, let us know.) 3. Letters and wires to the President, Attorney-General, Congressmen, Senators, and local officials urging that Federal powers be used to protect the people in Mississippi. 4. Ask your friends, neighbors, community leaders and clergy to ACT. 5. Begin to arrange for trip to Washington — together if possible. We have found that it is very easy to organize parents around this matter. NOTE: Make sure Congress is in session on the day you plan to come. 6. Raise funds 'to support your activities and ours. THINGS TO DO IN WASHINGTON '"'••''• ..,'...... 1. Check in with Tom Leatherwood or Ron Wilmore at the;.above address. 2. See your Congressman and all other Congressmen,from, your state. See • , i - • i your Senators. ' . , ••''CO '. 3. Demand an interview with top officials' of the Justice Department. 4. Since.the Federal Government has clear powers' to act, insist on a meeting at the White House. ' ,:, ;..•• •5. We can help to arrange a press conference in Washington if you come with a state delegation. 6. Bring letters or other material from your son and daughter about what is happening in Mississippi to use in your interviews.. ..." f :: II U I Hill lililli.l .iii..i«.IIHHiU" CHALLENGE OF THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY I. DEVELOPMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY Three basic considerations underlie the development of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and its plans to challenge the seating of the del egation of the Mississippi Democratic Party at the 1964 National Democratic Convention. They are: 1. The long history-of systematic and studied exclusion of Negro citizens from equal participation in the political processes of the state grows more flagrant and intensified daily. 2. The Mississippi Democratic Party has conclusively demonstrated its lack of loyalty to the National Democratic Party, in the past, and currently indicates no intention of supporting the platform of the 1964 Democratic Convention. 3. The intransigent and fanatical determination of the State's political power-structure to maintain status-quo, clearly demonstrates that the "Mississippi closed society", as Professor James W. Silver of the University of Mississippi asserts, is without leadership or moral resources to reform itself, and hence can only be brought into the mainstream of the twentieth century by forces outside of itself. A. PARTY DISCRIMINATION: The Mississippi Democratic Party controls the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the government of the State. All 49 senators, and all but one of 122 representatives are Democrats. Repeatedly, the State legislature has passed laws and established regulations designed to discriminate against prospective Negro voters. The 1963 gubernatorial campaign was largely directed towards restricting the Negro vote. The state convention is being held in the Jackson Municipal Auditorium and the Heidelburg Hotel, both of which are segre gated. In its devotion to racism and suppression and oppression of minority expression, the Mississippi Democratic Party prevents Negro Democrats and white persons who disagree with the party's racist stance from participating in party programs and decisions. II . .ililipj.li.|ii.lM"pi,i|ppppPPWP--PPJPPPP|Ju-JI.UI. Iipill -2- B. PARTY DISLOYALTY: Mississippi citizens who desire to do so cannot support the National Democratic goals by joining the Mississippi Democratic Party. The Mississippi Democratic Party has declared in public speeches and printed matter that it is NOT a part of the National Democratic Party. The campaign literature for the election of Governor Paul B. Johnson, in 1963, is a case in point, as the follow ing excerpts show: ... "Our Mississippi Democratic Party is entirely independent and free of the influence of domination of any national party" "The Mississippi Democratic Party which long ago separated itself from the National Democratic Party, and which has fought consistently everything both national parties stand for " In 1960 the Mississippi Democratic Party failed to honor its pledge to support the nominees of the National Democratic Convention. Immediately after the convention the Mississippi party convened a convention and voted to support unpledged electors in an effort to defeat the nominees of the Democratic National Convention. C. THE CLOSED SOCIETY: "It can be argued that in the history of the United States democracy has produced great leaders in great crises. Sad as it may be, the opposite has been true in Mississippi. As yet there is little evidence that the society of the closed mind will ever possess the moral resources to reform itself, or the capacity for self-examination, or even the tolerance of self-examination." .....from "Mississippi: The Closed Society" by James W. Silver Civil rights groups working in Mississippi are convinced that political and social justice can not be won in Mississippi without massive interest and support of the country as a whole, backed by the authority of the Federal government. As the political leadership of Mississippi feel threatened by the winds of change, they devise new and more extensive legal weapons and police powers. Police preparations are now being made to harass, intimidate and threaten the educational and registration program scheduled to be conducted in Mississippi this summer. Five new bills, prohibiting picketing, banning the distribution of boycott literature, restricting the movement of groups, establishing curfews, authorizing municipalities to pool police manpower and equipment, and increasing penalties that may be assessed by city courts — have been hurriedly signed into law. Other similar bills are still pending. II. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY To give Negro citizens of Mississippi an experience in political democracy and to establish a channel through which all citizens, Negro and white, can actively support the principles and programs of the National Demoratic Party, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party was conceived. The Council of Feder ated Organizations (COFO), a confederation of all the national and local civil rights and citizenship education groups in Mississippi, is assisting local • IIPIW... II li.WILil.il lll»PIJIJ.ll,.J.lWJIJ!tJJII...L..MIJ)lll|»»IUI-IIIP-IM '• '.• '•• I. mil III ii.ll l.| I l.ll»IIIJJ.,JIHI.,llll|,H1.|.|.ll .11 . ^ I I.I • —.in II -3- citizens to develop the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. This party is open to all citizens regardless of race. It was officially established at a meeting in Jackson, Mississippi on April 26th; and the approximately 200 dele gates present elected a temporary state executive committee, which will be responsible for setting precinct and other state meetings. These meetings will parallel those of the Mississippi Democratic Party, and every effort will be made to comply with all state laws which apply to the formation of political parties. Registered voters in the Freedom Democratic Party will attempt to attend precinct and county meetings of the Mississippi Democratic Party. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party is presently engaged in three major efforts: — (1) Freedom Registration; (2) Freedom Candidates; and (3) Convention Challenge. 1. FREEDOM REGISTRATION: Official registration figures show that only some 20,000 Negroes are registered in Mississippi as compared to 500,000 whites. This represents less than 7% of the 435,000 Negroes 21 years of age in the state. The Freedom Registration is designed to show that thousands of Negroes want to become registered voters. By setting up registrars and deputy registrars in each of the 82 counties of the state, 300,000 persons may be registered in the Freedom Registration. Last November some 83,000 Negroes were reg istered in a mock gubernatorial race. In the present drive, 75,000 are reported registered, and this will be greatly stepped up when the summer program officially begins at the end of June. This registration will use simplified registration forms based on voting applications used in several northern States. Any person who registers in the Freedom Registration will be eligible to vote in the Freedom Democratic Party Convention and partici pate in party work. 2. FREEDOM CANDIDATES: The four (4) candidates who qualified to run in the June 2 primary in Mississippi were nominees of the Freedom Democratic Party and in addition to their bid in the regular Democratic primary, they will also run in a mock election under the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in November. This will help to establish the fact that thousands of Negroes are deprived of citizenship participation because of the racist character of Mississippi's voter registration procedures. The four candidates are: Mrs. Victoria Gray opposing Senator John Stenn'is; Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, opposing Representative Jamie L. Whitten; The Reverend John Cameron, opposing Representative William M. Colir.er; Mr. James Houston, opposing Representative John Bell Williams. The platforms of the candidates of the Freedom Democratic Party articulate the needs of all the people of Mississippi, such as — anti-poverty programs, medicare, aid to education, rural development, urban renewal, and the guarantee of constitutional rights to all. This is in sharp contrast to the lack of real issues in the campaigns of the candidates who won in the primary. Senator Stennis did not even bother to campaign in the state. r munipum -.• IIIIIIII.IH..UIIIIIWUIIUKIIII.IIHIP i 111111-1.1111, mi., mi i.iiii-j.iniiiiiiiuin nmumi ,i i •»----II.IIII,I.IIIII,III .1, « 1 .... . nm -4- 3. THE CHALLENGE TO THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION: Delegates from the Freedom Democratic Party will challenge the seating of the "old-line" Mississippi delegation at the Democratic National Conven tion this August in Atlantic City, New Jersey. These delegates will have been chosen through precinct meetings, county conventions, caucuses in con gressional districts, and at a state-wide convention of the Freedom Democratic Party. The State Executive Committee will be ratified and the national com mitteeman and committeewoman will be chosen at this state-wide convention. All steps necessary to preparing and formally presenting the challenge of the Freedom Democratic Party are being taken .... BUT WE NEED YOUR COOPERATION AND HELP! *** We need convention delegates to champion the cause of representative government in Mississippi ... *** We need people who will speak out in the credentials committee and on the convention floor ... *** We need hundreds of Democrats — individuals and organizations — to instruct their delegates, petition their representatives, party leaders and the President to face up to the fact that only a renegade democratic party exists in Mississippi which enjoys the benefits of national affil iation but spurns all responsibilities and can only continue to bring disgrace to the National Democratic Party. o o o o in.IM.II.—imm—mmin .n 11.1 nimmm—,—,—•m, mijiiiu—1w——.—,PPPPmPJPPm» PP——ip——JPJB-I-—IPIPPP———-1 ' 1 •' - •• •• ADDITIONAL MATERIALS WHICH FREEDOM SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY CENTER WORKERS MUST BRING WITH THEM: Each worker must bring: 1. Paper—Butcher paper, one roll at least for the complete summer, can be used for many projects. 2. chalk—Colored or white. 3. Crayons—Can be secured through elementary schools before school vacation. 4. Paints — powdered poster paints are the cheapest" also can be secured through schools. 5. Paste Regular paste or glue, wheat paste. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS WHICH WOULD BE USEFUL IF THEY CAN BE SECURED: 1. Inner tubing: gasoline stations are only too happy to give away old inner tubes. 2. Blocks of wood: lumber yards. 3. Wire The wire found in old telephone wire, which Is colored, can be used for many creative projects—ask your telephone company. 4. Cardboard, colored paper, small rocks for mosaics. The above materials are needed badly for use in arts and crafts programs. mmmmmmmu.n"•MJHJ mmmmrnm^mMwmm: \^mmmmmmmm*mmmm ...... iiiiiiniii" • •• •'• "' . 1. .1,1111) 1 ,uiii.i,.ii,j.iuii,Hii.,.iiji)iumpni,)iiinii 1 "-> some tutoring). You will have to bear in mind that it is too hot in the afternoon for much concentrated work. Evening. (7-9 Or so): Work with voter registration activities, or special events like a visiting folk singer) on evenings when no political work is needed. The development of a weekly schedule and a daily lesson plan will be left to the teachers and students of the school. All teachers will be at their school's site at least a week before the schools open July 7. This week should be used primarily for planning by the teaching group, as well as -recruiting students and making community contacts. We will try to balance the schools' personnel so that various skills will be represented by different members of the teaching team. The fact that you will do the actual development of a plan for each day means that you will have to be creative, resourceful, and flexible'.- To aid you In your task, we will be supplying you with the following material, either in the mail or at orientation: 1. Curriculum Guide for Freedom Schools, by Noel Day. This doc- cument will be your basic teaching material. It contains six units of study centered; around values and social change. Each - unit contains suggested content materials and teaching methods. It will be possible for you to center some of 'the writing and reading teaching around the subject matter of the units,.and discussion will help students grow in public speaking ability. , 2» Case studies are being prepared by various people. Some of these will relate directly to the curriculum suggested by the Curriculum Guide, some can be used"as supplementary material. The Case Study Outline will explain how to use these studies of various problems related to civil rights and political change. 3. Papers on the teaching of science, math and remedial reading and writing (also short papers on teaching arts and crafts, dramatics, etc.) Science will not relate directly to the subject matter of the curriculum guide, hut it is important that students receive both a feeling for*wha*t real science is (which they do not receive in school) and tutorial help in specific scientific areas of study if they show interest. Any teachers who know this area should come prepared to do some special work with a few students and to handle a class session or two on a general "Wonders of Science" theme. The paper you will receive will give further ideas. Math is an area of real difficulty for many students. Try to secure 11th and 12th grade (and earlier) math texts for use in tutoring. It will be difficult to develop class sessions around this subject, since students' abilities will vary greatly. The paper on teaching of this subject will help you see an approach for a classroom situation. Remedial reading and writing work will be needed by nearly ' all students. Reading aloud is suggested in the Curriculum Ci.Guido. aSwaro..!aotieeiWDetiO:.topics. Students should-be encouraged and guided in doing outside reading. Writing should be discussed with students individually with tutorial help directed toward writing improvement. -- •• •••-••- '•" " ' • ,.— ..I..I.II.. . *miim!gmmxmmmi+w*mm?m*^^m-^>**M 1-.