MEDGAR W. EVERS Slain NAACP Field Secretary OPERATION FREEDOM: Mississippi - 1964 OPERATION FREEDOM: comprehensive programs are now required to Mississippi, 1964 combat the devastating cultural and economic deprivation of the Negro communities in Mississippi. The National Association for the Advance­ This summer, 1964, the Mississippi State ment of Colored People has active projects in Conference of the NAACP, in cooperation every southern state except Alabama where, with other constituent units of COFO, is since 1956, it has been banned by a state launching a massive Peace Corps-type opera­ court injunction. Mississippi remains the tion in Mississippi. Students, teachers, tech­ state of hardest-core resistance to basic dem­ nicians, nurses, artists and legal advisers will ocratic ideals and practices. It is a state in be recruited to come to Mississippi to start a which fundamental political rights are openly wide range of programs aimed specifically at denied and in which the economic conditions voter registration and including Freedom of the vast majority of the population are Schools, community .centers and other special appalling. The home of white supremacy, educational and cultural projects. Mississippi remains a real target of the NAACP. Voter Registration The first NAACP unit in Mississippi was The struggle for freedom in Mississippi organized in 1917 long before the disfran­ can only be won by a combination of political chisement of the southern Negro was de­ and other action within the state and a clared unconstitutional by the heightened awareness throughout the coun­ Supreme Court. Despite trickery, intimida­ try of the need for massive Federal inter­ tion and violence, NAACP workers have been vention to insure the voting rights of Ne­ able to expand their activity into each of groes. This summer's program will work Mississippi's five congressional districts. toward both objectives. Early in 1963, the Mississippi State Con­ Voter registration workers will operate in ference of the NAACP organized the Council every rural county and important urban area of Federated Organizations (COFO), a state­ in the state. These workers will be involved wide organization consisting of the Congress in a summer-long drive to mobilize the Negro of Racial Equality, the Southern Christian community of Mississippi and assist in de­ Leadership Conference, the Student Nonvio­ veloping local leadership and organization. lent Coordinating Committee and other civic groups. This coordinated organization, under A total of $40,000 must be raised for a NAACP leadership, launched a "Freedom Freedom registration campaign. The regis­ Vote" campaign in which 93,000 disenfran­ tration campaign which was launched in chised Negroes cast "Freedom" ballots for February will be implemented by summer Aaron E. Henry, NAACP state president and workers. Eighteen of the 30 communities COFO chairman, for governor of the State of already selected for voter registration activ­ Mississippi. ity, Freedom Schools and community centers Preparation for real democracy calls for will be spearheaded by NAACP branches lo­ additional programs in the state. Literacy cated within the respective areas of activity. projects and food and clothing drives for the "Freedom" registrars will be established needy have been instituted. But much more in every precinct, with registration books closely resembling the official books of the White Community Proiect state. The "Freedom" registration books will The effort to organize and educate white serve as a basis for challenging the official Mississippians for democracy and decency books and the validity of "official" Federal can no longer be delayed. About 30 students, elections this fall. southern whites who have recently joined the Finally, voter registration workers will , will begin pilot proj­ assist in the summer campaigns of Freedom ects in white communities. An attempt will candidates who will be running for Congress be made to activate white Mississippians to against party candidates designated by a take steps toward eliminating bigotry, pov­ minority of white voters. erty and ignorance.

Community Centers r Law Students Proiect In addition to the Freedom Schools, com­ A large number of law students and recent munity centers will provide services nor­ L graduates will come to Mississippi to help mally denied Negro communities in Missis­ launch a massive legal offensive against the sippi. Staffed by experienced social workers, official tyranny of the state. The time has nurses, librarians and teachers in the arts come to challenge every Mississippi law and crafts, the centers will provide educa­ which deprives Negroes of their rights, and tional and cultural programs for the com­ to bring suit against every state and local munity. Instructions will be given in prenatal official who, in the name of his office, denies and infant care and general hygiene among these rights to Negro citizens. Qualified law­ other subjects. Programs will provide adult yers are needed to institute such suits. literacy and vocational training. There is need for 30,000 books to be distributed through these centers. These adult centers Freedom Schools will serve as places of political education and An integral part of NAACP voter regis­ organization and will provide a structure tration work is the development of leadership through which to channel a wide range of for politically emerging communities. Free­ programs into the Negro community in the dom Schools will begin to supply the political future. education which the existing system does not provide for Negroes in Mississippi. Research Proiect The summer project will establish ten day­ The program of voter registration and time Freedom Schools and three resident political organization will attempt to change schools. The day-time school will be attended the fundamental structure of political and by lOth, 11th and 12th grade pupils. The economic activity in Mississippi. In order to schools will operate five days a week in the portray the situation authentically, extensive students' home towns. Instruction will be research will be required to probe into Mis­ 1 highly individualized, each school will have sissippi's suppressive political and economic } about fifteen teachers. life. Skilled personnel is needed to carry out The program will include remedial work this program within the state as well as from in reading, mathematics and basic grammar, outside. as well as seminars in political science, public administration, the humanities and English • $400.00 will provide scholarship money composition. Wherever possible, studies will for one southern Negro college student be related to problems in the individual stu­ enabling him to return to school after dent's community. working in Mississippi for the summer. The three resident schools will be attended • $2,000.00 will rent and remodel a build­ by more advanced students from throughout ing for one Freedom center. the state. The program will be essentially the • $3,000.00 will buy one used bus for trans­ same as the day schools, with emphasis on porting vote workers and registrants. political studies. Send your contribution to "Operation Mis­ The students who attend the schools will sissippi," Mississippi State Conference provide Mississippi with a nucleus of leader­ NAACP, 1072 Lynch Street, Jackson, Missis­ ship committed to critical thought and social sippi, , President, Charles action. Evers, Secretary. Make check or money order out to Mississippi State Conference NAACP. Progress in Mississippi Depends on You The Mississippi summer program needs money now to establish and support the ac­ tivities set forth above. The disenfranchised Negroes of Mississippi are asking the people of America, and especially members and sup­ porters of civil rights organizations, to con­ tribute now to assist the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP in its commit­ ment to the struggle for justice and freedom in the State of Mississippi. Any amount of money contributed will be of help. For example: • $5.00 will purchase material for one voter registration school. • $25.00 will pay the utility bills for one Freedom School for the summer. • $50.00 will buy office materials for one voter registration field office. • $100.00 will buy materials for a home nursing and baby-care class for one com­ munity center. • $125.00 will buy one tape recorder for a voter registration center or a Freedom School. Trained Personnel Is Needed

Special Call to NAACP College Chapters North and South

For Applications Write: Operation Freedom Mississippi State Conference NAACP 1072 Lynch Street, Room 7 Jackson, Mississippi Phone : FL 3-6906

Applications Must Be Received by May 25th

LET'S FINISH THE JOB

SUPPORT THE MISSISSIPPI NAACP FREEDOM PROGRAM

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