FREEDOM INFORMATION SERVIOS Box 120 Tougaloo, Mississippi 39174 July 30, 1966
Dear (stecsunity Leader or Organizer, Here is some information that we think will help you in your work. Included are:
N . Mississippi Political Calendar Votes for Freedom Candidates in Official Elections Democratic Primary Election Results, June 7, 1966 196S Democratic Primary votes by precincts in your county Precincts Won or Tied by FDP Candidates in 1966 primary Who to Write to in the Movement for Information ftoverasent Agencies to Write to for Information In a few days you will get information on the board of education election (November 8, 1967) and the school trustee election (March 4, 1967). Also, Duties and Qualifications of Officials Elected in 1SS7, and How to File Petitions to Run Candidates. *._ ; In about two weeks, handbooks on local government will be sent. ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS FOR THE USE OF PEOPLE IN THE MOVEMENT IN YOUR COUNTY. ~ ~~ ' If it should be sent to someone else, instead of you, please let us know right away. If you can use more copies of anything, tell us how many , ,~-ye% needjand the title of the paper. -~""'' Please let us know, too, if the information we send is "helpful. If you want to know more about a subject, write to a person listed on Who to Write to or to the Freedom Information Service. ". , ,..,, .. . ***** . •»•• .,-**-- H** If you have not sent back the information form we asked you to fill out a few weeks ago, please send i,t soon,. A second Mississippi Hewsletter will be coming out soon, ana your county should be represented. NOTE OUR HEW ADDRESS, written at the top of the page.
For peace and freedom, t MlMP0.kxii.u2- Ir counties with federal registrars, people can regiblex until Sepuwiber 24, 196b and be able to vote for Senator and Congressmen" This November 8. A lot can still be done ! ! FREEDOM INFORMATION SERVICE Box 120 Tougaloo, Mississippi 39174 August 16, 196b
Dear Community leader or Organizer, This is the second in a series of mailing by the Freedom Information Service. Most of the information will be about politics and elections, including the ASCS elections. The materials are sent to one or two people in each county to keep for the use of anybody who can use them. IMPORTANT: 1- The 7-page workbook on the county board of education is designed to be used in community meetings to get candidates and support for candidates in Beat 5 for the November election. I? you plan to run someone from Beat 5 this fall (see summary sheet for counties where this vote won't take place), write on the form below how many copies of the workbook you can use. They will be sent immediately. 2~ Petitions must be in for ASCS candidates by October 20. Ballots must be mailed back by November 14. Five community committeemen will be elected from every ASCS community. So there is not much time! Materials are being prepared and we are trying to get money for workshops. Please check in the form below if you will or will not be running farmers for the ASCS community committees. Also, how many farmers will you need leaflets for, to try and get out the vote? How many people in your county could hold local workshops on ASCS if there is money for them? EVERYBODY Please send the form below back to us as soon as possible. It will have to be First Come, First Served. So let us know right away what you'll need in order to WIN these elections.
This is for County. My name is We will D wi I no_ £~j run a candidate for Beat 5 member of the county board of education We can use ______copies of the board of ed. workbook. how many We will Q will not tZ3 run candidates in the ASCS election. We will need leaflets for people. how many There are people in this county who could workshops here : to get people to vote and run candidates for ASCS. PLEASE send this to F.I.S., Box 120, Tougaloo, Miss. 39174 * Per Cent of Negroes voting tot Freedom Candidate for U.S. Senator, Democratic Primary, June 7* 1966
Lrst District County Estimated Negro Votes for Whitley Per Cent Registration* ATTALA 1207 279 23 BOLIVAR 7162 904 13 CALHOUN 106 37 ;~~ 35 CARROLL 1420 523 37 CHICKASAW 543 112 21 CHOCTAW 176 11 CLAY ' 1695 492 29 LEFLORE 7560 1137 15 LOWNDES 1273 297 23 MONROE 672 138 21 MONTGOMERY 772 44 6 OKTIBBEHA 930 88 9 SUNFLOWER 2325 627 27 WASHINGTON 5935 121 2 WEBSTER 99 ii'icC'' 11 Total 31,823 5129 1i
Second District ALCORN 394 35 9 BENTON 906 246 27 COAHOMA 7216 1501 21 DESOTO 1667 539 32 GRENADA 2 1758 37 ITAWAMBA 30 66 20 LAFAYETTE 14 851 123 LEE 10 744 72 MARSHALL 2604 638 25 PANOLA 21 2452 512 PONTOTOC 10 216 22 PRENTISS 14 13 114 QUITMAN 1382 252 19 TALLAHATCHIE 161 1174 14 TATE 1429 83 6 TiPPAH 387 177 46 TISHOMINGO 128 55 71 TUNICA 505 37 7 UNION 298 91 31 10 YALOBUSHA. 239 24 Total 24,457 4,655 1
Third District /'DAMS 6005 1875 31 'i^MITE 995 373 37 CLAIBORNE 2306 1627 56 )PIAH 1v18 288 20 DUNKLIN 358 20 6 rOmity Estimated Negro Votes for Whitley Per Cei Registration* • IV ••' T ") * * Third Dfstrict (dont.) HINDS 16892 4647 28 JEFFERSON 2049 1717 84 UNCOLN 520 sa.&?5 ;34 PIKE 2417 ^18 TO WALTHALL 1293 290 22 WARREN 5229 1680 32 WILKINSON 121 162 '..'*! 34 Total 40,203 13,772 34%
> Fourth District -"5'. CLARKE 1026 376 37 HOLMS 4655: 1890 ::41 HUMPHREYS 1283 0;v 167 13 ISSAQUENA 491 '•wo 161 33. JASPER 1061 :,rv 200 : 20 KEMPER 36a of" 33 9 LAUDERDALE 5576.,, c,, 1358 24 LEAKE 849 . c 161 19 MADISON 6054 tC " 1284 21 NESHOBA 986~7:: """ "~ 301 3i;-- NEWTON 1127 213 19 NOXUBEE 1837 94 ••:. • • 5 •• •• RANKIN 1644, -.,,%• 489 30 SCOTT 105 \l' H7 2¥':'- SHARKEY 458 93 sr S ; • :; SIMPSON 1349.:v ,:•?;• 155 ir" ( SMITH 106 37 33 •'- WINSTON 757 171 '23 YAZOO 1053 61 6 ••' Total 31,441 7,391 249*
y, 0 Fifth District
" '"*! ' *• COVINGTON s 937., *r"s~ 74 8 FORREST 2064 . . ;. 929 45 ;. ; GEORGE - 124;,;:;,- wr 54 44 GREENE 264 : ••: .,,• 39 15 HANCOCK 514 ,:.,.. 62 12 HARRISON 4588 ]... v.w,.; 487 11 JACKSON 1436 r' 332 23 JEFF DAVIS 1833 v ,1(. 240 13 JONES 2110 | 665 32 IAMAR 178 , 51 29 •;' LAW RENCE ''.__.. - 4080---'--- "":r'T~45 4 MARION 1227 185 15 PEARL RIVER 474 55 12 PERRY 226 44 19 STONE 94 . A 39 41 WAYNE 370 ,-,- :K-:'"75 20 Total 17,519 , 3,376 19^ ""' *•—0 VQfT includes people whose race _[ <£J -!-"^1--TO pr^'- -* »- - *\v- - VOTER REGISTRATION FOR HINDS COUNTY. MISSISSIPPI
FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT Negroes Total Negroes Total Thru Thru July 9 Thru July 9 Thru Ward July 8, 1966 July 8 August 15 August 15 (Jackson) 1 963 76 3 0 2 446 0 1 0 3 256 2 0 0 4 388 2 0 0 5 1384 1085 8 6 6 715 2 2 0 7 1155 809 4 4 8 501 23 0 0 9 512 0 4 0 10 754 0 2 0 11 848 0 1 0 12 590 0 3 0 13 1055 1 4 1 14 801 2 7 0 15 407 0 2 0 16 912 0 4 0 17 958 0 6 0 18 672 0 3 0 19 934 0 7 0 20 1536 1 8 0 21 623 6 1 0 22 2978 1068 13 10 23 1783 1139 13 11 24 1455 998 9 5 25 1972 1102 8 7 26 1206 590 10 8 27 387 52 3 1 28 1423 744 5 3 29 1929 779 6 2 30 802 0 2 0 31 1258 0 5 0 32 1282 31 10 0 33 759 0 1 0 34 713 0 5 0 35 1064 0 3 0 36 745 2 5 0 37 643 1 4 0 38 655 2 3 0 39 517 161 7 6 40 736 405 7 7 .- 41 948 634 10 6 42 542 18 3 0 43 2404 1178 21 17 { 44 1824 376 17 8 45 2213 14 16 „ 0 Fl.S Negroes Total Negroes Ward Total Thru Thru July 9 Thru July 9 Thru July 8, 1966 July 8 August 15 August 15 • —v_ 46 663 10 2 0 47 857 229 3 1 48 479 98 2 0 49 345 120 2 0 50 276 20 0 0 51 786 0 3 1 52 1768 1 17 0 53 709 0 13 0 54 587 2 5 0 55 1096 1 17 0 56 389 0 2 0 57 564 0 3 0 58 746 2 6 0 59 157 0 1 0 60 415 0 5 0 61 663 2 8 0 62 595 0 10 0 63 979 124 11 2 64 514 0 5 0 65 1099 1 9 a 66 1676 0 21 0 67 687 0 3 0 68 1101 0 8 0 69 1004 3 11 0 70 629 0 10 0 Terry 770 75 7 1 Van Winkle #1 1218 365 15 7 Van Winkle #2 766 34 5 1 Flag Chapel 544 13 7 0 Twin Pines 462 88 10 3 Tinnin 195 57 0 0 Forest Hill 1496 44 20 0 Leavell Woods 143 6 1 0 Liberty Grove 869 186 23 6 Byram 643 14 5 0 Clinton 2030 210 18 3 Pocahontas 215 99 0 0 2nd Judicia. Edwards 1141 507 29 zu District Bolton 661 324 1 1 Brownsville 221 82 1 0 Newman 68 42 4 4 Dry Grove 138 27 3 3 Utica #1 763 183 6 6 Utica #2 686 313 16 13 Learned 383 195 11 11 Raymond #1 513 176 8 5 Raymond #2 777 204 7 3 Cayuga 166 98 2 2 dhapel Hill 183 140 3 3 TvrA-u 1*>, W5 15. 3?8 635 )f* MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY 802 G Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 5k6-ij.i4.50
SUNFLOWER COUNTY: A CALL TO ACTION
THE DECISION
On March 11, I966, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down an his toric decision invalidating the municipal elections in the town of Sunflower, Mississippi. This decision, which has gone almost unnoticed by the national press, is perhaps the most important court decree in the field of voting rights for it is the first invalidation of an election because a class of potential voters had been excluded.
The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party brought the suit in April of I965 shortly after a Federal Court ruled that the Sunflower County registrar had to register Negroes without administering literacy tests. The MFDP argued that the forthcoming municipal elections in Sunflower and five other towns in that county be postponed, because any Negroes registered under the new liberal requirements would be unable to vote due to the four-month waiting period required by state law. The District Court, which heard the case originally, found against the MFDP and the elections were held as scheduled. It was the MFDP appeal to the Circuit Court of Appeals that resulted in this historic decision to void the elections. The Court of Appeals has now remanded the case to the District Court for a decree that will set the new election dates in Sunflower city and for decision with regard to the other five towns in the county. (The question in these other five towns is merely technical — whether or not the plaintiffs had standing to bring the suit.)
Nationally, this decision sets a precedent for the voiding of elections that bar Negroes and sounds a warning to segregated politics. The Justice De partment hailed the decision saying This willingness of the Fifth Circuit to setoaside elections where Negroes have been excluded means that the registra tion of Negroes under the Voting Rights Act will not be just a paper right."
SUNFLOWER COUNTY
This case is vital for a number of reasons. Sunflower County has long been a symbol of Mississippi politics at its very worst. James 0. Eastland, Senator from Mississippi and chairman of tha Senate Judiciary Committee, makes his home in Sunflower and, -in fact, owns a 5,800 acre plantation there. Also found in Sunflower is Parchman State Penitentary — where Freedom Riders, civil rights demonstrators, and hundreds of others have been held, and often made to work on chain gangs.
To the Mississippi Negro, Sunflower is the archtype of his past and pres ent. Most of the county's Negro population -work the cotton fields of the plan tation owners. Cotton is king and no provision is made for alternative employ ment when cotton chopping jobs fall off. Between 1950 and i960 a 50 drop in agricultural jobs resulted in mass unemployment, the intensification of poverty and the migration of one fifth of the population from the county. Negroes who are employed make 30^ an hour in the cotton fields of $2.50 a day in the kitchens of the whites. Many live in shacks with no running water. The county has only one eighty-bed hospital to serve its ^5,000 citizens. A POVERTY PROGRAM IN SUNFLOWER
Sunflower County has received a $27,000 grant from the Office of Economic Opportunity for a Community Action Program. The administrator of the program is Bryce Alexander, the former police chief of Indianola. Alexander has stated in a deposition taken by MFDP lawyers during the Congressional Challenge that he had broken up voter registration meetings and arrested civil rights workers in Indianola. The appointment of Alexander to administer the Sunflower County pov erty program makes a mockeryco'f the whole intent of the program. The poor of Sunflower see no help coming to them from the program; further, the appointment of such an obvious symbol of past terror and degredation serves as a warning to them that any involvement in civil rights would mean automatieafexclusion from the program. Thus, the only evidence of federal presence in Sunflower County is a negative one — that of a so called poverty program run by a Mississippi chigf of police.
MFDP PLANS FOR ACTION
Following notice of this decision, Sunflower County MFDP held a meeting at which 109 members were present. At that time it was decided to run candi dates for all local offices; to request a state-wide MFDP concentration on the Sunflower elections; and to wire Attorney General Katzenbach immediately re questing a sufficient number of federal examiners to effectuate the decision.
The State Executive Committee has endorsed this program and.is developing plans for an intensive effort in Sunflower, calling for national support to defeat Eastland in hie home county. Some FDP Executive Committee members have already gone into Sunflower to aid in the registration drive.
The Sunflower decision presents a unique opportunity to the MFDPk It is the flrat modern:law suit of this type to be won, and it calls for elec tions which the MFDP can win. Both the town and the county of Sunflower kave over a 6C$ Negro majority. A victory in Eastland's backyard vill give hope and alternatives to the thousands of Negroes who, out of fear, have still .not registered. This campaign, with the MFDP's state-wide concentration, will be the base for the congressional race against Jamie Whittea and the state cam paign, against Eastland.
MFDP CALLS FOR ACTION
Friends in the North are called upon to help by immediately:
1. Wiring or writing Attorney General Katzenbach demanding .that mobile federal registrars and federal protection be sent to Sunflower, for now that the last "legal" outlet for discrimination has been closed, thtre is great fear tshat the racists will turn to violence.
2. Wiring or writing Sargent Shriver of the 0EO demanding the removal of former police chief 7*»ryce Alexander from his position as director of the Sunflower County poverty program.
3. Visiting or writing your congressman asking that mobile federal registrars be immediately assigned to Sunflower; that Alexander be removed; and that federal protection be given the people of Sunflower County. h. Raising funds for the Sunflower campaigns.
5« Contacting organizations in your community for support of the Sunflower campaigns.
c- Enclosed with this mailing is a post card on which you ean indicate the steps you are taking on behalf of the Sunflower campaigns. If you would like to request speakers for meetings, rallies, or fund-raising parties, or addi tional copies of the reprints or this bulletin, please indicate this on the card. VBV..,,
FACT SHEET ON SUNFLOWER COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
The population of Sunflower'County is ^5,750 — Ik,730' whites and 31,02<"> Negroes. Negroes make up 67.8$ of the total population and 60.6$ of the voting-age popu lation (8,785 whites and 13,52k •Negroes).
In"1960,- nnly~1.2$ of the-oonnty^s "voting-age-Negrf»es~were-registered- to- votej in 196k, %; and presently about ik^.
•Sunflower-County is in. the heart of "the -Mississippi'Delta. The--economy is based on cotton, with about 7C$ of the labor force employed in agriculture. 90$-of tbe--Negro£-s employed ...in- farming are non-ewners laborers, and tenaxrts.— between 1950 and i960, the -number of agricultural jobs fell off kd^-, which accounted.for the.migration of 2.<% of the population from the-county....-This - trend eccelarates. The- Mississippi Bureau of Employment Security predict that this -spring 6,500 tractor drivers will be out of jobs -in.the Delta- The number of unskilled-laborers- without .jobs will be. many'times that • number.
Poverty is the rule in Sunflower. For Negroes, the median income per person is $1^3 a.year .--Most of those Negroes who are employed work in the cotton fields for 30^ an hour or in kitchens for 2C# an hour. Over half of the homes in Sunflower have inadequate plumbing and well over a third have no running water. There is only one 8Cf-bed hospital in Sunflower to-serve the county's population.
Sunflower County is the birth.place of the White Citisens' Councils and the • home of Senator Eastland. Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer also hails from this, county. -'
The average number of years in school completed by the Negro citizens of Sun flower is k.7. A comparison of Negro and white infant mortality rates for the_ .year of I963 shows that almost 2-g- times more Negroes die within one year-of birth than white children.
On .February 7, 1966, the Office of "Economic Opportunity announced-a $27^704' grant to Sunflower County Progress, Inc., for use in developing a program in that county. The director of the program is Bryce Alexander, former police ...chief of Indianola (Sunflower County). In testimony taken by MFDP lawyers dur ing the Congressional Challenge, Mr. Alexander admitted under oath that he had broken up voter registration meetings and jailed civil.rights-workers .for dis- . trihuting'leaflets.
Sunflower-City: Population 650, about 70$ Negro. Majority of Negrces are on • -welfare. Registered Negroes (estimate) 25$. A number of whites who are not eligible for municipal elections are registered.. Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party 802 G St. SE Washington, DC
To all media; for Immediate Roloaso For futhor information, call 5^6-14450
MFDP ANNOUNCES HISTORIC DECISION IN SUNFLOWER MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS CASE AND DEMANDS FEDERAL REGISTRAR FOR THAT COUNTY Washington, D. C, March 16, 1966 Last Friday, the U. S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a historic decision in the Sunflower County, Mississippi elections case. The decision, based on a suit brought by tho Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, invalidated the municipal elections in the town of Sunflower and specifically directed that the District Court order new olections in that city. The Court also tentatively decreed new elections for five other cities in Sunflower County.
The principles governing the new elections, to be held In Senator Eastland's home county are: 1. Hold new primaries and general elections 2. Set up a new cutoff date for voter registration 3. Set new cutoff dates for filing as candidates in the primaries l\.. Require only one poll tax payment which can be mado up to \\$ days prior to the election.
Justice Officials yesterday hailed this unprecedented decision saying "This willingness of the Fifth Circuit to set aside elections where Negroes have been excluded means the registration of Negroes under the Voting Rights Act will not be just a paper right." (New York Times, March 16, p. I).3)
The Mississippi Freedom Democratis Party demanded that the Attorney General guarantee the right to vote in the new elections to all citizens of that county by a n immediate assignment of a federal registrar to Sunflower. Mrs. Gray, Director of the Washington Office of the MFDP, stated today in a telegram to the Attorney General that "immediate assignment of federal examiners is imperative to effectuate the court's decision." Mrs. Gray further stated that the "patterns of registration of the last six months clearly demonstrate that the presence of federal registrars is the only way that voting Page 2 MFDP Demands Registrar for Sunflower rights guaranteed by federal legislation become a reality."
Prior to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, seven percent of Sunflower County's 13,521}. Negroes were registered to vote. Negroes make up 60 % of the voting age population of that county. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party of Sunflower County has called a'meeting to discuss stratogy for tho now olootions. .
-30, MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY Washington Office: 507!4 NORTH FARISH STREET 802 G STREET, S.E. JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - 39202 WASHINGTON, D. C. 20003 TV.I».nl>«n«.; (fin!) 352-9128 Telephone: 1202) .146-4450
SUNFLOWER DECISION HERALDED
Death Sentence for Political Segregation The decision of the U. S. Court of Ap The elections in five other towns In peals, Fifth Circuit, setting aside recent Sunflower County (the name of the couiity municipal elections in the hamlet of Sun- and the municipality are the same) wf;re flower, Miss., merits as much attention as also disputed before the court, but 'no the recent Supreme Court decision uphold Negroes from these communities were ing the Voting Rights Act Itself. parties to the suit. The court ruled that The Fifth Circuit ordered new elections new elections must also be held in the because Negroes had been denied the vote other towns ii representative Negro plain r through discrimination for "many, many tiffs can be found. This k a .job for the jaittbutu? years," in the county where the White civil rights organizatipns which heroically Ketafo< Citizens Councils were born. Thus it tells won the theoretical right to the ballot, Editorial the arch-segregationists that political but must how 'assure that these ballots segregation is, to Ijorrow a phrase from are actually cast and counted if political Friday, March 18 the criminal courts, dead-dead-dead. segregation'is to be indeed dead-dead-dead.
ELECTION RULING IN SOUTH HAILED
Mississippi Vote Invalidated ing age and 13,524 Negroes. Eighty per cent of the whites for Exclusion of Negroes were registered and 1.1 per cent of the Negroes. Battle Over Primary Special to The New York Times WASHINGTON, March 15 — Last April a Federal court A court decision of last week ordered local officials to stop that invalidated a Mississippi discriminating against Negroes election because Negro voters who wished to register and were excluded will give impor vote, and more than 300 were tant support to the Voting quickly added to the voting Rights Act, Federal officials rolls. However, the Negroes said today. were still denied ' the right to The decision, which nearly vote in the Democratic primary went unnoticed when it was set for the next month because handed down Friday, threw out state law said voters must reg the 1965 municipal elections of ister at least two months before Sunflower, Miss.—the home of an election. Senator James O. Eastland, the Th.; Negroes asked the Fed segregationist Democrat. eral District Court to delay the The decision was reached by election until the two-month pe the United States Court of Ap riod passed, but this was deniel peals for the Fifth Circuit, at and the election was held. New Orleans, Wx-iting an opinion for the Officials in the Civil Rights unanimous three-judge panel, Division of the Justice Depart Judge John R. Brown said this ment stud this appeared to be meant "the [Negro} voters must the first time that an election simply be told to wait four had been set aside because po more years." He said the denial tential voters had been excluded. of a stay "cannot be justified in the name of equity." "This willingness of the Fifth Circuit to set aside elections Judge Brown sent the case 'where Negroes have been ex back to the District Court, cluded means the regstration of where arrangements must be Negroes under the Voting Rights made for a new election. THE NEW YORK TIMES, Act will not be just a paper The elections of five other right," said Stephen J. Pol towns in Sunflower County were WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1966. lack, first assistant to the head also disputed by the Negro of the Civil Rights Division. plaintiffs but no Negroes from According to Friday's deci those communities participated sion, Negroes had been denied as parties to the suit. Judge the vote through discrimination Brown ruled that new elections for "meany, many years" in must be held there, also, if rep Sunflower County. The county resentative Negro plaintiffs who has S.7S3 white persons of vot iive there can be fnna»» HOW TO PERPETUATE THE RACIST POWER STRUCTURE IN MISSISSIPPI USING FEDERAL FUNDS....
OR
THE ATLANTA REGIONAL OEO IN ACTION
(Materials for a case study of the Jackson, Mississippi, Community Action Program)
Prepared by:
Ted Seaver, Co-ordinator of the Community Development Agency, Michael Schwerner Memorial Fund; and Nancy Levin, Legislative Chair man, Mississippi League of Women Voters in conjunction with the HCCC (Hinds County Community Council)
June 14, 1966 1131 Corinth St. Jackson, Mississippi INTRODUCTION For over a year and a half, beginning in December, 1964, groups of one kind or another have been manuverlng for the establishment of a Community Action Program in Jackson, Mississippi. Hovering godlike over the fray has been the Atlanta Regional 0E0, snug in their consensus minded Olympus, fearlessly ignoring the needs, wishes, ambitions, anger and frustration of the poor, cautiously avoiding contamination by the white liberals and moderates, always nudging towards control of the Community Action Board by the most racist members of the power structure. Herein are the materials for a case study of the process- sometimes objective, sometimes angry, but evidence, we think, of why the aims and ideals of the Community Action Program are doomed to failure in Mississippi, unless the 0E0 reapraises itself radically and is willing to work directly with the poor peoples of Mississippi. Ironically, this report was the result of a partnership that could be the most effective in Mississippi if given a chance—outside agitators, white Mississippi liberals, and the poor peoples. June 14, 1966 Jackson, Mississippi
(Photostats of orginal documents and primary sources such as newspaper clippings, letters, etc. are available from the Community Development Agency of the Michael Schwerner Memorial Fund, 1131 Corinth St. Jackson, Mississippi) SPECIAL REPORT I Racist Background of the Community Services Association; (Jackson, Mississippi Community Action Program)
.*• In understanding the influence of the White Citizens" Council upon the present Community Services Association, which is the , Jackson, Mississippi CAP, there are two points to keep in minds (1) The difficulty of obtaining informations Citizens0 Council membership roles are not open to the public. The only information available is that found in news clippings and letterheads. Only the names of officers or prominent members are listed in those sources. This factor has limited our research. C- (2) The replacement element] Some of the original incorpor ators ("see supplement #1), those wha promoted the charter ;_ for the original all-white board, later designated others to represent them. Thus the replacements are lesser lights and more difficult to find in news clips although they may well be playing active roles with racist groups. Let us begin by viewing the two incorporators who set up the charter for Governor Johnson (said charter registered June 16, 1965). These men, attorn~yst are well-publicized members of the segre gationist white power structure. Their names are Dan Shell and Shelby Rogers. Dan Shell is a member of the Satterfleld, Shell, Williams and Buford law firm which represents the city of Jackson...this means that they have fought all city suits against the integration Of schools and public facilities. We can assume they share Mayor Allen Thompson's avowedly segregationist views and his unwilling ness to meet with bi-raoial groups. Satterfleld, partner to Shell, is Secretary-Treasurer of the Committee on Fundamental Freedoms; this committee received money from the State Sovereignty Commission '(Mississippi0s Watchdog on Segregation). The Sovereignty Commission*. in effect,lobbied against the 1964 Civil Rights Bill through this committee. Satterfleld is also an advisor to Ross Barnett . On June 14„ 1966, the Clarion Ledger listed Dan H. Shell as chairman of the Legal Advisory Committee for the Jackson Citizens" Council. '"Shelby Rogers is a member of the firm of Watkins & Eager. This firm is closely tied to Satterfleld, Shell, Williams and Buford. Watkins is also a city attorney active in (against) those eases which involove civil rights; he is an advisor to the State Sov- 3igr.*-y Commission. Shelby Rogers w® co-chairman of the Paul B. Johnson gubernatorial campaign in 19635 Johnson stated during this campaign that "white supremacy and one-party rule is the only way to maintain segregation and racial purityJ" This is precisely the position taken by the White Citizens Council. We can safely assume that the ten Governor0s Colonels who are members of the current Community Services Association Board also support this position. Shelby Rogers is still, evidently, involved in C.S.A. matters; this past week an individual citizen went to see Tom Scott, the newly elected chairman for C.S.A. in order to get some information.... Mr. Scott admitted knowing little about the poverty program and told * Shelby Rogers is State Park Commission chairman; the parks have >"3en segregated. 2. he visitor several times during the conversation that the man to see was Shelby Rogers. Ray Cannada of Edwards is a member of the White Citizens' Council Board of Directors. He is chairman of the State Game and Fish Commission and is on the Board of Directors of the Pearl"River Basin Development District. Cannada0s position on the C.S.A. board was taken by (or given to) Cecil Robbins, Mayor of Edwards and president of the Bank of Edwards. Baxter Wilson, one of the original C.S.A. Board members, is a Director of the Mississippi Power andLight Company, a member of the Mid-South Utilities Board (this controls M.P.&L.), member of the board of the Deposit Guaranty National Bank and Trust Company, a member of the Agricultural and Industrial Board (which loans money to new industries through bond issues), on the board of the Research and Development Council and was one of the chief sponsors of the Carlton Putnam Day Dinner. Carlton Putnam is the author of Race and Reason, a book which purports to show the mental inferiority of Negroes. Race and Reason is highly touted by the White Citizens0 Council. Mr. Wilson was later "replaced" by L.B. Hilbun of the Deposit Guar anty Bank and Alex Rogers of Mississippi Power & Light; both replacements are Aides-de-Camp to the Governor. T.M. Hederman, on the original all-white C.S.A. committee, publishes both of Jackson0s two dailies. These newspapers have taken a line which is consistently anti-poverty, anti-LBJ, and anti-civil rights. These papers published and are publishing many vicious stories about all those poverty programs which are not under the control of local politicians or local power people. W.O. McDowell, a member of the current C.S.A.,is a Gover nor's Colonel who is presently representing Southern Bell Tel. and Tel. He is also on the Board of Directors of the White Cit izens' Council. Marvin Collum, a Governor's Colonel, represents the First National Bank, is on the Mississippi Penitentiary Board, was_,until this past month,Treasurer of the Jackson Citizen0s Council.