--.1** k i -3- 4. A paper on Leadership Development by Charlie Cobb will contain suggestions of the kinds of skills students should develop and suggest how these can bo integrated into daily activities. 5. A paper suggesting recreational and cultural activities for students will be available. IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT YOU STUDY THESE MATERIALS CAREFULLY AND BRING THEM SOUTH WITH YOU. THEY WILL BE YOUR GUIDE FOR THE STDHMER. YOUR TIME HERE IS LIMITED AND YOU MUST PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE'. We will NOT be ABle to replace curriculum materials if you fail to bring them with you. We are glad you will be with the Mississippi Movement and hope that you share our excitement about the possibilities that the summer holds for real growth for you and Mississippi's young people. rnmmnmi^fmmmmm FRFFDOM SCHOOLS COFO 1017 Lynch St., Jackson, Mississippi. NOTFS ON TEACHING IN MISSISSIPPI INTRODUCTION TO THF SUMMER - Jane Stembridge This is the situation: You will be teaching young people who have lived in Mississippi all their lives. That means that they have been deprived1 of decent, education, from the first grade through high school. It means that they have been denied free expression and free thought. Most of all — it means that they hav.e been denied the right to question. The purpose of the Freedom Schools is to help them begin to question. What will they ]__> like? They will all be different - but they will have in common the scars of the system. Some will be cynical. Some will be distrustful. All of them will have a serious lack of preparation both with regard to academic subjects and contemporary issues - but all of them will have a knowledge far beyond their years. This knowledge is. the knowledge of how to survive in a society that is out to destroy you • • • and the knowledge of the extent of evil in the world. Beoause thfese young people possess such knowledge, they will be ahead of you in many ways. But this knowledge is purely negative; it is only half of the picture and, so far as the Negro is concerned,. It is the first half. It has, in a sense, already been lived through. The old institutions are crumbling and there is. great reason to hope for the first time. You will help them to see this hope and inspire them to go after It. i - p • What will they demand of vou? They will demand that you be honest. Honesty is an attitude toward life which is communicated by everything you do. Since you, too, will ba in a learning situation - honesty means- that you will ask questions as well as answer them. It means that if you don't know something you will say so. It meqns that you will not "act" a part in the attempt to compensate for all they've endured in Mississippi. You can.'t compensate for that, and they don't want you to try. It would """ "•"•'»• ' '• •'• •.••-" "«i in ii.mil. ..in II.II.I,IIUIIIIII,IIII.I.I-;I-LH 1I..IIHHW.IIII1II.UIJH-III iiu.iiiii..,ii.iiim«M.!iMj.ii nliwuapl II. i.i-i.l—,«.- ' ' •" •'•••' ••• II IL.I I.IJ. JI.IHII / NOTP.S ON TEACHING IN MISSISSIPPI - Page 2 T.HIS IS THF SITUATION * * * Charlie Cobb Repression is the law, oppression, a way of life — regimented by the judicial and executive branches of the state government, rigidly !enforced by state police machinery, with veering from the path of "our way of life" not tolerated at all. Here, an idea of your own is a subversion that must be squelched; for each bit of intellectual initia tive represents the threat of a probe into the why of denial. Learning here means only learning to stay in your place. Your place is to be satisfied — a "good nigger". They have learned the learning necessary for immediate survival: •that silence is safest, so volunteer nothing; that the teacher is the state, and tell them only what they want to hear; that the law and learn ing are white man's la^ and"learning. There is hope and there is dissatisfaction - feebly articulated - both born out of the despiration of needed alternatives not given. This is the generation that has silently made the vow of no more raped mo thers — no more castrated fathers; that looks for an alternative to a lifetime of bent, burnt, and broken backs, minds, and souls. V/here cre ativity must be molded from the rhythm of a muttered "white son-of-a- bitch"; from the roar of a hunger bloated belly; and from the stench of rain and mud washed shacks. There is the waiting, not to be taught, but'to be reach out and meet and join together, and to change. The tiredness of being told it must be, 'cause that's white folks' business, must be met with the Insistence that it's their business. They know that anyway. It's becausfe their parents didn't make it their business that they're being so systemati cally destroyed. What they must see £s the link between a rotting shack and a rotting America. PROBLEMS OF FREEDOM SCHOOL TEACHING * * * Mendy Samstein' The Freedom Schools will not operate out of schoolhouses. There will rarely be classrooms, certainly no bells, and blackboards only if they can be scrounged. Freedom Schools in Mississippi will be a low cost operatloursince;funds will be very limited. Furthermore, the community will have little'to offer in the way of resources. In many places, par ticularly in rural towns, there are no_,rsally suitable facilities avail able either in the"white or in the Negro communities. As a result, most Freedom Schools will have to be held in church basements, homes, back • yards, etc. In some towns in the state, the students are waiting with great excf'ement in anticipation of the Freedom Schools. In other areas, however*, special interest will have to be created - the teachers them selves'-will have to recruit students before the Freedom Schools begin. In -hese places, you will find that you are almost the first civil rights workers to be there, and if you are white, you will almost cer tain, y be the first white civil rights workers to come to the town to stay. You will need to deal with the problem of your novelty, as well as with the educational challenge. There will be some advantages which will, we hope, over-ome sc-me of the material shortcomings. If you go to a town where COFO has had an active project for some time, you will probably be greeted warmly because there is a great deal of support for the Freedom School program. However, even if you go to a relatively new place, you can count on some things: In no community will there be a Freedom School unless the people of that community, have expressed a desire for one, have shown their support by finding' housing for staff at low cost (typically $10 a week for room and board), and have scouted out a place for a Freedom School. , . imu.Li.M.u • w.*u-.t..„i ....I.paw-... mm'^,mim^»m.MU^^mmm JLIJ.MII M^^m^.'..~..»»'^^'mmmmW »-P— ' >•-..' *• »• ' '•-•' ' I .,'OTES ON TEACHING IN MISSISSIPPI - Page 3 The greatest advantage, however, will be the students and, we hope, your approach. In the final analysis, the effectiveness of the Freedom Schools this summer will depend upon the resourcefulness and honesty of the individual teachers - on their ability to relate sympathetically to the students, to discover their needs, and to create an exciting "learning" atmosphere. The informal surroundings, the lack of formal "school" trappings, will probably benefit the creation of this atmos phere more than the shortage of expensive equiptment will discourage it. Attendance will not be required, so if the teacher is to have regular attendance from his students, he must offer them a program which continues to attract; this means that he must be a human and in teresting person. It is important to recognize that these communities are in the pro cess of rapid social change and our Freedom School program, along with the rest of the summer activities, will be in the middle of this ferment. The students will be involved in a number of political activities which #111 be relatively new in Negro communities in Mississippi. They will be encouraging people to regis-?©'? to vote, organising political rallies, ^.amna.igning; for Itegro candidatwr. for high public offices,fend preparin g to challenge the Mississippi Democratic"Party* These activities will De a large pare cf the experience which the students will bring to your classes. In cost Instances', .we believe that this will help the Freedom School program arifl you should capitalize on these experiences by re lating it to c'.U-:.;3room work. 7ouwill need to know something about these experiences, so j*ou will have tna opportunity to share thsm'by canvasing, campaigning, distributing leaflets, etc.,-with the students. You wild define your r.nle wore precisely Whan you arrive by consulting with COFO voter registration people in the area. It will probably be important to the students t&at you show willingness to work with them, but you will have to ballanoe this against your own need, to prepare for classes, recreation and tutoring, ^In some communities, however, the situation may go beyond this. The . community may enrbark upon more direct kinds of protest, resulting in mass demonstrations, nail, and any number of eventualities. We have no specific suggestions to make if this situation arises. You will have to play it by ear. We can.only say that if you are teaching in a Freedom School in Mississippi, you must keep a sensitive ear to the ground so that if this should happen," you will be aware of what is happening in the community, You will have"to decide if a continuing educational program is possible, and," if it is noty what modification of the program you can arrange to make this summer.as constructive a period for the community as possible. REMAIv.S TO THF FRFFDOM SCHOOL. TEACHERS ABpJQT MFTHOD * * * Noel Day TFAnHING TFCHNIQUFS AND METHOD: The curriculum is flexible enough to pro-;ide for the use of a wide range of methods in transmitting the mate7ial. The basic suggested method is discussion (both as a class and in small groups) because of the opportunities this method provides for: 1. Fncouraging expression 2. Exposing feelings (bringing them Into the open where they may be dealt with productively) 3. Permitting the participation of students on various level". *+. Developing group loyalties and responsibility 5. Permitting the sharing of strengths and weaknesses of individual group members. ,f-.<*w x\JX~~U.Treeooin '••• '"•ll " ••>•-''.•• •.. ... I.JIL.1 ..ii i.ii..i.^pq^Mp^»^iwq^^pw*P!MffP—|m ..ii... nun II L.II. I-.II -'•'•• ii.., . .H.i.ii,, ia ,i i. , m_u.il NOTFS ON TFACHING IN MISSISSIPPI - Page k However, presentation lectures, reading aloud (by students), the use of drama, art, and singing can be utilized in many sections of the curriculum. We recommend, however, that discussion be used as a follow-up in each instance in order to make certain that the material hgs been learned. TEACHING HINTS: 1. Material should be related whenever possible to the experience of students. 2. No expression of feelings (hostility, aggression, submission, etc.) should ever be passed over, no matter how uncomfortable • the subject or the situation is. Both the students and the teacher can learn something about themselves and each'-other if it is dealt with honestly and with compassion. 3. The classroom atmosphere should not be formal (It is not a -, public school). Ways of accomplishing an informal atmos phere might be arrangement of seats in a circle, discussions with individuals or small groups before and after sessions, use of first names between teachers and students ,l shared • field work experiences, letting students lead occasionally, etc. «. ,h-. Prepare ahead of time for each session. 5. When using visual materials make certain Uney are easily visible to all students and large enough to be seen. (When smaller materials must bemused, pass them around after pointing out significant details*.) 6. Let students help develop visual materials wherever possible (perhaps after class for tie next session.) 7. At the end of each session, summarize what has been covered K-larid indicate briefly what will be done in the next session. 8. At the beginning of each session,, summarize the material that that was covered the day before C or ask a student to do it:) 9. Keep language simple, lO.Don't be too critical at first; hold criticism until a sound rapport has been established. Praise accomplishments wherever possible. . ,. v • 11.Give individual help to small groups, or when students are reading aloud or drawing. 12.A limit of one hour ( an hour and a half at most) is probably desirable for any one session. This limit can be extended, however, by changing activities and methods within a session. DISCUSSIOJf-LEADING TECHNIQUFS 1. The leader must always be aware of his role: that he is, on the one hand, only the leader and not the dominant partici pant, and on the other hand, that he is in fact the leader and responsible for providing direction and keeping the . , v discussion going. 2. The use of questions is probably the best way to start and keep a discussion going. The questions should be: &. simple and clearly phrased. b. In language understood by the discussants. c. not'answerable by "yes" or "no". ocnooi -•••» —— —-* «^u«u out, a place for a Freedom • in • i i II n i ., „„_•_,..„., „ .•rrM^iiiiMMnitiii! milliiiii! \ NOTES ON TFACHING IN MISSISSIPPI - Page 5 3. The best types of questions fall into three categories: a. Those investigating emotional response (e.g. how did you feel when? or how would you feel if?) b. Those investigating motivation (e.g. why did you feel that wy? why would you do that? why do you think that?, etc.) c. Those in response to others' reactions (e.g. what do you think about what Bob said?) h* The physical arrangements can affect the quality of discussion. The best arrangement has everyone in view of everyone else. The leader then stands to introduce a visual aid so that it is visible to all. 5. The leader should be careful to be adroit at keeping the discussion on the track. 6. The leader should occasionally summarize what has been said: a. to provide continued direction b. to provide smooth transitions from one major topic to another. c. to emphasize 1 portant points ( and by exclusion to de-emphasize irrelevant points). d. to re-stimulate the group if discussion has lagged. 7. The leader should encourage participation by everyone. Some techniques for this are: a. direct questions to silent participants (do not press if they continue to be reticent). b. use of small groups with the usually silent members as reporters. c. praise when the usually-silent members participate. di relating topics to their personal interests and- experiences. e. re-stating inarticulate statements for them (e.g. Do you mean? etc.) 8. The leader should be sensitive to lagging interests and over extended attention spans.(The form of activity can be changed after a brief summary of the discussion to that point. A change of activity form Is often restful — particularly when it requires some physical movement, such as breaking one large group into; smaller groups scattered throughout the room, or putting review in the form of a TV quiz game, or asking that a particular point :be dramatized, or a picture drawn, etc. ) 9. The leader should have all resource materials, visual aids, etc. at hand. • 10.The leader should always leave time for the students to ask him questions. 