THE STUDENT VOICE

VOL. 4, No.4 The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, 6 Raymond St., N.W. Atlanta, Ga. 30314 NOVEMBER 11, 1963 SELMA DRIVE Over 70,(11) Cast FreeOIn Ballots FOR VOTES HENR Y - KING TICKET TOPS MOCK ELEC TION CONTINUES JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - Over 70,000 disenfranchised Negroes SELMA, ALABAMA - A vote in 200 communities throughout drive begun here in January, the state cast "Freedom Bal­ 1963 has mushroomed into the lots" in churches. schools, testing ground forSNCC's "One poolrooms and "votemobiles" man - One vote" campaign. over a three-day period here. Over 680 Negroes have ap­ For many, participation in the peared at the registrar's office mock election was their first since october 7. adventure into politics. The They have braved wind and Freedom Vote candidates, Dr. - ...... il:EWI I rain - and the possibility of Aaron Henry of Clarksdale and being jailed tEl stand in Rev. Edwin King of J ackson, line outside the registrar's of­ received almost all of the votes fice waiting for a chance to cast, with less than 300 split DR. AARON HENRY REV. EDWIN KING take Alabama's complicated between Democratic and Repub­ voter test. lican candidates. rights." were arrested on various char­ In 1961, the U.S. Civil Rights There were 78,388 Freedom The Freedom Ballot platform ges during the three-week Commission listed only 9% Votes cast Henry received called for an end to segre­ drive. At one time, 50 students of the county's eligible Ne­ 72,869. gation, i.c.cluding all Rublic ac­ from Yale University and se­ groes as voters. A SNCC Henry, state NAACP head and commodations; fair employment veral from Stanford University study (see SNCC SPECIAL RE­ president of the Council of Fe­ a $1.25 minimum wage; better were in the state working with PORT: SELMA, ALABAM A) derated Organizations (COFO), schools and a guaranteed righT the Henry-King slate. outlined the county's history of indicated the mock vote gave to vote. John Lewis, Chairman disfranchisment and listed in­ Mississippi's non-voting Ne­ Robert Moses, director of the of SNCC, who worked in Mis­ stances of official interference groes "a real choice between S tuden t Nonviolent C oordina ting sissippi during the last days of into voting procedures. candidates." Both Republican Committee's Mississippi vote the campaign, said the Freedom When SNCC Executive Secre­ tary James Forman addressed and Democratic candidates ran drive and director of COFO Vote "is one of the most signi­ the first mass meeting called on segregationist platforms. said the campaign was "a poi­ ficant events of the civil rights by the newly formed Dallas The Freedom Vote candidates­ itical breakthrough in Missi- movement." County Voters League, city and who also received write­ ssissippi." COFO leaders James Forman, SNCC Exe­ in votes during the regular el­ hope to use the activity sur­ cutive Secretary said. "even county police and members of ection November 5 - urged the rounding the frive to push Ne­ though write - ins are not count- the special "posse" surround- state to provide" justice, equal gro vote attempts in the state. CONTINUED TO PAGE 4 CONTINUED TO PAGE 3 education, jobs and voting Over 100 campaign workers ·6 Freed In Americus Vow To Continue Work AMERICUS, GEORGIA - Three field workers from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) - who escaped a pos­ sible death sentence when a three-judge Federal panel freed them on Friday, November 1 - still face other charges here. The three-Donald Harris of New York, Ralph Allen of Mel­ of a lawfui arrest. Harris and rose, Massachusetts, and John Allen are charged further with Perdew of Denver, Colorado - assault and battery. All were Iw ere jailed here August 8 and denied bail. charged with attempting to in- Two others, 14-year-oldSal­ cite insurrection, unlawful lie Mae Durham and 19-year-old I assembly. rioting, obstruction CONTINUED TO PAGE 2 SELMA Negroes line up to register to vote. (SNCC Photo) Page 2 NOVEMBER 11, 1963 STUDENT VOICE Arkansas Drive Registers 1800

PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS - A summer vote drive run by SNCC and the Pine Bluff Move­ ment here has upped Negro vote totals by 1300. A Pine Bluff dentist,Dr. W. L. Molette, narrowly missed becoming the city's first Negro Alderman, He polled 2,881 votes to his opponent's 4,453. Don Harris John Perdew Ralph Allen Before the vote drive began, there were 5,541 registeredNe­ orgia's insurrection and un­ had increased afterSNCC began gro voters in Jefferson County Americus lawful assembly statues. The a drive here in January - de­ and 1,110 in Lincoln County. court also prohibited further creased after the workers were SNCC worker Bill Hansen, who CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 prosecution of the youths on arrested. heads the drive here, said 1876 the outlawed charges and order­ The three SNCC workers will Negroes were registered in Jef­ ed them set free on bail. continue their work inAmeri­ ferson County from June to The ruling Friday marked the cus. Miss Durham, who would October and 428 were added to Thomas McDaniel were charged with rioting, unlawful assembly, first time a Federal court has ha ve been a ninth grade student, polling lists in Lincoln County assault and obstruction of a law­ halted prosecution on a civil will return to school. She testi­ during August and September. ful arrest. McDaniel was held rights case at the request of fied at the hearing that she and "The civil r ight s stimulus in on $12,000 bail and Miss Dur­ private parties. Donald Harris were knocked the county" Hansen said, "has ham, a minor, was held without Testimony at the two-day down by policemen and Harris upped registration here." hearing centered around beat­ was beaten by a policeman when In Lincoln County Sheriff Leo bail. A sixth youth, Zev, Aelony, ings received by some of the he tried to get some water in Connor tola a SNCC worker that a CORE field secretary, was jailed youths and other demon­ the jail. 200 more Negroes than usual also charged with insurrection. strators, and voter registra­ Harris testified that officers had registered, in addition to the Aelony was jailed August 17. tion activities here. A Justice beat him several times the night more than 400 brought in by Department lawyer testified he was arrested. SNCC efforts. All were freed when the three-judge panel outlawed Ge- that Negro vote tries - which

THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON * * AUGUST 2 8 TH ' ~ VVE SHALL 400 MARCH OVERCOM:E! 6 Face Five Years On IN ATLANTA

ATLANTA, GEORGlA -More Federal Per~1J tharges than 400 A tlanta University Center Students staged a protest ATLANTA, GEORGlA - The civil liberties and student or­ march and picket line around ~SHALL • Student Nonviolent Coordinating ganizations, called for dis­ an Atlanta hotel where Alabama Committee has sent petitions missal of the indictments, and MARCH ON WASHINGTON re­ Governor George C. Wallace bearing 10,000 names protesting "action against Southern po­ cords are available from SNCC. appeared October 7. the indictment of nine Albany, licemen whose brutalities Proceeds from the sale go to The students, members of Georgia civil rights workers to against man far exceed any al­ the "March" organiza tions. SNCC and the Committee OnAp­ A ttorney General Robert F. leged acts comm itted by the Al­ peal For Human Rights, pro­ Kennedy. bany nine." tested Alabama's refusal to 6 ,of the nine face trials be­ The indictments grew from the ployees. The next week, Smith permit Negroes to register to ginning November 12. They are Federal trial of Baker County closed his store, claiming the vote. accused of perjuring them­ (Georgia) Sheriff L. Warren hour-long picket line, halted selves before the Grand jury. Johnson, who was accused of after Albany policemen jailed They are: Slater King, Albany shooting and beating Charles the demonstrators, had ruined day could receive five year sentences and a $5,000 fine. Movement president; Mrs. E. L. Ware, a Negro. On April 12, his business. He protested to The Albany Movement was Jackson, Movement secretary; 1963, a Federal Grand Jury de­ the Federal Government, and on founded in 1961 as a coalition Thomas Chatmon, the Reverend cided in favor of the sheriff. August 9, nine Albanyanti-seg­ of civil rights groups, shortlv Samuel Wells, Robert Thomas A white grocer,CarlSmith, was regation workers were indicted after the Student Nonviolent and SNCC worker Joni Rabino­ one of the jurors. for perjury and conspiracy to Witz. Miss Rabinowitz is ac­ A week after the decision injure a juror. Coordinating Committee cused of two counts of perjury. some Negro youngsters picket­ All are free on bonds ranging (SNCC) began a direct action and The petitions, circulated to ed Smith's store, requesting he from $2,500 to $5,000. If con­ voter registration campaign labor, religiOUS, civil rights and hire additional Negro em- victed, the 6 who face trial to- there. STUDENT VOICE NOVEMBER 11, 1963 Page 3 2,880 Register Selma Drive CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 In Gadsen ed the church. Police har­ rassment - even beatings from law officers - have continued GADSDEN, ALABAMA -More and intensified since then. than 2,880 Negroes have been added to registration lists since a vote drive began here in June, The recent drive began in 1963. September, when 68 youngsters SNCC wo rker Eric Rainey were jailed during sit-ins and a said that three Negroes had protest march. Among those been given higher paying jobs jailed was Worth Long, SNCC in a white-owned gr ocery store worker, who was beaten by a policem an in jail that night. A following a selecti ve buying student organized boycott of campaign. classes at the city's all-Negro high school afLcLfIjl ily _ ~ass meeting with John Lewis and J ames Forman as speakers fur­ ther ar oused the community. SNCC Chairman Lewis was ar­ rested on September 25, when he carried a signurgingSelmaNe- gr oes to registe r .