Summarys Thus we find that the original motivation for C.S.A. is White Citizens" Council and racist. We find also that ten of the present members are Governor"s Colonels who most probably support Paul Johnson's racist line which is (or was) identical to that of the Citizens0 Council and that at least several men on the present board are controlled by or are exponents of the Citizens' Council. AND THIS GROUP WAS FUNDED BY THE ATLANTA REGIONAL O.E.Ot111iItII HI
Note: The thirteen Negroes on this board were selected from a list presented by a few Negro leaders who are acceptable to the white power people; they were selected by the whites who had and still have control over this C.S.A. board. These Negroes are considered "safe" or they wouldn°t have been among the chosen few from the longer list. #1 ORIGINAL COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSOCIATION BOARD All White
G..C#* " JL. George McLendon; Former pres. Jackson-Hinds Jr. College 2. Evelyn Gandy;Commissioner, Welfare..Bilbo machine 3. Mr. Alvis; School Board 4. Col. Jimmie Davis; Selective Service G.C. 5. T.M. Hederman;publisher,only two dailies.,.R.D. Council* 6. T.B. Fatheree; Farm Home Administration 7. Charles Lenz; YMCA..segregated 8. R, Peets; Miss. School Supply 9. Tom Scott, Jr.; Chamber of Commerce, banker 10.Baxter Wilson; Miss.Pow.& Light, A.41.*, R.&D. Council G.C. 11.Mr. Clarence Lott; South. Bell Tel.&£el., R.&D. Council 12.Dr. Geo, Riley; Hinds County Health Dept. 13.B.Y. Hennington; Democrat,Natl. Comm...Barnett,Johnson wkr. G.C. 14.Ray Cannada; Game & Fish Comm. Chairman..P.R. B.D.board* G.C. 15.A.S. Payne (edwards) G.C. 16.Attorney Hayes (Utica) 17.Mrs. David Callahan (Clinton) G.C. 18.Marvin GibsonJ Contractor G.C. 19.Marvin Collum; Banker...Penitentiary Board..Citizens Council G.C. 20.J.W. Roberts; Banker 21.Max Allen; Banker G.C. 22. Walter Helums; Unemployment Securities Comm. 23. ? *G.C.. .Governor's Colonel *R. & D. Council....Research and Development Council *A. &. I. Board....Agricultural and Industrial Board *P.R.B.T. Board..... Pearl River Basin Development Board Narrative Description of the C.S.A..1966
Among the twenty white board members are a total of fif teen people who represent the status quo, the power structure, the segregationist line, the past with a capital 'P3. Ten of these, a number which shocks us to the core, are listed in the Mississippi Official and Statistical Register for 1964-68 as Aides-de Camp or Governor's Colonels. This means they were (are) faithful campaign workers or big contributors or people hav ing political influence who all, in one way or another, support the governor in important ways. You may remember that Paul B. Johnson ran a racist campaign this last time, which was his third attempt, while his most serious opponent, J,P. Coleman, played the moderate game. Interestingly, Coleman beat Johnson in the first primary in Hinds County; Johnson0s Colonels, then, may rep* resent, vis-a-vis their segregationist views, a minority in this county. One colonel was listed as a farmer (see Exhibit A), which is scmbthing of an understatement as he is owner of a large plan tation and part owner of a large plantation corporation which owns 30 square miles of land in Hinds County. His pay scale is $3.00 per day for field hands and $4.00 per day for tractor drivers, A day is ten or twelve hours. This man is also the segregationist mayor of a small town with a Negro majority; interviews with a few Negroes in this area indicate a widespread belief that he is a member of the White Citizen's Council and that many of his as sociates appear to be Klan Members. When the Negroes in his town were boycotting a certain cold drink because the company refused to hire Negroes as anything but truck drivers, this man told all the Negro store owners they had to buy and sell this drink whether they wanted to or not..or he°d take it out of their hides. This "farmer" is still on the C.S.A. board. Another colonel is also mayor of his little town (having a Negro majority) and is president of the town bank. His prac tice (typical of the small-town Mississippi banker) is never to loan money directly to Negro farmers, but to loan money to the merchants who advance the '•'furnishings" (usually at exorbitant prices) to the Negro who somehow never seems to get out of debt. One of the Negro ministers is not a member of either of the two large Negro ministerial groups. Another minister does not function as a minister at all but is chiefly a businessman; he has been a political candidate and is also a self-appointed front man for the Negro Community even though he has been attacked on this very issue during mass meetings by his own people. One white member is a political figure and has worked for Ross Barnett and Paul Johnson. One of the labor representatives (white) is not known to the feead of the state board of the AFL^CIO who was not asked to join C.S.A. because he has been active with liberal groups in the State. 2.
One Negro member who works for the state in a position where she can give help or not to indigent Negroes just as she and the state please is also on the board of HELP. When a group brought some complaints to her she said she was put on the board as a figure-head and that she wasn°t going to rock the boat by carrying the complaints to the right place because it might cost her her job. This present C.S.A. board has ignored groups which have participated or been active in bi-racial affairs, such as the United Churchwomen, the Council on Human Relations and the League oftfomen Voters, It has no members of either the Catho lic or Jewish faith. It avoided getting members from either of the two settlement-house projects in Hinds which serve low- income families...the Bethlehem Center and the Medgar Evers Neighborhood Guild (the only integrated state-licensed day care center in the county). It has deliberately avoided getting even white moderates on its board and has made every effort to keep out those people, Negro and white, who have stood up and who are standing up for all those principles O.E.O. talks and writes about.
Finally, the white businessmen and bankers on this board represent almost entirely segregated institutions. Almost half Of this board represents banking, big business or private en deavor. ..three groups not known, here at least, for their prior interest in poverty. This board has been extraordinarily close- mouthed, even down-right secretive, about its activities. It has yet to have a public meeting. All of its plans seem to have been concocted by a few members of its executive committee.
"V EXHIBIT A Present Community Services Association Jackson, Miss., 1966
Banks, Businesses. Private Endeavors 1. R.B. Boutwell, Jr.; Jackson-Hinds Bank 2. Tom Scott, Jr.; First Federal Savings & Loan 3. Marvin Collum; W.C.C.*,G.C*First National Bank, P.Board* 4. L.B. Hilbun; G.C* Deposit Guaranty Bank 5. J.W. Roberts ...G.C* Deposit ..Guaranty Bank 6. Cecil Robbins.. G.C* Bank of Edwards, Mayor 7. Marvin Gipson G.C* Contractor;Unfair Employer list 8. W.O. McDowell; W.C.C.*,G.C* Southern Bell Tel.4 Tel. 9. Alex Rogers; G.C* Mississippi Power & Light 10.A.S. Payne; G.C* Gaddis Farms, Mayor of Bolton, plantation owner. •- . •-.> ll.B.Y. Hennington; Dem. Committeewoman,Barnett wkr. Real Estate Broker 12.Randolph Peets? Mississippi School Supply, .almost a monopoly 13.R.L.T. Smith (Negro) Banker,Gocery, 1962 candidate for Congress 14.E.L. Lipscomb (Negro) Insurance Company
Unions 1. J. E. Anderson Labor 2. Louis Turner. Cement & Plasterers' Union 3. John L. Erickson Electrical Workers Union Professional..Private 1. Robert Smith, M.D. (Negro) »-„ 4. Attorney Jack Young (Negro) 2. A.H. McCoy, D.D.S. (Negro) 5. Attorney Wm. Hayes... .G.C* Ministers 1. Christoph Keller.. .Episcopal .'-•; 2. W.P Taylor (Negro).Methodist Education 1. A.A. Alexander.' State Director, Negro Education.. (Negro)
2. Geo. McLendon <*x-president, Jackson-Hinds Jr. Coll.9G.C. Welfare Fed. Agencies 1. Natalie Dunn...Head,Welfare 1. Col. J.Davis; SjpJr-. dernfiC. 2. Lucille Price.. (Negro). .retired 2.T.B.Fatheree,F.H.ii. Services (Clubs) Private Individuals 1. Charles Lenz, YMCA 1.Mrs.Dave Callahan 2. Nellie Williams CSC (Negro) 2.Mrs G. Denson (Negro) Health Dept. (County) Home Dem.Agent (County) 1. Dr. Geo. Riley 1. Sadie Hill (Negro) Brief History of Local Moderate-Liberal Activities on Behalf of a Jackson Community Action Program (Synopsis of a report written by Dr. A.D. Beittel, American Friends Service Committee, Jackson, Miss.)
In December, 1964, Dr.A.D. Beittel called together a small bi-racial group consisting of Rev. R.L.T. Smith, leader in the Negro communityj Rev. Donald Thompson*, white minister of the First Unitarian Church', Mr. Kenneth Crooks| Miss Jewel- dean Jont.;* and Mr. James Johnson for the purpose of discussing the Economic Opportunity Act. Their real goal was to attempt to get state officials interested in setting up workshops on the anti-poverty programs.Only the two ministers and Dr. Beit tel were local people; the others were from the National Urban League. «
After a number of unsuccessful attempts to get the atten tion of state officials, Dr. Beittel and Rev. Thompson set up another meeting at the Unitarian Church; this group was also bi-racial and very small. This group planned to contact Mr. Gene Triggs of the A. & I. board who was supposed to be the temporary contact for all Mississippi poverty programs. Although a number of moves were made in Triggs' direction, in the form of visits, telephone calls and letters, it required one month to get a written statement from him which explained that no staff appointments had been made for an O.E.O. Mississippi office and therefore, "there will be no advisory committee". Dr. Beittel received this letter on February 18, 1965; he then determined to call still a third meeting to discuss the need for a workshop on poverty programs with a broader group invited to participate.
*Rev. Thompson was shot from ambush in the parking lot of his downtown apartment in the summer of 1965. ho arrests to dat~. 2.
Between receipt of Triggs' letter and this third meeting the local newspaper announced the appointment of Martin Fraley to the brand-new Mississippi O.E.O. office. The governor named Mr. Fraley, who had been chairman of the Probation a~d Parole Board, to this post in spite of a number of complaints by news men and citizens that Fraley was unfit to take the job; this appointee had been accused of receiving money in some sort of "pay-off" in a scandal involving a number of Parchman people and a "trusty" who left the state under peculiar circumstances. This same gentleman agreed to attend the Beittel meeting at the hotel ^eidleberg. During this third attempt to gain community support, Mr. R. Igzelle, president of the local Chamber of Commerce, -stated that a community advisory committee required more influential members (than those who were present?) and said that he would try to bring in several if the group would agree to delay ^)lans until after he had met with some men he planned to see at a luncheon on March 15. These men were Nat Rogers and Robert Hearin, two prominent bankers; and Sherwood Vise, a leading attorney. The group agreed to delay. After what seemed to be a very long waiting period, Dr. Beittel qhecked back with Mr. Robert Ezelle on the results of his luncheon meeting. Unfortunately, the latter reported there was no great• enthusiasm on the part of these three influential gentlemen for a poverty workshop. This rejection promoted a flurry of meetings on the pp.rt of the embryonic advisory committee with the result that Ezelle approached his trio once more. This time the report came back that the three were ready to support a community action com mittee but were"not inclined to support a state-wide workshop on 3. the anti-poverty program". Ezelle then went to the Chamber of Commerce with the endorsement of the two bankers and the attorney, Mr. Wise. . The Chamber of Commerce Board approved the notion of a community action program and sent a small committee to the mayor for his approval of the project. The mayor did not publicly endorse the plan because he was th3n involved in a political cam paign. Next, the Chamber of Commerce committee called a meeting at the First National Bank bldg., inviting Dr. Beittel's people to participate. Other persons attending made a total of twenty-five. Robert Ezelle presided. Because of some difficulties in agreeirg on the number of Negroes and whites necessary for a CAP board, Mr. Ezelle made the suggestion that there be a board of twenty... ten whites and ten Negroes. A nominating committee of four from ""»0h race was appointed, making a total of eight, with each group gitren the duty of nominating ten members.
When the two nominating committees came together at a pubs*- quent meeting more names were presented but no lecision was made concerning changing the size of the board. After this meeting several white committee members raised objections to one or two names presented by the Negro group. When the next meeting was called it was discovered by the whites who called the meeting that +•'—"objectionable" people had not been dropped by the Negro grc* "j ....this meeting was then postponed so that the Negroes could "take action on the objeotionable members"..and when the Negroes again refused to back down the meeting was postponed indefinitely.(Much later some of the apparently "safe" Negroes were asked to participate) Dr. Beittel held a number of conversations with Ezelle, Wise, 4.
Hearin and Rogers requesting that the "postponed" meeting be oalled. Because he had absolutely no success with this he called another group together July 29 and used the Parish St. Baptist Church (Negro) as a meeting place. This group was essentially a Negro and white moderate group with few ex ceptions. (See attachment #2.) (Meanwhile, Governor Johnson had signed a charter for the Community Service Association and it was registered June 16, 1965; the men responsible for this effort which was initiated by the power structure were attorneys Dan Shell and Shelby Rogers neither of whom has the confidence of either the white moderate or the Negro communities (see Special Report, sheet 3). The early, or original, C.S.A. was all-white, primarily segregationist. (See attached sheet #1).) At the con clusion of the Farish St. meeting, the Rev. R.I.T.Smith was asked to write a letter to Dan Shell requesting a meeting (see attachment #3), This Invitation was not accepted and Rev. Smith was advised that a group of 23 white persons acceptable to Gov ernor Johnson and Messrs. Shell and Rogers had been named (#1).
When a constitution and by-laws had been drawn up by the all-white group, then a few Negroes were asked to send nomin ations from their community. Of course this ploy left out any hope of having participation by either white moderates or white liberals. When the Negroes sent in their twenty three names for approval, only twelve of these were found acceptable; this made a total of thirty-five on the new CAP board. (Notes The composition was then over two-thirds white segregationist and one-third "acceptable" Negro. After some pressures from some where, the white membership was changed somewhat, but the make-up 5. of the present board is so similar to the original group that we may assume it is still acceptable to to its incor porators .
Further History In September, 1965, the C.S.A. board met and formally elected Col. Jimmie Davis chairman. Col. H.T. Frank was sug gested for the post of Director (evidently no chances were being taken on having anyone actually compete for the job). Except for a brief announcement in the local paper concerning the funding of a Headstart program uner C.S.A. in April, 1966 there was no public news on Jackson's CAP activities. In May a brief article appeared in the local Sunday news stating that the O.E.O.- had funded C.S.A. This did not appear to be an official announcement from Washington, but was given out by the Atlanta Regional Office of O.E.O. During the second week of June Col. H.T, Frank stated in a meeting open to a few selected community members that C.S.A. would open its offices in the First National Bank bldg. on Monday, June 13. The following week he still had no office due to "certain misunderstandings", he said, on the part of some individuals involved in the CAP on a local level. He also admitted there were "other matters to iron out".
In many cities the political and civic struggles so natural to Federal presentation of monies are plainly printed in local newspapers and discussed on radio and television. Un fortunately, in Mississippi the murder of public trust is done behind closed doors. The abundant misuse of Mississippi's otn 6. public funds is one matter, but the flagrant violation of O.E.O.'s basic principles to the tune of millions of dollars is quite another. The fact that all those millions come from the pockets of taxpayers all over the country should give both the taxpayer and his congressional representatives much to think about. To conclude this report we should like to quote from Dr. Beittel's lengthier one; " If the Community Action Pro gram is to be run as an arm of the economic and political power structure, the present organization (*C.S.A.) meets the need....that is, the need of the power structure, not of the poor." Finally....we dare to,ask..,.Is it true what they say down in Dixie that the anti-poverty programs are the world»s biggest boondoggle?????????????????? #1 ORIGINAL COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSOCIATION BOARD All White
G..C#* " JL. George McLendon; Former pres, Jackson-Hinds Jr. College 2. Evelyn Gandy;Commissioner, Welfare,.Bilbo machine 3. Mr. Alvis; School Board 4. Col, Jimmie Davis; Selective Service G.C, 5» T.M. Hederman;publisher,only two dailies,,,R,D. Council* 6. T.B. Fatheree; Farm Home Administration 7. Charles Lenz; YMCA..segregated 8. R. Peets; Miss. School Supply 9. Tom Scott, Jr.; Chamber of Commerce, banker 10.Baxter Wilson; Miss.Pow.& Light, A.&I.*, R.&D. Council G.C. 11.Mr. Clarence Lott; South. Bell Tel.&f-el., R.&D. Council 12.Dr, Geo. Riley; Hinds County Health Dept. 13.B.Y. Bennington; Democrat,Natl. Comm...Barnett,Johnson wkr. G.C. 14.Ray Cannada; Game & Fish Comm. Chairman..P.R. B.D.board* G.C. 15.A.S. Payne (edwards) G.C. 16.Attorney Hayes (Utica) 17.Mrs. David Callahan (Clinton) G.C. 18,Marvin Gibson; Contractor G.C. 19.Marvin Collum; Banker...Penitentiary Board..Citizens Council G.C. 20.J.W. Roberts; Banker 21.Max Allen; Banker G.C. 22. Walter Helums; Unemployment Securities Comm. 23. ? *G.C....Governor's Colonel *R. & D. Council....Research and Development Council *A. &. I. Board....Agricultural and Industrial Board *P.R.B.T. Board Pearl River Basin Development Board ATTACHMENT 3. 1072 Lynch St. Jackson, Mississippi .---. ... July 30, 1965 v § Mr.- Shelby R. Rogers Attorney at Law Jackson, Mississippi 5 i 1 Dear'Mr. Rogerss A group of representative citizens of Jackson* who are interest ed in implementing the provisions "of the Economic Opportunity Act met thursday, July 29, 1965 for the purpose of working out some plans, by which our community may avail itself of the oppor tunities provided- under the -act.
; '> • • t After discussing the matter at length the* group came to the decision that it would be in the be*st interest of the community that a larger -;roup of interested citizens of the community meet with you, Mr. Dan Shell, and other citizens whom you •••-. feel would be interest;:! at a mutually agreed upon time and place. I was instructed to convey the decision of this group to you with the hope that this rill meet with your approval and that you will propose the time c.r.l place" of this meeting very soon.
Sincerely yours,
... * Rev. R.L.T. Smith Temporary Chairman •j Mr. Dan"Shell
.Copy of letter to Mr. Rogers, indicating key role they(Shelby u..i Rogers) played in the formation and organ!ration of the Community Service Association—see special report on racist background of the C.S.A.) Hinds County Community Council 1525 Booker Street Jackson, Mississippi
Mr. Frank Sloan Southeast Regional Director Office of Economic Opportunity 101. Marietta Street, N.W. Atlanta, Georgia Dear Mr. Sloans This letter is one we have prepared following the telegram we sent you on May 2?th indicating our opposition to the funding of Community Service Association. You may remember that we also re jected the special conditions attached to the funding announcement. It is our feeling that either you are not aware of the kind of board you are funding or alse you are hoping for some kind of miracle that will transform those people whose only concern1 has been maintenance of the status quo. Surely there must be some one, in your offioe who is aware of the Realities of Mississippi and is concerned with letting the poor people have half a chance. We have lived here all our lives and we know why our lives are like they are. Over 2,000 of us have organized ourselves into commu nity groups and elected representatives because of our faith an^d hope in the poverty progaans. We read words about two of the goals of this program being maximum feasible participation of the poor and the stimulation of change; we feel these two goals are impossible with the present board and its past history. Our position is that the Community Service Association is un healthy, impossibly political and probably illegal as set forth in your guidelines. You have asked us to trust you and to make compromise in order to get a good board set up. We tried to do just this; we talked with them and let you know the results of those talks. We indicated our willingness to set up a proper board. They have yet to respond tO ;US. (2) r~AX' first..response to us was a letter dated May 10 and received by us on May 24; you were evidently not in a hurry to let us know what you and C.S.A. had decided for us. Mr. Zeirden wouldn't ans wer pur numerous phone calls. C.S.A. did not invite any of ,ur representatives to their meeting eventhough they told someone in your i office that this would be done. Now you have funded them. You are responsible for funding them. You brokei faith with us and yet you ask us to cooperate with you in a plan which still leaves all the contr&lin the hands of a predominantly white, political, segregationist board. We are supposed to be happy -.i ith this. We are supposed to trust those who have very recently proven themselves untrustworthy. Mr. Sloan, if you were poor and black would you be happy and cooperperative and trusting with a board like the present one? We are enclosing some information on the history and makeup of tnis C.S.A, board along with our recommendations for what we feel would be a more effective and representative board. We also in cludes a brief analysis of the composition of thai board. It is possible to have a representative board in Hinds bounty, one which would follow the guidelines. If you really wish to back this kind of board, one which would be friendly or at least openminded to O.E.O. goals, you will find it necessary to withdraw your support from C.S.A. Our suggestions are as follows; • 1. The board would be composed of three main gropps making a total of 40 people. :2. Fifteen persons would be elected from the five supervisory beats in Hinds County, three from each one. They would be elected from the low income population of that baat and the elections would be held at public meetings with plenty of ad vance publicity about the kind of elections being held. (3) 3. Ten persons would be minority "group representatives," Each group would be asked to send their elected or selected members, We feel the following groups would be appropriate; The Negro Ministerial Alliance, Tougaloo College, Jackson State College, Hinds County Community Council, B'Nai Brith,.Negro Federated Women's Club, Hinds County branch of the Freedom Democratic Party, the NAACP, Mississippi Council on Human Relations, and the Jackson Deanery of Catholic Women, 4. Fifteen more persons would selected or elected from various agencies and group having some participation in poverty pro grams or that seem necessary according to 0E0 guidelines. The following groups meet our approvals AFL-CIO, WELFARE DEPT, County board of Supervisors, S.T.fi.B., United giver$2), League of Women Voters, CDGM, Chamber of Commerce, Medgar Evers Neighborhood Guild, Agr. Dept., Extension Service, Com munity Service Association (3). 5. The executive committee would number eight and would be elected from the main body of members after it had met three times. Temporary chairman would serve at each of those first three meetings. Nominations would come from the floor an:T ' voting would fe0 by p^Bvatd written ballots. 6. Our final suggestion is the creation of an advisory board which would be open to any interested groups; this advisory "board would rarely hold meetings but would be available at all times to consult with individuals or committees from the CAP board. For example, if CAP needed the cooperation of the banks for advice in building up a work-experience program, in dividuals on the Advisory Board who were representatives from several large banks would be expected to contribute their knowledge and skills toward such a program. Perhaps many of the bankers presently on C.S.A. would consent to serve in this manner. Wo hope you will read very carefully the other materials sent with this letter. Consider the difficulties of getting infor mation from the CSA, this is not as complete as possible, but it will perhaps better let you understand our position. Sincerely,
for Hinds County Community Council it .History of the Hinds County Community; Council(HCCC) and the Community Service Association (CSA). Negotiations. 4 In the... fall of 1965 as word filtered down that the cons'fexo- £ion of a Community Action Program in Jackson was in progress, people .began, , . . asking questions at the NAACP Thursday night mass meetings. At first no information was forthcoming, except through gossip and rumor, although Rev. R.L.T. Smith, self- appointed leader of the mass meetings, was. an. early member of the CSA board. After several heated meetings, and then only reluctantly after a large delegation from the HCCC forced a vote on the question, were even the names of the CSA board members given out, This reluctance on the part of Rev, Smith and Rev. Taylor, both CSA members and "leaders" quickly resulted in a loss of faith £n their "leadership" and the eventual dissolving of the mass meetings. % At this point the HCCC became more formally organized, and began holding neighborhood meetings in Jackson and in small communities around Hinds County. These meetings were highly publicized through leaflets and church announcements. At these Sheetings, local groups were organized, that elected representatives to the HCCC meetings. After an intensive educational campaign conducted by the local leaders of the neighborhood organizations, regarding federal programs and other opportunities for poor people, •phe local groups decided to begin negotiations with the CSA. # A letter was then sent to CSA asking for a meeting with them (Feb.3). On Feb. 8, Col, Davis answered, indicating that he would *|be most pleased to present our request to the board of directors" .(which hadn't met since the fall). At this point the HCCC contacted Mr. Bill Zierden of the Atlanta 0E0, who indicated that they(the CSA) didn"E want to meet with us, but that they could be talked into it by the threat of with-holding their funding. Later Mr. Zierden phoned to say that they had agreed to meet with us and to add some poor people to the board. A meeting was then arranged $or Feb. 19th. The HCCC then elected 6 members to attend this meeting. They were instructed to present the postion paper of the HCCC(see attached sheet #1A) to the CSA executive committee. Copies of the proposal were mimeographed and given to all CSA members that attended the {fleeting, plus a copy was sent to Atlanta 0E0. The representatives ijf the CSA were told only to present the position—they were not to accept any changes or compromises until the rest of the HCCC had a chance to vote on them. Section C below, was the alternative most favored by HCCC memberss "C. The HCCC can elect three(3) representatives to the executive committee of the CSA, and agree to immediate funding for A prcfgpism development grant to establish the following programs (1) 32 local poor people are to be hired and trained as community organizers and surveyors. These people will have three functionss (a) to mobilize the poor behind the CAP program by creating neighborhood organizations throughout the county. X I These neighborhood groups will then elect the additional 20 | to the board, and create their own planning groups to more effect ively meet the problems of poverty in that area. (b) to make the necessary surveys. (c) to interpret and analyze existing agencies and programs to the poor. (2) That as these representatives are elected by the local organ izations they will be placed, on an even basis, on all committees. (3) That this program will be administered by a joint committee Of three people from the HCCC and three from the CSA.W At the following HCCC meeting after the meeting with the CSA there was general agreement that the CSA had accepted alter native C(above). However, one committee member, Mrs. Annie Smith, was unsure whether the CSA had accepted all of alternative C, and of how many representatives of the poor would be placed on the fc:ard. To clear natters up, a letter was sent on March 6, to the CSA repeating proposal C, listing three representatives of the HCCC to • the CSA executive committee, mentioning some other unsolved problems the HCCC felt needed discussion, and offering to meet again with the CSA. In a letter dated March 10th, CSA director Col. Davis stated that the CSA had only agreed to 3 "poor" representatives to be picked from the county at large for the executive committee, and 12 to be elected to serve on the total committee. No date was set for either of these, but CSA promised to keep the HCCC informed. They also promised to present the rest of our ideas to the total board. Neither of these two promises have been carried out. On March 31, the HCCC sent the CSA another letter asking them what they were planning, pointing out the disagreement on what had Occurred at the Feb, 19th meeting, and offering to meet again. From then until May 24, nothing was heard from either the C.S.A. or the Atlanta O.E.O. Then on May 24 a letter came from the Atlanta O.E.O which was dated May 10,1966, stating that C.S.A. ^ould be funded provided elections were held which would add 12 members of the poor. These elections, they said, would be set up by a joint committee of three from the H.C.C.C. and the full ex ecutive committee from C.S.A. We have not heard from yet. Despite the fact that O.E.O. had copies of all of our cor respondence, we were never told what they were planning. Several members from H.C.C.C. called the Atlanta office on numerous occa sions but no one ever gave us the courtesy of a, reply. Our only contact was that made after a telegram was sent by H.C.C.C. opposing the funding and indicating that the group did not see how it could cooperate with the tokenism presented to it; at that point, Mr. Zierden called to say that CSA would be funded despite our protests and that we had better cooperate or we would be left out entirely. Our questions are as followss 1. Given the obvious motives and composition of the board 3. of C.S.A., do you think.' *v it possible that 12 poor people can exert any kind of influence on a board of 48 that rarely meets , and was opposed to the inclusion of the poor in the first place? 2,^ Can any faith be placed in either the Atlanta O.E.O. or the % C.S.A. when apparently they cannot negotiate in good faith? 3. Why did the Atlanta office fund these people before they had held a public meeting? (Notes There has still been no public meeting.) 4. Why didn°t the Atlanta O.E.O. check the background of all the board members of C.S.A.? 5. Why didn't the civil rights division of the Atlanta O.E.O. know of the existence"of H.C.C.C. as it checked on the C.S.A. ...or dldn°t do any checking? 6. Why wasn't our letter of objection concerning the Jackson Head Start (which was funded prior to GS.A....which strikes us as illegal) brought to the attentidh of K!a Clancy in Atlanta? 7. Why was a Neighborhood Youth Corps program also funded under C.S.A. before C..S,A; Yr-A met Atlanta's standards (which,by the way, seem conveniently low and lax in some areas)? The Neighl:;:. •> hood Youth Corps project doesn't have the excuse of being a delegate agency, as is Headstart, Also, as one might have ex pected, the director was picked by the C.S.A. executive commit- i?S:..tee without a full board meeting. The director, incidentally, does not use courtesy titles with his two Negro staff members. 8. Why, when C.S.A. finally did call a (closed) full board meeting, to which no H.C.C.C. members were invited, did C.S.A. apparentx not even refer to the special conditions of the funding as set forth in May by the Atlanta Regional O.E.O.? 9. Finally, whose side is the O.E.O on? We thought that a fede anti-poverty agency would be the last group to give us the typical Mississippi run-a-round. HOW TO CREATE SOUTHERN SLUMS:
A Report on the Labor Dept.'s Subsidized Migration Program in Mississippi.