11.The leader should be willing to share his experiences and feelings , too. 12. The leader should not Insist that words be pronounced in any particular way. Respect regional variatiors (e.g. Southern pronunciation of "bomb" is typically "bum"0. The basic point is communication — if it gets the idea across it*is good. ljoThe leader should not be critical— particularly at the start. For many of the students, JUST BFING ABLE TO VFRBALIZF IN THIS SITUATION IS PROGRFSS that can easily be inhibited by a disapproving remark or faeial expression. lh.Learn the students' slang. It can often be used to ease tensions or to express tones of feeling and certain meanings more succinctly than more aeademic language. 15.Protect students from each other's verbal attacks and down grading (ranking, e,tc.) - particularly the slower or less _,.-_. _ • ^"—-'» -"« i«*»c ovuuoeu OUT; a place for a Freedom ochool. ..I i. ijii.i iiiu.iiw,ui.iiipj,ii.wj|a.im»ujuiini'i'i..P,-itii .i.[.i),iin.m.i..i mu ,u. i. iii.,i.n. .yipi .MM IUIJ .. I.IJIHI.JU.LJ ... .I.....I!IJII HUM; mm Jiuiuii..i.ii.n,iiiiiimil.mnii.ii.i.j i.i -.II .mi Bin... .. i ...~„ \ 1 NOTES ON TFACHING IN MISSISSIPPI- Page 6 i articulate students. '•. USING DRAMA: Probably the best way of using the dramatic method is the extemporaneous approach. In this approach, learning lines in a formal way is avoided. A story is told, or a "Let us suppose that" or a Pretend that..." situation is structured!, and then parts assigned. The actors are encouraged to use their own language to interpret the story or situation and some participants are assigned to act the part of non-human objects as well (e.g. trees, a table, a mirror, the wind, the sun, etc.) Fach actor is asked to demonstrate how he thinks the character he is protraying looks, what expression, vrhat kind of voice, how he walks, what body posture, etc. As soon as each actor has determined the characteristics of his part, the story outlined is reviewed again, and then drama tized. This method can permit the expression of a wide range of feelings by the students, involve their total selves, stimulate creativity, •provide the teacher with insights about the students, and at the same time, get across the content material. USING SPECIAL RFSOURCF'PFOPLF: There will be many talented people in Mississippi this summer. Somo of thorn will'be attached to projects in voter registration, communith centers and freedom . schools (you). There will be other professional people wjio will^ not be staying long enough to follow one project through from beginning to end, but they are eager to make what-:cohtribution they can. Included-in this category are physicians, attorneys, ministers, and, most notably, entertainers. In the group of entertainers will be some very eminent folk singers and comedians. (Folk Singers are being recruited on a formal basis. Lawyers are scnool. "' ***** ovwuucu out a place for a Freedom 1 • • '•• " | .11.. ..,„.._.•.-..... u ..__,____„.. -—_•• UIIH-PP-I—.I-I.....I ^/sl 8/16/64 Tougaloo Conference Report THE MEDICAL COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS The long, hot summer is drawing to a close, and all eyes are lifting to • the future. This future is bright, but as we heard yesterday at Philadelphia, it will be rougher here in Mississippi before it gets better. One thing above all: COFO has established itself throughout the state; it is here to stay. In a parallel sense, but far more modestly, our medical committee has established itself and it too is here to stay.- Just as this is a time for review and planning for COFO, so it is for ourselves: to analyze what we have done and have learned; to try to discover and analyze self-critically with you our mistakes; and to work toward certain long-range plans and commitments. IBM WE HAVE LEARNED AMD DONE: 1. We have established a medical presence in behalf of the civil rights movement in Mississippi, in connection with the 55 valiant Negro physicians in the state, and at definite though scattered points, with white physicians and medical in stitutions. A rudimentary system of care for the urgent medical needs of the civil rights workers is-now coming more and more into existence in more and more parts of the state, with a method of referral into Jackson and beyond where this is necessary. More "than 65 doctors, nurses, counsellors and other medical workers have so far been in the stato, working—though not actually practicing medicine—during the summer period at 9 major stations and many sub-stations. 2. Everybody has read about Mississippi; COFO has told us and oriented us about Mississippi. But not until our medical teams, integrated Negro and white, went into the far reaches of the state, did' wo begin'to see and feel-at first hand the interlocking chain of exploitation, poverty, discrimination, disease and human neglect that damn Mississippi in the eyes of America and the world. The health problems of Negroes in the Mississippi rural areas not only shock the visiting nurse and physician; much more important, they are a vital social ard political issue that the Negro people, especially the older ones, are reacty- to act on. "herever we have spoken—in community centers, in freedom schools, at crossroads gatherings and in the homes of the rural people—when we have taken the time to stop and listen we have heard the complaints about the high cost of medical care, the inadequate and callous treatment in segregated offices and facilities, the utter lack of state programs and concern in many important areas of health, especially in chronicc disease. It is our feeling that a health program for iississippi can be one of the strongest platforms of the freedom movement, of COFO, and of the now Freedom Democratic Party. 3. Let me turn from what ought to be to what is now. We have found there to be many programs, inadequate though they may be, that Mississippi provides, on paper at least, to maintain the health of its people. These range from the pro-natal clinic, to the checking of school children's eyesight and hearing, to tho pittance in medical assistance for the indigent aged on welfare. But even these programs barely reach out to the rural Negro. One can only say that there is a conspiracy of silence when one seeks to discover what programs are avail able. Too often, in too many parts of the state and in Jackson itself, our medical teams—as well as COFO workers—have been- refused information on these programs. And so often as to bo all but universal, these programs are unknown to the rural poor, who spend their medical moneys on doctoring for ultimate emergencies—many of which might have boon avoided vjith preventive medical care that is even now currently available. It would be a great service to make known to the people in each county just vihs.t services are available now, at what cost, at what time, and where. Our teams and some of the COFO projects have made a beginning at this. It should be expanded and systematized. And this information x^ill in most cases not be available for the asking, but must be dug out pains takingly and tactfully from the patients themselves who use these facilities. This information, by the way, can provide part of the factual underpinning for a health program for the future. -2- forgotten at times that it is COFO that runs this show, and that we are here to help where we can and where we are needed. Beyond this, we have almost inevitably been here today and gone tomorrow at many of the projects, with a bewildering turnover of medical people green to the ways of liississippi, its problems and its civil rights-movement. In emergency recruiting, this was often the only way to function, but we must work more and more for our people to put in extended time periods here. In certain instances, there has been slowness to respond to Negro leader ship and at times gap3 have developed betvraen our medical committee and the movement on this account. We hope and believe these gaps are beginning to be closed. Most important of all, we did not know in Chicago-or New York or elsewhere that this movement is young in age and young in spirit, just as are all freedom movements everywhere. Too few of us have been flexible and young in heart, if not in years. !Je are trying to learn this lesson too. OUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE 1. Health Education: We think we have a role to play with regard to the freedom schools and the community centers. It is not to provide doctors or nurses to go to them, at least in any significant numbers. It is to work with you to prepare materials and an actual training course for COFO workers and local people in various fields of health: first aid, personal hygiene, sex ed ucation, nutrition, and mother and child care. 2. Health research; COFO began before we did, in analyzing the health problems of the Mississippi Negro. There is much more to be done: to loam more about the distribution of federal and Public Health Service funds; to find out what moneys might be available; to develop programs for involving the Federal government in more direct and meaningful ways in the Mississippi health picture; to develop strategies to desegregate-the hospitals. Beyond money, we must develop pilot studies and field programs, often ^^dth foundation support, in areas that Mississippi has failed to touch: mental health for children, dental services for the rural areas, and the like. 3. Professional training: It is a disgrace and a scandal in America that Mississippi Negroes have no access to medical school; that for the last four years there has no longer been a colored nursing school; that the midwives, so important to the Negro mothers in the rural areas, are so little trained and supervised. We think we have a role to play in this area that is so important for the dignity of the Negro people and for the assurance of their health. OUR MORK "TTH COFO STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS The only resource COFO has is its people. Hence they are most precious. Vie don't have to labor the point that many of the workers are tired, malnourished, tense, frustrated. We do have to insist that this mokes for a situation where eventually the movement itself suffers in efficiency and morale. This is not a movement for summer soldiers: it is a serious struggle for serious stakes. All of us have to take it seriously enough not to let the leadership run itself into the ground with exhaustion or battle fatigue. This we feel should be an organ izational responsibility of the movement for its own sake, one where we shall try to assist where we may. Thus we ask you to let us, for a little while to day and tomorrow, introduce our own crazy system of order and structure into the midst of this conference. For just a little while, let us organize and run your time, so that we can conduct a full medical examination, with our doctors and nurses under the supervision and authorization of several of the Negro physicians of Jackson, with immediate treatment available under their'prescrip tion, and with a health record to be established for each COFO worker. Our doctors, nurses and psychologists will also be available in the medical office throughout the conference for discussion of your own work, your field experiences, and any other problems you wish to take up; those who feel under tension—and in Mississippi, who doesn't?—are particularly invited to talk with us. We hope also to be able to enroll you for medical and hospital insurance through a group health insurance plan. These are the particular tasks of these few days. But we—like you—are here for the long run. The desperately urgent health problems-of the Negro people of Mississippi will not be resolved in a day, or a year, or perhaps even in a decade. But we have made a beginning, and the hardest part—that first step—is now behind us. As with every other aspect of the freedom movement, the best is yet to come. <£oz£/£'JW&ls FEDERAL PROGRAMS MEPORT: SUMMER PROGRESS - WINTER PLANS I.. U.S. Department of Agriculture 1.Madison County Farmers League - Canton The League was organized this cummer, and new includes some 100 families'. Farmers from all over tho county have met to hear speakers from the Soil Conservation Service, the Farmers Home Admincitration, and the Sharecroppers Fund tell thorn about Federal agricultural programs which had not previously been explained to them. Plans: A male worker*-preferable with.'farming experience, is needed to continue organising and to work with the Farmer's League on its plans to integrate the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation committee for Madison county/ This ASC committee determines the cotton acreage allotted to each farmer under the Federal agricultural stabilisation program. This; committee is elected from a slate -oropoocd by the outgoing committee So far these committees have always been white, but a now Federal ruling allows for additional nominees to bo put on tho ballot by a petition signed by six people. Tho voting is done by every farmer - Negro and white, owner, renter or oha-)recrop"ier - in tho county. Through this now ruling it should bo possible to integrate the committee. The Federal Programs worker would also help tho Lc:guo write up proposals for funds for demonstration projects, and would work in all ways to make.sure the Negro farmers get a fair chare of Federal agricultural programs. 2. Leake County Farmers League - Carthage Organization is in process of a similar Farmers Lcr.guc in Leake County. Tho aims of this League arc to integrate the A£C committee, to develop farm co-opc, and to get Farmorc Home Adminictration loans for farmers. 3. Other Arcac: Organisers aro needed to form Farmers Leagues in Ilolmos County and all other areas where there arc independent Hcgro farmers. Those leagues would be allied, and could become a powerful liberal farm voice as they become well-organised. h. Co-ops Planning for the organisation of co-ops must bo very thorough; it must include research into the needs and resources of the community, cduc tion of local citizens about tho running of co-ops, and technical, legal, and financial advice. The government manuals etiate that ouch planning takes at least two years. Beginnings have boon made in scvcr-.l communities. In Milecton, local residents have drawn up a constitution and by-laws for a consumers co-op. The project now needs competent technical and legal advice. The Madison County Farmers League wants a co-op, but has yet to begin comprehensive planning. The Lc.".kc County Farmers League is also beginning to consider a dairy or a food marketing or processing co-op. A group of ministers in Meridian want to form a co-operative grocery store. Someone ic needed to do thorough rcscqrch on setting up co-opc. He would follow through on these beginning projects and would act as a liason between the community and technical assistance advisors. an(i would have to find mcanc of financing tho co-op operations. II. U.S. Department of Labor Manpower Development and Training programs (MDTA) The U.S. Government has arranged with the state of Miccissippi for several job training programs. Two arc cchoduled to begin this fall in Aberdeen and Tupelo. V/orkcrc have boon invectigating the recruitment being done by the state for thece programs. In both cases, although the state knows that Federal funds will be cut off if the. training programs arc not integrated, they have not been recruiting actively in the Negro community. The 2 COFO Federal Programs workers recruited Ncgrooo in both communities to apply for training and to trice the entrance examinations. Several passed but have not been guaranteed that they will be admitted to the program. If they are not, COFO will report to tho Federal Government, and tho funds should be cut off. Plans: One person is needed to continue research into MDTA, and to look into possibilitcc for new job training programs. He would bo a coordinator for people in the field who should encourage local citisons to register for job training or retraining at tho local employment office to demonstrate to the State and Federal governments the need for more job training. III. U.S. Department of Housing and Homo Finance Research into housing conditions in Shaw, Holly Springs, Canton, Carthage, Itta Bona, Greenwood, and Indianola was begun. Investigation was done into housing conditions, rehousing requirements, land availibility, loan and grant needs, and present public housing facilities. More research must bo done in the fall which should include an inventory of building and construction skills in the areas whore new housing ic proposed. With the results of the research, proposals can be drawn up to interest private investors and the Federal Government in building low cost housing. Public housing is very complicated and involves many regulations which wo may or may not bo able \ - 2 - to work around. One person is needed to serve as coordinator and researcher. He would be responsible for developing plans and obtaining technical and legal advice. He should have somo experience working with architects, con tractors and Federal agencies, or should at least have access to people with ouch experience. IV. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare ' A. Public V/olfiaro A memo was sent out to all tho offices describing the Mississippi VJclfarc regulations and standards. This memo was intended to serve as a rcrc^vaw manual GO that local projects will have some idea as to whether people arc. being cheated on welfare. There is not much wc can do about the welfare situation except to refer people with complaints to their local office and urge t:,em to file appeals. A commission appointed by tho Secretary of IIEU will be looking into the programs of all states; wc can give them important information about Public Assistance in Mississippi if all offices will keep records of complaints they hoar. COFO could publish a rcort on welfare and the Mississippi Negro. B. Health For research findings, soc "Medical Care and the Mississippi Hcgro" - COFO publication #12. In conjunction with tho Medical Committee for Human Righto a survey was made of existing medical facilities for Negroes and of medical problems and needs of Negroes in Mississippi. The results o-ow that few people can afford preventive medic. 1 care, and only sock medical treatment when emergencies cone up and it ic really too late. The information wc have will bo used: 1) to design a health education program for people in communities. Thic program will work out of the community centers and freedom sc'oolo;2) 2) to develop a referral service whereby the Medical Committee doctors can refer local people to the appropriate medical care; 3) to develop proposals for the Public Health Service and private foundations that they may set up concrete direct medical care programs for tho people of Mississippi. Plans: Wo need a health person in every project to act as health teacher, sort of visiting nurse who would get to know local people and encourage them to take their medical problems to the clinics for immediate treatment and would develop community sanitation projects etc. She would run nutrition classes, sex eduction classes, pre-natal and first .id classes. A coordinator in Jackson would work as liason between tho Medical Committee and COFO and would do further research, and set up ongoing health programs. V. Community Action Projects under the Poverty Bill Tho new poverty bill nakoo funds avilablo for Community action projects. It is not Specific about the nature of these projects: they could be building, sanitation, community centers etc. Apcroon is needed in Jackson to do rcaoarch on the possibilities for action and to determine projects that should be set up. lie would work with local people in involving tho community in the project and would get technical advisors from tho government in to c nsult. Job is not well-defined at the moment, but is very ir.iporto.nt. VI. Greenwood Day-care Center Tho Federal programs people in Greenwood have drawn up a complete proposal for funds to build a daycare center to bo run by a local woman who has boon running a daycare program in her overcrowded home. They have sent tho proposal out to private organisations to got funds. Someone ic urgently needed to handle the fund-raising and to get contractors to do the building and to work with the local board of directors to hire staff, got equipment etc. This job would not necessarily bo full time, but it is important. This person could also work on setting up daycare centers in other communities. Overall Needs In Jackson, wo have built up a fairly extensive library of available Federal programs. WG have often had difficulty in getting information from tho state about the administration of Federal funds for these different "rogras. This project is beginning to be organised along specific lines of action, and needs a coordinator in Jackson. People arc needed in all the projocjt areas mentioned above to c ntinuc the Work'that has ben started, There are of course other areas that need Federal programs people. A specific person on each project could be designated as a Federal Programs person and could come to Jackson to do specific research and then implement it in the field, or could call on the coordinator of tho programs mentioned above to supply specific information. James Mays, of the National Sharecroppers Fund has been advising us on agricultural programs, and will bo here through the winter. A permanent medical coordinator will be in Jackson, and coorcinatoro for Housing, MDTA, co-ops, Community Action projects, daycare centers aro needed. ___ SKETCH OP YEAR'S WORK IN A COMMUNITY IN ADULT EDUCATION 1st period Staff is chosen by literacy directors (Silas Normon, Mary Varela) Orientation will be in the community. The orientation will attempt to combine actual experience with theory by having the new staff. plunge immediately into recruiting adults and teaching them on a tuto rial basis (enabling them to get a feel of teaching and how an adult learns) while tho literacy director is holding work sessions. These work sessions will deal with such things as the values underlying adult education, theory and methods of teaching adults and writing, materials. ' -mpr* — *••• The purpose of the orientation period is to bring the staff to a point where they can carry on the work independently—this means they are thoroughly familiar with the goals of the program and have the tools to build programming that will be effective and relevant to the community's needs. 2nd period Staff continues the work independently. Recruiting adults probably will be running into difficulty and the new staff will have to make decisions on better recruiting methods. Thoy will start to build classes and adapt their theory to class room situations. We nay also experiment with setting up discussion-reading clubs in Negro history, government and any other areas of interest. (It seems that where, a freedom summer-.school has operated andtthe kids have come home with so many new-learned things, that adults have also be come interested in education for themselves). These clubs can be a source of contacts into the community to recruit non-readers and also may be a source of future teachers to carry on the program. By this time the staff should have a sense of the informational needs of the adult community (social security information, unemployment comp., health, etc.), and what reading and writing skills are neces sary for an adult to get what is coming to them. They will gather printed materials found in the community and will write materials for the classes they will be having. They will also need to research regional peculiarities to add to the materials already developed by the Selma literacy project. 3rd period Staff will work to set up educational programming under the existing adult movement (improvement associations, voter's leagues, etc.) In this way adult education will continue after the staff has left. Staff will look for adults in the community who can be trained to teach reading in classes. By this time the staff should have a feel of what kind of personality would be best fitted to teach classes— (often the kind of person hest fitted may not have even finished high school). Staff will train those adults now going through the reading program to search out non-readers and on a tutorial basis start to toach them. (These adults can then be channeled into the classes). Staff will look for adult leaders in the community who can plan and carry out discussion study clubs and do general adult education programming (optional). -aMMpf Final period Staff phases itself out of leadership position. The ^responsibility for planning and running adult programming is turned over to people we will have reached through the year's work who seem most interested and able to continue our work. Staff should use much of this time to write and revise teaching materials and teach one or two people in the community to write materials. 04fcaff- should write up their research and experience. QUALIFICATIONS OF STAFF Teaching reading is not difficult; it does not'require" "extensive training in a university or extensive educational courses. It does require a sense of values which is sensitive to the adults' needs and desires and works from there instead of imposing one's own idea of the adults' needs. A staff person should work well with adults. This means maturity and it is preferable that staff personnel have degrees or are close to a degree. A person over 20 is preferable (doesn't matter what field a person is in). A staff person must be able to work independently. This means a sense of responsibility and discipline that will carry the program on after the experienced staff has left the new staff on its own. It ma ana an ability to plan in a day-by-days week-by-week, fashion to accomplish goals set up by the group. A staff person should have a genuine interest in educational program ming and see the implications such programming has for the movement. «vf (* * • r>'( •V *f **• •• •• • * • •'•'•. •'• • 11 • '•• ,JJ" —, miii——•iiH'.mmininii)—1« Wf»PWP»Wii|M.BPUiiuif. •• . "iwu—gp.—.pin-i——mmim1, ^ ^/t /^2?^L Memorandum To: Miasigsippi Field Staff From: Dona Re; Tougaloo Work-Study Project Tougaloo College has been fortunate enough to get a $40,000 grant from the Field Foundation for the continuance and expansion of the Tougaloo Work-Study Project. This means that SNCC will have 30 more field secretaries in Mississippi in the Fall, COFO will be able to further extend itself and SNCC will have succeeded in accomplishing one of its main objectives; that of affording potential indigenous leadership the opportunity to develop itself. Because of the vast implications of next year's project our job of recruiting is made both difficult and crucial. Every staff person in each project area has got to look out for college-aged men and women who are not merely "interested" in the movement but are seeking a way out of the dilemma of getting a higher education and being on the-"front lines" at the same time. In order to get 30 of the best people the state has to offer we've got to re ceive more than 30 applications. This means that you may recruit someone who is eventually turned down either be cause there were 30 other applicants who we felt were better able to participate in the program or because he, has been rejected by Tougaloo College itself. At this point we have no applications for next year's project so that you should not neglect to recruit people because of their possible rejection. I understand that most of the staff is presently deeply immersed in the task of holding their various projects together. It is nevertheless crucial that we all keep the work-Study Project constantly in mind with a view'to getting interested people to fill out applications and re-• turn them to the Jackson office. This means that each staff person will have to read the enclosed material carefully In order to be able to explain the details of the project to prospective participants. The application is long but it was written in the hope that it would helP us to.'de- termlne,,-which people will,on the one hand, be able to benefit from the Tougaloo experience, and on the other, have done some serious thinking about the movement and their relation to it. Important: People who are now currently on staff and want to committ themselves to attending Tougaloo in the academic year of '65-'66 are eligible for the Work-Study project. It should be pointed out that in no way will the program be too "amaturish" for them, and is of course, an ideal opportunity for staff members who have been worrying about the continuance of their academic careers. Any further -questions should be addressed to Jesse Morris or myself. IUII.I-.,—»I«IM.,-I..|—, -!-• •••nil. \ Tougaloo Work-Study Project I. Purpose of the Work-Study Project: The work-Study project is sponsored by the Student Nonviolent' Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Tougaloo"College. SNCC has found that there are many students who want to work in the civil rights movement but are afraid to take time out from school for fear that they will never return. SNCC is also faced with the problems of Its present staff not completing their college educa tions. Tbre is the ever present problem of losing scholarships and not being able to earn the money to return to school while working in the movement. SNCC and Tougaloo College, which is interested, in both the civil rights movement arid preparing people for good jobs and graduate school, have initiated the Work-Study Project in the hope that it will help to solve these problems. People who are in the project take a year out of school and work on Voter-Registration. They are field Secretaries for SNCC and receive the regular $9.64 living wage, in addition to room and board. The Field Foundation provides a year*s. scholarship to Tougaloo College for each participant. II. Description of the Project: The program is* called the "Work-Study" Project because during their year of Voter Registration work people in the program also have discussions and classes. : The discussions are planned to introduce issues that most Mississippians would notteover in school. It is hoped that the discussions will also give people a broader understanding of the importance of the civil rights movement and its'relation to other national and international movements. Among the topics discussed will.be Negro History, the relation of Government to the economy, Congress and the Committee system and a very general introduction to philosophies, ideas, and literature of the great minds In our history which have been ignored in the average southern education. The program will have thirty participants who will be divided into groups of five members each. The groups will separate during "work" periods (going to different areas of Mississippi) and come "together1for "study" institutes. A. Work Program: The work part of the program will consist of approximately month-long periods in which people will only work on Voter Registra tion. Each group will go to a Project Area in the state and become • involved in a SNCC voter registration project in cooperation with the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO), This will require leadership ability and strong committment to the movement, Voter registration workers are always threatened with false arrests and other forms of harrassment from the local authorities. A large part of their job also consists of trying to oonvince local Negroes of the importance of the franchise. Running a voter "i I JMimiw —- UP..'