During part of October and November, Selma's registra­ tion books are open daily, in­ stead of the usual two days a month. It was during this period that large numbers of Negroes began gathering at the court- house, some arriving as early as 6;30 A.M. County police retaliated by giving outnumbers to the first sixty people in line, and the registrar cooperated in DANVILLE, VIRGINIA i s the the slow-down by proce ssing no subject of a SNCC booklet. Cop­ more than 25 people a day. ies are available from the At­ lanta SNCC office. The booklet gives a history of police brutal­ Requests to the Federal ity aimed at halting the move­ Government for aid have met ment there and is illustrated with little success. The Justice with photographs. Department has two suits on voting in the county, but has made no moves to halt pro­ secution of voter workers ar­ rested for "unlawful as­ SCEF Raid sembly" or to speed up re­ gistration procedures.

Nor has the-Federal Govern­ Protested ment responed to pleas from SNCC workers and Selma citi­ zens to place Selma off limits to Craig Air Force Base per- ATLANTA, GEORGIA - The Student NonviolentCoordinating sonnel. The base, located just SELMA, ALABAMA policemen arrest two voter r egistration Committee protested the Octo­ outside the city, could exert workers on the steps of the Federal Building there. Several ber 4 raid by county and state considerable influence on Sel­ movement workers have been jailed by policemen here while police on the New Orleans of­ ma's racial policies. encouraging Negroes to register to vote. (SNCC Photo.) fices of the Southern Conference Educational Fund as "despo­ SNCC head Lewis and SNCC Now SNCC workers and others workers face trial here. tic." The SNCC telegram to workers Worth Long, Wilson who have been active in the drive But Selma Negroes, and the the Justice Department com­ Brown and Benny Tucker were here have been summoned to SNCC workers there, are deter­ demned the raid as "a demon­ sentenced two weeks ago to 100 appear before a November 13 mined to continue their fight to stration of lawlessness and de­ days in jail. They are appeal­ Grand jury. The Jury meets realize one vote for every man. fiance of authority:' ing their conviction. one day before other SNCC Page 4 NOVEMBER 11, 1963 STUDENT VOICE Charges Dropped Against Worker

COLUMBIA, SOCTH CARO­ LINA - Charges against a SNCC worker for "tresspassing at the University of South Carolina" were dropped. Sam Shirah, 20 was arrested October 2 going into a movie theatre with four Negroes. Charges were dropped Oct. 4 when the City Recorder's Court ruled the prosecution had no c ase.

Fair Boycotted, Policeman Hired Dr. Aaron Henry, during a stop on his statewide tour, shakes hands with voters in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. His companion is DANVILLE, VIRGINIA -Dan­ SNCC Field Secretary Gerald Bray. (SNCC Photo) ville Negroes were urged to boycott the annual Danville Fair to prote st the city's rigid segre­ gation policies. ARRESTS Avon Rollins, SNCC worker In 1890, Mississippi had 190, here, said the city has hired Mississippi 000 Negro registered voters. its first Negro policeman. Two years later, it had 8,600, PROTESTED In 1954, there were 22,000 vot­ Election ers - less than 5% of the re­ gistered electorate. ALBANY, GEORGIA - The jailing of three SNCC voter registration workers here Oc­ Only 6.1 % of the state popu­ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tober 7 was protested to Pre­ SNCC AsksFor lation, In 6 counties here, no sident Kennedy. The three­ Negroes are registered, the Willie Ricks, Shirley Gaines ed, they indicate that Negroes Civil Rights Commission re­ and Lavetta Christian - were here had no choice between ported in 1963. Demoncratic and Republican charged with "disorderly con- Pressure On canrl.idates, and if permitted, _ ~ ___ duct" after they .accompfl ineJL Negroes here would register to Negroes to the Dougherty Coun­ vote in large numbers:' ty Courthouse. Northern Concerns

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - The Student Nonviolent Co­ ordinating Committee sent out a special mailing, listing names and addresses of directors of ten corporations, all major Bir­ mingham employers. The mail­ ing called for protests of the September It- bombing which killed four girls and demonstra­ tions urging apprehension of those responsible •

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