Back ;rouaa In the Fall of 1955 an Adult Literacy Program, called STAR, was funded oy trie u«pc, ox Labor and the Office of Economic Opportunity under the auspices of the Natchez-Jackson Catholic Diocese for 7 million dollars. Despite rumblings from the more militant civil rights groups, who viewed the Negro minority on the board with suspicion, and what were termed "internal problems", STAR, since it had the blessing of the white power structure and because of its cautious stance, finally got underway in February. (The first director stated publicly what was in effect the STAR policy --not to hire any civil rights activists—and was consequently fired; the Negro Director of Education was considered to be too critical of some local white center directors for not calling Negroes "Mr." and "Mrs." and was also fired.) The beginning of the program did not end the problems. In Jackson a director was replaced after a student sit-in in the local office over subsistence problems and the lack of a student voice in policy. At the end of the first cycle Jackson students boycotted and picketed graduation ceremonies in protest over the shortness of the cycle and their lack of a voice. In other centers there were similar objections to the paternalistic attitude under which the program operated. Inspectors from the 0E0 office of inspection con fided that the STAR central office was a "mess" and that more representation of the poor was needed. STAR's response was to create an "advisory board" of elected student representatives from each center. The board meets infrequently to serve as a forum where the student representatives can make complaints. The executive committee (with a Negro minority and no poor people) then goes into executive session to decide what to do. STAR is also supposed to have local advisory boards composed with a majority of the poor. In a conversation with Dr. William T. Bush, Executive Director, in February he said that the advisory boards would be set up immediately. In a letter dated April 8, 1955 he stated that the advisory boards had been set up and were functioning. As of July 10 Jackson has yet to get a functioning advisory board. Despite these problems, and the fact that the projected three month cycle has not proved to be adequate in terms of acheiving STAR's stated goals, STAR has asked for more funds for more centers, while at the same time trying to unravel the problems of the students that need recycling, and more job preparation. In the midst of this the Dept. of Labor brought its subsidized labor migration program to STAR to operate as a "feasibility" study. Basicially the plan is to move 300 families from primarily Delta counties where STAR has centers to Gulf C«ast counties where theoretically there is « lot of employment. STAR will hire 3 Negro recruiters to find the families, and two white job developers to find the jobs. (This in effect means that those recruited will be Negroes.) The heads of the families will be paid travel expenses to meet their prospective employers. They will also be paid moving expenses, part grant and part loan. The plan was initiated by the Dept. of Labor and presented to the STAR execctive committee. Needless to say neither STAR's poor peoples advisory board, nor any of the groups in the Stats that work actively with the poor (such as the Delta Ministry, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, SNCC, SCLC, CORE, Freedom Labor Union, Poor Peoples Corp., etc. or any of the local movements or poor peoples groups in the counties that the families were to be moved from or moved to) were consulted. This was probably poli tical wisdom on the part of the authors of the program because if, let us say, the members of the Harrison Co. Poor Peoples Club (which is in one of the planned placement areas) had been consulted their response would have been: if there are so many jobs in Harrison County, why can't we get them? What if the advice of the Mississippi Employment Commission had been taken? It feels that employment of the unskilled and semi-skilled is such a problem State-wide that playing checkers with unemployed families is a futile solution when what is needed is massive M7>TA and development programs. It strikes us that the Miss. Employment Security Com mission in this case is in a better position to understand the employment realities than the director of the new project, Col. Hough, or the STAR executive committee (neither of whom even knew what the unemployment rates were in either the recruiting or placement counties when we discussed the project with them on July 9. Southern Slui.is, p. 2
In this report we will analyze the proposed project from three angles: political, social, and economic. Our information on the purpose and functionoing of the project is limited to newspaper accounts and a two hour interview with the director of the pro ject, Col. Hough, and the Executive Committee of STAR. Although they did agree to meet with us, we regret that they did not allow us to see a copy of the Labor Department's proposal (they felt that since this was a Labor Department proposal and not an 0E0 pro posal it was not covered by the public access law and was, therefore, confidential until they heard otherwise). Those present from the STAR Executive Committee were Rev. R.L.T. Smith, Rev. Nathaniel Matchesky, Robert Ezell, Earl Banks, and Claude Ramsey. STAR staff present included Director Dr. Bush, Deputy Director Morris Lewis, and Col. Hough. The interviewers were the Rev. Rims Barber (Delta Ministry), Mrs. Anne Devine (Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party), and Ted Seaver (CO-Ordinator of the Community Development Agency of the Michael Schwerner Memorial Fund). Statistics used in this report are from the 1950 Census, the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, and "Economic Highlights of Mississippi" issued by the Mississippi Research and Development Center.
Political Implications The project will draw upon STAR centers in Washington, Yazoo, Neshoba, Leake, Lauderdale, and Leflore counties. The placement counties will be Jackson, Harrison, Hancock, and Pearl River (newspaper accounts mentioned sites in Louisianna and Alabama, but these were not mentioned in the interview). Of the recruiting counties, three have Negro voting majorities, one is about 50/50, and two have white majorities. The total Negro population is 131,000; the white is 135,000. All of the placement coun ties have large white majorities, with a total Negro population of 37,000 and a white population of 174,000. As Negro voting strength grows so do some of the political and economic solutions to their problems. The next local elections will be crucial to Missis sippi Negroes if the counties with Negro majorities and sizable Negro electorates are able to get representatives into office that would aggressively seek federal programs that would aid them. At present Mississippians have a legislature that is capable of passing, as it did in 1954, a bill to prevent municipalities from accepting urban renewal projects. Political change in 1957 could materially alter this picture, and could result in a legislature and local county boards that would aggressively pursue programs of up lift for the poor. Although the 300 families presently planned for in the program mean- only about 1200 people, it raises the question of whether this might be the new Mississippi solution to the "Negro problem" -- instead of encouraging migration to Northern cities. (Between 1950 and 1950 over 114,460 Negroes left eleven Delta counties alone, according to a sur vey made by Mississippi State University.) The present program will spread the population out in unskilled job categories, in politically powerless units.
Economic It would seem that, at the very least, a study of the economic and employment situation would have been made before planning to move people around the state. In a state with 43 per cent of the white and 85 per cent of the Negro families making under $3,000 population checkers is not going to help. The state is faced with a state-wide problem, not a regional one. To further complicate the problem, over 55,000 Negro fam ilies and 33,000 white families make under $1,000 per year according to the 1950 Census (Mississippi Research and Development Center states that the figure is 100,000 Negroes and 70,000 whites). The "wealth" of any county is only relative. Of the placement counties, two (Pearl River and Hancock) have 35-507. of their fami lies in the under $3,000 bracket, while in the other two (Harrison and Jackson) 15-35% fall in that category. In the recruiting counties, two (Washington and Lauderdale) are in the 35-507. bracket, three (Leflore, Neshoba, and Yazoo) are 50-55%, and one (Leake) is over 55%. Thus, although the placement counties show a higher median income than the recruitment counties, there is clearly an "g1 undance" of severe poverty in the placement counties. (Average median income for the placement counties is $4,000 per year, ranging from Hancock's 3,129 to Jackson's high of $5,120. For the recruiting counties: $2,590, ranging from Leflore's $2,285 to Lauderdale's $3,757.) More to the point, however, are the figures for Negro income. In the placement counties Negro median income averages $ 2,484 and ranges from Pearl River's $2,054 to Southern Slums, p. 3
Jackson's $ 3,212. The Negro median income in the recruiting counties is even lower (averaging $1,377 and ranging from Leake's low of $1,053 to Lauderdale's high of $1,848). It is abundantly clear that in both areas if you are a Negro you are likely to be in the poverty bracket and you will still be discriminated against in job opportunities. If you were a member of one of the 8,702 families making under $2,000 a year in the placement counties you might wonder what the hell they were bringing outside unskilled labor for. If you lived in one of the four counties closest to the placement counties, with median Negro family income of $1,581 (only $200 above the recruiting counties), you might be angry about what was going on. It is also ironic that in recent years it has been the recruiting areas, with a static or very slowly growing population, that have been growth areas as far as jobs are concerned /see addendum/. In the years between 1958 and 1953 Leflore has gained 1,414 employment openings in manufacturing, Washington 1,304, Yazoo 225, Leake 132, Lauderdale 190, and Neshoba 101. In the placement counties, with ahgh population growth rate (Jackson, for example, had a_20.9 growth rate from 1950 to 1954), there has been little or no manufacturing growth /addendum/. Between 1958 and 1954 Jackson showed a net loss of 3,284 manufacturing jobs, Pearl River a loss of 144, while Harrison gained only 85 and Hancock 180. The Employment Security Commission pointed out that Hancock fcg# fccnun to pick up again as a result of the Vietnam war. licycver, it opens a rather dubious. proposition to move people that are traditionally test hired and iixst fixed into job openings depending on wartime production. (There are many Mississippi Negroes in Northern slums unemployed at the present time who first went north during World tfar II to get jobs that were open to them at that time but that evaporated at the end of the war.) A comparison of the unemployment rates in the counties in question would also seem to indicate the rather dubious value of the project. At this point we need to consider several aspects of Mississippi unemployment rates. (1) Underemployment versus unemploy ed: a day laborer who works sporadically and makes under $1,000 a year can be considered employed. Thus, the needs of Negroes are greatly under-represented by unemployment figures. (2) Unemployment is figured on a formula based on unemployment compensation. Again, a large percentage of Negroes do not get counted in because of non-coverage or long-term unemployment. (3) When the Employment Security Commission made a non-formula based survey in Washington County, where a formula-based survey in May showed only 4.4 percent unemployed, it found 20 percent unemployed. However, after the Labor Department finished juggling this figure (by excluding people who were unemployed but taking MDTA training, Neighborhood Youth Corps, STAR, etc., and also discounting people who had been unemployed for more than twelve months as "not being part of the work force") they came up with a figure of 10 percent. So, thanks to mathematical exactness we know that unemployment ranges from 4.4 to 20 percent in Wash ington County. Since the "official" unemployment statistics are figured the same way throughout the state, the margin of error is roughly the same, giving us a highly unreliable figure. On this basis we find that in the recruiting counties Washington has 1,180 unemployed, Yazoo 210, Neshoba 270, Lauderdale 1,250 (Leake and Leflore statistics unavailable). In the placement counties Jackson has 1,000 unemployed, Harrison 1,740, Pearl River 330 (Hancock unavailable). On this basis the difference between recruitment and placement counties certainly does not call for a program of subsidized migration between them. It should be noted, though, that STAR will probably be able to find jobs for their human checkers. The South has a long-standing custom of coming down with a note from Mr, Charlie, This was demonstrated recently in Hinds County where one of the local persons who had been standing in line faithfully for a job at MPI (a furniture manufacturing plant) noticed people who had arrived later than he being ushered to the front of the line and getting jobs. Curious about this, he inquired and learned that they were STAR students. He then went to the local STAR center and told them that he was't eligible for STAR training but that he would like to get a job at MPI, They gave him a note to report to MPI and the next day he had a job. The question immediately arrises: who gets credit for finding the job? The STAR job developer? The man who needed a job? Or the note from Mr, Charlie? Southern Slums, p. 4
The fact remains that the jobs involved here were those traditionally held by Negro es and not newly developed opportunities. Why couldn't the same amount of time and ef fort and money go into aggressive job development for local people who are underemployed and unemployed in their own area? The next question that arises is what kind of jobs is STAR going to place people in? From our interview, apparently the only criteria that will be used will be that the jobs pay $1.25 an hour, on the assumption stated by several board members that a Delta Negro farm laborer making $1,000 or less a year-should be happy with a job paying $1.25 an hour. Assuming that in his new job the recruitee works 52 weeks a year, he will end up making $2,600 and still be below the poverty line. A family of six making $2,600 a year is eligible for surplus commodities. The Mis sissippi State Welfare Department states in its manual that the minimum monthly needs for a family of five would be $150.79 for food, clothing, etc.; $27.44 for utilities, medicine and fuel; and $40.00 for rent. Thus, the state with the lowest welfare payments in the country establishes $218.23 as the minimum monthly basic needs for a family of five; this places minimum basic yearly needs for this size family at $2,518.76. This figure is higher than the $2,600 (taxable) annual income of the relocatee earning $1.25 an hour] When we suggested that the minimum criteria for STAR jobs should be at least poverty level earnings of $3,000 a year and that this should be in a category covered by unem ployment compensation, with at least minimal fringe benefits such as hospitalization, the director of the project, Col. Hough, stated that they "couldn't make those kinds of demands on employers." If STAR does not make such demands on behalf of the recruitees, who will? One hundred years ago labor agents, assisted in part by the Freedmen's Bureau, were relocating Negroes from the Coast to the Delta, and raising their wages from $10.00 per month to $15.00. As that was used to "cope" with the "Negro labor problem" in the late 1850's, so are similar methods being suggested to relatively improve economic situations for their decendants as it seems feasible to move them back to the Coast. This project could also be compared to the infamous maid recruiting campaigns that have been carried on in Mississippi, wherein the promise of higher wages in New York of Chicago looks good to a maid getting $15.00 a week in the Delta until she gets there and ends up with a dis integrated family and on welfare. (A curious coincidence is that in three Northern states average ADC payments are higher than the wages our laborers will receive from their STAR placements.)
Social Aspects It seems incumbant on the relocation project to guarantee a better en vironment to the recruitee in his new placement than what he had before. Otherwise, what could be gained from the effort? This would include housing, schools, libraries, hospitals, etc. Unless the total life of the relocated person is improved, he remains subject to most of the results (causes?) of poverty. In the area of housing, we know that there is a great need for families to improve their conditions. The program as outlined by STAR is not intended to do this. In fact, figures would indicate that this would be difficult unless the program began actively seeking integrated situations, or helped establish some form of Federal housing for re- locateea. In the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area of Biloxi (Harrison County) there are 1,473 Negro households, of which only 488 are in sound condition with adequate plumbing. This means that two-thirds of the Negroes live in sub-standard housing. In Gulfport (also in Harrison) there are 1,557 household units and 474 of them are sound with adequate plumbing. Thus, 71.4 percent of the Negroes here live in sub-stastdard housing. Even "standard" housing for Negroes is inadequate. What is called a "three room shotgun", consisting of two small rooms and a kitchen, with adequate plumbing may rent for $10.00 a week; this is all that our $1.25 an hour worker can afford. According to these figures rented housing in the placement counties runs from 70 to 75 percent sub-standard. In the recruiting counties the situation is about as bad, or worse, but it does not seem likely that the move will improve the living conditions of the people. It is of little advantage to move from one slum to another, even if you have a slightly better job. It is our opinion that a portion of the program, if it is to be worthwhile, must set as one of its goals the moving of people from ghetto slums into the new life of better housing. Southern Slums, p. 5
The school situation is the same. In fact, Greenville (Washington County) has ac credited schools for Negroes, while none of the county systems to which the people are to be moved do. As of May 2, 1956, two of the four receiving counties (Pearl River and Han cock) stand among those who have not submitted acceptable desegregation pledges. STAR officials did not say that they would be active in seeing that the schools to which the children of relocated parents would be sent were adequate to assist them so that they might not perpetuate poverty. STAR officials did not say that they would encourage school desegregation, yet the Negro schools in the designated counties are inferior to the white schools. In Moss Point (Jackson County) the voters recently defeated for the third time a bond issue to improve the schools. Pearl River County is one of the bottom thirteen counties in the state for per pupil spending on textbooks, libraries, etc. Hospitals available In the receiving area are no better than those in the areas from which people will be drawn. Only two hospitals have been found in compliance with HEW regulations in the receiving area. Biloxi (Harrison County) has a 150 bed hospital and Poplarville (Pearl River County) a 30 bed hospital. In the area from which the people will be drawn there are three hospitals in compliance: Meridian (Lauderdale), Carthage (Leake), and Philadelphia (Neshoba) totaling 260 beds. (There is also a large all-Negro hospital in Yazoo City (Yazoo) that services many people.) Thus, there will be much less hospital care available for people in the area to which they are going. If poor health is one of the results of poverty there is nothing to be gained in this program. It appears that the social conditions of the area to which people are to be moved will not improve the lives of those involved. This is made even more apparent when one takes general factors into account. People are to be moved from areas where work by a number of groups has helped them and their neighbors organize themselves to better cope with their problems. They will be moving to areas where no such group motivation is present among those who already live there. Pearl River County has only 358 registered Negro voters, and is a haven for Klan activity. Thrown into such a situation, most of the relocatees will have less chance of rising to a new sense of personal dignity than they had where they came from. If the STAR program does not enhance the human dignity of the poor,it has failed; for it is this lack of a sense of personal worth that has enabled so many people to run over the rights of the Negro for so long.
Summary We recommend that the program of relocating people be given serious new study before involving the lives of people. If the program is to go ahead it must meet certain criteria that have been indicated in the above paper. If such criteria were set the re» suits of the program would obviously be different from the results expected without such criteria, but then the program would at least be worth carrying out. This program (feasibility study) is dealing with real people and the criteria established must ensure their full rights, their welfare, their freedom, and their dignity. If such a program with rigid criteria does not seem feasible at the start, then some completely new approach to assist these needy people must be devised and enacted. Massive job development and MDTA programs are needed throughout the state, as are programs to secure other rights and conditions for citizens of this rich and powerful country. We suggest one of these two routes (i.e. revamp the program to meet above-mentioned criteria or find another program that will do the job) instead of the apparently hasty decision to go ahead with a program that has little rhyme or reason. The only patterns that we can see which determined the areas chosen for this program relate to the institu- tional structure of STAR. We would like to see programs developed to consider more the needs of the people than those of the institutions which sponsor the programs. We will be happy to cooperate in any further planning to see that such programs are developed and carried out.
Rev. Rims Barber, Delta Ministry Mrs. Anne Devine, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party Mr. Ted Seaver, Community Development Agency Southern Slums, p. 6
ADDENDUM
Our figures are from "Economic Highlights of Mississippi", a publication of the
Research and Development Center. The June 18, 1956, issue of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger carried figures that differ from ours. Their figures were compiled by the Vicksburg
Chamber of Commerce from the Mississippi Economic Security Commission's Quarterly Report
of employees covered by unemployment compensation. According to this article the eight counties showing the greatest increase in employment over the five-year period ending
December, 1965, were, respectively, Jackson, Hinds, Hancock, Warren, Harrison, Lee, Alcorn and Leflore.
Although on this particular subject these other figures are more recent they still
fail to answer our basic questions. How much unskilled and semi-skilled labor is needed?
How much is being used now? There are still 1,000 officially unemployed in Jackson County and 1,740 in Harrison] (And remember how conservative these "official" estimates areJ)
How and where can these counties possibly need more unskilled laborers?
In addition, the recent rapid rise in employment in Jackson County is due to increas
ed war production at Ingalls Ship Building Company. The unstable nature of war-time em* ployment coupled with migrating unskilled labor leads to the development of slums.
Hancock County's recent increase in employment is probably more stable than Jackson's.
The major employer here is Mississippi Test Facilities (moon base). Recent unemployment
figures are unavailable, but the same questions apply to Hancock County: How much unskill
ed labor is needed? How much is being used now? Is everyone in Hancock County employed?
What training is being provided to help the poor gain the skills that they need if they
are to get better jobs?
It seems unlikely that unemployment and underemployment are much less in Hancock
than in the other placement counties. And how many thousands of poor men and women in adjacent counties need employment? ** S/.'CC UfrfSLETTEP, **
Vol. I, No. 3 6 Raymond St., W Atlanta, Ga. 30314 Aug. 1, 1964 ***UN0FFICIAL REPORT***STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL***N0T FOR PUBLIC USE***
HELENA, ARK. - HARASSMENT IN ARKANSAS - July 28 Large numbers of cars,sometimes as many as 20, repeatedly circle a house where SNCC workers are staying. Such harassment ccutinues some nights for as long as 4 hours at a time, in addition to constant threats by telephone. The home of a local Negro girl who has been participating in testing was shot into five times. WASHINGTON, D.C. - FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY GAINS SUPPORT In recent weeks, several state Democratic conventions have passed resolutions urging their delegates to support the seating of the Mis sissippi Freedom Democratic Party delegates in preference to the dele gates of the traditional Mississippi Democratic Party at the national Democratic convention in Atlantic City. . Democratic conventions in the following states passed such a resolution: Massachusetts, Califor nia, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado, Dis trict of Columbia, North Dakota. * GREENWOOD, MISS. - NEGROES AND WHITES CLASH - July 28 Twnety-five local Negroes were deterred by five carloads of whites, local police, and the Highway Patrol, from entering an eating place. Shots were fired at the Negroes and they were pursued for several blocks. There were no reported injuries and no reported arrests. ITTA BENA, MISS. - VOTER REGISTRATION CENTER WRECKED - July 28 The Voter Registration Center was wrecked around midnight. Inves tigation proved the damage to be extensive. Supporting posts on the porch were broken, the front door was torn off, windows were smashed, and posters torn down. In the past two weeks, the Center has received many threats by telephone. MCCOMB, MISS. - TURNOUT FOR FREEDOM SCHOOL - July 28 Approximately 7 5 students are enrolled in the McComb Freedom Schoo A second Freedom School may be opened to accommodate at least thirty additional applicants. HOLLY SPRINGS, MISS. - NEW YORK CITY VOLUNTEER ARRESTED - July 29 Peter Cummins, volunteer from New York City, was involved in a one car accident. The car he was driving went out of control and flipped over. Cummins was uninjured. Charlie Scales, Negro from Holly Spring received only cuts and bruises. Cummins was arrested on charges of reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and obstructing justice. All charges but the reckless driving were dropped. Bond was set at $500. HELENA, ARK. - LOCAL POLICEMAN PREACHES RACISM - July 29 A local policeman told Prince Shannon, a Negro from Helena, that, as whites did not allow Negroes in their neighborhood, the Negroes should not allow whites in the Negro neighborhood. He was referring to the white civil rights workers in Helena. The policeman said the local Negroes could run the SNCC workers out of town with no fear of interference by the police. He added that if SNCC workers tried to phone for help he would see that the calls didn't get through. DREW, MISS. - TWO ARRESTED FOR DISTRIBUTING LEAFLETS - July 30 Fred Miller, a Negro volunteer from Prichard, Alabama, and Eddie Williams of Ruleville were arrested for distributing leaflets on pub lic property without a permit. Bond was set for Miller, who has been previously arrested on a similar charge, at $500 and for Williams at $100. BRANDON, MISS. - CHURCH BURNINGS CONTINUE - July 31 The Pleasant Grove Baptist Missionary Church was discovered burn ing around midnight. The pastor is Rev. Robison of Yazoo, Miss. The church has no record of civil rights activities and had received no threats. The wooden frame building was burned to the ground. GREENWOOD, MISS. - THREE WORKERS ARRESTED - July 31 Two cars being driven by Silas McGee, Negro resident of Greenwood, and John Paul, 21, of Ossing, Hex; York, were stopped and the drivers were arrested on a charge of improper license tags. Bond for McGee and Paul was set at $50 each. Monroe Sharp, a Negro resident of Chicago, Illinois, who was notifying the office by means of the citizen's band radio in McGees car, was arrested on the charge of resisting arrest. Bond for Sharp was set at $100. GREENWOOD, MISS. - NEW YORK WORKER ARRESTED - July 31 George Alberts, 29, of Jackson Heights, New York, was arrested while walking down a Greenwood street alone. He was charged with pa rading without a permit and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Bond was set at $500. BATESVILLE, MISS. - SHOTS FIRED AT LOCAL HOME - August 1 Three shots xvere fired past the home of Robert Miles where two summer volunteers, Kathy Amatnick, 20, of Hastings-on-the Hudson,H.Y., and Claire O'Connor, 25, of St. Paul, Minnesota., are living. This same house was teargassed on July 25., Less than two weeks earlier, Mrs. Miles had received a threat from an unidentified caller who said, "You'd better not go to sleep tonight if you know what's good for you."
GREENWOOD, MISS. - VOTER REGISTRATION WORKER BEATEN BY POLICE -Aug. 1 William Hodes, ,19, white summer volunteer from New York City and a student at Harvard, was arrested while walking down a Greenwood street on charges of disorderly conduct. Hodes was beaten xvith a nightstick while" en route to the police station in a police car. He suffered slight injuries and was released under a bond of $100. GREENWOOD, MISS. - LOCAL NEGRO YOUTH BEATEN BY POLICE - August 1 John Handy, a local Negro youth', was arrested on a charge of dis orderly conduct xvhile participating in a locally initiated demonstra tion. Handy xvas kicked and hit in the head and other narts of the body. His beard was pulled out by one of the local police at the city jail.Muscles in his left shoulder were severely wrenched and he is suffering from cuts of the face and mouth. He was released under a bond of $50. On his first visit to the jail to attemnt to bond out Hodes and Handy, George Johnson, a lav; student at Yale, was bodily thrown out of the police station by four nolicemen. MADDEN, MISS. - MINISTER AND VOLUNTEER BEATEN IN DOCTOR'S OFFICE-Aug.1 Rev. Edward K. Heininger, of Des Moines, Iowa, and John Polacheck, a summer volunteer and student at Harvard, xvere severely beaten in the office of a local doctor by a group of men numbering betxveen 5 and 10. The txvo had gone to the doctor's office for medical treatment. They xvere attacked in the presence of the doctor xvho pushed Heininger into the mob of men. Heininger xvas unconscious at the end of the beat ing and had to be dragged to the car by Polacheck. At that point, a deputy sheriff arrived on the scene and carried the two away in an un marked nickun truck. He then transferred then to an unmarked car which xvas driven by an administrator of the clinic xvhere they had been beaten, Heininger and Polcaheck xvere then taken to the police station and charged with disturbing the peace. They xvere bonded out at $100 each. Heininger suffered severe injuries to the left eye with possible inter nal injuries to the eye, severe lacerations to the scalp and face, con tusions on the back of the neck, bad cut on the left ear and swelling on the mouth and lips xvith possible injury to the gums. Polacheck re ceived cuts and bruises on the head and body.
GREENWOOD, MISS, - SHOTS FI*ED AT SHCC OFFICE - August 1 Five shots were fired in the direction of the Greenxvood SNCC Office from a 1960 light green Galaxie Ford about 11:45 pm. There is no recorc of threats predicting any incident of this sort. A scant investigation by the local FBI agents, in conjunction xvith the SNCC staff, revealed no trace of the bullets. A local Negro woman whose house borders on SNCC office property claims that bullets ricocheted on her house. GREENWOOD, MISS. - WORKBR CHARGED WITH ASSAULT WITH DEADLY WEAPON-Aug,l Carol Kornfield, 21, of Bayside, New York xvas arrested for assault xvith a deadly xveapon and held under $1,000 bail in the Leflore County Jail. She allegedly threxv a brick through the window of a store oxvned by Greenxvood Policeman "Slim" Henderson xvho pulled a pregnant woman along the street during a Freedom Day on July 16. - 3 - WEST HELENA, ARKANSAS - SNCC HOUSE FIREBOMBED - August 1 A house in the community where the SNCC" xvorkers live xvas the scene of a bombing at about 9:00 pm, Two fire trucks leading about 50 cars of whites drove into the neighborhood and txvo whites approached the house and threxv the fire bomb, a bottle filled xvith inflammable liquid. The bomb fell in front of the house, burning the grass but not damaging the house. No one xvas in the house at the time of the bombing.
BATESVILLE, MISS. - TWO VOTER REGISTRATION WORKERS ARRESTED - August 2 Claude Weaver, SNCC staff member from Atlanta, Georgia, and Ben Graham, summer volunteer from Beverly Hills, Calif., xvere arrested on the steps of the Panola County courthouse xvhere they had gone to make a count of the number of people that were in line waiting to register. The charge was interference xvith an officer. Bond xvas set at $100 for Weaver and $300 for Graham.
JACKSON, MISS. - FREEDOM SCHOOLS OPENED - August 3 Six freedom schools opened today in Jackson where there had pre viously been none. Txventy-five nexv freedom school teachers arrived in the state today. The number of volunteers is noxv at about 650, not including staff, clergy, laxvyers, entertainers, etc.
GREENWOOD, MISS. - WORKER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED ASSAULT - August 3 Bob -asters, 20, xvhite summer volunteer, xvas arrested today xvhile relaxing in a local Negro recreation area on the charge of assault. The arrest arose from an incident a day earlier when a xvhite man stepped on Master's foot and asked Masters if he wanted to hit him. The same man xvas in the police car when Masters xvas arrested. Bond xvas $100.
AFERICUS,GEORGIA - WORKER BEATEN BY STOREOWHER - August 4 Willie Ricks, a worker for SNCC, xvas beaten by Cleveland Hancock, the owner of Hancock's Grocery. Hancock hit Ricks in the jaxv, breaking his glasses and almost knocking him out, and then kicked him. Hancock attacked ^icks when Ricks did not "sir" him. The same storeowner threxv a SNCC worker out of the store about txvo months ago. COLUMBUS. HISS. — T-ttO-T'ORKERS ARRESTED - August 4 Don White and Bob Lavelle, summer volunteer from Pittsburgh, Penn., xvere stopped for a traffic check and taken to jail in Columbus. White was charged with permitting an unauthorized person to drive the car. Lavelle was charged xvith improper license tags and no inspection stick er. They xvere bonded out for $53 each.