. ,u i ni.ip.uP! ,' -2- . • ..-,. • -..>?. -_•»• ii • registration drive requires imagination and initiative, as it is .. „, -•'.?.•• not usually easy to make contacts in the local community. It is difficult, at first, to organize a community alone but the people in the program are expected, as are other SNCC field secretaries to put ali their energies into learning and carrying out the mechanics of voter registration work. B. Study Program: For the etudy periods all thirty participants in the program will come together for institutes. The institutes .-will consist of dis cussions and lectures by a qualified staff. There will also Ibe 1 reading, research, and essay assignments. These assignments, and—••• discussions will be required just as the voter registratrofi^work" T* will be. The books that we will use will not be textbooks but interesting novels and other works not generally used in Missis- - «*»!' • ~ippi schools, participants will be expected to participate fully in Sifiounaions as it is in this way that they will acquire the abil ity to articulate and express themselves on important issues. III. Requirements of the project: 1. The program is for Mississippians and travel Is limited to locations within the state. All participants must be from the state of Mississippi and plan to go to Tougaloo College the following year. 2. An application must be filed with Tougaloo College (Admissions/''' Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, Mississippi) and the applicant must be acoepted by Tougaloo before he can be accepted by the Work- Study Project. 3. An Application must be filed with the Tougaloo Work-Study Project, They can be obtained at any COFO office or by writing to Work-Study Project, 1017 Lynch St., jackson, Mississippi. Since the Project has provisions'for only thirty participants it is suggested that you write as soon as possible. Applications will be considered and you will receive word from us as soon as possible, we hope that all applicants will receive replies by the end of Uuly. ITT*" ' ! r.d • . ——W»P-MIII"II I.I.I II II HIIIIJIIIII ll»|. • ilMi'.l.li.lill.i.lPlilllWW-ii ttc/t£*/<€ £c-^e?„. FREEDOM SCHOOLS - Final Report, 1964. The best "report" the Freedom Schools can make is the program of the Freedom School Convention (attached). Note particularly the proposal for a state-wide school boycott. School boycotts are already in progress in Shaw and Harmony. A boycott is about to begin in Indianola. There will be many such boycotts during the winter. Therefore, although the basic program of the winter Freedom Schools will be evening classes in addition to regular public school, there will be many instances where the program will have to expand (at least temporarily) into an all-day program for students boycotting the regular schools. Numerically, the summer Freedom Schools were about twice as successful as anticipated. The number of Freedom School teachers (approximately 225) was about the expected figure. But the schools drew 2000-2500 students instead of the expected 1000, end the number of schools was approximately 50 instead of the expected 25. In two communities Freedom Schools will continue after Aug. 21. These are Jackson, where the schools will run till Sept. 1, and Neshoba County, where the school, having begun only in mid-August, will go right on into the winter. The following are recommendations for the Freedom Schools in winter 1964-19651 1. An attempt should be made to continue a Freedom School program in every project area. 2. At the local level, community center and Freedom School personnel should work as one staff. Since in most places classes will occur only in the evening, obviously the teachers will be free at other times in the day for community center work. It is suggested that there be one person responsible for both Freedom School ad. community center activities (which will usually take place in the same building) in each community. 5. As to the state-wide administration of the schools, the recommendation is that Tom Wahman be in charge if he stays, and if he does not that Liz Fusco (coordinator of the Ruleville and Indianola schools this summer) be in charge. It is suggested also that Ralph Featherstone be kept in mind as a possible state-wide administrator, when and if the Neshoba County schools are running smoothly. 4. The most critical problem is staff for the community center-Freedom School program. 100 workers would be desirable throughout the state. 75 seems an absolute minimum to keep tbe programs going in each project area. Presently available are > (a) About 55 people staying on from the summer; (b) About 25 people recruited by Luis Perez who will be in Mississippi by October 1. This is not enough. Dick Jewitt reports that CORE has approximately 50-40 volunteers ready to come, in addition to the local Mississippians which it iff prepared to support. My urgent recommendation is that all these ?0-40 C0RSi volunteers be accepted for Mississippi, and assigned to community center- Freedom School work in the 1st and 4th Congressional Districts. This would bring manpower in the cc-FS program up to about the desired 100, 5« In view of the inevitable delay in recruiting and orienting new personnel, October 1 is suggested as target date for opening the full-scale winter program. Skeleton staffs should attempt to keep some program in being in each project area between August 21 and Octpber 1. 1.U1.1 1. 11111111111,11 ii«iiiiniiiii,i > i!iij 1 " mm J"1 Community Center Report - 2 ' , . are no facilities really suitable for a center in most communities. You will find that most center's have plans or hopes to build new buildings. In Meridian and Greenville these plans are definite, except for the financing, and building can begin as soon as the money is raised. In Harmony Community (in Leake County) the building has begun for a modest center with, a modest budget, and the new center will be ready before fall. In clarksdale, the center is an old store front which is adequate until better facil ities are available (the staff has remodeled the interior). In Canton, the center is looking for a suitable place for a new cen ter. In Batesville, fortunately, there is an excellent school building which has been abandoned as a permanent educational fa cility, and which we can have after September. Hattiesburg and Holly Springs have their own plans for continuing the centerson a permanent basis in existing buildings. Obviously, the centers which started out in church basements and houses have taken hold, and the communities are preparing for a permanent program around their centers. The plans for permanent physical facilities are going very well; the plans for permanent staffing are shaping up also. The ori ginal plan was to recruit local people and train them to carry on the center's programs after the summer. This has been only par tially successful, i.e. there have been some people recruited this way who will be able to continue, but not enough. "It seems clear that in each center there needs to be at least one full-time worker or couple who can take responsibility for the total program. Part-time people can assume responsibility for part of the program, but it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to run a center with a committee of part-time community people. In Holly Springs, the COFO project has recruited a local couple to live in and oper ate the community center after the summer; in Meridian, Leake County and many other places, the summer volunteers are planning to stay. There will be at least two Freedom School teachers with each project, offering the educational program in the evening. The problem of recruiting permanent staff has been solved in nearly every project, but the problem of how to support them remains. The final problem of making the centers a permanent addition to their local communities is in finding finances for the furnish ings, equipment and operating expenses. COFO can probably find money to pay phone bills, and can appeal for donated typewriters, etc. for a few centers, but the regular resources probably cannot be stretched to meet the constant demand for new centers in new communities. Similarly, the local communities themselves can support part of the center's cost, but they probably cannot com pletely underwrite the program. Certainly the local communities cannot support the kind of program which requires expensive equipment such as sewing and typing instruction, or job training, or which require trained personnel such as literacy and job training. It stretches the capacity of local supporters just to help with the regular bills and cheap programs such as a jukebox for dancing. To meet all these demands for money, we will -have to find .Buppoirb in large doses from outside the state. . . These, then are the major problems facing the center program at this point. There is a great need for more money, people, equip ment, and community mobilization if we are to put the centers on a solid foundation which can serve the community permanently. • Community Center Report - 3 Besides the overall, long-range needs, there are concrete, specific needs right new: 1. People—even where there are people who plan to stay after the summer, more people are needed now to help organize com munity support, and to help the present programs operate smoothly. 2. local welfare communities—This program is a part of the centers which serve especially impoverished communities. Theto outside support for the welfare and relief program will increase after the summer, when the need is greatest, so we need to organize committees in needy communities to handle the distribution of food and clothing. • 3. equipment—office supplies and arts and crafts supplies are needed all the time. Most of all, we need equipment for films, a very popular program which we haven't been able to handle adequately. Besides projectors and films, the most- needed items of expensive equipment are sewing machines, typewriters, and duplicating machines. There is cons*tant need for good Negro history books also. We can use, besides the above, yard goods and Sewing notions, art prints and good library books, especially children's books. 4-. Money—in three categories; money for building new centers, money to support permanent staff and money for-continuing expenses such as films, supplies, etc. '&#£ kM COFO 101? Lynch - Jackson,Miss. •; " - '•'••• ,' Overview of the Freedom Schoola — II • The purpose of the Freedom Schools is to create an educational ex perience for students which will make it possible for them to challenge the, myths of'our. society, to peeceiye more clearly its realities, and to find.alternatives—ultimately new directions for • action. - ', 'J ; , ) •' •.,•'• , , . v. The Freedom Schools will consist of from 5 to 15 teachers and 35 to 50 students. They will be informal day schools, meeting in churches r store fronts, homes, etc. They will avoid the "academic" class room atmosphere which characterizes their regular schools, but the Freedom Schools will present an intensive curriculum designed to meet several different needs: I. An academic curriculum which will, insofar as possible in 6 short weeks, sharpen the students' abilities to read, write, work mathe-v. matical problems, etc., but.will concentrate more on stimulating a student's interest in learning, finding his special abilities, so that when he returns to the,state schools in the fall he can take maximum advantage of the public education which is offered to him. II./ The Citizenship curriculum which will concentrate on a s.tudy of the social institutions which affect the students, and the back-, ground of the social system which has produced us all at this time. The various sections will be: the Negro in Mississippi, the Negro in the North, Myths about the Negro, the Power Structure, the Poor ;Negro and the Poor White, Material Things versus, Soul Things, and the Movement. In these sections, the student will be encouraged to form opinions about the various social phenomena which touch him, to learn about his own particular heritage as a Negro, and to explore possible avenues for his future. Special attention at the end of the,unit will be devoted to the civil rights Movement—the historical development to this,point, the philosophical assumptions underlying pressure for social "change, and the issues which are currently before the civil rights Movement. III.Recreational and cultural curriculum, which will be a large part of the day will try to.provide the students with relaxation from their more intensive studies and also an opportunity to ex press themselves in new ways. The program will iticlude dancing and sports, arts and crafts, dramatics, music, etc. The schools will run for six.-weeks, with a short break in the middle for orderly staff turnover and some student changes. .The school day will concentrate on the morning and afternoon; in the evening the students will be free, and will be encouraged to join the local COFO project, helping with the Freedom Registration, voter registration, the precinct meetings, etc. The Freedom School teachers, too, will . participate, in these programs as far as their academic, responsibili ties allow them to. The Freedom School teachers and the COFO voter registration workers should , meet to plan together < the most useful par ticipation of the Freedom School students, so that the-total program will contribute both intensive intellectual development and practical experience-to make' them better potential leaders of the community. _• < • -..'.'. • / ' , ' ' .. V'.'. . '..HI..!-• ' .Hill. ,,llliliii.niiill...,IM Jl.l.ll.l. IIIII.I..., I1IIIJI, n ..[•111 i1iii||ii|iiji,»i.pi|i>|i)»p|i).;i,,J|(|.ii|i,uiiM'IPJI|IWp,i».i ' L11 iil:l,ni|ui . •'.'. (. V COFO, Memorandum "• '- 1017 Lynch St. Jackson, Mississippi \ TO: MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY CENTER WORKERS X FROM: Miss. Summer Project Staff i v'\ SUBJECT: Overview of the Community Centers •\ The community centers,are, conceived as a permanent institution rather than a summer "crash" program., The centers will ultimately provide a structure for a wide range of educational and recreational programs. In doing this, they- will not only serve basic needs of Negro communities now virtually ignored by the social services provided by the State, but they will form a dynamic focus for developing community organization.' For the summer project, we hope to start community centers in 17 loca tions, spread over 16 counties. The arrangements are still not final in some of these locations, but most of them are assured (as of May 25). Community centers will start out in houses,, old schoolhouses, and church basements, for ,the most part. 'One is in an old Day.Care Center; another , occupies the second story of a downtown business building, we hope that •vne community centers will eventually occupy permanent buildings, and two centers already have plans for such new buildings. Until the pro- , ™™ X^ actually serving the community; however, we cannot attract the money for nice buildings.:. .'".,' ' SH^S?Tnmu?,ity centers 'are planned as a base for a battery of programs. Briefly, these programs are: 1. Library-~a small,lending library, averagin ; g 10,000 volumes for each center. , v; .'; ' ' ,, • 2. Recreation--films and discussion groups for adults, dancing and- :, , .