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SCLC Will Fulfill Ic·: Potential

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SCLC Will Fulfill Ic·: Potential HISTORY The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Inc. was originally estab­ lished as the S<>uthern Leadership Con~ ference, as a result of a meeting held in Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 10, 11, 12, 1957, which saw leaders in the struggle for hu­ man dignity present from 10 southern states - a total of llO persons, 14 of which became charter board members of the newly formed organization. Following the Montgomery Bus Boy­ cott led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and inspired by its success, many organ­ ized protest groups appeared throughout the South. They sought information and M.Unt-4 LUTHER KING, JR. advice of Dr. King. Pruide..t Further indication of the need for such . an organization as this was the fact that its initial meeting was interrupted by dynamite blasts that wrecked and dam­ The magnitude of our social struggle aged homes and churches in Montgomery, js great. It cuts across all areas of our Ala., the early morning of January lOth. lives, social, economic, relig.ious, political and sociological. If we would succeed we The first executive director of the new must examine the task, plan our course, organization was Dr. John L . Tilley of weigh the obstacles and measure the costs. Baltimore, Md. Dr. Tilley served in this Then we must enlist the aid of those with capacity on a parttime basis for a period the special knowledge, abilities and ex­ of one year (May, 1958-May 1959), when perience which will meet the needs of our it b~arne necessary for him to return to plan. a full-time pastorate of his church. Miss Ella J. Baker who was serving as asSOci­ This has been done. ate director under Dr. Tilley was asked With the blessing of God, dedication to assume the directorship on a temporary to nonviolence and faith in the morality basis until a permanent one could be ob­ of our cause ... success is inevitable. tained - a position shr: held from Oct.- MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. 1959-Aug. 1960, when Wyatt Tee Walker of Petersburg, V a. became the new aud permanent dir~ctor. Under his director­ ship, it is felt that SCLC will fulfill ic·: potential. and through this organization. cooperating with others in the field, th :.: Negro wi 11 at last attain the freedom prom ­ iscd him almost I 00 years ago. ERNESTINE BROWN. orfice secretary of SCLC, is a graduate of David T . Howard High School~ Car'ler Voca\iom:al Sl;hoo\ of Bu~i­ ness., and has done further :study at Clark Col­ lege, Atlanta, Ga. She is a native of Atlanta, a wife, and the mother of two children. wYATT TEE WALKER. executive director of SCLC is a double graduate of Va. Union Uaiver~ity at Richmond, havini: earned both a B.S. jn Chemistry and Physics. and a B.D. in Tilcology with highest honors. Mr. Walker sen-t:d as minister of the Historic Gillfield BaP­ tist Church at Petersburg. Va. His career in human relations is marked by his parallel serv. \t;;e as Branch Presidl!n\. Qf the 'Pe\ersburg Im­ ~rO¥ement Association that iu 1960 succeeded in desegregating the lunch counters of local variety stores and the restaurants of Trailway 811~ terminals in six states. Mr. Walker. an intense student of Gandhi, ha,o; applied the Gandhian philosophy by elect­ lAMES R. WOOO. admiJlistrative assistant lo in: to remain in jail with four others in the Dr. King and dirt:clor of public relations. SCLC. Petersburg Library protest. From l'~:tersbuq;, is a native of Wa!ihington, D. C. He was ed.u­ cared in the Washington-Nt:w York area anu lhi: idea of civil disobedience spread to m any has attended both Hampton Institute and Nt:w Yo~\:. Univcuity. He wmk.ed in l-abor other ~rote!i.t c.ent~rs a~ :.~. new dim~:nsi on of nas the movemen£ as an organizer with the United t~.1ine the nonviolent struggle. Mr. Walker was the Workers and the United Automobile Workers. Mr. Wood has work.ed in the political organi­ or.~.mizcr and leader of the first Pilgrimage of zarions of both the Democratl~; and Republ i­ Pr~cr in Va., protesting the closing of schools can partie-s. His experience includes fund-raising for the Catholic Charities o f greater New York. in that state. He has bt:en ncclaim~d a.