MOSS POINT, MISS. - 45 ARRESTED AT VOTER REGISTRATION MEETING-August 5 Forty-five local people and civil rights xvorkers xvere arrested at a voter registration meeting on the front lawn of the SNCC office. The meeting had been in session for five minutes xvhen the assistant deputy sheriff told them they had five minutes to break up the meeting. A prison bus, ten police cars, txvo motorcycles, in addition to 18 hel- meted policemen carrying guns, bayonettes, and clubs, arrived on the scene, making a total of 40 police officers. The forty-five were ar rested on the charge of breach of the peace. Bond, xvas set at $300 cash and $600 property. Among those arrested xvere summer volunteers George Tessarc,20, of Park Ridge, 111.(University of Illinois); Roger Barn- hill,23, St. Louis, Mo, (Michigan State); Rev. Charles filler,31, an Episcopal minister from Flushing, Michigan; and staff xvorkers Eddie Stevenson and Billy MacDonald.
PHILADELPHIA, MISS. - FBI DISCOVERS BODIES OF MISSING CR 1?OnKERS-Aug. 4 Three bodies, positively identified after autopsy as those of Andrexv Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Cheney, civil rights xvork ers missing since June 21, xvere found by the FBI buried in a dam six miles southxvest of Philadelphia. The autopsy revealed that Cheney, Negro from Meridian, Hiss,, xvas beaten to death and Goodman and Schxver- ner, xvhite workers from New York City, died from bullet wounds. Mem orial services for the three are being held in Mississippi and through out the nation. The FBI is continuing investigation in the Neshoba County area. No arrests have been made.
WEST HELENA, ARK. - WORKERS ARRESTED ON VAGRANCY CHARGES - August 7 Police entered the hope where SNCC xvorkers Bill Hansen, Larry Sie- gal, and Joe Wright xvere staying and arrested them xvithout a warrant and xvithout stating the charges. Hansen xvas held for investigation and then released. The others were held under $500 bond each and the charges xvhen finally stated x?ere vagrancy. - 4 - MILESTON, MISS. - BOMB THROWN NEAR COMMUNITY CENTER - August 9 At 12:15 am a bomb xvas thrown in the road in front of the community center by one of txvo white occupants of a '64 red and xvhite Pontiac. The bomb xvas thrown ten yards from the home of Mrs. Ethel Smith, a lo cal Negro who has been active in civil rights xvork. Ho one xvas in jured. The bomb left a hole in the road a foot deep and six feet wide. Txvo weeks earlier a SNCC car had been burned out a few yards from the location of the bombing. MERIGOLD, MISS. - LOCAL NEGRO SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICEMAN - August 9 A local Negro man, 55 or 60 and knoxvn to be mentally deficient, xvas shot and killed by a Merigold policeman. The sentiment among the xvit- nesses is that the man could easily have been subdued by mea-:s less than lethal.. He xvas not knoxvn to have any connection with the civil rights movement. The policeman involved is unidentified and xvas not arrested. TALLAHATCHIE COUNTY, MISS. - HARASSMENT OF LOCAL NEGROES - August 8 Since five local Negroes attempted to register at the county court house they have been subjected to constant harassment and fear for their lives. Local xvhites carrying guns have entered Negro homes several times searching for those xvho went to the courthouse. GREENWOOD, MISS. - LOCAL NEGRO YOUTH BEATE1I FOR SECOND TIME IN WEEK- John Handy, local Negro youth, xvho xvas severely beaten on Aug. 1 xvhile in jail, was arrested on the charge of inciting to riot xvhile he xvas demonstrating with local youth group at "Slim" Henderson's Gro cery. Handy's shoulder xvhich had been badly injured in the first beat ing was again wrenched and he was beaten xvith a billy club. Bond xvas set at $500. CANTON, MISS. - MISSISSIPPI FREE THEATRE TOURING STATE - Aug. 10 The Mississippi Free Theatre has been touring the state xvith the play, "In White America." During the past week the group performed at the following projects: McComb, Tougaloo, Biloxi, Gulfport, Hatties- burg, and Meridian. Traveling in the troup are Gil and Denise Moses, Eric Weinberger, Susan Wahman, Les Galp, Erica Monk, Roger Johnson, Stu House, Cynthia Washington, Jackie Washington, and John O'Neal. JACKSON, MISS. - SUMMARY ON FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY ACTIVITY The Freedom Democratic Party State Convention xvas held in the Ma sonic Hall in Jackson on August 6. Several hundred delegates, repre senting more than half of the counties in Mississippi, xvere present. The keynote address was given by Miss Ella Baker, xvho is working xvith the Party in its Washington office. In addition to sixty-eight other delegates, the five delegates e- lected at large to go to the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, N.J. xvere: Laxvrence Guyot, Hattiesburg; Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, Ruleville; Dr. Aaron Henry, Clarksdale; Mrs. Yvonne McGoxvan, Summit; and Dr. Miles, Panola County. Lawrence Guyot xvas elected Chairman of the State Executive Committee of the Freedom Democratic Party. *** SHCC NEWSLETTER ***
Vol. I, Ho. 2, 6 Raymond St. NT! Atlanta, Ga. 30314 July 23, 1964
***UHOFFICIAL EEPCP.T***STP.ICTLY COHFIDEHTIAL***N0T FOR PUBLIC USE*** "<0SS POINT, MISS. - NO,;AH SHOT AFTErT "ASS NESTING - July 7 Jessie B, StalwcrtH, a 19 ye?.r old resident of "loss Point, was xrounded when a carload of whites drove by and fired 12 shots as she was leaving a mass meeting. She was shot in the back and the side and was taken to a hospital in Pascagoula where a nurse coldly inquired if she had been shot by her father. Lamar Turnipseed pursued the unidentified car from which the shots were fired. VTe was able to follow then to a gas station but was then arrested, along x?ith two other local Negroes, Earnest Hudson and E.J. Wiggins, by the Moss Point police,
ITTA BENA, MISS - LOC/L UOPXER ARPESTEP - July 7 James Brown xvas arrested for not appearing at his trial for txvo speeding tickets and xvas held incennunicado for nearly 12 hours. The sheriff was unable to be reached as his phone xvas off the hook and the jails said . he was not their prisoner. He xvas thus listed as missing for an entire night.
HELENA, ARK. - ATTEMPTED INTEGRATION OP PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL - July 7 ^llis Ford, local Negro resident of Helena, and Thomas Allen, SHCC worker from Pine Bluff, were arrested while waiting for a pool to open so they could attempt to enter. They were taken to the police station and beaten. Both have been released and are in satisfactory condition.
PINE BLUFF, ARK. - INTEGRATION ATTEMPTS AT TRUCK STOPS - July 7 Larry Segal of Hew York City, a member of a group trying to inte grate the Wonderland Truckstop, was seized and pushed several times by a white nan working behind the counter. At the sane establishment, a white professor fron Yale University was thrown bodily out the door. At Ray's Truckstop, Larry Segal xvas hit in the nouth and had to be carried out by his companions, SELMA, ALA. - HEW ARRESTS DUPING VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE - July 7 Hine people, all local Negroes, were arrested outside the court house in Selma.
LAUPEL, MISS. - SHCC WORKER AREH5TEE AND MISTREATED - July 7 Lester McKehney xvas arrested and taken to the work house at the county farm. He xvas held there for two days xvith nininal protection and no food.
MCCOMB, MISS. - FPSEBOM HOUSE DOMDSD - July 6 ,9 The Freedom House of the local project was bombed in the early norn- injr hours xvhile ten SHCC workers were sleeping within. The entire front of the house xvas smashed. Curtis Hayes and Dennis Sxveeney xvere slightly injured by the force of the explosion and flying glass. At a nass meeting the next day, at which 15 FBI agents xvere stationed, SHCC leaders told the crowd of 175 that the bombing attempt to deter them would not xrork. The croxrd was reassured that the SHCC workers were not to be frightened away and that the project would continue.
SELlIAj ALA. - FPEEDH'! HOUSE APPROACHED BY WHITE HAH - July 8 A white nan approached the Freedom House at 1:00 an and tried to break in. He kicked the door and did other slight property damage, threatening that he was "going to get the Freedom Fighters."
SELNA, ALA. - SIXTEEN ARRESTED THIILE PICKETING - July G Fifteen local people and one member of SHCC staff, Ernest NacWillan, 19 year old resident of Dallas County, were arrested while picketing the federal building. Later in the afternoon Pev. Peese, President of Dal las County Voters' League xvas also arrested. ASHLAHD, HISS. - SHCC STAFF WORKER'ARRESTED - July 8 Cleve Sellers, Negro SNCC staff worker, and a student fron 'loxvard University, was arrested for reckless driving. Bond xvas set at $250. COLUMBUS, HISS. - THREE VOLUNTEERS ARRESTED - July 8 Joel Bernard, 18, from NYC, a junior at Cornell; Steven Fraser, 18, of Great Neck, New York, a sophonore at the Univ. of Wisconsin; and Warren Galloway, 21, fron Detroit, a Negro student at Virginia Union, were arrested after stopping for a coke while canvassing for voter registration.
RULEVILLE, MISS. - VR ATTEMPTS BLOCKED - July 3 James Dann, 23, of Venice, Calif., attempted to take Mrs. Maybell Canpbell to register at the Sunflower County courthouse. Four white men, including the Deputy Registrar, stopped the pair and forcefully threw Dann out of the office. Mrs. Canpbell was told she could cone in to register, but not "xvith these scalaxvags," There have been several threats by enployers in this area to fire any Negroes who participate in vr work,
HATTIESBURG, MISS. - NCC WORKER ARRESTED - July 8 Rev. Robert Beach, UCC affiliated, xvas arrested on charges of false pretenses stenning fron the refusal of a Hattiesburg bank to honor his check. Cash bond xvas set at $2,500,
SEL.KA, ALA. - WORE ARRESTS; TWO BEATEN - July 9 Three Negro residents of Selma xvere arrested while picketing on the steps of the federal building. Willie Janes Reynolds, 13, was beaten in jail as was livery Williams, SHCC staff. Willians required stitches in his head.
GULFPORT, MISS, - THREE VOLUNTEERS ARRESTED - July 9 Whan volunteers attempted to take ten Negroes to register at the county courthouse, a group of hostile whites had gathered. Police told the volunteers to leave. Steve Miller, 18, San Francisco, Barry Gold stein, 21, Hew York, and David Cleverdon, 22, Chicago, asked why they had to leave and the police Immediately arrested then.
GREENWOOD, MISS, - BEATING - July 9 Phil Moore was accosted on the street by Prewitt, a white trho works for the Interstate Insurance Co. Prewitt hit "oore in the head, told hin to get out of town, and threatened him with a club, Moore was finally able to escape. He filed a conplaint with the local police.
ALBANY, GA. - WHITE RESTAURANT OWNER POSTS BOND FOR NEGRO PASTOR-JulylO Rev. Hells and five girls, while testing the civil rights bill, were served at the Victory Club. As they were driving away, they were stopped by a policeman xvho searched the car, found a jar of noonshine, and arrested Rev. Wells. The owner of the Victory Club appeared the same night at the jail and posted the $1,250 for Rev. Wells, saying he had discovered that a white patron had planted the liquor.
GREENWOOD, MISS. - SHCC WORKER ARRESTED - July 10 Fred Mangrum, a Hegro fron Hew York City, was arrested for public profanity after police had stopped hin and searched hin. Bond xvas set at $15. BESSEMER, ALA. - TWO NEGROES BADLY BEATEN OUTSIDE RESTAURANT - July 10 Two unidentified Hegroes tried to integrate a restaurant and were beaten by a large nunber of local white nen with baseball bats. One of the Negroes was hit around the head and chest and was adnitted to the hospital in serious condition. SELMA, ALA. - INJUNCTION ISSUED AGAINST CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS - July 10 An injunction has been Issued which prohibits any assembly of three or more persons in a public place. It was served against all civil rights leaders and groups in the area as well as against the seg regationist groups. When police served Terry Shaw, SHCC worker, with the injunction, they arrested him and placed him in solitary confine ment. Another SHCC worker, Willie C. Robertson, was beaten in jail the same night. BROWNING, MISS. - ANOTHER CHURCH BURNING - July 10 The Pleasant Plan Missionary Baptist church, located in a pre dominantly white community, burned to the ground while a fire truck was parked within 100 feet of the building but not attempting to con trol the fire. The church has no record of civil rights meetings. A member of the white community had tried to buy the church but the pas tor itfould not sell. CANTON, MISS. - ATTEMPTED BOMBING - July 11 2 A snail fire bomb was thrown on the lawn of the Freedom House, ignited briefly, and xvas extinguished. LAUREL, MISS. - NEGROES BEATEN DURING ATTEMPTED INTEGRATION - July 11 An NAACP Youth Group attempting to integrate Kresses dimestore were attacked by xvhites while police were onlooking. Baseball bats and knives were used as weapons and two Negroes sustained injuries. A complaint is being filed on the nonaction of the police at the scene of the beatings.
KATTIESBURG, MISS. - THREE WORKERS BEATEN - July 10 Rabbi Lelyveld, an NCC worker fron Cleveland, Ohio, David Owen, 19 year old student at Oberlin College fron Pasadena, Calif., and liaxvrence Spears, a student at Stanford U. fron Palo Alto, Calif., were walking along the street with two local Negro girls when they were ac costed and beaten with iron bars by two xvhite nen who had been riding in an unlicensed truck. The three were adnitted to the hospital with contusions, abrasions, and lacerations.
GREENWOOD, MISS. - WORKERS ATTACKED - July 11 Two Negroes in separate incidences were attacked while walking down the street. Floyd McGlaughan was accosted by whites driving by in a car, but he escaped injury. Maeola Anderson, walking with two ccher people, xvas shoved and hit in the chest. Though contacted, the "ocai police took no action. nOU^HERTY COUNTY, GA. - TWO WHITES ARRESTED IN NEGRO CLUB - July 12 Two SNCC workers, John Perdew, of Denver, Colorado, and Pete De- 7;"ssivoy, were singled out by police and arrested at a Negro club, jabin in the Pines, as they sat in an integrated group. The two xvere harged xvith public drunkeness, disorderly conduct, and trespassing. SNDERSON,NORTH CAROLINA - RACE RIOT - July 12 A group of Negroes attempting to be served at a truck stop were attacked by xvhites x^ith bottles and tire irons. In the melee that en sued, 300 people xvere involved. Two Negroes were hospitalized, one in serious condition. Thirteen Negroes and four xvhites were arrested.
NATCHEZ & ADAMS COUNTY, HISS. - TWO CHURCHES BURNED - July 13 The Jerusalem Baptist Church and the Bethel Methodist Church were both burned to the ground in the early morning hours. Neither minister has a record of civil rights activity.
DREW, MISS. - TWENTY-TWO PEOPLE ARRESTED - July 15 Twenty-txvo people, including SNCC staff xvorkers, summer volunteers, and children, were arrested at an outdoor mass meeting. They were tried and found guilty of blocking a public street. Total bond was set at $3980. JACKSON, MISS - TWO VOLUNTEERS ARRESTED - July 16 Eric Morton, Steve Snith, both summer volunteers, and Robert Ellis and Melvin McDavia, both Jackson residents, xvere driving to Greenwood xtfhen they xvere stopped by the Highway Patrol. The Hegro youth were ordered to walk back to Jackson which they did. The txvo white summer volunteers were arrested on charges of interfering xvith an officer and resisting arrest
GREENWOOD, MISS. - 111 PEOPLE ARRESTED ON FREEDOM DAY - July 16 Seventy-seven local residents and 34 SHCC staffers and volunteers were arrested xvhile picketing the courthouse on Freedom Day. The cases were renoved to federal court. Bond xvas set at $100 for "insiders" and $200 for"outsiders ."
SELMA, ALA. - SHERIFF KICKS WORKER - July 16 Charles Johnson, 17, of Selma, was kicked by Sheriff Jin Clark be cause he drank fron a xvater fountain at the jail. There is only one fountain but Negroes are expected to use paper cups to drink.
GREENWOOD, HISS. - NEGRO BADLY BEATEN BY THREE WHITES - July 16 As Silas McGee x;as walking to the SNCC Office he x*as accosted by three white nen xrho forced him into a car at gunpoint and beat him with a 2x4 board. He X7as badly bruised and bloodied and his condition is satisfactory. HENDERSON, N.C. - WHITE INSTIGATOR OF RACE RIOT INDICTED - July 16 In what is believed to be the first case of its type, a judge indicted a white man for starting a riot at a truck stop on July 12 when a group of local Negroes asked for service at the truck stop.
SELMA, ALA. - WHITE SNCC FIELD SECRETARY BEATEN -July 16 Eric Farnun, xvhite SNCC field secretary from North Carolina, was beaten by two whites as he xvalked down the street alone. He was not seriously injured but was badly shaken up.
MCCOMB, MISS. - ANOTHER UNSOLVED CHURCH BURNING - July 17 The Zion Hill Baptist Church was burned to the ground in the early morning hours. The church has no record of civil rights activity. Ob servers reported that a chemical smell of explosives pervaded the air. The police reported that they have no indication of xvho is responsible.
PHILADELPHIA, MISS. - TWO ATTACKED BY CHAIN-SWINGING WHITES - July 17 Daniel Perlnan, 23 year old Columbia Laxv student, and David Welsh, of Detroit, a freelance reporter for JET, x ITTA BENA, MISS. - LOCAL YOUTH ARRESTED - July 18 Clinton Loggins, 16 year old local resident, xvas arrested after a white boy on a motor scooter bearing a Confederate flag had tried to run Loggins down. Loggin's mother asked the deputy sheriff x;hy the white boy xvas not arrested. She received no ansxver and the deputy re fused to state to her the charges under which her son had been arrested. CANTON, MISS. - NAACP ACCUSED OF CHURCH BURNING - July 19 The Christian Union Baptist Church xvas burned to the ground in the early morning hours. After the burning, a COFO photographer was told by the sheriff at the church site that he thought the NAACP burned the church, otherwise how xvould the photographer have received the nexjs so quickly. BILOXI, MISS. - WHITE COMMUNITY PROJECT WORKER ARRESTED - July 20 Palmer Bruce Maxwell of Corsicana, Texas xvas arrested on a tres passing charge in a white restaurant. Maxwell is a worker in the xjhite community project. He had been hired and had worked in the res taurant for one day. The oxvner discovered he was a civil rights xvorker ajpJ turned hin over to the police xvhen he reported for work the second Jay. ASHLAND, MISS. - VOLUNTEER ARRESTED ON TRAFFIC CHARGE - July 20 Peter Cummins of Hew York xvas arrested for not having a traffic inspection sticker on his car. There xvere txvo local Negroes in the car with Cummins at the time of his arrest. HERNANDO, MISS. - WORKER ARRESTED AND CAR IMPOUNDED - July 20 Dave Kendall of Sheridan, Indiana xvas arrested xvhile driving xvith two summer volunteers and tx7o local Negroes. His car was impounded and he was placed in DeSoto County jail, outside of xvhich a croxvd of hos tile xvhites Immediately began to gather. GREENWOOD ., MISS. - STAFF WORKER JAILED ON TRAFFIC CHARGES - July 20 Jesse Harrison, SHCC staff xvorker, was arrested on charges of run ning a stop sign and not having a drivers license. Harrison was stop ped by police and given one minute to produce the car registration and his driver's license. When he exceeded one minute, he was arrested and jailed. CLARKSDALE, MISS. - CALIFORNIA!! ARRESTED - July 21 Les Johnson, 20, xvas arrested on the charge of running a traffic light. Johnson denies the charge. HATTIESBURG, MISS. - UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN STUDENT BEATEN - July 21 Peter Werner, 24, a student at the Univ. of Michigan and a teacher at a Freedom School, xtfas accosted by a local xvhite man in the dox;ntown area, Werner's assailant, Huston Hartfield, hit him from behind and kicked and pummeled him. Both Werner and Hartfield x?ere arrested and charged with assault and battery. M.CCOMB, MISSISSIPPI - CHURCH BURKED TO THE GROUND - July 22 Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church xvas bombed and totally de stroyed by fire. The church is located four blocks fron the Mt. Bap tist Church which xvas burned a week earlier. GREENWOOD, MISS. - FOUR GIRLS ARRESTED - July '22 Dorothy Wathers, Arance Brooks and Bernice Cole were arrested on charges of assualt and battery against police officers. The fourth, Berty Barnes,was arrested on charges of public profanity. All four had participated in denonstrations. LELAND, MISS. - FIRST SNCC WORK IN LELAND REBUFFED - July 22 A group of SNCC workers entered Leland for the first time and xvere distributing leaflets. Willie Rollins, one of the group, was arrested on charges of forging a check. He xvas taken to the police station and released after being questioned about COFO. The group moved from the cafe where they were living as the nanager feared that he would lose his business. JACKSON, KISS. - NEW YORK VOLUNTEER BEATEN - July 22 Robert Osnan, 19, of Brooklyn, NY was beaten by two xvhite men with billy sticks xvhile walking xvith another volunteer. LEXINGTON, MISS. - CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEER BEATEN - July 22 Robert Garofolo, 19, East Haven, Connecticut, was beaten in front of the courthouse by a white man. NATCHEZ, MISS. - MAYOR PORTRAYS HIMSELF AS 'LIBERAL' - July 22 George Greene and Chuck McDetv met xvith Mayor Norssey of Matchez. They discussed the program of voter registration and freedom schools in Natchez. The mayor admitted that large numbers of whites in the county have guns and that Natchez police had been guilty of harrassment and in timidation; he further stated that he xvould speak with the chief of police about it. Norssey added that he recognized the difficulty of the voter registration test for Hegroes and xvhites and thought citizen ship schools a good thing. He also mentioned that the Negro vote may have put him into office. GREENWOOD, MISS. - WHITES ARRESTED BY FEDS UNDER CIVIL RIGHTS BILL - July 23 The federal government arrested Willie Belk, 57, Jimmy Belk, 19, and Sam Shaffer, Jr., 40, all of Greenwood, under Title II of the CR Bill of 1964 for interfering with the rights of Silas McGee of Green wood who attempting to enter a theatre. This is the first arrest of this kind. GREENWOOD, MISS. - STAFF WORKER ARRESTED - July 23 Willie Blue was arrested for speeding and bonded out for $29. Blue states that he was only going 30 mph. JACKSON, MISS. - FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY - July 23 The Secretary of State of Mississippi has denied certification to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. INDIANOLA, MISS. - NEGRO POLICEMAN DRAWS GUN AT X7R RALLY - July 23 During a voter registration rally attended by more than 200 people, Nathaniel Jack, a local policeman, drex»r a pistol on Rabbi Levine of Rochester, New York. The leaders of the rally had been told that no police would attend the rally. Charles McLaurin, SNCC director of the Ruleville project, asked the crowd if they xvanted the police there and then asked Jack to leave. Jack was waving his pistol and shouting, "I'll kill someone." Later he returned with more policemen but there xvas no further trouble. AMITE COUNTY, MISS. - THREE CHURCHES WITHIN FIVE MILES BURNED-July 24 The Rose Hill Church was burned to the ground. This church is no more than five miles from the two other churches which were burned within the last week. MCCOMB, MISS. - NEGRO CLUB OWHER BEATEN - July 24 Mr. Brock, oxvner of the Mocombo Club, was beaten by the police in his club and then taken to jail. The police made a statement to Brock to the effect that he was "getting uppity" since he now had xvhite cus tomers. The police xvere referring to xvhite civil rights workers who had patronized the Mocombo Club. HOLLY SPRINGS, MISS. - OHIOAN VOLUNTEER ARRESTED - July 24 Elwood Berry of Dayton, Ohio was arrested for public profanity. The police told Berry to "move on, goddamn it." Berry repeated the phrase over the citizens band radio in his car and xvas immediately arrested. MAYERSVILLE, MISS. - VIOLENCE THREATENED BY LOCAL WHITE - July 24 Local Negroes told Charlie Cobb, SHCC staffer, that their employer, A.E. Scott, had threatened to burn the Moon Lake Baptist Church if more civil rights meetings xvere held there. He also threatened to murder 3ny of his Negro employees who tried to register to vote. AMERICUS, GA. - WORKER BEATEN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REGISTER - July 24 John Perdew, SNCC field secretary, xvas beaten xvhen he xvent to take his literacy test to register to vote as a resident of Sumter County. After he had passed his test, he xvas beaten by a man with brass knuckles in the hallway of the Sumter County Courthouse. CLARKSDALE, MISS. - HARASSMENT AT FREEDOM HOUSE - July 25 A beer bottle was throxvn through a front window of the Freedom House. The bottle xvas recovered and is being examined by the FBI for fingerprints. GRSENWOOD, MISS. - NEGRO PURSUED BY GANG OF WHITE BOYS - July 25 Tom Harris, 32, of Greenwood, xvas returning from the hospital and was chased five blocks by a gang of white boys. He escaped injury. RULEVILLE, MISS. - HARASSMENT CONTINUES - July 25 A rock was thrown through the xvindow of a car owned by Mr, Joe Townsend, a local Negro housing summer workers and the brother of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer. DAWSON, GA. - WORKER ARRESTED - July 25 Herman Kitchen of Daxvson xvas arrested after being in a group which tested the Toxvn & Kitchen Restaurant. EATESX/ILLE, MISS. - HOUSE TEARGASSED - July 26 A tear gas bomb was thrown onto the house of Mr, Robert Miles. Sleeping in the house were summer volunteers Kathy Amatnick and Tim Morrison, Claude Weaver, SNCC staff, Mr. Miles and his wife and three children. All escaped unharmed. The sheriff and deputy investigated the bonbing. MCCOMB, MISS. - HOUSE TWICE BOMBED - July 26 The house of Charles Bryant, scene of voter registration meetings, was twice bombed in the early morning hours. A car passed the house one tine, returned and threw a small dynamite bomb which did no damage. Mrs. Bryant defended her home by returning the attack xvith a shotgun blast. The car returned a third time and threw a larger dynamite bomb which did damage the house. Leaflets announcing a freedom registration picnic had been passed out indicating the lawn of Mr. Bryant's house as the location of the picnic. MILESTONE, W.ISS. - SNCC CAR BURNED OUT - July 26 A SNCC-owned car parked in a residential area in front of the house of Mr. Dave Koxvard,who houses summer volunteers, was burned out by unknown persons. The interior of the car was completely gutted and a jug xvas discovered in the car, PINE BLUFF, ARK. - FIVE WORKERS ARRESTED - July 26 Jim Jones, SNCC staffer, and four other workers, three of whom were local high students, xvere arrested while canvassing and selling poll tax. When the sheriff who stopped the car questioned the group and was told xvhat they were doing, he placed the entire group under arrest. Af ter a lecture, he released the students but held the two older xvorkers. GREENWOOD, MISS. - MOB ATTACKS NEGROES OUTSIDE THEATRE - July 27 While txvo local Negroes, Silas and Jake McGee,were in the Leflore Theatre, a mob of whites formed outside the theatre. The SNCC office sent txvo cars to the theatre. The police escorted the McGees out of the theatre but left them unprotected on the sidewalk. The mob surged forxvard, throwing bottles and damaging the car. As the car xvas en route to the hospitaltaking the injured people, it was fired upon. Whites again gathered outside the hospital. The FBI agents on the scene re fused protection to the workers. Sheriff Smith of Leflore County es corted them from the hospital. ; Oxford, Ohio June 18, 1964 Dear Friend: The following letter was sent to John Lewis, Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. It was read to those present at the Oxford orientation this afternoon. Upon the request of those assembled this letter is being reproduced so that you may understand some of the uiscious propaganda circulating not only about the Mississippi Summer Project but also about the movement in general. The letter refers to a speech that John Lewis made in Dayton on Sunday, June 14, 1964. With the letter came three pieces of literature. One of them was a so-called famous quotation by Abraham Lincoln put out by the White Citizens Council of Greenwood, Mississippi, designed to discredit Abraham Linooln. We Shall Overcome 7 James Forman ../ June 16, 1964 Mr. Lewis: It is to the credit of the majority of your race in the Dayton area that they had enough good sense to sta3r away from your Communistic race-mixing attempt on Sunday, June 14th. They are beginning to wake up to the fact that it is immoral, unjust, stupid, against' the Laws of Nature (each to his 0" N KIND), and absolutely Communist-dictated! For your information, we had observers at your Communistic "song- festw and were kept regularly informed as to the actions and general stupidity, not only of members of your race, but also of the morally rotten outcasts of the White race thatwer.tr with you. These "white Negroes" are the rottenest of the race-mixing criminals. All race- mixens will some day be brought to justice for their crimes against humanity and all future generations, and, since race-mixing is morally more CRIiUNAL than MURDER, it would give me toreat satisfaction if I were selected to sit on such a jury. You are right about one thing - this is goin0 to be a long, hot, summer - but the ;'heat" will be ap_ lied to the race-mixing TRASH by "the DECENT people xvho do not believe in racial mongrelization through- racial prostitution, which is in violation of all concepts of justice, decency, and Common Sense. When your Communist-oriented GOONS get to Mississippi, I hope they get their just dues as infiltraters of an enemy power, which they will be in FACT. Charles J. Benner/signed Charles J. Benner Chairman, Unit 42 National States Rights Party Dayton 2, Ohio Dear Member: NECLC played an important role in the recent HUAC hearings in Washington. These were the first hearings in over two years with subpeonaed witnesses. Robert Greenblatt, National Mobilization (MOB) Co-Chairman, was represented by Council Member Sandford Katz; Rennie Davis, Chicago Project Co-Director, was represented by Staff Counsel Michael Kennedy and I represented Thomas Hayden. The hearings were called purportedly to investigate the Chicago "riots" and their "link to the international Communist conspiracy. " As they unfolded three main purposes were apparent: (1) to accelerate domestic repression by discrediting, harassing and pillorying the Chicago, demonstrators; (2) to prepare the way for a large HUAC appropriation in 1969; (3) to advance the election prospects of HUAC committeemen, particularly those of Subcommittee Chairman Richard Ichord (Dem. Mo, ), who is in a tight race. As a long-time student of HUAC, I must confess that despite all the reading and second hand stories, I was appalled by its operations. On the first day, a Committee staffer presented hastily prepared testimony that consisted of a melange of newspaper articles and some garbled "minutes" of MOB meetings. Despite the strenuous objections of counsel, (always gaveled down) constitutional rights to cross-examine and the like were denied. In the afternoon, after a heated exchange over the denial of such rights, NECLC Staff Counsel Michael Kennedy challenged the Chairman's "rape of the Constitution" and stood in silent protest. Lawyers and their subpeonaed clients rose to stand with him. The tension mounted as the Chairman and the attorneys continued to argue. Finally after refusing to sit down, we were all escorted out by the Marshals, The second day started with the arrest of Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman for wearing a shirt patterned on an American flag. It was followed by the testimony of Chicago "undercover" agents who "infiltrated ' the Yippies as members of a supposed motor cycle gang. On the second and third days, both Robert Greenblatt and Dr. Quentin Young of the Chicago Medical Committee on Human Rights were called. Greenblatt described how he emigrated here from Hungry via Germany to escape from fascism only to find his adopted country engaging in the same practices. The Committee did not care. They were interested only in "linking" the protest leader to "Hanoi. " Greenblatt said he had been proud to visit Hanoi - that he had gone to establish the true facts and to search for peace. Dr. Young described in lengthy detail the medical group's actions during the civil disorders, in the South and in Chicago. The best the Committee could do was to ask him if he had signed an amicus brief with other doctors in a case before the U. S. Supreme Court challenging a SACB order involving the Communist Party. NATIONAL EMERGENCY CIVIL LIBERTIES COMMITTEE / 25 E. ze ST. / N Y-, N.Y. 1001 O / 212-683-8120 CORLISS LAMONT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CLARK FOREMAN CHAIRMAN DIRECTOR EMERITUS MRS.ELEANOR BRUSSEL DR. ALAN BLEICH, N.Y. PROF. MARY MOTHERSILL, N.Y. HENRY Dl SUVERO VICE CHAIRMAN BERNARD BRIGHTMAN, N.J. RUSS NIXON, N.Y. ERNEST R. CHANES, N.Y. LEON QUAT, N.Y. DIRECTOR JOHN M. PICKERING RAMONA