-.,••r sports (ping-pong,/etc. inside, and outdoor sports such as base- Dan where there is a playing field) for teenagers. _},! Day eare--singing, games and stories for small children. Re* ireshments where we can afford them. 7. '4. Literacy and basic education—tutorial study for adults, and remedial study for students'. 5. Citizenship--in four areas: voting regulations, duties of cit- ' "' •# izens, Negro history and American history. • o. Health--informal 'classes in the general areas of prenatal care, _ infant care, 'sanitation and public health services. Drama, dancing, arts and crafts, music, etc.--depending upon the talents of the staff and interested local people. d. Federal programs--educational service to inform Mississippians /I i of the help that is available to them if they apply for it. . 9. -Home improvement--home repair, sewing, etc. "V Vocational training--probably will have to.be deferred until the centers are well-established in the communities,- and the employment situation1 is somewhat'more open, but. still a very large part of our conception of the community'center programs. The community centers positions, should be regarded as jobs of initia ting and training. Each center will start with a staff of 6-10 summer • . volunteers. During the summer, the staff.will have the responsibility of organizing as many of these programs as there is need and resource for, so that there can be a good start. A second part of the job for unity center personnel'is to get -out lntb^the community and find people who are interested and willing to carry on the program after the summer. In most cases, it will be necessary to teach these . people for.the job, since some specific knowledge and skill is required. If, possible, these people nlionHd be,! recruited early and help all summer iiiW.pmPW.pi! .iiffi jUm.i-.puj..Mt^..ii,ij» u.——ipw— ••..—-imi..i.Wiwi|HP. Jin pp. i.im •,.-»" COFO ORIENTATION ART WORKSHOP NOTES I Three ways in which art can be used in the Mississippi Project 1. Art as a medium of expression: simple arts and crafts projects using readily available materials. 2. Art as an approach to the community: ways of drawing many people into community center activities through art. 3. Art as a medium of mass communication: ways in which the objectives of voter registration, political education, and health and library projects can be communicated with art media. II Simple Arts and Crafts Projects MATERIALS 1. Basic materials to be purchased as inexpensively as possible, A. Paint: Cement pigment mixed with water soluble white housepaint (both are available in hardware stores.) B. Brushes: Synthetic sponges cut into manageable shapes and strips, small Japanese watercolor brushes sold in bulk, enamel paint brushes available in 5 and 10 or hardware stores. C. Paper: Newsprint is suitable for most projects, except fingerpainting. Paper bags and newspapers may be used like ordinary paper when they are more plentiful. D. Paste: Wallpaper paste (wheat paste) available in hardware store; also paste made from flour and water with small amount of alum added.These are adequate for most uses of white plastic glue. E. Scissors: Some should be around, but it is possible to tear many things instead of cutting them, and to use razor blades for cutting. F. Finger Paint: Prepare powdered starch as directed on package with boiling water; add cement pigment, food coloring, or easier egg dye. G. Clay: To make a doughey clay that can be used for model ing and kept in plastic bags or allowed to harden, mix dry 1/2 cup salt with 1 cup flour. Add water gradually until a thick mixture is formed. Clay can be colored by adding cement pigment to dry mixture or adding food coloring or Easter egg dye to water before it is mixed in. H. Paper Mache: Prppare soupy paste base, using wheat paste or flour and water paste. Newspaper can be torn into small pieces and soaked a short time in paste to use as modeling material; and torn into strips to be dipped in paste and applied in layers. 2. Sources for scrap materials, available in the local commu nity through the efforts of COFO workers or community people who have particular access to them. A. Scrap collecting agencies like Goodwill Industries, Volunteers of America, Saint Vincent de Paul, etc., can be asked to donate clothing, magazines, and news papers. : '/• *wm~Tm¥m*^imm^mimmmm>m»m!>.vi^ \>... •.. mi.'.».••.•n.,• •..! . n .. i -• —•—••—*-—• B. Wherever buildings are being erected, scrap wood, nails, wire, pieces of metal, sawdust, etc., can be found. C. Printing offices of all kinds can be asked for strips of paper cut off the edges of finished products and usually discarded. Newspapers at home may be asked to donate newsprint. D. Grocery stores and clothing stores may accumulate large and small cardboard boxes, respectively. E. Children can be sent around the neighborhood collecting household items, such as paper bags, string, potato sacks, etc. PROJECTS 1. Projects using natural materials found out-of-doors. A. Leaves i. Smoke Painting: Hold a candle below the bottom of a coffee can, allowing soot to gather. Rub soot onto leaf with finger, and press leaf to paper to make print to be used for pictures or stationery. ii. Spatter Prints: Place'leaves on paper and spatter paint around them. iii. Leaf Mobile: Build a mobile of leaves and sticks, beginning by balancing the leaves at the bottom, iv. Japanese Leaf Paper: Place leaves and grasses between a piece of heavy paper and very soft paper like kleenex or rice paper. Spread a dilute solution of white plastic glue over the top piece (wheat or flour paste will not work) and allow-to dry, weight ing down corners. Leaves and grasses can also be ironed between tv/o pieces of waxed paper. They will retain their color if pressed between heavy books before use. B. Seeds i. Burrs: Animals and dolls can be made h, sticking together burrs for body and head, and adding other materials for limbs. ii. Placemats: Split weeds into 2"-3" strips, soak them, and weave them together crosswise like a checkerboard. iii. Sitting mats: Attach a pole horizontally between two trees or stakes, and place three other stakes 1 - lg feet apart in the ground parallel to the pole and about 5 feet awaj'. Tie strings to the three stakes, wrap them around the pole from below and tie their other ends to a crossbar held in the hands little closer to the weaver than the three stakes. Lie a bunch of stem weeds over the strings at the pole, and lower the crossbar so that it is below the level of the pole. Add another bunch of weeds and raise the crossbar, and continue raising and lowering it, catching the weeds between the top and bottom half of the strings each time. II.IL.UIIWM.MWW^ W-W • PW..!MP4^"pJ.I!»*M'„.tWW.l~ 'WW^——'»P3».S.—''.•*»» -3- D. Wood i. Whittle soft wood with pocket or similar knives, ii. Driftwood can be rubbed and polished with a stone or sandpaper. E. Clay: Natural clay can be found in some areas. It is usually redder than normal soil, feels smooth when wet and is suitable for modeling if it stays together when dry. F. Natural dyes, used on white fabric i. The following materials can be used for dyes: onions (brown), goldenrod leaves (green), and flower (yellow), coffee (brown), carrots (orange), red sumac (red), sage, and Spanish moss. Any plant with color can be experimented with, ii. Chop, crush, or grind the material used, simmer for one hour. Dampen the fabric, wring it out, dip it in dye, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes or until you like the color. Add salt to fix the color, and remove fabric from water. Do not add salt until dyeing is completed. Alum may be added to fix color, but in any case colors will not last beyond 2 or 3 washings. 2. Projects using scrap materials A. Paper and related materials: newspaper, magazines, cardboard boxes (all sizes and types), paper bags, egg cartons, other cartons, paper scraps, wood and construction scraps, i. Folding: Newspaper and magazines can be folded into hats, boats, airplanes, and all the Japanese Origami animals. Write on hats, add ornamentation with maga zine colors, cloth scraps. Make newspaper sitting mat by folding open newspaper pages the long way into strips about 3" wide. Weave together twelve strips to form a square and tuck ends around to other side, ii. Collage: Collages can be made of all conceivable materials, pasting scraps to a background piece of paper to form a design. Add cloth, buttons, wire, sponges, all scraps. iii. Construction: Toy blocks, cars, houses can be made from wood scraps, milk cartons, egg cartons, adding colors from magazines, papier mache, twigs, cardboard, etc. Dolls can be made from paper bags, drums from, cardboard cartons. Faces made of cardboard boxes piled on one another make a totem pole. Animals, usual and fantastic, can be made from all these things. All. kinds of sculpture can be made from papier mache over a frame of wire, crumpled newspaper, sticks, and from construction scraps. B. Cloth and related materials: cloth scraps, buttons, string, thread, yarn, burlap bags, feed sacks, string bags (for shipping potatoes, onions, oranges). I -—'..i .ii ,i—...--—.II , ., „.„„-,,-.--„„-.;, .ii—ii,.,,.,..,,, ,—,., u..,,^.,.. .i.,,,,,,).^...,,!,,!, I, .,„ ,) ,... m,-,,,,,., nuii. II I,, , ||W,.,,„ -4- i. Weaving: Wall- hangings can be made by weaving yarn, twigs, string, strips of cloth, straws, by running string the length of the hanging and weaving the materials back and forth by hand. A loom made like a picture frame with nails along the margins can be used, with the original string tied only using two opposite sides of the frame. Pot holders and hot plates can be made with the same or si^lar techniques, Some small looms for that purpose are often found in kits and may be available from home. Remove some threads from burlap and weave in twigs, yarn, grasses. String bags can be used as a basis for weaving threads in and out. ii. Embroidery: All kinds of yarns, strings, and cloth strips can be used for embroidering wall hangings or other things on burlap or plain colored cloth. The yarn itself may be sewn with, or it may be placed on the cloth and attached with usual sewing thread from the other side. Ill Projects that can be used as a focal point for community center programs. 1. Knowing your community: As you get to know individuals in the community, draw upon people to give you ideas about the kinds of projects you can do, and to come to the center to help teach something they are good at (hook rugs) or to contribute to a program (teenage combo). Try to plan your projects with the interests and perceptions of the community in mind. 2. Drawing people to the center: Puppet shows and other perfor mances can be put on for parents, friends, and the general public. Some of these may incorporate objectives of other community center programs and voter registration and classroom work of the freedom schools. (Details below.) A. Puppets i. Stick Puppets: A drawing of an animal or figure may be attached to a stick or piece of heavy cardboard, and held from below. Kake arms and legs movable by using strips of paper. 11. Paper bag Puppets: Stuff the bottom of a paper bag as a head, tie it at the neck, make holes for fingers to serve as arms, paste on features, hair, feet with magazine paper or other scraps. 111. Sock Puppets: Use large plain colored socks. Sock may be used alone with fingers at the tip, moving to fcrm the mouth and eyes and hair sewn just above the tip. A slit may be made in the foot and cloth sewn in to form the mouth, with other feature added in the same way. Paper may be stuffed into the tip to form a head, and a dress made of cloth to be sewn to the head with or without the rest of the sock. iv. Paper Mache Heads: Puppet head may be made ou tof "" '''••!- -"•"" --"'"— ,...-....— -.,., —-iw«"—»»"•-• —--*••'•• • '•• '"'!" • -"•'• •'•••-—-..'• -5- papier mache over a clay mould or a wad of newspaper, and cut In half when dry for removal - then put right back together again. Papier mache may also be moulded right arounda toilet papjr roll. Then the dress is attached by sewing or a rubber band. (If the latter is used, costumes can be changed.) v. Stage: Cover three sides of a card table with cloth or paper extending to the floor. Children kneel be-, hind table and work puppets along back edge. A card board stage may be placed on the table top. B.Masks: Masks may be made of paper bags, papier mache (over crumpled newspaper or a clay mould), and cardboard boxes. All kinds of materials are possible for features. 3. Coordinating art projects with other community center and freedom school activities. A. Programs: Puppets and masks can be used in programs that focus on the use of the library, public health, voter registration, political education, etc. B. Classroom: Many of these art projects can be done in the freedom schools in conjunction with classroom studies, particularly murals can be painted and displayed around the room. IV Posters and Mass Communication 1 . Uses of he following techniques: Art people may be used as resources for poster making by other workers in the same community center or classroom group. Some of the following techniques may be incorporated into arts and crafts projects. 2. Poster techniques A. Lettering: This is the•usual way of making posters - magic markers, crayons, pastels, tempera with flat-edged brush are good. B. Collage: Words and letters printed in magazines may be assembled, and letters cut or torn out of magazine pictures and colored paper. Use pictures, cloth scraps, textures, etc., along with words. C. Printmaking: for making large numbers of identical or .. . similar posters. In some cases letters and designs or symbols may be saved and used for other posters in other arrangements. In all cases, several colors may be printed by repeating the same technique with a different stencil or block. All printmaking involves the distribution of black (or color) and v/hite in space. The following discussions indicate whether black or white results from the central operation, i. Stencils: areas can be cut out of stencil paper or fairly heavy cardboard which will print black by- placing the stencil on paper and sponging or paint ing through the open area, ii. Block Prints BE SURE TO CUT ALL LETTERS BACKWARDS a. Wood and linoleum can be carved into with cutting tools made for that purpose. The lines or areas cut out printe white x^hen the block is inked and paper placed on top of it and rubbed. (You i. m ..wiiliiniiliiiiiiiiuii i .. . aw. .ujmm«!im-im need a brayer or very small paint roller and printers ink or tempera. These and the tools are available in art stores. Roll the ink or paint out on a piece of glass or other flat, non-absor bent surface, and then roll on block. For printing with tempera, try wetting the paper.) b. Fairly thick grey cardboard (called chipboard or pressboard) can be used in the same way by cutting with a razor blade. Cut the outlines of a narrow area or line, make a slit inside the ar„a to be removed, and peel off several layers of cardboard. c. Any kind of cardboard can be used as a base for printing raised letters or lines which will print black when inked. Cut the letters out of thick cardboard or sponge and glue them to the base. d. Small pieces of wood, cardboard, and potato" or other flat, carvable material may all be used as above but as a single word, letter, or design printed after inking by placing it upside down on the paper. Cut a potato in half, and leaving surface flat, carve away areas to print white. 