• one and writing and pro~:,"Tumming for Radio broad· o1 the outstanding civil righu figures o{ this casts. Prfor [0 joming the staff of SCLC. he was Da ta Processing Chief of IBM unit at ~~r<ttion . Virginia State Col!eg~: . He too, wa~ an intc~ral pan of the Petersburg fmprovement A!ISocia­ tlon (_Life Magazine, Sept. 12, 1?60) serving -.. t as EdJtor of the Newslt!tter and administrative - - .. \: -· assistant to the president. :· ·-:1-·_· •"'< ;· .... · ..._· .. ... .. : , ._ .·.. - ~ · ' ·-:. .· -. .: .... ·.. ' : ,_. .":... ·. .. ;t:~ir~ HARRY BLAKE, field secretary of SCLC is a native of Shrt:Yeport, Louisiann. a graduate of Bishop College, MarM1all, TcJtas and an DOROTHY COlTON. administrative sccrc­ interim pastor of Elizabelh Baptist Church. He toJ.fY to the direaor, is a. native of Goldsboro, has played a strd.tegic role: in fightin$ the in­ N. C.. a graduate of Va. State College and Bos­ famous 'purge' of the voting rolls 1n North ton University, having received an M.A. degree Loui~iana. The CivH Rights Commission hear­ ill Speech Therapy. Mrs. Cotton has been close­ ings of 1960 in New Orleans were the culmina­ ly identified with the work of NAACP ami tion of many rnonths' work of Mr. Blake and CORE in Va.. Most recently. prior to her join­ his associat~ of tbe United Christian Movement ing the staff of SCLC, Mrs. Cotton served as of Shreveport. He remains undaunted by the secretary or the Petcr'l.burg Improvement Assn. ~arnssment and frequt:nt }uilin~ for his effec­ (LOOK. August 30, 1960), the center of civil tlVe wor~ t.n voter-registration. rights protc~l in Virgini:l. ~ - ~ ·"- ~·- \~ ~~ -. ... ~]I . t].· JJ ( - :.:_ .. :'r·. ..; •,~.· "' .. .. ..... / ..•. /:" ...· .. .. ~ I RALPH 0. ABERNATHY. fund-raiser of SCLC is also {lresidcnt of ~UA. He tS a ~tad­ . ULUE M . Hl:NTER. boo\..'ti.eeper of 5Cl.C. uate of Alat:lama Statt: College; a well-know11 1s a graduate of Tu... kegec Institute High SchooL lecturer who gained international acclaim for Buck-:\.fcCray School of Busi ness. and has don~ his work with the Montgomery Bus Boycou; further srudy at Tuskeg~e Inst itute. She is. the pastor of First Baptist Church. Montgomt:ry. mother ot two children, and is a nativt: o~ nn<l is married and the f.ather of three children. Tuskt:gee , Alabama. OFFICERS /b,~M/,,1' Dll. :IIARTIN LUTHER KI!IOG. J'R . Atlo014, w . ,;F"'3l Yit:~·I-,.J(t.l~tU REV. C. K. STEELE T alh.lta-, FlA. !wcwtJ ,.icr ~ P,uitln.a ~ ~ REV. 1. £ . LOWtltY' ~ Moioll<, Ala, JJJ.;,J J'l,;r~ronunl ICf.:V . liAMU£1.. Y . WlWA~S AtW.ta. Ca. lr;~t.rr4 l";c~.,,c,Khllt 111:v. l'. s. n:msort &too IIG11Je, u. !1-.r•""r . REV. P. L SHUTTLESWO!lTHJ _..... llln>~t"CU.... Ala. b.r.Ut.ar S«utr•ry MRS. kATIE E. WHICJ<A:\t New Or~ot, La. J.U..nr.W S~tr·tUtU~ · Tlt'&JifUT , RE\'. RALPH D. Aflt:J\NAT!IY ,< . lloat&omtr)', At.. tn.,u,u. REV. JCELLY ~t. SMITll N.a•h•iUe-, Te~~n. .li:rDriN\ ·ii-Q(. t. D. R!ODICII:, Ph.D. Allanl ... Ca. EXECUTIVE BOARD_,....- ATIY. 1. .l4. AliCUSTI~Ej. Nc .. OriH.111, ~ ­ MilS. DAISY BATES l.ml~ Reck, Ark. ali:V. WlLLl.AM H. BORDERS Atluto, Co. IIEV. HENRY C. JIU:"'TON We~nphia, TftiA. 111::\' . A, L, DAVIS N•w Orl.u u, LA. B.EV. 'Ill" . A. DE:'INIS · Ch.attan.o oea. Te.na . B.E\' . EDWARO T. GttAI{Mt Miami, Fla . !I.E\'. W. H . HALL Wt,.croaa, CJ . BE\.'. W'ALTr.tl L. H~!LTON Norlolk., Yo . 011 . .AARON E. HJ:NIIYv CluWa • · Min. _,. CI.Ait t;Nt:l: l!M•ft l V New OrlcaDI, La.. ll£V. D. !i;. Kl!'IC , .-­ Lcnil inHI,... AT. KEY. ~1 . !... 10:-oiC, ~ . Atl,,ata. , Ga . I . !-! . LE.EVY WJluwh.i.. S. C. llEV. l!ATTIII':W .\lc(;UI.UJ)J Oraa~l'llor~. :;. C. ROULRT D. ~OB£RT~O~ ~M fo lk , \' .l. ..... R~: V . S. S. !\EA.Y, SR,.,:-·­ ~t cutt¥omr;:fT , .\1 .. .RJ:\'. 8 . B. SHORTS A1 1anla, C • . V(. E . SHOI\TitiOCt ~ B i rnli tt ~ bJul, Ab. -- C. (). ~1\ll'l\:IIIS . D.D.S. ~ SOUTHERN Sh rf'VLtpurt, La. liE\' 11 .\ .'lH:t. !! , "I'FJ:D CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP Tallahaau~. Fla. CONFERENCE SCLC NATIONAL OfFICES Atlanta, Georgia 208 Awburn AYenwe, N.E. Atlonta, Ga. .
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