RIPSTON VICE CHAIRMAN PROF. DOROTHY W. DOUGLAS, N.Y. HARRY I. RAND, N.Y. CO-DIRECTOR LEWIS J. GRAHAM RABBI ROBERT E. GOLDBURG, CONN. LOUIS L. REDDING, DEL. EDITH TIGER SECRETARY PROF. DAVID HABER, N.Y. NATHAN SCHWERNER, N.Y. JOHN H. SCUDDER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SANFORD M. KATZ, N.Y. JOHN SIMON, N.Y. MICHAEL J. KENNEDY TREASURER SANDRA LEVINSON, N.Y. MORTON STAVIS, N.J. STAFF COUNSEL LEONARD B. BOUDIN WILLIAM MEYERS, N.Y. PETER WEISS, N.Y. GENERAL COUNSEL •2- The hearings were adjourned to December 2, because of the "press of business. " With names like "Elizabeth Bentley" read into the record by Committee Counsel, there was an eerie feeling that a McCarthy era I thought past was being breathed back to life. Throughout, we were on the offensive. Joining with other groups and on behalf of all the subpeonaed clients, we filed suit the day before the hearings in Federal District Court challenging the HUAC legislative mandate. At the hearings we built a careful record to guard against contempt citations. We worked with our clients to develop answers that would confront the Committee at every turn, We also -- with Co-Director Ramona Ripston -- held several press conferences, distributed press handouts and got our clients on TV and radio. It was a con certed legal and educational counter-offensive. It may not have been enough to stem the tide that appears to lie ahead, but it represented a maximum effort on our part to arrest that tide. There were expenses that week, there will be more in December and there will be heavy costs in the lawsuit. Please help: (a) Take your ad in the Bill of Rights Journal - Closing date November 20. (b) Come to the Dinner on December 13, at the Americana Hotel, N. Y. (c) Send a special contribution in the enclosed envelope. Sincerely, i Henry Hi Suvero Director P. S. Informally, NECLC has been advised that HUAC, as a matter of policy, will not hold hearings outside of Washington, D. C, because of "opposition wherever we go, " You see, we really are making progress in this fight. -fiuguit I, 1964 MISSISSIPPI PROJECT PARENTS COMMITTEE* c/o Orris, 243 W 12th Street, N.Y.C. Telephone: (212)675-1981 NEWSLETTER * Note new name, shifing emphasis from 'parents' and 'emergency' to Mississippi Project Send Newsletter material to Mrs R. Hodes, 17 Brooks Road, Woods Hole, Mass. All other material to: 243 W. 12th Street, N. Y. C. (see above) AFTER THE SUMMER, WHAT THEN? WHAT WAS IT ALL FOR? WILL ANYTHING BE ACCOMPLISHED? ANYTHING YOU AND I CAN DO? HEARINGS ON MISSISSIPPI VOTER f UNSEAT THE MISSISSIPPI DEMOCRATIC INTIMIDATION I PARTY i I SEAT THE FREEDOM TOWN HALL, Thursday, August 20th I DEMOCRATIC PARTY Hi I , j Formal testimony will be presented be Senators Stennis and Eastland voted fore a panel of distinguished citizens, against the Civil Rights Bill and the as in COFO hearings held in Washington Anti-Poverty Bills, for example. D. C. on June 9th. (See Congressional Record, House 13507-24 & A-3227-41, The following state Democratic parties as reported in last Newsletter.) are committed to vote for the seating of ! the Miss. Freedom Democrats, as op The panel will establish by careful ques posed to the regular Miss. Democrats: tioning of Summer Project volunteers New York California Colorado and local staff people that there is Michigan Minnesota Wisconsin SYSTEMATIC voter intimidation in Oregon Mississippi. Full press and TV cover age is expected. Connecticut & New Jersey delegates are not yet committed I Parents should visit AH this is in preparation for challenging these delegates and get them to support the seating of the Miss. Democrats at the Miss. Freedom Democrats. It is the Democratic Convention in Atlantic considered that parents such as our City. selves would be extremely effective in persuading delegations to seat the Free dom Democratic Party in Atlantic City. This summer COFO has been registering Mississippians in the Freedom Demo If we accomplish this: cratic Party who were refused the right to register and vote in the regular Miss. Senator Eastland would lose seniority - Democratic Party. The Freedom Demo* would no longer hold chairmanship crats should replace the regular Miss, of vital Committees. . , Democrats in Atlantic City because the latter are guilty of segregation and be Miss, would lose patronage (now guaran cause they do not support the policies teed by Democratic Party) unless it of the National Democratic Party. complied with Federal law. . . -2- Federal protection for civil rights work- Mandy Samstein, a Miss, volunteer, was ers might increase, for the President about to be attacked - got help in time would find it more politically practical through radio-phone. Mrs Hamer's political race in Rulesville 2-way radios lessen strain on drivers in might be strengthened. More funds isolated areas. It is called BATTLE might be voted for education and vs. FATIGUE. poverty in Mississippi. , . As of 7/24/64, $6000 raised for two-way radios. $4000 more is needed. $150 buys one such radio. Write RADIO on Parents voted unanimously at July 24th back of check and mail to SNCC, 100 Parents Meeting: Fifth Avenue, New York City 1- TO BE ACTIVE IN SEEING CON BUT ...... VENTION DELEGATES, before Most important source of protection is they go to Atlantic City* still FEDERAL 2- TO PARTICIPATE in any activity We are told that Greenwood's FBI that may take place in Atlantic City, cooperates very little with COFO. Some such as possible demonstration for times the FBI knows the whereabouts the seating of Mississippi Freedom of missing persons, but lets COFO go Democrats. on hunting for them, without disclosing such info as which jail they are in. * Key men to see: Chairman of local Democratic Party WIRE THE PRESIDENT ASK HIM Delegates to Credential Committees TO INSTRUCT THE FBI TO COOPERATE (two people and Executive Director MORE FULLY WITH COFO from each state) Send us those LETTERS FROM THE FRONT WANT AN EFFICIENT OFFICE? Publishers clamor for them - "Random House called me today, " writes our HELP MAKE IT SOI Publicity Chairman. . So, PLEASE, copy your children's let Phone Answerers needed, . , ters and send to Miss. Project Parents Call 675-1931 Comm., 243 W 12th St. , NYC. Write LETTER FILE on outside of envelope. FLASH: TWO-WAY CAR RADIOS SNCC Office, 100 5th Av, will reproduce ALREADY PROVE THEIR WORTH letters for 10 White minister, driving along lonely And keep feeding the local press: road, found car following him. Called 2nd car by radio, which got license Send them: Letters from the Front * number of pursuer. News of rallies, signature campaigns money raising affairs. . (Pictures help you get in print) Letters to the Editor *One copy for our files - one fen* Press -3- LOOK WHAT CAJN HAPPEN: (Apologies IF YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER IS for these arbitrary samples. Ed,) ARRESTED. . . FALMOUTH ENTERPRISE: Kathie 1- There is no need to rush around Amatniek writes: '. . our Freedom looking for cash - after banking hours I Library is better than the Batesville There is now an on-the-spot BAIL FUND Public Library, which Negroes used to in Greenwood. have to enter from the back door. . , We are very short on books on Negro Send in your bail money NOW, c/o History, so if anyone in Woods Hole William Meyers, Emergency Civil feels like sending some. . , " Liberties Committee, 421 Seventh Av., New York City - (Ox 5-2863). The To-the-Editor - Dobbs Ferry Sentinel: money is wired immediately to Green ". . .thanks. . .for the extraordinary wood, It may be earmarked for your effort. . . nearly $400 was raised. , . child, if you wish. And thanks to you for the front page story which contributed so greatly to Make out checks to William Meyers, the success of the affair. " Ben Smith, or George Crockett, "ss attorney, " (They are the 3 bail fund Editorial Comment, The Hastings News: trustees). Write on the back of tbf ". . .They are going to Mississippi, . . check: Mississippi Summer Bail Fund Many are from influential, even wealthy families. Some are your friends and 2- BRING INFLUENCE TO BEAR neighbors. . . AND SO WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE First, call Parents Committee at INVOLVED, LIKE IT OR NOT, IN THIS 675-1981 to get facts: nature of the PHASE OF MAN'S STRUGGLE. . . . charge, location of jail, amount of bail. . . SO KEEP THE PRESS INFORMED! Then, call the FBI, Justice Department, IT'S THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT THAT Senators, Congressmen, local press, COUNTS TV. IT CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE KEEP THESE NUMBERS HANDY When Willard Fraser's son was ar rested, Senator Javits, the New York Senator Jacob K. Javits FBI, Parents Committee members, New York City: 212 Mo 9-1770 went into action. Washington D C 202 Ca 4-3121 Ext. 6542 Result: "Out of town" FBI men were sent to the jail, the volunteers v/ere Senator Kenneth B. Keating treated with kid gloves, Tcz FBI New York City: 212 Le 2-1123 called the parents at 2:30 A. .VT, to Washington, D.C.: 202 Ca 4-3121 assure them that the youn^ men were Ext. 4451 safe. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee National Office 6 Raymond Street, N.W. 7 08 Avenue N Atlanta 14, Georgia Greenwood, Mississippi MI-0J31 Dear Parents of Mississippi Summer volunteers: This is the first in i Despite continual arrests and harassment the twenty projects report considerable progress: Freedom School registration has exceeded all predictions, and voter registration efforts are building up to sev eral Freedom Days - where large numbers of people attempt to register at local courthouses - which x-7ill be held during the last two weeks of July. Local students at the Community Centers are working on original plays and hope to produce newsletters and original poetry magazines. Many of you are already participating in various parents groups all over the country, and we are convinced that this activity has been a big factor in directing national publicity and public pressure to the dismal conditions in this state. For those of you who have not yet contacted such a group, and would like to, please let us know here in Greenwood and we will help you get in touch. These groups are func tioning in every large city in the country. We ask, too, that you continue your efforts to aid the Mississippi Summer Project. Our spe cific needs are: dom 2) Publicity and public pressure. It is extremely important to keep Mississippi in the public eye through your press conferences, your visits to congressmen and senators, your letters to the editor, and your appearances on radio and television. Such efforts help to create a climate where federal protection will increase. We know of your concern for your sons and daughters in Mississippi, and we are doing all we can to insure their safety and the safety of local people involved with the movement, as well as making sure that the Project can continue with minimum difficulty. So far your help has been invaluable. We intend to cooperate with you in every way, and hope you will call on us at any time. Freedom, Greenwood National SNCC Office ,60»2) 453 - 9931 \Jne Irian, \Jne Vole 8fnH9r- THE PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI CASE CHRONOLOCfT Off CO»CTT"WlTH AGENTS 0F~TBE~F'EDERA L GOV'T, SUNDAY, JUNE 21 10:00 PM:* H. F. Helgesen, Jackson FBI agent, was contacted by law stud- .- ent Sherwin Kaplan. Helgesen was informed that the party -was missing and was given the three names. An investigation was asked for; Helgesen said something like, "Keep me informed of what happens." 10:30 PM: A Mr. Schwelb, a Justice Department lawyer, was called £r©m the Meridian COFO office. Schwelb was1 in Meridian at the time. He was informed of the disappearance of the party. 11:00 PM: Jackson COFO called Schwelb at approximately 11:00, but he gave no indication cf having taken any action. 12:00 PM: Robert Weil from Jackson COFO called Schwelb and gave him the license number of the missing car and further infor mation on the addresses of the missing people, well requ.es"> ed an investigation. Schwelb 3tated that the FBI was not a police force and that he was not yet sure whether any federal offense had occurred; so he could not act. He was informed of the provision in the US code providing for FBI arrests; he still Insisted that he did not have authority. 12:00 PM: Weil also called Helgesen at this time. Helgesen took in the information curtly and did not allow a chance for further conversation. Weil also called the Mississippi Highway Patrol, with similar results. MONDAY. JUNE 22 1:00 AM: Ron Carver of the Atlanta SNCC office called John Doar of VEDT, 2 hrs. the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., and inform- ahead of ed him of the case. He said he was concerned, and asked Mississ- to be kept informed. He said he would look into the case. ippx) He suggested that the Mississippi State Highway Patrol be alerted. 3-J4^00 AM: John Doar was called again by Atlanta SNCC. He repeated (CST) that he would attempt to see what the Justice Department could do. 6:00 AM: On being called again, Doar replied that "I have invested the FBI with the power to look into this matter." 7:30 AM: Information concerning the arrest on traffic charges of the three which had been gathered from the Philadelphia jailer's wife was phoned in to the Jackson FBI office. The agent said he would give the information to FBI agent Helgesen, whom we had contacted the night before. 8:30 AM: New information from the jailer's wife, Mrs. Herring, to the effect that the three had been released at 6:00 PM, plus the results of phone calls to various neighboring jails were called in to Agent Helgesen. Helgesen said he could do nothing until called by the New Orleans FBI office. 9:00 AM: Robert Weil m Jackson called the Highway Patrol. Though they had been called at least four times during the night, they did not seem to know about the case, *W1J times are 5enti^3 F>l>W^,fM 'rime- (n;','i') n:,-o,| wbei-e other-wise indicated .-- t PHILADELPHIA CASE: FEDERAL OiiriUr-jUijUu-x rage i 9:15 AM: Attorney Doar xvas called again at 9:15 from Atlanta and ap prised of new developments. 11:00 AM:Helgesen was called and given new Information reported by some- white contacts in Philadelphia to the effect that the three were still in jail at 9:00 PM and appeared to have been beaten,, though not seriously. Helgesen said he would "take the nec essary action." He said that the alleged beating threw new light on the FBI's role in the case. He said he v/ould call our source. 12:00 M: Helgesen was called again. He said that he had only called New Orleans and had not received instructions to investigate. 12:15 PM:Atlanta SNCC called Jackson and said they had spoken to Agent Mayner in New Orleans, who had said he had received no orders from Washington. 1:00 PM: Meridian informed ..the Jackson office that Marvin Rich, Public relations director of CORE, and James Farmer, executive dir ector of CORE had contacted FBI Agent Delloch, second in com mand of the FBI, as well as Lee White, Presidential Assistant, and Burke Marshall, head of the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. Rich and Farmer said that if they got no action from the FBI, they would call the President. Meridian also informed us that Farmer in Washington had called the FBI In New Orleans. Henry Wolf, attorney for the Goodman family, called to say that Robert Kennedy had been contacted. 1:40 ?M: Meridian reported that attempts had been made to call local air force bases to institute an air search, but were unsuc cessful. Atlanta SNCC called John Doar; he was speaking on another line. They left word for him to call back, 2:10 PM: Our source with the white contacts in Philadelphia reported that as of that hour the FBI had not yet called him, as Helgesen had promised he would two hours earlier. Meridian reported that Marvin Rich was calling the Defense Department to try to Institute an air search. Stormy weather developed later in the afternoon in the Meridian-Philadelphia area, howe ve r. jffjf 2:45 PM: Atlanta informed us that calls were made to Burke Marshall and John Doar at 2:30 and 2:45 respectively. Word was left as the two men could not be reached by phone. 2:55 PM: It was reported that reporters had been permitted to go . through the Philadelphia jail and were satisfied that the three were not there. 3:30 PM: As of this time neither the Atlanta nor the Jackson offices had received any return phone calls from Doar or Marshall, nor did the FBI office in Jackson have any word from them. 5:20 PM: Doar called Atlanta.- He informed them that the Mississippi Highway patrol had out out an ALL POINTS ALERT bulletin and that both the sheriff of Neshoba County and the FBI were searching. The sheriff claimed that the trio were last seen heading Stmtn on "Route 19 toward Meridian. PHILADELPHIA CASE: FEDERAL GKEQNGLOOY, Page 5. Then the President himself saw them and said he was using every available force, including the justice Department and the Defense Department for this case. 8:00 PM: The president called Goodman at his home in New York. He told him that there was no evidence that bodies had been found, but that tracks had been found leading away from the car. He said he had ordered more FBI and Defense Department personnel to "comb the countryside." Goodman's attorney, popper, informed us that he had heard that 6 Last night a Canton policeman threatened to strike CORE worker Scott Smith xvith a shotgun. The police man accused him of trying to take over the toxvn, and of having told a xvhite 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 xvhite man set fire to the building soon after midnight. Damage xvas minimal, as the keeper soon had the fire under control. The building xvas to be used for a coming mass meeting. SNCC volunteers had just passed out leaflets announcing the meeting. Txvo 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 Klrschenbaum and Ron Ridenour, xvere arrested shortly before midnight on the 23rd and subjected to a night of mental harassment and intimidation in the Jackson County Jail, Pascagoula They xvere 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. Vicksburg 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 xvho had jurJ- fired into a Negro cafe on Valley St. The wounded man, Marion Tarvin, 26, xvas 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 71.4 Weaver St., and other. homes In the area. They thx*eatened to return again and again until they found some Negro boys with whom they had fought the night before. The previous night the police had picked up the Negro boys involved in the fight, but had not even taken the names of the xvhites. INCIDENTS REPORTED TO THE JACKSON OFFICE DURING A 24 HOUR PERIOD: Rulevllle June 24, 2 AM: A car driven by xvhites circled noisily around the 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 pre xv 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 xvhites. Verbal abuse and threats were hurled at them from circling cars and trucks, some of which xvere 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 xvay from Rulevllle to Greenwood. The re porters were returning from a public meeting in Rulevllle 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- landale, 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 xvas 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 xvas driven by a Canton Negro, Eddie Lepaul. The shot came from the grass at the side of the road. )over) FBI INVESTIGATION AMD ARRESTS IN ITTA BENA-—June 25 and 26 At 6%00 pm on June 26, UPI reported that the FBI had arrested three white men in Itta Bena, Mississippi* The three had threatened txvo SNCC summer Volunteers the day before and had tried to run them out of town, SNCC Volunteers John Byon Paul of Ossining, M.X,, and Roy Torkington of Berkeley,. California., were canvassing on the afternoon of the 25th with SNCC staff member Willie McGee, They had informed Mr, Weber, the Itta Bena town Marshall, of their intention of doing voter regis tration work and had received assurance that this was -all right- and that they could -go right ahead,- While they were passing out leaflets, however, four white men drove up in two trucks. The nen got out of the trucks, separated the Volunteers from McGee, and marched the students to a gas station that also serves as the bus stop. Although the men threatened the Volunteers, they were unsuccessful in getting them to leave town. The COFO office in Jackson and the SNCC office in Atlanta began imme diately to inform the FBI and the Justice Department. John Doar of the Justice Department promised to look into the incident. The Volunteers \iere finally released, and despite further threats, spoke at a Mass Meeting the same night in Itta Bena, After the in cident of the afternoon, they asked the town Marshall, Mr, Weber, for protection? Weber would not promise protection, but xvhen the meeting- was over the Volunteers found him outside and they believed he might have been influential in preventing trouble. There were indications that the FBI had talked to Weber and had had an influence on him. The next morning, Paul and Torkington talked wtth four FBI agents in Itta Bena, One of the latter said that Burke Marshall, head of the. Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department, had called him and said that he wanted thorn to do everything possible in the case. Because they had both license numbers and names, the Volunteers felt there might be a good chance for an arrest, C0F9 and SNCC made further calls to the FBI and Justice Department relaying the infor mation which the volunteers had; sometime around 6;00 pm on the 26th, three of the four men involved in the incident the day before wore arrested, on charges of interfering with voter registration work. This is believed to be the first arrest made under this law, although it has been in effect since I960, The importance of this case is that it indicates that FBI pressure can offer protection to people in Mississippi, and that the Justice Department and the FBI can authorize arrests in civil rights cases. 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 Hie United States and make arrests xvithout xvarrant for any offense against the United States committed in their presence, or for any felony cognizable under the laws of the U.S. if ihey have reason able grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such felony. Interference xvith the Vote - 18 U.S, Code, Section 59^° Whoever intimi dates, threatens, coerces, or attempts to intimidate, threaten or coerce, any person for the purpose of interfering with the right of Mch other person to vote or to vote as ho may choose, or of causing such^other person to vote for, or not vote for, any candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, or Member of the House of Representatives, Delegates or Commissioners of. tho Territories or Possessions, at any election held solely or in part for the purpose of electing such candidate, shall be fined not more than $1000 or imprisoned, not more than one year or both. Deprivation of Constitutional Rights - 18 U.S, Code, Section 242 ~ 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 pro tected by tho 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 $1000 or Imprisoned not more than ono year, or both. 3 o| h1 u 1 C8| 4> 1 01 1 write: COFO STATE OFFICE 1017 Lynch Street Jackson, Miss, or call:352-9605 or contact the office near you: COFO 1323 6th Avenue N. Columbus, Miss. 328-8916 WHERE CAN YOU REGISTER: COFO wherever a FREEDOM REGIS 213 4th Street TRAR is located; Clarksdale, Miss. 624-2913 at FREEDOM REGISTRATION- mobiles; COFO 708 Avenue N at the COUNCIL OF FEDER Greenwood, Miss. ATED ORGANIZATIONS 453-1282 office nearest your home; COFO 507 Mobile Street by sending in a blank Hattiesburg, Miss. like the one on this 584-7670 folder. COFO (look on the back for a list 2505 1/2 5th Street of COFO offices) Meridian, Miss. 4-85-9286 » The Legal Defense Fund is pioneering a legal attack against useful citizens. Welfare checks may be cut off to discipline widespread abuses of citizens' rights in the distribution of an erring mother, but the children are routinely leftwith her. public assistance. On these pages we have recorded cases of abuse in distrib Repeated instances of victimization of welfare recipients ution of welfare in Arkansas and Georgia, some of which because of civil rights activity were among the considera have been included in complaints filed with the Secretary tions that first led us into poverty law. Investigation has of Health, Education and Welfare by Legal Defense Fund revealed the maze of regulations under which local and lawyers. All involve Negro families in rural areas. But state welfare agencies (all aided by Federal funds) deter comparable instances of arbitrary decisions clearly violat mine whether a given recipient or applicant is qualified or ing the laws under which public assistance is granted worthy to receive public assistance. A family eligible for plague the lives of the poor, both Negro and white, in help in one state, or even in one county of that state, may cities and towns throughout the country. be held ineligible elsewhere. A Negro family may be The Legal Defense Fund has for 27 years sought to estab denied assistance given to white families whose need is lish the right of Negro citizens to full equality in our na the same. tional life. We are now undertaking to use our legal re sources also to challenge unconstitutional practices in the Thousands of the helpless poor, Negro and white, daily administration of public welfare and to subject welfare law find benefits to which they are entitled by law either denied to judicial review. We are developing legal procedures or withdrawn with no possibility of appeal from an arbi and training lawyers to unravel the skeins of prejudice, trary ruling. The system invades the privacy of the home poverty and invasion of personal rights in providing assist in an outrageous manner and attempts to enforce a selected ance to needy Americans under Federal and local law. standard of morality. In the process, it may defeat the basic purpose of federally-assisted Aid to the Families of De pendent Children: to enable needy children to grow into JACK GREENBERG, Director-Counsel From Mississippi... "I am 49 and hurt my back working on the levee ... In April 1964 I was put on welfare ... In February 1965 Mr. Caldwell called me to his office and asked me if I had kept a volunteer for the Council of Federated Organiza tions (a state civil rights group) in my house. I said yes ... I did not get my welfare check in March." "I am married and live alone with my wife. She and I each receive $40.00 a month social security . . . Neither of us works at all for pay. She is 70. We used to each get $40.00 a month welfare, plus our social security. But the welfare department claimed I owned a house ... I did not. . . The man told my wife that we were cut off welfare because, with our social security, 'There was too much money in the house' . . . That was in 1961. I have been back to the welfare department several times . . . but they never let me reapply." THREATENED WITH HUNGER September 7966—How will we live? The mother of the family at left was told her welfare assistance would be cut off when her children took part in a boycott of segregated schools in their rural Arkansas community. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund sought and obtained a court order requiring school desegrega tion. But the cost was high to Negro parents who supported this egal action. Denial or threat of denial of public assistance to Negroes who take part in peaceful protest actions is not unusual. To secure their constitutional rights, countless parents as poor as this Arkansas mother risk hunger for their children. and "Welfare" denies them aid WELFARE PRACTICES ATTACK THE FAMILY... "It wasn't but one thing kept me from getting it, it was be cause I had a husband," is the way Mrs. Forchette* tells of being turned down three times from 1960 to 1966 when she applied for welfare assistance. The Forchettes' oldest son, Larry, is in the army. There are five children at home. Mr. Forchette has not been able to find regular employ ment since 1954, except for one job that lasted a few months in 1963. Mr. Forchette was a farmer. But mechan ization has eliminated most agricultural jobs in Eastern Arkansas. He is desperate. He cuts weeds, peddles, does any odd job for a few cents to feed his family and pay the rent on their three-room home, one half of a frame shack. But, welfare assistance is not given to a family if the hus band and father is living in the home, whether he can find a job or not. Henry Perry and his wife raised twelve children and man Halt a House is "Home" to Mrs. Forchette, her husband and five aged on his wages as a farm laborer and whatever food children. they could grow themselves. The three oldest children have left home and are supporting themselves studying to WELFARE WITHHELD FROM THE AGED prepare for better lives than their parents. At 55, with nine children still at home, Mr. Perry can find no work. Last year he enrolled his nine-year-old daughter in the white school in Marvel, Arkansas. Since then, no employer in the county will hire him. The Perrys' neighbors have told them there is no use applying for public assistance because it is never given to families with fathers living at home. * Names have been changed to protect privacy. WELFARE HELPS TO PROVIDE CHEAP LABOR... In Grady County, Georgia, three Negro mothers, all with young children and no means of support, reported that the Welfare Department had refused in early July of 1966 even to consider their applications for Aid to the Families of Dependent Children. All were told that "seasonal em ployment was available in the fields until October and that no applications would be accepted until the fall." Another mother who had been receiving assistance since the preceding October had her benefits terminated in May. She was told that "full-time seasonal work" was available. Further, her 12-year-old twins "should work in the fields until October" when benefits might again be granted. In Grady County, only Negro women and their children are required to work in the fields during the growing season, and denied benefits from May to October. Field work is not considered "suitable" for white women and children receiving benefits under Aid to the Families of Dependent Children. ... BUT WELFARE REFUSES TO ASSIST THOSE WHOSE NEEDS ARISE FROM CHEAP LABOR Mrs. Hattie Ann Harrington is holding her week's wages in her hand. She earned $6.36 chopping cotton, but had to take it to Lulamae Frost of Cairo, Georgia is the sole support of seven another woman to have it counted because she cannot see. In children under 18. She works 48 hours a week as a domes her sixties, Mrs. Harrington applied for Aid to the Physically tic. Her wages are $24.00 a week. Mrs. Frost applied for Totally Disabled at her doctor's suggestion, but the Little Rock supplemental assistance in May 1966. Her application was Medical Review Team rejected her as not totally unable to work. turned down because she was fully employed. The family is expected to live on $3.00 a week per person. The elderly poor, even after a lifetime of work, are system atically shorn of any feeling of independence before aid is given. Bertha Jones is 73 and worked all her life. She receives a monthly check of $44.00 from social security. But, before welfare would give her supplemental assist ance, she was required to use up all her savings except $200. Now her brother wants to give her an old TV set, but she does not dare accept it—her welfare worker says a TV set in her home might make her ineligfble for the $31 monthly welfare check she is now getting. Please send your tax-deductible gift to: NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. •und 10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 10019 ^,168 legal efense Dear Friends: The Council for Jobs and Freedom (CJF) is destined to do in New York's Harlem what the Freedom Houses have done in Mississippi. We have selected the CJF as the "Cause of the Month" (for two months) after meetings with its organizers, as being worthy of the most generous financial support we can muster. We are therefore in viting you to a special gathering at the George Washington Hotel, Lexington Ave. and 23rd Street (Regency Room) on Tuesday, March 2nd, 1965, at 8:00 pm. CJF has established a Community Center at 72 West 125th Street in the heart of Harlem. It contains an entire third floor loft and small offices. It has been put in usable shape by volunteer labor. It is serving as headquarters for a drive by the people of Harlem themselves for job equality and an end to discrimination in employment, for adequate vocational training, decent off-street activities for young children and teen-agers, and many other community services. CJF's aim is to operate a center from which the Negroes of Harlem can move into economic and political action for equality of opportunity and attainment. Leaders of CJF, all volunteers, have long experience in movements for Negro equality. Blyden B. Jackson, president, was a union organizer, founder of New Haven CORE, assistant to Bayard Rustin in the '63 March on Washington, founder of East River CORE, most recently a CORE field secretary in the South. Don Petty, board chairman and youth program director, served in New Haven's Youth Recreation Program, for the last five years has worked in Mid-West and New York civil rights groups. Richard Days, vice-president, is a former UAW organizer, presently an officer of a New York UAW local. John Burke, secretary-treasurer, a Yale graduate, has led local civil rights organizations and served in National CORE's Community Relations Department. Twelve unions have proffered aid to the CJF job placement program. Services have been volunteered to CJF by teachers, office workers, lawyers, writers, organ izers, and unskilled enthusiasts. Ten boys have already formed a basketball team with two volunteer coaches. A guidance counselor is ready to work on college opportunities. A thousand books are ready for a professional librarian, now on the job. Thirty to forty people are serving or ready to serve the program, with out pay. CJF is a Harlem-based project, operated by and for the community. It has sounded out the people it will serve and found them willing and eager for action. The Center welcomes visitors. Financial support for rent, supplies, equipment, utilities, running expenses, will have to come from everywhere. We can do much. Come and help. William Lievow Frank Pollatsek 7 Peter Cooper Road Irving Bazer New York, N. Y. 10010 YU 2-1972 Fritz Silber Max Sien P.S.: Remember March 2nd at the George Washington Hotel - Br«teS»igesy and Blyden Jackson will speak and a dramatic film on Harlem will be shown. UNSEAT THE MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION DEAR CONGRESSMAN WE BELIEVE THAT THE HONOR OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IS DEEPLY COMPROMISED BY THE PRESENCE OF CONGRESSMEN FROM THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI WHO ARE THERE BY VIRTUE OF ELECTIONS THAT ARE CONDUCTED IN BLATANT AND NOTORIOUS VIOLATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WE, THEREFORE, URGE YOU TO DO ALL IN YOUR POWER TO SUPPORT THE CHALLENGE BROUGHT BY THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND VOTE TO UNSEAT THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SENT TO THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI UNTIL SUCH TIME AS A DELEGATION ELECTED IN FREE ELECTIONS, OPEN TO ALL AND CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSTITUTION, IS SENT TO THE CONGRESS FROM MISSISSIPPI. NAME ADDRESS 1. 