3. Use of visual symbols instead of and as a supplement to words:'It would be possible to develop symbols for voting, community center, school, library, integration, etc., which could be r peated on different posters seen by the same people throughout the summer. This might well prove more effective communication with people unaccustomed to the word as a visual symbol. Children in art classes might help develop the symbols (older children considering it as a project related to literacy.) •Ann Koppelman 117 W. Center College St. Yellow Springs, Ohio 6/26/64 ' T .p.iii-.-_,n-. •-.,.•. mi il PH.—miiigi — »1P!UP»—''WM.".' • ••• •• • -••• • ' MEMO TO ACCEPTED APPLICANTS To: Mississippi Summer Project Workers From: Mississippi Summer Project Committee 1) We hope you are making preparations to have bond money ready in the event of your arrest. Bond money for a single arrest usually runs around $500. We shall assume that the first person listed on your application as the person to notify for your bond will be the best person to contact in the event of your arrest. 2) There will be a series of orientation periods starting in mid-June and running until the beginning of July at Berea College. People will be staggered over three sessions, . each lasting about four days. 3) After July 1 there will be a series of summer long orien tation sessions held'at Mount Beaulah in Edwards, Mississippi. We expect all summer workers to go through some orientation period before going into the field. 4) A conference was held the weekend of March 21-22 at which various civil rights people and educators gathered in' New York to work out a detailed curriculum for the Freedom Schools. The conference broke into small working groups which discussed the various Freedom School programs -- remedial instruction, leadership training, •'cultural activities, etc. At present various people are pulling together the results of their sessions and sending reports to the Jackson office. By the end of April we hope to be able to put together a compre- . hensive and detailed curriculum with working suggestions which will be circulated to all those who are being assigned to work in Freedom Schools this summer. 5) We are presently in a very critical financial condition. We are trying to run a number of very Important programs this spring and at the same time we are preparing for this summer. We are running three, congressional campaigns as well as a senatorial campaign and conducting a Freedom Registration program -- in which we hope to register 400,000 Negroes on our own registration books -- and building a .grass-roots foundation for our delegation to the Democratic National Convention to challenge the regular all-white party delegation. Believe it or not, at the moment we are ab solutely broke. Our workers go without eating and our bills are piling up. While two years ago this would not have cut seriously into our program, at the present time we can no longer operate for extended periods without funds -- e.g.' we need money for office rent, phone, office supplies, i.l,.l.iilli»illi»|..ipm|Mnij i i .i i„ in,, II .—j-i—i. in. J...U I. Jli.ijll.il uiJilill.!..ililJi»llLt»-MipiuJi»»i,iii|iHki|iin.iiin»m .1. I.JIUW»»P.I» »•• iiinmiii < ,n-JII.II.L IH.U.ILII ..L. 1 . 111n.11 transportation, etc. We are enclosing a prospectus of our spring program and hope that you could raise some-money, however small, to help finance our current programs. 6) Of course, we will also be needing a huge amount of funds for this summer. For this purpose we are enclosir freedom School Prospectus in the hope that you might interest some church, civic or other group in financing a specific Freedom School. In addition, it is hoped that you could help raise money for general operating funds. If there is a Freedom Center in your area, this could probably best be done by working along with the people active in the center. Though, in the final analysis, you would be best judge of what approach would produce the best results. 7) We would appreciate two more photos of yourself as soon as possible These will be needed for publicity and other purposes. 8) Finally we must point out that tho Mississippi leadership must reserve the right to "deselect" any summer worker at the time of orientation as well as to ask people to leave Mississippi at any time during.the summer. We will try to communicate with you periodically from now until the time you come tq. Mississippi. We will be feeding you general information, specific instructions, and suggestions of things you might do for the summer program before this summer. Thus, we will shortly be sending all Freedom School teachers curriculum material as indicated above. In addition, we will be sending out lists of mater ials which it would be helpful if you could help gather and send to us or bring with you. Further, there will be specific information on where you will bo assigned to work and what'you will be asked to do, when you will be expected at the orientation period, etc. If you own a car and are planning to bring it to Mississippi this summer there will be some specific information that we will need to know. Keep In touch with us if you have any suggestions, re quire any information, etc. Yours in Freedom, Bob Moses COFO Program Director "Unpil-'J.iUJI "I'll III' .JH.I.I.IIII II , i -mmmmm' ««ppipp»pppw— MEMO TO ACCEPTED APPLICANTS (#2) To: Mississippi Summer Project Workers From: Mississippi Summer Project Committee Here is some additional information which we have thought of since the first memo was written: 1) Money; The best arrangement for money is probably for you to bring ,£60.00 exoense 'money with you (above transportation costs) and arrange to have $.»)0.00 to #15.00 living costs sent you weekly. 2) Arrests: We must re-emphasoze that all workers during the summer are liable to arrest, although Freedom School teachers, white community projedt workers and researchers will be less likely to be arrested that others All workers,.".however,should have bond ready. 3) Transportation to orientation site: Everyone who is near a Freedom Center (list sent earlier) should contact the center, which will be coordinating transportation from their area. If you are a long distance from the nearest center and do not have a ride or other transportation, contact US' and we will try to help you. 4) Cars Everyone who possibl^ can should bring a car this summer. The car you bring should be insured. The legal situation on cars m .the state is this: _—Anyone who is in the state 60 days must secure a Mississippi driver's license. If you have a license from another state you only have to take a written test, but if you plan to be in the state over 60-days you should get your license before the local authorities know who. you are. License costs $2.50. .'. Any car which is in the state 60 days must have Mississippi license plates. Tags are expensive (about 4;;_. the value of the car). You can plan to purchase the tags. We advise that you plan to take the car out of the state periodically so you can claim that you are only visiting the state and have only been in the state x days. . We need a complete record of all the cars that will be coming down. Someof you indicated whether you would bring a car when you filled out your application. We are asking all accepted applicants to fill out the slip below, tear it off, and send it to the COFO office. You should also let the Freedom Center know if you will be driving down, so they can coordinate transportation. COFO CAR INFORMATION 1017 Lybch St., Jackson Name Present (school) address I will, be bringing a car to Mississippi. ( ) I will not be bringing a car to Mississippi, f ) / ippjjwj—i-"»'»i'pri|*11'1'*-1 •!' 't#?i&l LEAKE COUNTY FREEMAN "T.:; r.u'P:; m LL .... .a YCU i-a:j» •7olu .c: I, .'-ha :br 1 ;>u U3t lfl, lyCh Since Monday, August 10 a large number of Negro parents in Leake County have been holding their children out of school, The parents feel that the Leake County School Board is attempting to forestall integration of the first grade this September by calling a split session for Negao students. By having the Negro children start school two weeks in advance of the white children and then stop for three -weeks - to pick cotton the school board insists - it is felt that the board is stopping integration because it will probably refuse transfers by Negro children to white schools claiming the Negro children are ahead of the white children in classvvork. Beyond this attempt to stop the integration of the schools the Negro citrfasens of Leake County have other grievances with the school board. These were aired and put into the form of a resolution at a meeting at Gallilee M,B, Church in Harmony on Saturday, August 8. Copies of the resolutions to Mr. J. T. Logan, Leake County School Superintendent" President Johnson, Attorney General Kennedy, The Council of Federated Organizations (COFO), the Lawyers' Constitutional Defense Committee (a group of volunteer lawyers working with COFO), the National Council of Churches, and two NAACP lawyers who have been working on the integration suit in Leake County, Miss Fairfax and Miss Wright. The resolution asks that Mr. Logan meet the following requests: 1. Equality in all the public schools of Leake County. 2. The same dates of attendance for all schools. 3. Elementary and high schools have placed in them immediately the laboratory equipment, library facilities, and text books as are in the other schools in the county, k* Buses transporting our children be of the same quality as all other buses. 5. Our children of all grades be permitted to go to the schools of their choice. 6. All teachers be qualified. If our teachers are not registered to vote we find it difficult to believe that they are qualified to teach our children. 7. Rules and regulations governing leake County Public Schools be standardized - and publicized. .I.I1.11UII,H,.I.11JH|H,I).II>»I UPWWJM.P. ; •• '• • IIIII• p • Pl.ll.l.. • -2- 8. The same teacher-pupil ratio in all classes. 9, That no teacher's job be jeopardized for engaging in community wide activities. 10 The Negro parents of Leake County will keep their children out of school until... these requests aie met. They are now forming a county-wide movement to direct 'aw ' •• i. the "hold-out" and to decide when the resolutions have been met;" •. COFO has announced that it will set up more FREEDOM SCHOOLS in the county to provide schools for children staying home from the regular schools if the "hold-out" does not end by the time schools regularly open. Jerome Smith, CORE Field Secretary, told reporters at a press conference in the nearly completed Harmony. Community Center, that COFO will bring in more teachers and buses in the event the school board and Mr, Logan refuse to comply with the resolutions. He. said COFO would try to set up a Freedom School System with Freedom Schools located at various places, in the county and some type•of bus service. .; •}'• FREEDOM SCHOOL TO START AT OLD JERUSALEM • At an exciting meeting Thursday morning, the members of the community around Old Jerusalem Church near Ofahoma decided to unite themselves and set; up a Freedom School, Members of the community volunteered to put up at least four Freedom u I School teachers, white or Negro, in their homes. : : . ^ '. • * They said that their children must get an education and if the county schools are ,' not improved they must set up their own as well as speaking-out about Leake County Schools, . , • • More details-on the Ofahoma Freedom School will be announced later. FARMER'S LEAGUE HOLDS FIRST -MEETING • ' ' -' by Jane Adams The first meeting of the Leake County Farmer's League was held Wednesday August 12, at Pilgrim's Rest Church. About twenty people came to hear James Mays of the National Sharecropper's Fund, and Milton Pickett, secretary of the Madison County Farmer's Federation, speak on the importance of a-Leake County Farmer's League. Mr. Mays, a native of Gebrgia who had grown*up as a sharecropper and then received a-National Sharecropper's Fund scholarship, talked of the importance of unity. He told how strength could be achieved through a union of farmers, strength to get better homes, better.jobs, better education. He spoke' of the freedom Negroes could achieve through a League: freedom from white economic control, freedom to participate in the crop allotment and loan committees/,freedom to control-their own lives. -, • ••' . .• •- • _ - . ....'.' ' .... A Milton Pickett-;6f Madison County'.spoke of the cotton gin the Madison County Farmer' s.Federation Is.' planning to .build and of the drug store-that is being planned,.. ile.. suggested that a Leake County.League could build, cotton storage', facilities^ a. food'processing plant, and that the two county.associations joined together with other associations in nearby counties could set up •• ••' E~.,-.""" .. •j'» . t. • | *"'' J -" «,-«.** I f I - kii. z$ ' ...... ,. JgJ "•"iE'rf <:'! »i •..'' ""•'-• r r -3- ' cooperative gas and farm'supplies. to I 11 .-. v. 0 The next meeting of the 'League has.been set for Friday, August lk,at the new Harmony Community Center at. 5:30. p.m. and. all the farmers were urged to .bring their friends for further discussion of the League. . "\ ' ' J.A.' od vcfnnoo odi ni 2J.OOr!0 •Tj f 1 ' • *!w" " • '." ".".,/' " . THE; ORJGINo' OF'THE HARMONY COMMUNITY CENTER r .. .. ; By Mrs. Marie McKee - At the beginning of July,:when the COFO workers came into Leake County, in the Hanmong Community, to set up the Freedom School, our intention was to use the old i • Haimony school hpuse-for the center; but some Uncle Toms were good Enough to ' carry the word and spread it among the white citizens. Therefore the county school board, the county superintendent, and the sheriff came out and said that the Harmony school house and grounds were private property and that it could not be used for the Freedom School, Therefore we, had to use the local: churches and , have classes under the trees,'"'We were so determined that we did not get dis couraged. ;e got together and decided to build a building that-could be called, , . our own. Therefore we started to figuring and donating money in onder to build the building. • ; '*,"- -' • ••, - • •• • - , . - • The H armony Community Center will be opsn, to all the citizens of Leake County, ' .70'! • .. .. . • ,.,,!,. III.HI..I II I.I •! I illini. ,,l J ... I ,,l|,ll».|. Mil II III ll,|l» —^w^—WPWWPW—1 " • U'-'I'W "I'll","'" •• FREEDOM SCHOOL CONVENTION By Joan Hudson The delegates and Coordinators from Leake County Freedom School arrived in Meridian at 9:30 A.M. on Saturday, August 8. .•ye had breakfast and then went to the Freedom School where the Convention was to be held. First of all, we had to sign up for room and board. Then we signed up foi the meeting. First in the "meeting we .s arig freedom songs and then the meeting started, -ie were assigned to different Committees, each delegate in a different Committee. I was in Foreign Affairs, The other three were Education (Margie Harvy), Medical Care (Phillip Dotson)," and Public Accommodations (filly Langdon), The Committee Meetings were very interesting. There were some very smart people there so I' was forced; to get smart too. Y/e stayed in the. Committee one.hour and then it was timefbr lunch. ' Ve had cookies, sandwiches, ancT'punch. • While eating, we sang freedom songs'. After lunch we wont again to our same 'Committees, After wards we came back to the auditorium where the chairman of each Committee repor ted on what his group: had'discussed. ' - •' . < . . ••• • " Our guest speaker-was renting so1 we asked JAMES FORMAN' to speak.