2. 3. h. 5. 6. 9- 10. 11. 12. 13. Ik. PARENTS MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HAROLD B. LIGHT, Chairman 625 CHENERY STREET SARENTS COMMITTEE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94112 AR. AND MRS. LEE BARRETT dR. AND MRS. RICHARD DEARBORN :ONG. DON EDWARDS MR. AND MRS. KENNETH HANSON MR. AND MRS, ROBERT HIRSCH February 1965 MR. AND MRS. GEORGE KERSON MR. AND MRS. JEROME LEWIS MR. AND MRS. HAROLD B. LIGHT MR. AND MRS. LEO LOCKSHIN As the parents of volunteer workers in Mississippi we are making MR. AND MRS. JOHN MERRYMAN MR. AND MRS. HUGH MILLER MR. AND MRS. STUART L. RAWLIlMGS. JR. this appeal to you. MR. DONALD H. SANFORD MR. AND MRS. ROBERT SCOVILLE MR. AND MRS. ANDREW SPEARS MR. AND MRS. LOTHAR STEINBERG You must be aware of the dangerous job still being undertaken by REV. HAMSELL H. STEMBRIDGE MR. AND MRS. ROBERT TREUHAFT these dedicated young Americans, THREE OF WHOM WERE MUR MR. AND MRS. TOM WATTS MR. FRED WINN DERED LAST SUMMER. Because this horrible crime and similar MR, AND MRS. JOSEPH ZIRKER crimes have usually gone unpunished, the danger increases. Yet, despite this danger, over 300 workers are still creating edu cational programs and registering voters. More important, they are helping the Southern Negro to overcome his fears , showing him that he is not alone in his struggle for his constitutional rights. The same rights you and I have always taken for granted. We parents already know the shock of having our sons and daugh ters harassed and beaten, a feeling we hope you never have to share. . .but nothing will deter them, and our only course is to try to help them. When asked, the answer is always the same. . .their prime need is SAFE, DEPENDABLE, FAST TRANSPORTATION. Cars and trucks that can travel over rural, unpaved roads, often muddy and unlighted. Therefore, we parents have started this drive for funds to buy at least 20 vehicles to fill their immediate needs. Our first con tributions supplied the truck you see described on the attached write up. We are continuing to work. Will you HELP US? Help us to show these young people who are risking their lives every day, that there are many of us who will do our part9 Sincerely, AT PA/-iffA - M> Hal Light, Chairman Fred R. Winn, Attorney Please make checks payable to PARENTS MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION. A post-paid reply envelope is enclosed for your convenience. A 100% VOLUNTEER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION l c&seIV1 ce ^S^^ S.F. NEWS-CALL BULLETIN JAN 83 1965 nbv SanFianosco.^ teers Freedom Truck 1 Mississippi sum^ ia have lobe W Northern ^ fonn the Leaves S. F. d together ^ Ass0ciation ioinea i."s>~S- . • A cgociai-i* \P--«^t SldSw>Sa« fl.be For Mississippi pport v su A shiny new truck driven The ilrights^otKegro"P' XrsWr ho^ arc^ by a dedicated freedom oivi helping worker left San Francisco ged in r0V feto vote .nd imp ' I ant for McComb. Miss., Thurs s teM day with a load of clothing, g ss;o«"~-« ; ["education. ^ ^ ^ con«rn office equipment and tools. It JS the vanguard of what LigW lSing> campaigcam n {und rai the Parents Mississippi As cksfo buv cars and true-— d m0, incre: sociation hopes will be 20 ' ^/rsSiromat New Truck Heads cars and trucks vitally siPP1' "7f for sa^safety, - biUtY Racists at ni^r- For Mississippi ^^^^ needed by some 200 volun tacks by Marshall Ganz. 2J year jld teer workers in Mississippi. Another , . r Bakersfield man, and Harvard Marshall Ganz, of Bakers- - - from eld, a Harvard student. 1bringh1gn^"--ndonese student, last week drove a new Iworked in the McComb and sissippi to^spc Schools. t \ -, .••» scrwu* Dodge truck headed lor- M (Amite county areas since in Comb, Miss. 'File truck, loadec Further - June. stained from San Fran with clothing and supplies for Before he left San Fran Chenery St.., Q, by needy Negroes, was donated by cisco be said. "This is the parents of Mississippi project s irony hold of the Ku Klux :SK» lohnMerryman,i -it ^ Klan, and the site of the MtsJoM' .Franc workers, who are currently op m MelMrs« murders of Herbert Lee ,«, Stanfordiord;; Mrv San ]ose, erating educational programs, 15 and Louis Allen. KY 2-1037 332-«27 registering voters, and creatin eth Hanson, job opportunities. "Bombings and burning or id vi of churches, arrests and Hal Light, just returned from beatings r e m i n d us con 314 a Mississippi tour of inspection stantly of the danger." and chairman of the parents He and the others are group, pointed out that fast, operating educational pro safe transportation is the great grams, registering v o t e r s est single necessity to help pi and creating job opportune _ • I vent violence and murders 1 there. One of his friends is Bill Light, 24, a Stanford grad uate last spring and son of Mr,; and Mrs. Harold Light, de- u]-]|, organized the parents In Dixie aired association. y °> \'oung Light has been in ( on I OcVCIhn-(,nl .MMilleri , a 19-yeai ' " Starkvitic, Miss., since last (-v<>1'- March. old San Francisco en I, \ s worker, '-" His father is spearheading lenti- the association's drive for resr e burned nere> fdhewa jsAississipP* 'f''' » bhl^isn any canst i Valley ctergj; Mill \\}Q\\: civil ri ^e»roes Lfttyyopt I "hen ~n \\ e s I Column "inec fjr •Hard f ^^^ Gods Thos iss. Negro •4 **M o-H£5.5^*? ' Americar^,; Of Other °^j> JSDAY, JANUARY 19, 19 J! !acist Affcsel PARENTS MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION BULK RATE 625 CHENERY STREET U. S. POSTAGE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94112 PAID PERMIT 8S85 . ^-. /-£ THE N.A.A.C.P. LEGAL DEFENSE REPORT AND EDUCATIONAL FUND VOL. II, No. 1 AUGUST, 1964 Fund Wins First Rights Act Test 3-Judge Panel Upholds Title II A three judge federal court in Atlanta upheld July 22nd the public accommoda Lester Maddox forces tions section of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Negroes off the premises The ruling came as the judges issued a of his Pickrick Restau temporary injunction desegregating Lester Maddox's Pickrick Restaurant and Moreton rant in Atlanta the day Rolleston's Heart of Atlanta Motel. after President Johnson signed the Civil Rights The suit against Mr. Maddox—the first Act. test of the new law—was brought by the Defense Fund on behalf of three Negro clergymen and students at Atlanta's Inter denominational Theological Center, who were chased from the Pickrick July 3rd by Mr. Maddox, who brandished a pistol, and — UPI PHOTO several white customers with ax handles. Director-Counsel Jack Greenberg and As Vast Expansion Marks Fund Summer Program sociate Counsel Constance Baker Motley, who argued the suit, hailed the decision— To aid the summer projects of voter registration, school integration, and implementation which will be appealed by the defendants of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Legal Defense Fund has stepped up its activities in coope to the U.S. Supreme Court—as "a powerful ration with all of the major civil rights organizations. precedent in subsequent litigation." But in addition to temporary measures desi med to protect rights workers this summer, The Justice Department intervened in the the Fund has taken several key steps to ex Fund's suit against Maddox and handled tend and improve its work for equal justice. the companion case. However much the summer volunteers _ac-_ _ Mississippi Lawyers Honored for Service In response to what the Fund terms "a complish, a continuing and steady campaign new pattern of defiance" of the Civil Rights in the courts must be carried on when they The Defense Fund presented its Act, a second suit testing the law is under return home. first annual lawyer of the year award way in Jacksonville, Fla. It seeks to deseg to the only three Mississippi lawyers Spurred by increasing financial support, regate 20 St. Augustine, Fla. restaurants who handle civil rights cases. The which originally complied with the new law the Fund has added three full time lawyers awards came at a June luncheon on to its New York based staff, which now but later resegregated under pressure from the first day of the N.A.A.C.P. Con white extremist groups. counts 17 graduates of the nation's leading vention in Washington, D.C. law schools. The roster of cooperating at Cooperating attorneys R. Jess A dozen such suits are in preparation in torneys throughout the South has been aug Brown, Carsie A. Hall, and Jack Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and elsewhere. mented to 120. Young each received a plaque and a The Fund is asking for orders to compel various places of public accommodation to Civil Rights Law Institutes taught by pro credit of $1,000 with a law book pub integrate and to force lawless elements to fessors of Harvard, Yale, Columbia, How lisher. That Negro attorneys are de cease interference with other citizens' enjoy ard, and other outstanding universities now nied access to most Bar Association ment of their legal rights. provide much needed in-service training to facilities in the South underscores the lawyers in the field. Three have been held appropriateness of the award. The Defense Fund is thus attacking in the past months, and three more are In making the presentation, Judge staunch segregationists who, having ope slated for the fall. William H. Hastie cited the three for rated for years under cover of the law, are assuming an enormous burden in spite currently resorting to threats of violence Summer Activities of overwhelming obstacles. and hate campaigns in efforts to nullify the effect of the 1964 legislation. In addition to these long range efforts, Fund lawyers advised the Mississippi volun teers at their Ohio briefing sessions. The Historic Gift Highlights N. Y. Convocation Fund also organized and provided textbooks Addresses by prominent leaders in the enforcement of the Civil Rights Act will re for the June 6-7 seminar for volunteer at civil rights movement and the announce quire continued litigation. They stated that torneys assisting in the South. ment of an unprecedented $500,000 gift "as in the past, the main burden of the In many cities, including Jackson and highlighted the 25th Anniversary Convoca entire private legal effort for equal Negro Memphis — where the Fund established tion of the Legal Defense Fund on May. rights will in practice have to be borne by temporary headquarters equipped with law Under the chairmanship of Ralph J. Bunche, the Legal Defense Fund for some years books, materials, as well as a staff member the gathering commemorated the 10th An to come." niversary of the historic 1954 Supreme on hand throughout the summer, the volun The gift will be spread evenly over the Court decision as well as the founding of the teer lawyers and law students are working ten year period 1966-75. with Fund cooperating attorneys. Fund in 1939. In making the largest gift ever received Among the speakers at the Convocation Finally, the Fund has secured the services by a civil rights organization, the donors— were Roy Wilkins, Martin Luther King, Jr., of two outstanding professionals in civil who asked to remain anonymous — ex James Farmer, Carl Rowan, and Herbert rights law for help in emergency trouble pressed their desire that "others will join in Brownell. spots. Charles Morgan, formerly of Birming making substantial gifts, so that this all- In addition, an award was presented to ham, and the Chicago firm of W. Robert important work for the ideals and good Judge Thurgood Marshall in recognition of Ming will be available should there be mass name of our country can go forward." his long years of dedication to the legal arrests of demonstrators. The donors prophetically predicted that struggle for civil rights. U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Convictions Alabama School Integration Of 77 Sit-in Students Decreed in Sweeping Order The convictions of 77 sit-in demonstrators were voided on June 22 by the U. S. Su preme Court, ruling on ten cases originating in five Southern states. Seven of the appeals had been brought by Defense Fund attorneys, who assisted in the preparation of the other three as well. It was the fourth consecutive year that De fense Fund actions led to legal victories in the Supreme Court vindicating the efforts of Negroes to obtain non-discriminatory serv ice in facilities open to the public. In the 1963-64 term, the nation's highest court ruled favorably in 28 of the 29 cases involving the Legal Defense Fund. The Fund took part in more Supreme Court actions than any other organization except the U. S. Department of Justice. Mayor James Rea of Notasulga blocks the door of Macon County High. — WIDE WORLD Freedom Rider Appeal A three judge federal court ended segregation in Macon County, Alabama by a July 13th When the Court reconvenes in September, decision that put a stop to months of controversy. The order called for integration at Shorter it will decide whether to review the con High in Shorter; Macon County High in Notasulga and Macon Academy in Tuskegee. victions of James Farmer, National Director Governor George Wallace had issued an executive decree in February in defiance of a of CORE, and 28 other "Freedom Riders" court order that Negroes be admitted. As arrested in 1961 in Jackson, Miss. six youngsters tried to enter the Notasulga The appeal by Fund lawyers to the Su school, a white photographer was clubbed preme Court represents the fifth step in the First Mississippi Schools by local police and a crowd of 50 cane- lengthy defense of the 303 persons who Set to Integrate in Fall wielding whites roughed up newspaper men. attempted peacefully to desegregate that city's bus and railroad stations. Over 200 Persistent Defense Fund efforts have led Director-Counsel Jack Greenberg hailed cases remain pending at various levels of to a final injunction requiring the first pub the court order, which resulted from a the Mississippi courts. lic school desegregation in Mississippi. The lengthy Defense Fund suit initiated in Jan uary, 1963. Greenberg called the decision July court order calls for grade-a-year plans Mississippi's unusual requirement of sep "the most sweeping decree in the history of arate trials for each "Freedom Rider" has in Jackson, Leake County and Biioxi. our school integration campaign." brought Defense Fund expenses to more Among the 63 children involved in the than $90,000, and bond money in excess of He further said, "Although it is, for the $370,000 had to be posted for those who suits are Darrell Kenyatta and Renee Denise moment, limited to Macon County, it lays have appealed. Evers, children of slain NAACP Field Sec the groundwork for future action to enjoin retary Medgar Evers. school segregation in the entire state of Alabama in a single suit. Fund Assistant Counsel Derrick Bell, who handled the suits, was gratified with the "This decree stops Governor Wallace and order but expressed disappointment with other state officials from 'harassing or pun some of the language in the opinion of Judge ishing' students or teachers attending inte grated schools. Officials may now proceed Sidney R. Mize, who went to great lengths flnP- toward integration without pressure from in disagreeing with the 1954 Supreme Court state officials. mm decision, citing testimony in defense of seg :y:;||||f||f::2r regation that has long been rejected by the "It knocks out tuition grants as a means of perpetuating segregation and declares nation's highest courts. Jfc. m that state officials may not use their power Attorney Bell was also successful in June, to thwart integration. when he secured the admission of the third "The decree also enjoined Macon County — WIDE WORLD Negro at the University of Mississippi. officials from operating jim crow schools Fund attorney Derrick Bell (left) here accom Cleveland Donald, a transfer student from and from applying different tests, proced panies Cleveland Donald, 18, on the way to register Tougaloo College, was peacefully enrolled ures, or requirementslo Negro applicants. for the summer session at the University of Missis sippi. They are pictured arriving at Oxford Airport. following a court order. "The court further ordered the Macon County Board to file a detailed plan for operating the schools for the 1964-65 year, YOU CAN HELP ... At a time when violence daily threatens to erupt, your con and that the plan should include desegrega tion of the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades tribution is needed in this struggle to achieve justice and equality for all Americans and at least one of the elementary school through peaceful action in the courts. grades in each of the county schools." Send your tax deductible contribution today. The N.A.A.C.P. LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. Fund Defends 12,834 10 Columbus Circle, New York 19, N. Y. The current case load of the Legal De Allan Knight Chalmers Judge Francis E. Rivers fense Fund has risen to a record high of President Vice-President 166 separate court actions. This includes the representation of 12,834 citizens arrested Jack Greenberg Mrs. Thornburg Cowles for peaceful protest action, as well as school Director-Counsel Treasurer desegregation suits involving over 1,000,000 children. THE N.A.A.C.P. LEGAL DEFENSE REPORT AND EDUCATIONAL FUND VOL. II, No. 2 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 1964 Mississippi: the Long Winter Ahead White Bombers Freed in McComb As Fund Defends Local I\egroes MCCOMB, MISS. — Unequal justice reared its two ugly heads here in the past month as nine whites convicted of bombing three Negro homes received suspended sentences soon after one white civil rights worker and 16 local Negroes were arrested and held in $5,000 bail on charges of "criminal syndi calism." Legal Defense Fund attorneys won a court order reducing the bond to $500, and have secured the release of the 17. They were among over 75 persons detained in this Delta town during the last two weeks of September. The first Defense Fund move on behalf of the rights advocates—who face fines of up to $1,000 and maximum jail terms of 10 years—was to file a motion September 25 in Federal District Court (Jackson) asking that the Court enjoin the "criminal syndi McComb, Miss.: The Society Hill Missionary Baptist Church, almost demolished September 20th, is one of calism" prosecutions. 36 Negro churches bombed or burned in Mississippi this year. It had been used as a Freedom School. The arrests of over 75 McComb Negroes followed shortly after this incident and the bombing of the home of No hearing date has been set for consid Mrs. Alyene Quin the same night (see story at left). The Pike County sheriff later told Rev. Taylor, pastor eration of the Fund's argument that the of the bombed church, "You niggers is just bombing one another." "criminal syndicalism" law, passed last June in a special legislative session, is un constitutional. The suit charges that the law Fund Assumes Huge Burden violates freedom of speech, is so vague as to establish no discernible standard of guilt, and is being enforced solely to harass and of Summer Project Cases intimidate civil rights efforts. JACKSON, MISS. — Summer has officially ended here, yet the heat and humidity continue, In a separate action September 29, De reinforcing the tone of life in Mississippi. Most of the 1,000 summer-project volunteers have fense Fund lawyers filed petitions in the reluctantly returned to their classrooms, while some 50 remain with the Council of Federated Federal Court seeking removal of the Mc Organizations regulars, in order that the Freedom Schools, the community centers, the Comb cases from Pike County Circuit Court voter-registration drives may keep alive the hopes of the 900,000 American citizens whose and asking that the Federal Court assume lives are a perpetual struggle against poverty and injustice. jurisdiction. When Pike County attorneys Gone, too, are virtually all of the 150 lawyers who used their vacations to advise, protect respond to these petitions, a date will be and defend the volunteers who learned this summer what their black constituents have faced fixed for hearing the Fund's allegation that all of their lives: brutality, repression, and degradation. In the wake of a host of arrests and fair trials cannot be obtained for civil rights unlawful reprisals, the Legal Defense Fund has assumed responsibility for the majority of workers in Pike County. the court actions that make up part of Mississippi's legacy to the continuing fight for civil Whites "Deserve a Second Chance" rights. The Fund's docket of 100-odd pending cases reads like a catalogue of harassments, punctuated by outrageous instances of atrocity. And only recently has the Federal govern Then on October 23 Pike County Circuit ment begun to take the steps necessary to turn Mississippi into a civil society. Judge W. H. Watkins gave suspended sen tences to nine white men (from "good fami To Americans educated in the belief that ours is a society governed by constitutional lies") convicted of bombing three Negro rules and reasonable men, what often passes for law in Mississippi must come as a shock. xn. aid 3laced the f whim is elevated above the rule of wisdom, the rule of u_ i L _ - •• —.~~^., _..^ A mv. \JL L.LKJ icon aUUYabov Vol. HI WASHINGTON, MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1965 No. 1 House of Representatives SWEARING IN OP MEMBERS just as all other Members of the House. Mrs. GREEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, The SPEAKER. According to the Any question involving the validity of on that I demand the yeas and nays. precedent, the Chair is now ready to the regularity of the election of the The yeas and nays were ordered. swear In all Members of the House. Members in question is one which should The question was taken; and there The Members will rise. be dealt with under the laws governing were—yeas 276, nays 149, present 1, not contested elections. I therefore urge sworn 8, as follows: the adoption of the resolution. The SPEAKER. The question is on the resolution. Mr. ROOSEVELT. Mr. Speaker, will [Roll No. 3] the gentleman yield for a parliamentary YEAS—276 OBJECTION TO ADMINISTRATION inquiry? Abbitt Clawson, Del Hagan, Ga. OF OATH Mr. ALBERT. I yield for a parlia Adair Collier Hagen, Calif. mentary inquiry. Adams Cooley Haley Mr. RYAN. Mr. Speaker. Addabbo Corbett HaU Mr. ROOSEVELT. Mr. Speaker, will Albert Cramer Halleck The SPEAKER. For what purpose the first vote be on the resolution, or on Anderson, m. Culver Hamilton does the gentleman from New York rise? the previous question? Anderson, Cunningham Hanna Mr. RYAN. Mr. Speaker, on ' my Tenn. Curtin Hansen, Idaho The SPEAKER. If the gentleman Andrews, Curtis Hansen, Wash. responsibility as a Member-elect of from Oklahoma moves the previous ques George W. Dague Hardy the 89th Congress, I object to tion, the vote will be on the previous Andrews, Davis, Ga. Harris the oath being administered to the Glenn Davis, Wis. Harsha gentlemen from Mississippi, Mr. ABER question. Andrews, de la Garza Harvey, Ind. Mr. ROOSEVELT. Mr. Speaker, If N. Dak. Delaney Hays NETHY, Mr. WHITTEN, Mr. WILLIAMS, Mr. Arends Derwinskl Hebert WALKER, and Mr. COLMER. I base this the motion for the previous question is Ashbrook Devine Hechler upon facts and statements which I con voted down, would it then be in order to Ashmore Dickinson Henderson offer a substitute or an amendment pro AspinaU Dole Heriong sider to be reliable. I also make this Bandstra Dorn Hicks objection on behalf of a significant num viding that the five Representatives-elect Baring Dowdy Hosmer ber of colleagues who are now standing from Mississippi not be sworn at this Bates Downing Hull time and that the question of their rights Battin Duncan, Tenn. Hungate with me. Beckworth Edmondson Hutchinson to be seated be referred to the Committee Belcher Edwards, Ala. Ichord on House Administration? Bennett Ellsworth Jarman The SPEAKER. The Chair will state Berry Erlenborn Jennings Betts Everett Johnson, Calif. that if the previous question is voted Boggs Evlns, Tenn. Johnson. Okla. down, it would be in order to offer a Bolton Fallon Johnson, Pa. proper amendment, which the Chan- Bonner Pasoell Jonas Bow Peighan Jones, Ala. would not pass upon at this particular Bray Pindley Jones, Mo. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING OATH time, unless that situation arises. Brock Fisher Kec OF OFFICE TO CERTAIN MEMBERS Mr. ROOSEVELT. I thank the Brooks Flood Keith Speaker. Brown, Ohio Flynt Kelly Mr. ALBERT. Mr. Speaker, I offer a Broyhill, N.O. Fogarty Keogh resolution (H. Res. 1) which I send to the Mrs. GREEN of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, BroyhiU, Va. Foley King, Calif. Clerk's desk. will the gentleman yield for a parlia Buchanan Ford, Gerald R. King, N.Y. mentary inquiry? Burleson Fountain Kirwan The Clerk read the resolution, as fol Burton, Utah Frelinghuysen Kornegay lows: Mr. ALBERT. I yield for a parlia Byrnes, Wis. Friedel • Laird H. RES. 1 mentary inquiry. Cabell Fulton, Pa- Landrum Resolved, That the Speaker is hereby au Mrs. GREEN of Oregon. Since the Callan Fulton, Tenn. Langen Callaway Fuqua Latta thorized and directed to administer the oath rules of the House have not been adopted, Cameron Garmatz Lennon of office to the gentlemen from Mississippi, am I correct in understanding that it Carey Gathings Lipscomb Mr. THOMAS G. ABERNETHY, Mr. JAMIE L. would require 20 percent of the Members Carter Gettys Long, La. WHITTEN, Mr. JOHN BELL WILLIAMS, Mr. WIL here to stand for a yea-and-nay vote? Casey Gibbons McClory LIAM M. COLMER, and Mr. PRENTISS WALKER. Cederberg GoodeU McCulloch The SPEAKER. The Chair will state OeUer Gray McDade Mr. ALBERT. Mr. Speaker, the that under the Constitution, it would Chamberlain Grider McEwen Members-elect whose names are referred require one-fifth of the Members present Chelf Griffin McFall Clancy Gross McMillan to in the resolution are here with certifi to rise to order a yea-and-nay vote. Clark Grover McVicker cates of election in due form on file with Mr. ALBERT. Mr. Speaker, I move Clausen, Gubser MacGregor the Clerk of the House of Representatives the previous question on the resolution. DonH. Gurney Machen Mackay Pool Steed MISSISSIPPPI CHALLENGE hereby challenged. Marion Purcell Stephens Marsh Quie Stubblefleld The SPEAKER. Under previous or Mr. Speaker, under article I, section 5, Martin, Ala. Quillen Talcott der of the House, the gentleman from of the Constitution of the United States, Martin, Mass. Randall Taylor New York [Mr. RYAN] is recognized for Martin, Nebr. Redlln Teague,Calif. the House of Representatives has the Matsunaga Reid, HI. Teague, Tex. 15 minutes. solemn obligation to "be the judge of the Matthews Reifel Thomas Mr. RYAN. Mr. Speaker, today at the elections, returns and qualifications of May Reinecke Thompson, La. its own Members." The resolution, Meeds Rhodes, Ariz. Thompson, Tex. opening of the first session of the 89th Michel Rivers, S.C Thomson, Wis. Congress, on behalf of a significant num which I was prepared to offer, asked that Mills Roberts Trimble ber of colleagues, I objected to the oath the House exercise this constitutional MinshaU Robison Tuck being administered to the gentlemen responsibility by refusing to administer Mize Rogers, Fla. Tunney Moeller Rogers, Tex. Tuten from Mississippi tMr. ABERNETHY, Mr. the oath to the "Representatives-elect" Monagan Rooney, N.Y. Ullman WHITTEN, Mr. WILLIAMS, Mr. WALKER, from Mississippi until the House finally Moore Roudebush Utt and Mr. COLMER]. As we know, the dis decided the question of the right of the Moorhead Roush Vigorito Morris Rumsfeld Waggonner tinguished majority leader later offered "Representatives-elect" from Missis Morrison Satterfleld Walker, N. Mex. a privileged resolution—House Resolu sippi to be seated in the 89th Congress. Morton St Germain Watkins tion 1—authorizing the administration This resolution is based upon the un Moss Saylor Watson Multer Schneebell Watts of the oath to the five "Representatives- equivocal, the indisputable, the well- Murphy, N.Y. Scott Weltner elect" from Mississippi and moved the known fact that .the " Representatives- Murray Secrest Whalley previous question. On a rollcall vote de elect" from Mississippi were elected by Natch er Selden White, Idaho manded by the gentlewoman from Nelsen Shriver White, Tex. an electoral process which violates the O'Konskl Sikes Whitener Oregon [Mrs. GREEN] 149 of us voted 14th and 15th amendments to the Con O'Neal, Ga. Sisk Widnall against ordering the previous question. stitution. The 15th amendment to the Passman Skubitz Willis If the previous question had not been ponstitution guarantees that the right Patman Slack Wilson, Bob Pelly Smith, Calif. Wilson, carried, I intended, as the gentleman JO vote "shall not be denied or abridged from California tMr. ROOSEVELT] ex Pepper Smith, Iowa Charles H. 1 by the United States or by any State on Perkins Smith, N.Y. Wright plained by propounding his parliamentary account of race, color or previous condi Pickle Smith, Va. Wyatt inquiry, to seek recognition to offer as a Pirnie Springer Young tion of servitude." Poage Staggers Younger substitute the following "fairness reso The right to vote is the essence of Poft Stanton Zablocki lution": democracy. It is the fundamental safe NAYS—149 H. RES.