- His speech v/as very interesting and he had everyone's attention, but, his. speech was only about ten minutes long because he-had to rush off, H e talked about the Freedom School Convention and why we were 'there and about COFO. Everyone gave him a warm welcome, Mr." Parrish from New York introduced our guest-speaker, Mr. A.PHILLIP RANDOLPH. He talked about the Convention and why we woroSthore. He asked us never to give up no matter what the price was. After his speech the meeting was adjourned. We were to come back that night to a play. When we arrived at the First Union Baptist Church, people from everywhere were there. That's where the funeral of JAMES CHAKEY was held. The play was IN lAfHITE AMERICA, presented by the students from Holly Springs. It was about how the slaves lived long ago. The last thing they talked about was the three Civil Rights workers that had,been missing for a long time and were found. There was another play acting the death of Medgar Evers. After the plays, we went home because we had to be in the meeting,.the next, morning at nine o'clock. 7/hen we got to the meeting, the people were there. We first had fifteen minutes of service before going into our Committees for about thirty minutes. Then we had lunch and the chairmen reported. Our guest speaker was ROBERT MOSES. He asked two questions: Should we eliminate taxes? At first we didn't think we should eliminate taxes. If -m did, how would we eat? He explained what he meant. He thinks we should stop paying road taxes and taxes like that. After all, look at our roads—we don't have gbod roads. All of that money goes to the white people for their roads. The second question was, Should we have public school in the day and Freedom School in the night? Everyone sayd yes. Going to Freedom School at night would have some vary hard lessons to get out. If teachers won't help us, Freedom School teachers would help us. The meeting was adjourned until the social that would be held that evening. At the social everyone laughed and danced. After a while'we discussed the school held out in Greenwood, We decided not to go to school until we got equal schools and buses and until the white children started. After that meeting, we started back to dancing. A man from California wanted to talk to people from Haimony, We wanted to make a tape for a radio station in California. We told him it was allright and talked with him. #,• *' IIUWW—i*^—Mi.PJW^ ,I.PWW!MM-'^^^W|tWliWIWWpll'lWPli|.J.II I IIIIIBIHU.UmnlllllWHl.il LIJ7.1JlMI»iW.P.lW?^il^im—WX.i|^kUM—il«)W. I_III.PTJ-|I,I;II.^,... .^.^J-,',.^ - -',- ...... LI.,-..... ,„.,.„...„, -.,.,...,1.1 .... •?* HOLLWOOD ACTOR MAKE'S FREEDOM FILM .;..;' :•'•',.'.. ! •.-• iffoi ••..'•''.• •• •' - ' !••• „.-•••'.' I : - '."..' •'---.' ' ' .' - . , . .• Ei..-'-. :... ;!' •' • ' i-iW " '.'"•.•.. -' ' ..' .. ' £ ,'.'•: , '.- , '•-••' '.! . • . ':•'•..••. •'•:•.•' Q.j August lit, 196U: Richard Beymer, star of West Side Story, took films of Freedom Democratic Party registration in Carthage today. Richard '•Beymer was the male lead in the movie version of Leonard Bernstein's , West Side Story. Mr. Beymer (pronounced "Bee-mer") filmed FDP regis- •-. "tration the steps ofi the store across from Jordan High School. Patrol man McNiece, of the Carthage Policy Department, stppped the movie star before the filming and insisted on getting his- name. Patrolman McNiece .: •-.,- insisted that all "unidentified" people.had to register with the police • department in order to keep the city government informed about people who "might cause trouble." After failing to recognize the actor from his California plates, his name, or his appearance, Officer McNiece obtained the "unidentified" star's name and then left. Richard Beymer then proceeded to film the poor roads of Negro Carthage and to record the statements- of Negro residents that they were not represented by the-' ""'Democratic 'Party of Mississippi. The final movie film will be used to •raise money for COFO projects and will be seen around the country. ' .: : in ' -v • -:. . •.•--.•;••• -1 • • • W'.: -..- .: .oj.; •'.'.'- , •• fi • ," i Eii J •'•:.-.•; . • :. tfi 1 ' ' FROM'THE HEART OF MISSISSIPPI'— ''' ::;; •... . ;.•- Drf] , •. . • • ; .. rid Et " I 'am Mississippi bred, T am Mic^^inni foA . ! '' •' " :' — '•'"•' .fcnool ercsn Nothing"but" a Joor, black boy. "'"• I am a Mississippi slave. I will be buried in a Mississippi grave, Nothing but a poor, dead boy. - ;- - ."...; :. Vul r_fO< :• -'. ' '. U' i OJJ xcn '.'-'•' • . Ida 'Ruth Griffincn- '• mo ' --•-•. , , . - , r 12 years old .' ,''•'• - i.i . - ' •.'.'•'' : -.":' ••'•• ' • ' '-.,'.'•. -...... • • . . ' ..,'-.:• ! . :. . •''. ..' . . ' J ' ' •'••'• ..,:...,. i . ., • . -... • ; . f ' , , • ' , ..;.. , -. . . • • . -•• . ',,'••.•... . ' . .. : • i. I > ••.I '. ' .-'••'••... -'."'. ' '• : .:: •' • i . ' ! I • . - !• , . I .••••- '',.. '.-':• J '.. - '• \ • • •-.-' -. ' • , . ....,:,'- , .;•. .:.,•.•. ; * I SPEAK OUT, WRITE FOR THE FREEMAN The Leake County Freeman : • Editor: •Hank Werner -fi IX Route 3, Box 83». Carthage, Mississippi & . r •..; 0£Q ••.,.:•••.-..• • : , \ ..:.''.. "-"•' " •' ' "•""."•I,"-"."",' ."-II J.,.IIIJ.llWP»,,l|,«,,.Wl», III II, •,..,!•..» I.I l.l.lll.l,.III.I 11 I I -•lllllll „ ...-i. ...,. ij. U|, ,„|,. 1. ,,||.,.|,.|||||„| I,., 1 „. 1 I....,, • 1,.. , 11 nil.,— ,.. '&#>/<: 6t/ Name Project Leaving - When 1, Hank Werner May 1 probably 2 Judy Werner n 3, Jane Adams Federal Programs Dec. 2nd0 A-o Carole Gross Comme Center at least till Oct. 5c Sara Broun Comm. Center Res. yr0 02* more 6. Karl M. Morgan Mer, F.S. toaoher till next summer 7. Gail Falk Mers. F.S. teacher Fnd of Jan. (going home the end of Aug6 or two weeks in Semp. whichever proj. prefers) 80 Jennie Franklin Freedom Schools Aug. 24 return Sept. 2nd* 9o Connie Lee Claywoll Harmony FsS. Aug, 24 return Sopto 6th. Tentativdo 10o -fddie Leo Doss Voter Registration Stayirg on 11. David McClinton n Staying 12. Gladys Freeman Stay-'ng 13. Margaret Cunningham Canton Office Staying tentatively 14. Martha Wright Canton C0 Co January 15. Chris Ralnont Canton- Political Program July «65 16. Sally Shideler . Canton-Comm. Center Fall '65 17. Karon Duncan Rural Mad. F.S, would like to Fall '65 work on MSU, FDR, or comm„ 18„ Mary Ann Slrupenko Canton- Comm. Cen0, woulk like to Fall »65 work in Canton office. 19. Scars Buckley Canton - VBR. Staying 20. Houston Howard Voter Registration Staying 21. Hezekiah Watking Voter Registration Steying 22. Preston Pondoro' Voter P.ogi3tration / nwii-muiiji. LWI uiuui.ii iiMMiiiiuiu •""' "•,l" • '" BP)gpjl^l..ii;i-WWPPIHffw»iiU-.i'J.' W.i /^W^JMK&t, Minutes Monday Night Leeks County They have set up recreation coursed, classes - art3 and crafts programs (3 times a week for the younger children) Literacy program, not to successful yet because not enough people. Trying to set up adult education but conflicts are developing (such as re vivals - different levels of education needed) Recreation- not to successful, they need lots of supplies, haven*t got any0 J^SSSJS ii0. JS§X§3S2 £U2!S, _SSS^2: 1. Food and clothing distribution - great need for that In Harraony0 Food disc of ' govt* surplus food being cut off at the end of Septo They do have women that could set up a comm* They would accept ree„ facilities If they were provided, both for adults and teenso Teen age club*- They have 35 or 4-0 members? officers have been elected, its called the Coirajunity Center Club,, they hope to make the Coram* Center autonomous under them. People asking for adult education $0M/ but approach mist bo found because people are hes itant and afraid to take the classes* They need someone with artistic ability for arts and craftso They need someoae to help ' with adult education and literacy, people are enthusiastic, students are being trained to help teacho- Rtiral County*" they have one ear at their Immediate disposal., a COFO car, FoSo and Co0o can work without cars, the others need cars bad'ly0 They want to divide tho county into sections and have teams x;ork them over and over,, They need more people to staff these teamsc. Hard to run centralised canvassing because of integrated farming areas,.. They tiant to set up small teams in local communities,, School integration .1$ just being started to be worked,, A system must be worked out0 Fedc Progo, people are Interested but their isn't too much being done* This should be the Immediate project (school integration) They need telephones.. Security will be a problem,, Power structure Is unusual,, Periodic harassment™ no consistency. Radio system in Leeke County is no good0 Jerome Smith suggested? to buy housing and land, the imm0 needs are staff, car3, funds^ and security measures,. Dave Dennis mentioned that a grp„ in New Jersey wanted to sponsor G a omm0 Centcr*»»thl3 could be one in Leske County* Madison County Canton Problems* ln Pol, Pregrams^Iaek of dynamic pro&xm wc can concentrate on and work towardo Working on setting up a local organisation in Canton. Divide the county :'nto 10 sections each with a field secretary, and then broken into blocks with block captains, this would give a speedy information relay,, 20 Federal Programs™ need to get a central research information centex* to work on long range problems ego unionisation,, Personnell-need a legal and security staff, this could be taken care of by the two office people tint we needp in a few days we will have r.o office staff. The cc* is pretty well staffed, three people aro staying on* The Fo3„ need more people, if we don't get them we are going to have to limit and cut down badly, we need at least 10 or 12 more people Fedo Prog, are in pretty good hands0 V0R„ «« need one more good person, possibly they can be gotten from the local comm,, T^esa people would need some concentrated instruction,. Suppliesi need :|80o00 a month to rent a new C<,C„ building- after legal hurdeles are jumped, we are going to build a Freedom Church which will house the permanent CC For the present, we need a lot of supplies especially Negro His'tajy and Life books and art supplies for the CoC0C We have one car- being used as a general 4-th, district car We need at least one car used only for the Madison County area out of Canton* We've set up a farmers league and a Negro Chan, of Comm. (They have problems but the local'people are handling them) Negro &<> of C« want to form a c©0p. to buy land,, All plans must be very quiet or white conm0 will try to crash them in* ASC election coming up, people will be needed for a week to beat the bushes, there will be one Kegrc candidate and one alternate,, . "•"-""'"•'-"• —mm> A4t£&&2. Madison, County OSS*. Supplementary programs to pol, programs - education programs (minister's worked very well setting up snail classes, but they were limited and transient people.) This will be . set up again, but linked to the ^drm. Center,, STAFF PEOPLE WE NEKD A PROJECT DIRECTOR, wo have a problem of discipline and direction. We have no staff people at all, Chris is a temporary p.d., but we need someone with full authority of a staff person,, Valley View Between Nov. and Aug. 30th., there will be 4 people and one staff person, Green. From Oct. 1 on there will be 4 people and Green. There is a transportation problem, we have only one car and we badly need another one. We are getting a Comm. Cen. but money is badly needed. Staff for legal and federal programs will be taker, care of out of the Canton office. Greens car is not insured and he does not have a driver's licnenso. As far as Green knows, there is ins, on tho car, Dave Dcnni3 ordered it checked out and alto stated that the car cannot Ke driven by Green until he has a licnense, and that no one may drive it until there is ins, Lauderdale County -Meridian Almost nothing done in this county at all. They need radio's. Staff cars, staff, and agair radios are the most pressing needs. This is why there lias been no work done. Meridian - They have a large library, center, and school, 5 or 6 are definite staying. Political programs lias started to work a litto, they need 2 or 3 center In throughthe city. Teen-agers may start a week-end re-development program but Its still in the planning stage. Right now, they have rented card, but need more money in order to pay for renting them for a longer period of time. Adult education, very little being done. There 13 lots of opp, if thoy had staff, local people can bo used on tho staff, they need leadership and training and direction, C,C, shares the business office and thoy need a new building for one or the other. Plans for a school boycott should come off, If so the Freedom school's will continue, we need good staff advice for boycott. Heed direction for the kids, C,C0 needs people, Voter Registration 2 or 3 staying, but need more, Hope to set up a Freedom Democratic Party office. No housing J^outslde of city limits. Student union in Meridian is very well organized but nobody does anything, they have no direction. Six people are staying on, 3ome are going to the convention. No plans for a freedom registrator. Day, Neshoba County Ju3t recently moved into, they leased a hotel with an option to buy or re-lease within the year, It has' two floors. They have also leased tho regular Negro Comm, Center for one year. In Beat Five, housing Is very good. However, there is no housing for Beat two, so workers must commute. It 3s very difficult to canvass the area. There are no tcleeher.es in the office as of yet, but everyone else ha3 one, so security Is very good. There is good potential leadership, Sia^olieg-^-~--Ne6d office equipment and beds. They have the prober number of people to work the county now, and the, donH need any more. Their goal is to devnlop community leadership. There are three cars In the county, one for staff, ard two for canvassing. White Community- there lias been some contact, by throe or four ministers and that3 it. The Negroes here aro mostly individual farmers. There is reome response from local Law officials, some type of local effort and cooperation on their part. People wish to bbuild their own CC, alv>ut 6 or 7 miles out of Philadelphia. Land nuet be bottrht but there are workers, local neople, who are willing to do the building thomselvs. The county is being run by emotion, ft w ft» »tt»ftft5BH**tttt3ittft#ft#fc#fc*# There will be a meeting of project directors at 10:30 to discuss specific plans. n 11 1...... i~.iinin.i Li^l^.HWii..um.ui.i»i.«ii).,Jii. m. . <^-vA AJsWa^ RAMKIN COUOT? Budgets Rent $40,00 a month C$10. a week) Gas $15„00 per week There is no phone in Rankin and we need one. We also need radices-, 1 August 4th.„ 1964 Canvassing was dene that morning and afternoon. Later we' checked with the delegates to sec if they had rides for the State Convention in Jackson. WiL O-noL' ytXu yot/^y UWLJS ^/JL^ ^OX^LM^ CA*U^> / u^ -tl^ ^c tf'zxAs £A^~^. CLU'/uis *^^ 'two & ~Mk^ "&> ^n^J^£o jj£^t uiini»UMI»H. |iPlllliill.ll|,H![,HIJI.I.PI,p.iM I I. HI ..I.I.IIHIII..I. . 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