— guard of all other rights. Annunzio Gilligan O'Hara, 111. Resolved, That the question of the right of The State of Mississippi has deliber Ashley Gonzalez O'Hara, Mich. Messrs, ABERNETHY, WHITTEN, WILLIAMS, ately and systematically denied the right Ayres Grabowskl Olsen, Mont. WALKER, and COLMER to be seated in the to register and vote to a substantial num Baldwin Green, Oreg. Olson, Minn. Eighty-ninth Congress as Representatives Barrett Green, Pa. O'Neill, Mass. ber of American citizens because of their Bell Grelgg Patten from the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and race. It is no accident that there are Bingham Griffiths Philbtn Fifth Districts of Mississippi respectively, approximately 500,000, or 67 percent of Blatnik Halpern Pike shall be referred to the Committee on House Boland Hanley Powell Administration, when elected, and said com the white persons of voting age and ap Boiling Hansen, Iowa Price mittee shall have the power to send for proximately 20,000 to 25,000, or only Brademas Harvey, Mich. Pucinskl persons and papers and examine witnesses 5 to 6 percent of the Negroes of voting Broomfield Hathaway Race under oath in relation to the subject matter age registered to vote.. Brown, Calif. Hawkins Reid, NY. Burke Helstoski Resnick of this resolution; and be it further According to the Congressional Quar Burton, Calif. Holifield Reuss Resolved, That the said Messrs, ABERNETHY, terly, in 1961 the following were the fig Byrne, Pa. Horton Rhodes, Pa. WHITTEN, WILLIAMS, WALKER, and COLMER ures for nonwhite registration in each of Cahill Howard Rivers, Alaska shall not be sworn at this time and the the five Mississippi congressional dis Cleveland Huot Rodino question of their being sworn shall be held Clevenger Irwin Rogers, Colo. in abeyance until the House shall finally tricts: First District, 1.3 percent of the Cohelan Jacobs Ronan nonwhites of voting age registered to Conable Joelson Roncallo decide the question of the right of each of Conte Karsten Rooney, Pa. said Messrs. ABERNETHY, WHITTEN, WILLIAMS, vote; Second District, 6.8 percent of the Conyers Karth Roosevelt WALKER, and COLMER to be seated in the nonwhites of voting age registered to Corman Kastenmeier Rosenthal Eighty-ninth Congress; and be it further vote; Third District, 9.1 percent of the Craley King, Utah Rostenkowskl nonwhites of voting age are registered Daddario Kluczynskl Roybal Resolved, That the Committee on House Daniels Krebs Ryan Administration shall make its report to the to vote; Fourth District, 5.1 percent of Dawson Kunkel St. Onge House of Representatives not later than 260 the nonwhites of voting age registered Dent Leggett Scheuer days following adoption of this resolution. to vote; Fifth District, 12.3 percent of Denton Lindsay Schisler Diggs Long, Md. Schmidhauser The reasoning behind the "fairness the nonwhites registered to vote. Dingell Love Schweiker resolution" is succinctly stated in the The terror, violence and murder per Donohue McCarthy Shipley following preamble which it would have petrated last summer upon those who Dow McDowell Sickles Dulskl McGrath Stafford been in order to consider if the "fairness attempted to help their fellow citizens Duncan, Oreg. Macdonald Stalbaum resolution" had been adopted: exercise their right to vote focused na Dwyer Mackie Stratton Whereas article I, section 5, of the Consti tional attention upon the fact that Dyal Madden Sullivan Mississippi tramples upon the U.S. Con Edwards, Calif. Mailllard Sweeney tution of the United States provides that Evans, Colo. Mathlas Tenzer "each house shall be the Judge of the elec stitution by denying American citizens Farbstein Miller Thompson, N.J. tions, returns and qualifications of its own the right to vote. Farnsley Minish Todd members"; and A brief history of the efforts of the Farnum Mink Tupper Whereas the 14th and 15th amendments to Fino Morgan Udall State of Mississippi to exclude Negroes Ford, Morse Van Deerlin the Constitution forbid the denial of the from the franchise clearly shows delib William D. Mosher Vanlk right of citizens to vote on account of race erate and consistent violation of the Fed Fraser Murphy, HI. Vivian or color; and Gallagher Nedzi Wolff Whereas between 90 and 95 percent of all eral Constitution over the past 75 years. Giaimo Nix Wydler Negroes 21 years of age and resident in the The Mississippi constitution of 1869 Gilbert O'Brien Yates State of Mississippi are not registered to vote afforded Negro citizens the full right to PRESENT—1 and did not vote In the November 1964 elec vote. The next year, In 1870, Congress tion for Members of Congress from Mis Senner sissippi due in at least substantial measure enacted a statute readmitting Mississippi NOT SWORN—8 to violence, terror, discriminatory testing, to representation in the Congress on the Abernethy Ottinger Whitten economic reprisal, and similar measures; and condition that Mississippi never amend Colmer Toll Will lams Whereas the Congress in the act of Febru or change that constitution "as to de Holland Walker, Miss. ary 23, 1870, warned the State of Mississippi prive any citizen or class of citizens of So the previous question was ordered. that wholesale denial of the vote to her the United States the right to vote." Negro citizens would result In a loss of her representation in this body; and In 1890 there were In Mississippi 118,- Whereas relying upon the foregoing, the 890 registered white voters and 189,884 validity of the election of Messrs. ABERNETHY, registered Negro voters. In that year, In WHITTEN, WILLIAMS, WALKER, and COLMER, spite of the 1870 compact with Congress respectively, for the First, Second, Third, and the 14th and 15th amendment guar Fourth, and Fifth Districts of Mississippi, is antees, Mississippi called a constitutional convention, the purpose of which was in urging Its passage, explained "the rests; 9 beatings; and four church burn described by U.S. Senator George of amendment is intended solely to limit ings as a result of voter registration and Mississippi: Negro registration." The resolution civil rights activity. When we meet In convention, [it] Is to passed and was inserted in the Missis Violence and terror In Mississippi to devise such measures, consistent with the sippi constitution. stop Negroes from voting is not a new or Constitution of the United States, as will isolated phenomenon. The Jiterim re enable us to maintain a home government In 1960 further constitutional amend under the control of the white people of the ments designed to keep Negroes from port of the U.S. Commission on Civil State. voting were adopted. A requirement Rights Issued in 1963 spells it out: that a person be of "good moral charac Citizens of the United States have been The record of the convention reflects, ter" was added. In anticipation of the shot, set upon by vicious dogs, beaten and as one delegate put it, "the manifest in passage by the Congress of title XXI of otherwise terrorized because they sought to tention of this convention to secure to the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which re vote. the State of Mississippi white quired local officials to keep and make The complaint in an action—Council supremacy." available to the Attorney General records of Federated Organizations, and others In order to attain that unconstitution relating to eligibility of persons for vot versus Rainey, and others—pending in al goal, the convention adopted section ing in Federal elections, legislation was the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Cir 244 of the Mississippi constitution of passed authorizing the destruction of cuit sets forth an appalling series of acts 1890, which, with later amendments, is records. One State senator said, "If this of terror and violence perpetrated upon still the law of Mississippi and is still bill Is going to have any effect, it must Mississippi Negroes who had the courage being used to disenfranchise Negroes. be passed before the President signs the to attempt to register, and upon those, As originally adopted, the section re civil rights bill." white and Negro, who courageously aided quired that an applicant for registration There are other Mississippi laws de others in attempting to exercise their read any section of the State constitution signed to deny Negroes the right to vote, constitutional right. or understand it when read to him, or Including the "perfect form" require Last summer the Council of Federated give a reasonable interpretation of it. In ment and the laws requiring publica Organizations—COFO—organized the 1902 a member of the convention's fran tion of names and addresses of appli Mississippi summer project aimed at in chise committee commented upon this cants for registration. creasing Negro registration in Missis requirement: An applicant for registration must, un sippi. Before the program got underway, These several suffrage requirements com aided, execute a letter-perfect form. In in order to alert the Nation to the fla bined were deemed sufficient for the end In 1962 the Court of Appeals for the Fifth grant denial of constitutional rights and view, as they have so proved in even the Circuit granted a temporary injunction to the overt terror and violence in Missis blackest parts of the State; they have, as sippi, hearings were held on June 8,1964, they were Intended, reduced the Negro ma in a case against the registrar of Forrest jorities to a negligible political quantity. County. The court found that, while in Washington before a panel of distin white applicants were being registered guished Americans. The transcript of This deliberate unconstitutional pur without forms or with obviously defec these hearings appeared in the CONGRES pose was successful. In 1890, 60 percent tive forms and with assistance on forms, SIONAL RECORD on June 15 and 16, 1964. of the voters were Negro. By 1899, when qualified Negroes were being rejected be In these hearings statistics became 57 percent of the adult Mississippi popu- cause of minor errors on forms which people and the deprivation of constitu i lation was Negro, less than 10 percent of they filled out unaided. tional rights became clear. Let me quote the electorate was Negro. In 1903 the In addition, the Negroes were not ad part of the testimony of Hartman Turn Clarion-Ledger of Jackson reported: vised of the reasons for their rejections bow, who described the experience when County registrars have kept the Negroes and arbitrarily were required to wait for he and 13 others tried to register to off the books by strict enforcement of the vote: understanding clause in the Constitution. 6 months before reapplying. A more subtle attempt to prevent Ne Mr. FREEDMAN. Did you have any difficulty Strict enforcement of section 244 suc getting to the registration office? groes from voting is found in section Mr. TURNBOW. SO 14 of us got In our cars. ceeded in disenfranchising Negroes in 3212.7 of the Mississippi Code, which pro We went to Lexington. We didn't drive our the first half of the century. However, vides that, within 10 days after applica cars up in town. We stopped them out by midcentury, the vast majority of tion to register is made and before con side and we walked uptown. Mississippi Negroes were literate. In sideration Is given to the sufficiency of the We didn't walk in a big gang. We walked 1954, the Mississippi Legislature adopted application, the name and address of the in twos about 10 or 12 feet apart, so they a resolution to amend section 244, which applicant must be published In a local couldn't say we was demonstrating. originally required: newspaper. The Information must ap So we was met by the sheriff, Mr. Andrew Every qualified elector shall be able to read pear once a week for 2 weeks under a P. Smith. He met us at the. south door of any section of the constitution of this State, the courthouse. And he stopped us. or he shall be able to understand the same heading "Applicants for registration to So Samuel Block was leading us. And when read to him, or give a reasonable inter vote." In most other States such a pub Samuel Block said, "March forward." And pretation thereof. lication would not matter. In Missis Mr. Smith put one hand on his blackjack sippi, however, it often brings terror, and the other one oh his plstql and said, The proposed amendment tightened intimidation, violence, and economic re "None of that goddammed forward stuff the law by requiring that an applicant prisals. here." So I stepped out the line. I said, "Mr. "be able to read and write any section of I have discussed unconstitutional laws the constitution of the State and give a Smith, we only come to register." which Mississippi has enacted and en He said, "Well. Turnbow, go around to reasonable interpretation thereof to the forced successfully to deny the vote to the north side of the courthouse and stop county registrar." It also required an Negroes. But laws are apparently not under that tree and don't go In no big crowd, applicant be able to demonstrate to the enough, for there is also economic re go In twos." "county registrar a reasonable under prisal, threats, intimidation and violence So we did that, so when we got round un standing of the duties and obligations of perpetrated not only on those Negro citi der the tree, all 14 of us, and stopped, Mr. citizenship under a constitutional form zens who dare attempt to exercise their Smith, Mr. Andrew P. Smith, the sheriff, he of government," and that he execute a came round there under the tree where we constitutional rights, but on anyone, Ne were standing and he looked at us, and he sworn written application for registra gro or white, who tries to assist his fel looked at us, he put one hand on his black tion on a form prescribed by the State low citizens in this endeavor. The tragic jack and the other on his pistol and raised board of election commissioners. events of last summer proved this fact his voice. He said, "All right, now, who will Moreover, the resolution exempted to the Nation—indeed to the world. be first? I said, "I will will be first, from new requirements those already Mr. Smith." Well, no sooner I said I will be The ruthless murder of three coura first than Mr. Smith calmed his voice. He registered before January 1, 1954. This geous young men, whose only purpose was exempted about two-thirds of the white said, "All right, Turnbow, go down the side, to aid others in their effort to vote, the edge of the curb and go in the court population and built in a discrimination shocked the Nation. We know that offi house in the first door on the left, and do which will last as long as the lives of cials of Mississippi are implicated In this what you got to do." I told him, "Yes, sir." I those previously registered. heinous crime. did that. I got In there. The lady—the At the time when this resolution was According to the Justice Department circuit clerk wasn't in—but the lady was In up for adoption by the Mississippi elec there. She said, "What do you want?" I in McComb, Miss., alone, there were from said, "I want to register to vote." She said, torate, the chairman of the Associa June to October 1964, 17 bombings of "Well, you have to see Mr. McLennon about tion of Citizens' Councils In Mississippi, churches, homes, and businesses; 32 ar that, and he is not in here." So after din- ner, about 2 or 3 o'clock, I went back In and to suits by the Federal Government. So amendment, has been violated by the he was In. She had told him about It. He far in seven separate suits concerning Mississippi electoral process which has said, "What do you want?" I said, "I want to several parts of the State there has been systematically disenfranchised 90 to 95 register to vote." He Just handed me the a judicial determination of a "pattern or percent of all Negroes over 21 years of form and I filled it out and signed it and practice" of discrimination. This sys age—some 40 percent of the total popula handed It back to him. So then after that tion. I noticed the next day the Lexington Herald, tematic discrimination results in Missis a little local paper they write—they had a sippi having by far the lowest Negro reg In the face of the most flagrant disre write up In the Lexington Herald that "Hart- istration record of all States. According gard of our most fundamental constitu man Turnbow was an integration leader," so to the study prepared by the voter edu tional rights, I believed the House in good I noticed that about '2 weeks or a little after cation project of the Southern Regional conscience should not administer the that my house was flrebombed and shot Council as of January 1964, only 6.6 per oath to the "Representatives-elect" from In all at the same time. And about 3 o'clock cent of nonwhites are registered to vote the State of Mississippi and that the In the morning It took place. My wife and in Mississippi. The closest State to Mis question of their rights to be seated daughter, she Is 16, they Jumped out of bed should be carefully considered by the screaming and hollering that the house Is sissippi is Alabama with 18.7 percent of on fire. It had been bombed. nonwhite registered. The next State is House Administration Committee. So I woke up—I was kind of hard to wake Virginia with 24.8 percent, South Caro Without action by this House, the State up—I woke up and my room was full of lina with 30.0 percent, Louisiana with of Mississippi will persist in frustrating smoke. So I didn't run out. But they done 31.4 percent and so throughout the South the 15th amendment and continue to gone. I raised the window and took my foot to Tennessee which has 64.6 percent of condone murder, arson, and other acts and kicked the screen out so the smoke could its nonwhites registered. of violence to prevent Negro citizens from get out. Then I had a little old .22 Rem voting. ington sitting over In the corner. I picked The facts are well known, and we have it up and pushed the safety off and got It In the responsibility to act upon them. The Reverend Martin Luther King re shooting position and run out. When I run Congress has exercised this responsibility cently stated the issue with eloquence: out, I met my wife and 16-year-old daughter with honor in the past. The conscience of America, troubled by the coming back to the burning house. And as Mr. Speaker, when the Infirmity of an twin Mississippi tragedies, the presence of I rui- out, I noticed the living room was just election and of the granting by a State of violence In the absence of law, can now ex full of flames and smoke. I noticed the back a certificate was well-known and cast press itself in supporting this moral chal bedroom was in flames and smoke. And no lenge to an immoral representation. sooner I got out In the open with my rifle in serious and substantial doubt upon the my hand, I saw two white men, and one of right of a "Representative-elect" to sit The Washington Post editorial entitled them no sooner he saw me he shot at me. in the House, the House has refused to "Pretenders in Congress" said on Janu He must have been shooting an automatic, seat him pending an investigation and ary 1,1965: because the next day we found three .45 final determination of the question by There Is overwhelming evidence to show hulls laying there where he was standing the House. that Negroes indubitably qualified to vote in when he shot at me. So he shot at me the Here the presumptive claim of the five Mississippi were kept from doing so by a sys first time. I had my .22 already In position tematic denial of their qualification by in and I just commenced shooting at him right gentlemen from Mississippi to be sworn rested on certificates of election issued timidation and by outright terror. The State fast. So there was twd of them. The first is therefore clearly not entitled to the five one run—the first white man made the first by State officials who are themselves members it seeks to have seated in the shot, while the second one run. When I products and protectors of the same un House of Representatives. And the election started shooting right fast at him, he broke constitutional electoral process. It can of every one of these Representatives was and run. But while me and this one was on be fairly assumed that the question of clearly tainted. It Is high time for Missis the back were shooting at each other, some sippi to learn that the country Is not alto body on the front was shooting all In the discrimination in voter registration was not considered in issuing the certificates. gether Indifferent to its contempt for the front of the house. We got four .45 bullets Constitution. And it Is high time for the off the house there and one what hit and The most recent example of the House House of Representatives to give some went another way we couldn't find. But refusing to Swear a Member-elect oc thought to the integrity of its own member they shot in front of the house In the house curred in the Roush-Chambers case of ship. five times. So about 3 or 4 minutes, they 1961. The fairness resolution now be all was gone. fore the House is derived from that case. Mr. Speaker, in closing I wish to read Then myself and wife and daughter went Although Chambers held the certificate, from a message written by Mr. and Mrs. to pumping water and we put the fire out. Robert Goodman after the murder of And that Is what I got for going to register. he was not sworn,•„ It was generally Chairman TAYLOR. Have they been all right, known that the certificate conflicted with their son, Andrew, in Philadelphia, or have they had trouble, too? a recount, which showed that our col Miss.: Mr. TTTRNBOW. Well, every one—they had league, EDWARD ROUSH, the noncertified In Washington 4 weeks ago, my wife and different kinds of trouble. Lots of them candidate, had in fact won. Congress I In a sense made a pilgrimage to the Lincoln had been buying gas for their farm tractors man ROUSH did not receive .a certificate Memorial In the evening and stood in that on credit, and that was cut out. Also me. great shrine looking down past the- Washing But we didn't care about that too much. from the Governor of Indiana until Feb ton Monument toward the soft glow of the But everything they could do to us, they did ruary 20, 1961, more than a month after light around the White House. Full of. the It. They cut the credit off and all that kind the House adopted the fairness resolu awe of a great Nation that surrounded us, of stuff. Some said if we niggers didn't quit tion. After months of investigation, we turned to read, emblazoned in black let that mess they was going to bomb the church the administration committee recom ters on white marble: "It Is for us the living and all that kind of stuff. mended that EDWARD ROUSH, the noncer to dedicate ourselves that these dead shall tified party, be declared the victor and not have died In vain." Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that sworn. Mississippi presents the most flagrant discrimination in voting. Out of Missis Mr. Speaker, the world knows that the sippi's 82 counties, 27 have been subject 15th amendment, as well as the 14th A newsletter for fair housing groups in Northern The New Jersey. Published by the American Friends WORKSHOP Service Committee and the New Jersey Committee Against Discrimination in Housing. 32 Central Avenue Newark, New Jersey 07102 ANN PLAUT, Editor MArket 2-0707 1011 Springfield Ave., New Providence, N. J., CR 3-9217 Volume II, Number 1 February 1965 ENFORCEMENT, COVERAGE ON HOUSING URGED TO FILE A DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT, CALL The New Jersey Committee Against Discrimination in New Jersey Division on Civil Rights Housing is calling upon all fair housing groups, as well as Newark 648-2467 Trenton 292-4605 other organizations and individuals throughout the state to support its two-pronted program seeking more vigorous enforcement of the state fair housing law, and enactment Action to pass A-111, Fair Housing Bill of a more comprehensive and meaningful law covering nearly all housing in New Jersey. Of greatest consequence, the resolution concludes, is a campaign to secure passage of a broadened anti-discrim To focus attention on its plan, the 90-member organi ination bill, designated in the present legislature as A-lll, zation adopted a seven-point resolution at its meeting on which includes all housing except rental of an apartment in January 14, calling on Governor Hughes to press for a two-family, owner-occupied dwelling, or rental of a strict enforcement of the law, and continued executive room in a one-family, owner-occupied dwelling. leadership in the area of new legislation. Julius Wildstein, chairman of NJCDH's executive com While pointing to failure in the administration of anti mittee, who presided in the absence of Committee presi discrimination laws, as documented in the Rutgers Uni dent, Dr. Theodore Rath, president of Bloomfield College, versity report compiled by Professors Alfred Blumrosen observed later that on the question of new legislation, sub and Robert Zeitz, the group commended the Governor for stantial Republican support is needed in the legislature if recognizing the growing need for an expanded program. we are to succeed where we failed over the last two years. In his annual message Mr. Hughes called for an increase in budget and staff for the State Division on Civil Rights. ... AND SO THEY PICKETED Sidney Reitman, chairman of the N. J. Civil Rights Nearly 100 residents of the Summit area picketed a Commission, pointed out that Gov. Hughes increased his New Providence real estate office in near zero weather budget request following publication of the Rutgers report. and snow for about five hours on January 16, to protest the firm's refusal to rent a New Providence house to a Negro family. Most of the participants were members of "The most meaningful thing we can do," Reitman the Summit, New Providence, and Berkeley Height Open added, "is press for more vigorous enforcement of the law Housing Committee, but the demonstration was conducted to show the Negro community that this agency can be effec by an ad hoc Committee of Conscience. tive. " The protest was in behalf of a Negro chemist, em The group proposed that the Governor pursue the fol ployed by CIBA, who was looking for living quarters for lowing program: Double the budget of the Division on Civil his wife and three children. The man answered an ad Rights; direct the Attorney General to seek a temporary offering two houses for rent and after inspecting them injunction in a housing case; direct the Division on Civil offered to leave a deposit with the real estate office. He Rights to broadly interpret existing law in the following was told the check could not be accepted until it was respects: learned whether another salesman had already rented the house they liked. The next day they were informed that (a) Houses built in developments of ten or both homes had been withdrawn from the market. That more, and same day the agent accepted a deposit check from a (b) Houses directly or indirectly financed white applicant--a member of the committee testing the by the Veterans Administration or case. Federal Housing Administration shall be permanently covered by the law; and At this point the Committee of Conscience was organ ized, and, unable to reach the realtor by phone, wired him direct the Division to seek out discrimination in the hous asking that he meet with them to reconsider the house. ing and related fields, rather than await complaints; direct The wire also gave notice the group would picket if they the Division to investigate discrimination in housing, and did not hear from him. He did not reply. other fields to insure rapid enforcement of the laws; direct the Real Estate Commission to adopt a rule which makes it Passing motorists and pedestrians received a mimeo unworthy conduct for any licensed broker or agent to par graphed explanation of the demonstration, as did the wire ticipate in any racially discriminatory real property trans services, metropolitan area dailies, weeklies and radio action; and direct the Commissioner of Education to stations. This resulted in wide-spread publicity, high require all communities to study and report on school de- lighted by sympathetic front page articles in the local facto segregation and take action to correct inequities. weekly newspapers. URBAN LEAGUE SEMINARS BOOKLETS TO HELP HOMESEEKERS The Housing Committee of the Urban League of Homeseekers in the Bergen County area will soon Essex County is sponsoring a series of educational semi have detailed information about the communities they wish nars for present and prospective home and apartment to buy homes in when the fair housing council publishes seekers. The series will consist of four or five talks to its booklet of community profiles. The booklet is being be held at a convenient Newark location. Topics to be issued to acquaint Negro buyers with what the communi covered include financing, apartments vs houses, buying ties have to offer and to give them better knowledge of the vs. renting, selection of a community and key structural environs. The publication will be widely distributed features. Only in the final seminar will specific prob throughout the area when it is available. Potential buyers lems of Negro home and apartment seekers be discussed; will also welcome another publication that is being pre at this time CHOICE and other Urban League housing pared for the council by a specialist in property law operations will be presented. entitled "Legal Advice to Homeseekers". It is being written so that homeseekers will be aware of what to look COMING IN MARCH: WORKSHOPS ON for when buying a house so they will not be cheated. HOME-SEEKER HOSPITALITY REGIONAL MEETING SPARKED Call: FH Service Agency (273-0377 or 3271) The Maplewood-South Orange FH Council has organ ized a regional meeting of the fair housing committees WMCA RADIO CHANNEL COMPLAINTS within the area of the Board of Realtors of the Oranges and Maplewood. This includes Springfield, Short Hills, WMCA: Call for Action and the Committee on Civil Millburn, and Livingston. William Hildebrand first Rights in Metropolitan New York (CCRM) are entering called the group together in August to discuss the progress into an exciting venture to combat discrimination in pri which had been made with the realtors. They also discus vate housing. sed their plans for the pledge campaign reported in the December issue of The WORKSHOP. They plan to meet Call for Action will expand its present operation, every three months. which asks listeners (by means of six or seven spot an nouncements every day) to telephone about housing viola At the November meeting, Mr. Hildebrand gave each tions, to include calls reporting housing discrimination, committee an extensive outline of the Maplewood-South as well as some spots on buyer recruitment. Orange plan for a pledge campaign, including the pledge form, captain's sheets, and solicitor's instructions. These calls will be directed to CHOICE from WMCA They meet again this month to discuss further progress. and CHOICE will contact the appropriate committees. This liaison with Call for Action makes it even more im Meanwhile, finishing touches are being put on plans perative that the fair housing committees have active for amassive Lincoln's Birthday pledge campaign in efficient organizations responsible for the servicing of Short Hills-Millburn. This is patterned after the Maple the homeseekers and the follow-up on all referrals. wood-South Orange effort. West Orange and Springfield are also planning campaigns. Anyone interested in further WHAT THE REALTOR MUST DO information or copies of the outline, call William Hildebrand, 762-2668. Although New Jersey has a fair housing law, many owners of one or two-family homes discriminate in the NEW MOVE-INS . sale of their property! Two Negro families have recently bought and moved The real estate broker, however, must show all houses into previously all-white neighborhoods in Haskell and without discrimination unless the owner specifically indi Wayne with the help of the Bergen County Fair Housing cates in his contract that he will not show or sell to Council. No incidents accompanied either of the move-ins. Negroes. Furthermore, the broker or salesman must not And in Summit, a couple has moved into a similar neigh solicit discriminatory listings or add such discriminatory borhood, aided by the open housing committee there. The clauses without the seller's permission. Both are viola Fair Housing Committee of the Chathams reports two tions of the Code of Ethics of the New Jersey Real Estate move-ins since September with little or no trouble. Commission, and the licensed real estator is subject to disciplinary action. FOR RENT Other rules enforced by the Commission rather than The Cedar Grove Fair Housing Committee is looking for by the Civil Rights Division are the prohibitions against Negro families interested in very desirable, new apart blockbusting, and the requirement that all bids must be ments, located in a pleasant, attractive part of town. submitted to the owner. The REC has the power to sus The garden apartments, which are two-story colonials in pend or take away real estate licenses. In addition, the style, range in price from $140-155 a month for a three - New Jersey Public Accomodations Law applies to the ac room unit. Interested parties call Mrs. Samuel Zitter, tions of a broker in his office. Thus discriminatory treat CE 9-1544, for more details. ment of Negroes in a real estate office is a violation of this law. Misrepresenting the facts about a sale or rental to a prospective buyer is also a violation of the Code. FOR SALE All of these regulations are in addition to the Law Many houses are available in developments in South Bruns Against Discrimination which prohibits discrimination in wick. Prices for three and four-bedroom homes start at $15, 000 to $22, 000. These homes are in developments of the sale or rental of federally financed housing, houses in more than nine houses and covered, therefore, by the law developments of more than nine houses, and all apartments against discrimination. Call Mr. David Kurfman, except owner-occupied two and three-family houses. AX 7-0892 or CHOICE. oLeoaia crnterjaith i^ommittee on K^tvil [flights Post Office Box 141, Leonia, New Jersey MEMBER CONGREGATIONS The Leonia Interfaith Committee on Civil Rights is a body formed by the religious All Saints church (Episcopal) congregations of Leonia to speak as one voice on the civil rights of Americans. The Calvary Lutheran church Committee, in accordance with the tenets of our common religious and democratic heritage, seeks to eliminate discriminatory practices in our town, while maintaining the Congregation Sons of Israel stability of OUT Community. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Leonia Methodist Church The Presbyterian Church in Leonia St. John's Roman Catholic Church TO FELLOW RESIDENTS OF LEONIA: Leonia, being in a metropolitan area, has continually been changing in its ethnic composition. Inevitably Negro families will be purchasing homes and renting apartments in various sections of town as is now occurring in other towns in our county, state, and nation. Discrimina tion is banned in New Jersey in the sale of any home financed by FHA or VA; and iti the rental of an apartment in any building containing 3 or more units. If we accept new residents on their merits as individuals, Leonia will not succumb to the destructive fear that has plagued many communities. FEAR IS A PROBLEM Fear, born of prejudice, has closed the doors of homes and apartments in Leonia to many Americans whose qualities of character and achievement would have enriched our community life. The fear most often expressed by homeowners when a non-white family moves into the neighborhood is that of a possible loss in property values. This loss can be real — only if "panic selling" develops. In many cases the flight of white residents is encouraged by unscrupulous real estate operators hungry for a quick profit. FEAR IS BLIND Experience has shown that any person who moves into a community like Leonia will take pride in his home. In neighboring Teaneck it is impossible to distinguish the all-white districts from the integrated districts by the conditions of the homes; both are well maintained. FEAR IS SILENT Fear flourishes in an atmosphere of whispered rumors; it cannot stand the light of public examination in open discussion. When an attempt is made to uncover the truth, panic selling can be prevented, property values maintained, and our democratic ideals practiced. FEAR CAN BE CONQUERED The Leonia Interfaith Committee hopes to make a beginning in assuring the stability of our community in both homes and apartments. We therefore ask you to attach your signature to the enclosed statement. You are asked to return the signed statement to the address in the letterhead at the top of this page. * :*&Jy£^k&-* i " i £»i V OF THE MISSISSIPPI PROJECT PAREHTS COMMITTEE v ! : r r x:iL - '' ' < '-.v - * K>^.I i.; 100 Fifth Ar«m«, N«v York City' - - *********•*****,•„, telephone TU 9-1313 rooa 803 THE CHALLENGE OF THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATS ... GET YOUR CONGRESSMAN TO ACT NOW! In Atlantic City, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party won support for its challenge from a sizable number oficonvention delegates and from a nationwide TV audience. In Washington, D.C., with the opening of Con-, gress on January k, the MFDP will challenge the seating of the five Mississippi congressmen. Basis for the challenge: 1. The five congressmen were not elected by the Mississippi elec torate, nearly half of whom are systematically denied the vote. This has been proven county by county. (Example: In Panola County, 69.9$ of the eligible whites were registered, as against .02$ of the eligible Negroes.) 2. Mississippi has broken her compact, made on being readmitted to representation in Congress in 1869, in which she promised NEVER to change her voting laws to conflict with the 14-th and 15th Amendments. Write, wire, or phone your congressman to: 1. support a Fairness Resolution which would prevent the Mississippi congressmen from being seated, pending the final decision of the House in the challenges to the Mississippi seats. 2. vote for a roll call on all issues about the challenge. Only a roll call tells the home folks where the congressman stands. For more information on the MFDP challenge, phone YU 9-1313« MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM SUMMER HOW MANY WILL YOU HAVE? DOCUMENTED ON WBAI-FM... listen "THE MOVEMENT" - STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY Tune in on WBAI-FM (99.5 mc), Wednesday We're referring to the stirring book re- evenings at 8:00. A series of 12 pro cently published by Simon and Shuster, grams on last summer's Mississippi pro with the cooperation and assistance of ject experiences began November 25. SNCC — 122 pages of superb photographs Produced by Chris Hoch, the programs and Lorraine Hanberry's text. The consist of taped intervies with civil price, postpaid, is $2. Send your or rights workers and local whites and Ne der and check to Student Nonviolent Co groes throughout Mississippi. ordinating Committee, 100 Fifth Avenue. McGRAW-HILL TO PUBLISH LETTERS FROM VOLUNTEERS MONEY AND MATERIALS L FOR MISSISSIPPI Publication date is set for spring. Mc- Graw Hill editors report the book is al In most cases, except for special most impossible to cut to reasonable personal appeals, money should be length, due to the excellence of the sent to a central location, where letters. McGraw-Hill salesmen are re it can be divided according to ported to be enthusiastic aboutthe sa- !state-wide Mississippi needs. lability of the book (proceeds to SNCC). Make checks payable; to Mississippi There will be a pre-publication discount. Freedom Project and send to 100' Details in next newsletter. Fifth Avenue. (If you send to other COFO organizations, earmark SCHOLARSHIPS FOR the checks for Mississippi Free FREEDOM SCHOOL FINDS dom Project). Money is needed for cars with two- Volunteers keep writing of promising way radios... for bail... for students brought to light in the Freedom 1001 other items. Schools. With these in mind, Mary Davis of Rochester approached the University Clothing and freedom school sup there. plies, on the other hand, should Result: the University of Rochester and be sent to a specific project to Eastman Kodak are offering full scholar avoid cost of re-shipment. Ship ships, including tuition and board, to ping costs are unavoidably high... four Mississippi high school graduates so raise money for shipment when recommended through the Mississippi you collect material. Freedom Project. The four will bridge the gap between northern and southern educational standards by repeating their Ingenuity helps: in Worcester, last year of high school in Rochester. Mass., several tons of clothing were gathered, but not enough mo Why not see the university of your ney for transportation. Someone choice about scholarships for Missis thought of the Trappist monastery sippi's future leaders? near Worcester, famous for its je llies and preserves. Perhaps their delivery trucks could be pressed KNOW ANY NEW PARENTS? into service? Result: the Trappists urged that Mississippi has a great many winter pa shipment be made to Mississippi by triots : volunteers still teaching in the best possible route... and they freedom schools or helping to buildthe would pay the billI FDP. Some summer volunteers stayed on . and new volunteers went down from the North. We need names and addresses of people SICH DEMOCRATS ARE LOYAL? When state whose sons and daughters are now in Mis fficials refused to place the MFDP on sissippi, both summer parents who are tie ballot in November, the Freedom De- out of touch and "new" parents. If you ocrats staged their own election. Des- know any such, please send their names ite the sheer danger of voting, MFDP pol to the Mississippi Project Parents Com ed 62,000 for Johnson, vs only 52,000 mittee. Help bring our files up to date! ohnson votes of the "regular" Democrats. MAJOR AREAS OF LEGAL ATTACK . ^jiSSp^H^^l^T,' PV'L^I PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS EDUCATION •I eHf&jyw^ Fund actions have won the legal right for Negroes to use public transportation ' """""""HI——*-*£- The Fund is pressing its and terminal facilities on the same basis massive court campaign to as whites. achieve school integration in ^•**> the face of tokenism, gradu Fund suits have challenged segrega alism, and stalling tactics on 1 tion in parks, libraries, museums, sta the part of white southern diums, and other public facilities across officials. Ten years after the l^^§i the South. Many have been won; but Fund won its historic victory u much remains to be done. over lawful segregation, un In scores of cases, Fund attorneys seek der 10% of Negro children to secure full equality of treatment in are in schools with whites. every public accommodation. HEALTH FREEDOM TO PROTEST Hospitals built with Fed eral aid may no longer legal ly discriminate against Ne gro patients and physicians. The Fund fights every challenge to the basic constitu Negro doctors and dentists tional right of all Americans to assemble peacefully for may no longer be legally ex the redress of grievances. Fund lawyers continue to defend cluded from professional as thousands of peaceful demonstrators, many of them vic sociations on the basis of tims of violent mobs and police brutality. race. WHAT IS THE FUND'S EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN? Established in 1954 under the direction of Dr. John W. Davis, distinguished educator and former president of West Virginia State College, this division of the Fund is concerned with: COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION • to work with local leaders in planning integration and TEACHER SECURITY thus to avoid lengthy, costly legal action while pro • to protect Negro teachers in communities making the moting harmonious race relations transition to integrated schools • to speed desegregation in communities in which suits • to provide financial aid to temporarily displaced have been won, through education specialists who teachers encourage parents to follow up legal victories with • to guide research to aid lawyers bringing suits on their concerted action behalf • to provide scholarships for Negro students desiring to • to integrate teachers' associations in numerous states attend their legally desegregated State Universities THE FUND IS MEETING THE CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS: through the nation's only legal intern program which trains young attorneys in the New York City head quarters and then helps them establish practice in crucial southern regions by holding Civil Rights Law Institutes to provide co operating counsel with up-to-date techniques by establishing the Law Students Civil Rights Re search Council, which recruits young assistants for summer work (at the New York office and in the South) as well as supplying research assistance during the school year by encouraging white southern attorneys to handle civil rights cases by holding a conference at Columbia University to brief volunteer lawyers who are assisting the civil rights drive in the South HISTORIC FUND ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: • opening the doors of colleges, graduate and professional schools in virtually every state to qualified Negro applicants • winning equal salaries for Negro teachers in the South • securing the right of Negroes to vote in primary elections • outlawing agreements that would restrict Negroes from buying or renting homes and property • invalidating convictions of Negroes 1) by juries from which Negroes have been systematically excluded or 2) in proceedings in which they have not had sufficient legal representation • guaranteeing the constitutional right of all Americans not to be convicted on the basis of forced confessions THE FUND'S FINANCES: THE FUND ATTACKS ON NEW FRONTS: • Southern states use taxpayers' money to oppose the • Fund lawyers have won the first round in the fight to legal fight for equality and justice; the Fund relies stop bias in government-financed Urban Renewal solely on voluntary contributions. projects. • The Fund's budget has multiplied five times in the • Fund actions seek to outlaw the death penalty for last ten years; the estimate for 1964 is $1,400,000.00. rape; in southern practice this sentence is meted out The case load has increased tenfold in the same period, almost exclusively to Negroes. and legal expenses continue to grow. • A Fund suit seeks to deny full Congressional represen tation to states preventing their Negro citizens from voting. YOU CAN HELP! Send your tax-deductible contribution to: N.A.A.CP. LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATIONAL FUND 10 COLUMBUS CIRCLE NEW YORK, N. Y. 10019 Executive Officers National Officers National Officers Director-Counsel President Vice President JACK GREENBERG DR. ALLAN KNIGHT CHALMERS HON. FRANCIS E. RIVERS Associate Counsel Secretary Treasurer CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY DR. GEORGE D. CANNON MRS. THORNBURG COWLES Board of Directors MRS. FARROW R. ALLEN DAVID E. FELLER THE VERY REV. PAUL MOORE, JR. JESSE B. BLAYTON, SR. DR. HARRY EMERSON FOSDICK JAMES M. NABRIT, JR. HON. HOMER BROWN DR. JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN MRS. ESTELLE OSBORNE CHARLES BUCHANAN WALTER GELLHORN LOUIS H. POLLAK DR. GEORGE D. CANNON DICK GREGORY SHAD POLIER DR. ALLAN KNIGHT CHALMERS AMOS T. HALL DR. C B. POWELL REV. WILLIAM SLOANE COFFIN, JR. HON. WILLIAM H. HASTIE BISHOP FRANK MADISON REID WILLIAM T. COLEMAN, JR. GEORGE E. C HAYES HON. FRANCIS E. RIVERS MRS. THORNBURG COWLES A. LEON HIGGINBOTHAM MRS. SAMUEL I. ROSENMAN DR. JOHN A. DAVIS HANS W. HUBER WILLIAM H. SCHEIDE JOSEPH DAVIS BENJAMIN KAPLAN DR. CHARLES H. THOMPSON ADRIAN DeWIND JOHN G. LEWIS, JR. ANDREW R. TYLER W. J. DURHAM MRS. ALFRED M. LINDAU CHAUNCEY L. WADDELL THOMAS B. DYETT DR. ARTHUR C LOGAN REV. M. MORAN WESTON L. D. MILTON MINGHAM, '63 .(0^'•*•'JKk i# N.A.A.C.P. LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. lO Columbus_£ircle, New York, New York 10019 ...... T,* DEFENSE & EDUCATIONAL FUN What it does and why it is needed ****f*l£l' WHAT IS THE N.A.A.C.P. LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND? A non-profit interracial organization working WHO SUPPORTS THE FUND? through the courts to obtain full equality and jus Concerned Americans, through voluntary contri tice for Negro Americans. butions. HOW DOES THE FUND WORK? WHOM DOES IT DEFEND? A full-time staff of 16 attorneys—specialists in As the legal arm of the entire civil rights move constitutional law from the nation's leading law ment, the Fund represents every individual whose schools—mans the Fund's New York office. Led by constitutional rights are denied and who asks its Director-Counsel Jack Greenberg and Associate help. This includes members of the Congress of Counsel Constance Baker Motley, the integrated Racial Equality, Southern Christian Leadership staff works with 102 cooperating lawyers across the Conference, Student Non-Violent Coordinating Com country who are available to handle legal problems mittee, and the NAACP. as they arise. IS THE FUND THE SAME AS THE N.A.A.C.P.? No, the Fund was founded in 1939 by a group of distinguished members of the Board of the N.A.A.C.P. to carry on the Association's legal pro gram. It separated the legal program from lobby ing and propaganda work so that contributions to the Fund would be tax deductible and so that the legal operations would be free from the pressures of organization work. While sharing the goal of the N.A.A.C.P., the Fund maintains its staff and oper Constance Baker Motley and Jack Greenberg, before ations independent of any other civil rights group. U. S. Supreme Court. WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF FUND ACTIVITIES? In 1963 alone, the Fund: • defended 10,487 citizens arrested during peaceful demonstra tions • represented Negro Americans in 30 cases presented to the U.S. Supreme Court for review • fought 168 separate groups of legal actions in 15 states involv ing integration of schools, medical services, public facilities, recreation, employment and housing • maintained its promotion of equal opportunity in education • expanded its staff to meet the critical shortage of trained civil rights attorneys Student Honv: olent Coordinating Committee — 100 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. SPECIAL, REPORT ON ALABAMA White Registered Negro Registered Residents White Voters Residents Negro Voters Dallas County 23,952 9,4b3 32,6tt7 " 20 Lowndes County 2.,987 2,31^ 12,^38 0 Perry County 5*9^3 3,006 11, in 5 289 Wilcox County h,lk3 2,97^ 1^,598 0 The counties listed above (N„ Y. Herald Tribune statistics) are among 19 located in Alabama's Black Beit, an almost exclusively rural area which remains one of the most poverty-stricken in the nation. Negroes, however, are held in poverty by job discrimination and lack of education. 65% of the Negroes living in this area hold farm or unskilled Jobs; 67^ have less than a sixth grade education. SNCC began its work '1 this area in Selma, the seat of Dallas County, during the fall of 1962, On 0c\ober 8, 1963, SNCC held a "Freedom Day" (mass attempt to register to vote) in Selma. FBI agents took notes while Sheriff Jim Clark's men beat and arrested two SNCC workers taking food and drink to Negroes waiting In line to register. This was one of many Incidents during the summer and fall of 1963 in which SNCC voter registration workers were arrested or beaten. Yet there are ample statutes and laws which provide that abridging the right to vote or intimidating those who seek it is a crime, and that Immediate arrests may be made (under Sections 3052 and 30.53 of Title 18, U, S. Codes) when a violation occurs in the presence of a federal officer. To date (February 10, 1965), no such arrests have been made* The government has attacked discrimination and intimidation in Dallas County with individual county voting suits,, In April 1961 a suit was filed against the Dallas County registrar. In June 1963 a suit was filed against Sheriff Clark and other county officials. On January 15, 19^5, the Justice Department filed suit against the state, charging that its new voter registration test was too difficult and discriminated against would-be Negro voters. In nearby Perry Coun the Justice Department has been successful in obtaining a federal voting "referc ." However, between November 3 and December 18, 196^, the referee registered only 2 of the 6l Negroes who applied. The Justice Department has challenged his rulings. The events of January-February 1965 in Selma and Marion (Perry County) illustrate the need for speedier federal action. On January 17, SNCC Chairman John Lewis initiated an intensified voter registration drive at a mass metting. Drs Martin Luther King (SCLC) and his staff arrived on Jam-Try 18. That day, 500 Negroes marched to the courthouse led by Dr. King and John Lewis. In the following days, over 3500 arrests took place as hundreds of Negroes, Including students, teachers and businessmen, demonstrated for the vote. Those arrested include John Lewis, SNCC Alabama Project Director John Love, and other SNCC workers, both white and Negro. Jail conditions at Camp Selma have been reported as atrocious: over 350 men crowded into a cell approximately 18* by 50'; prisoners given one meal a day consisting of bread and a few peas; a large number of women prisoners compelled to drink out of the same tub of water; many ill from sleeping on damp concrete floors., During this period SNCC and SCLC workers, as well as local people, were also attacked and beaten. On February 9, SHCC's Executive Secretary, James Forman, and Dr. King met with Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach and Vice-President Hubert Humphrey; Dr. King also saw President Johnson. New federal legislation was promised. The next day approximately 165 Negro youngsters conducting a silent protest demonstration were driven on a forced march out into the countryside around Selma by Sheriff Clark's posse, wielding night sticks and using electric cattle prodders repeatedly. John Lewis issued a statement which concluded: "This is but one more example of the inhuman, animal-like treatment of the Negro people of Selma, Alabtmaa This nation has always come to the aid of people in foreign lands who are gripped in a reign of tyranny. Can it do less now for the people of Selma?" WHAT YOU CAN DO: 1) Express your concern and convey demands for actn 1 to your Congressman. Work with active political clubs in your community on thi issue. Request that additional Congressmen and public officials visit the Alabama areas to obtain first-hand Information and lend support. Ask for a federal Investigation into the lack of compliance with the public accomodations section of the Civil Rights Act, Call for a Congressional investigation of jail conditions. Demand that FBI agents stationed in Alabama exercise their right of arrest under statutes indicated above. (over) 2) Plan demonstrations or rallies, possibly around federal buildings in your area. Get delegations of prominent people in the community to send telegrams of protest, and. release text to press; get them to call upon federal officials personally, 3) Have people call the papers and TV stations daily to ask about events in Alabama, so as to insure continued coverage 4) Circulate the information contained In this report to your organizations and clubs, by work-of-mouth or by issuing your own leaflet. Photos of events in Alabama can be obtained from SNCC headquarters (6 Raymond Street, Atlanta 1%, Ga.,) SHCC DEM3NSTRATI0NS AT THE FEDERAL BUILDING, N,XCL ON FEB/ 4-5 AID 8, 1965 On Thursday, February 4, at 3 p.m.,, a delegation of 9 SNCC staff workers met by appointment with V<» Le Broderick, Assistant U„ S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York* They conveyed a prepared statement requesting federal action in Alabama as follows: (l) Dropping of charges against and immediate release of prisoners arrested for voter registration activity^ (2) Dispatch of non-segregationist federal registrars to Alabama^ (3) Federal prosecution of Sheriff Jim Clarkf (4) Filing of additional federal suits, under the 1964 Civil Rights Act* The delegation asked that Mrn Broderick, as chief federal representative in New York City, transmit its concern and demands to the President* He refused to do so until the group had left* The group remained sitting in the outer office until approximately 4:40 p,m„ when Mr,, Broderick returned and said he had trans mitted the statement to a Mr. Murphy In the Department of Justice. Mr, Broderick referred to the President's statement of that afternoon that all Americans should be "indignant" and that lie Intended to see that voting rights were secured for all citizens,. Mr, Broderick also referred to several existing federal injunctions and court orders. The delegation declared that they wanted assurance of more concrete and. more immediate federal action. No further assurances were forth coming and the group was asked to leave* They refused and ven dragged from the office and ejected from the building by federal marshalls who airuck and kicked members of the group, bounced them off the floor, stepped deliberately on hands and necks. On Friday, February 5* at 4 p»m«, a picket line was formed outside the Federal Building, sponsored by SNCC, together with the Harlem Parents Committee and the City-Wide Committee for Integrated Schools, who wished to demonstrate their support of the Alabama struggle,. At about 4:45 p»m«,, a group of SNCC staff members and supporters walked up the central staircase to the Federal Building (all other steps had been iced) at a normal pace in single file — not "a flying wedge" — with a new statement reiterating the demand for assurances of prompt and specific federal action,, The group was refused entry. They were driven back down the stairs, but some managed to regain the top. While standing there, Marion Barry of the New York Office was struck with a closed fist by one marshall. The marshalls wore no badges and refused to show identification. At approximately 5:15* another group of 7 walked from the picket line in single file halfway up the steps, A marshall shouted, "Let's get them," and the group was charged by marshalls who drafted, shoved, and kicked the group down the stairs. The SNCC group hung on to the ra; Is and resisted being driven down the stairs, but did not strike the marshalls, SNCC staffer Cliff Vaughs shouted reminders that no one should raise a hand against the marshalls,. The marshalls used hammerlocks, tried to gouge eyes, delivered kicks in the kidneys, and used finger-bending,, There was a melee of flailing arms and falling bodies as people tried to maintain their balance on the steps — but In no sense a "battle." Eight marshalls seized NYU student Larry Shields and dragged him inside the Federal Building., They took him to a room in the basement and later released him. Shields states that he was beaten and kickedj he now has five stitches in his head, a broken nose and ear-drum. When SNCC learned of distorted reports of the Incident by AP and other media, it immediately issued a corrective statement which was not published* SNCC also sent a protest against the marshalls1 brutality to Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbaeh* On Monday, February 8, two delegations of SNCC supporters called upon the 5 U» Ss Attorney to protest the marshalls conduct and demand action in Alabama, One consisted of representatives of the legal and medical professions and the clergyj the other of members of the Mississippi Project Parents Committee. They were courteously received by the Attorney and his colleagues* '•• •:-• HHI Siifitf mm* •• mm m The photograph above shows comedian Dick "The church talks about love. I think it ought Gregory receiving the PIC medal from PIC vice to teach respect. Every Mississippian has got a president, Joan Block and President Eugene Cal 'nigger' he loves, but he doesn't respect him. lender at a luncheon in Atlantic City, New Jersey "In the South they call it hate; in the North in August, 1964. The luncheon was held prior they call it white backlash . . . in the South it's to the Presbyterian Interracial Council's partici demonstration; in the North it's a riot. pation in a silent vigil supporting the Mississippi "Two thousand Negroes in New York come out Freedom Democratic Party's efforts at the Na and act a fool, but 22 million of us get the blame tional Democratic Convention. for it." Gregory's remarks to the assemblage had the Gregory likened the racial struggle to a preg quality of hard hitting satire and directness which nancy, saying: "America is about nine months up thousands of people have come to know as the and nature is going to act even if mother and Gregory style. child have to die." "The American church today still offers the "If a man puts a tight shoe on my foot for 400 most segregated way of life," he declared. years, don't be surprised when I get a corn on They've integrated the swimming pools and the it," said Gregory. "Today in America the Negro prostitute houses and the bowling alleys and all has a callous around his soul, and if the shoe those places, but not the church. doesn't back up, look out." "It kind of makes you wonder which one of those houses the cross should be on. "A white person can go to the majority of churches in America without ever seeing a Negro; and a Negro can go to church almost everywhere without ever seeing a white," Gregory said. "It's always a pleasure to be around the church when it is speaking out on their great racial in NOW justice. I personally feel that, had the church spoken out a little earlier, there would be a lot newsletter Ipresbyterian of people living today who are not," he added. Gregory made these points: "Twelve to four interracial council I teen churches have been burned in Mississippi. That's not a reflection on the Klan, that's a re number three I march lQuS flection on the church. The way some of those churches are, they didn't burn enough of them. From The Editor Wilmore said the CORAR staff "has long desired to This issue of NOW is late. Several members have in help strengthen and preserve PIC. We feel that we should quired about the delay and have suggested a new name encourage the organization and/or support of this member for the newsletter — LATER. We have been properly ship-base, lay-oriented expression of local United Pres chastized. Every effort will be made in the future to meet byterian concern with racial justice and brotherhood. A our obligation to the PIC membership to keep them in part of the heritage to be left by CORAR can well be formed of what is happening across the nation. lodged, we believe, in the Presbyterian Interracial Coun It would be improper, however, to let this occasion pass cil." without indicating that the. reasons for the delay are not all The Board of Directors of PIC, guided by the same due to negligence. Several problems have compounded to principles, acted to translate this expression of general delay publication. Among these was the fact that chapters interest into concrete possibilities. The PIC Board studied for a period did not submit news items. the matter and requested the Commission to make funds The fact that articles have not been submitted to the available, whereby a limited number of ministers might office regularly does not necessarily denote inactivity on be released from their regular duties for a brief period the part of chapters. Many of the chapters were engaged to help organize PIC chapters in areas where none exist, heavily in Voter Registration and Education Drives dur and to help strengthen chapters already organized. ing the fall of 1964. In addition, racial issues emerged The Commission approved the proposal at its last during the election campaign, demanding the time and Board meeting. The recruitment, assignment, and super energies of PIC members. Proposition 14 in California vision of the proposed "Released Time Workers" is the is an example of the type and scope of the issues at stake. responsibility of the PIC Board. The implementation of The energy expended in these efforts, from all indications, the proposal is underway. was tremendous. To those who worked hard in these National Capital Area Chapter efforts, there was no "moratorium" on civil rights activities. Following the election many people found that a breathing The National Capital Area Chapter, organized March spell was needed to recoup their strength and gird for the 12, 1964 elected new officers recently. Miss Allie Lati battles yet to come. There are many battles left to be mer, president; Dr. Peter Kenmore, vice president; Mrs. Lane S. Hart, secretary; Mr. John Coventry Smith, Jr., fought. Let no one be deluded into thinking that the treasurer. Other members of the Board are: Rev. Ralph passage of the civil rights bill, and the rebuke given racist Lamar, Rev. Robert Curry, Rev. Phillip Newell, Rev. candidates for public office in November, brought total Robert P. Johnson, Miss Margaret Williams, Rev. William victory for the cause of racial justice. Causey, Mr. Samuel Humes, Mr. William Branch and Renew Your Membership Mrs. William E. Miller, Jr. Membership renewals are coming in at an improved The chapter raised over $500.00 among various rate. The Greater Kansas City Chapter, and the Detroit churches to support work in Mississippi. Eight chapter Chapter have done an outstanding job of developing members have worked in projects in Mississippi. The membership drives to secure renewals and new members. chapter also cooperated with the Student Nonviolent Co The National Office, because of administrative limita ordinating Committee in sending two box cars of cloth tions (most of the clerical work is volunteered time), is ing to Mississippi. sending only one notice to members, a month before their At a recent Synod meeting in Westminster, Maryland membership expires. PIC Chapters are urged to augment a restaurant refused service to a Negro. Subsequent this effort with special drives. action taken by the chapter successfully desegregated the Memberships in PIC are for one year from the date the restaurant. original application is received in the National Office. Open Occupancy: In Ohio ? Hope So Stick with PIC: CORAR Chief The Central Ohio Chapter reports that members Miss The Executive Director of the General Assembly Com Mary Jane Patterson, Rev. Leslie Stansbery, Rev. Alfred mission on Religion and Race, Dr. Gayraud S. Wilmore, Davies and Rev. Preston Dawes have worked in the in his report to the Executive Committee of the Com Mississippi Project. mission, stated, "the Commission has a crucial but lim The chapter, in cooperation with the Greater Columbus ited role to play in bringing about of basic changes in this Committee for Fair Housing has established a listing serv predominantly white denomination. In many ways the ice to assist families in finding housing of their own Presbyterian Interracial Council and groups like it in choice in" areas where this right may now be denied. other communions should go on 'from strength to strength' The chapter is working to secure the passage of fair long after the 'emergency crash programs' have sent their housing legislation during the next Ohio General As files to the historical societies of the denominations." sembly. NOW is published by the Presbyterian Interracial Council. James McDaniel, Editor; Stephen C. Rose, Managing Editor. All communications should be addressed to the National Office of the Presbyterian Interracial Council, 235 West 53rd St., Chicago, Illinois. to other denominations. Opening Doors in Detroit ee anuar Two hundred persons attended the Detroit PIC Chapter (EDITOR'S NOTE- S J y 15, 1965 issue of first annual dinner in June. The speaker was one of the Presbyterian Life for detailed description of the play the candidates in the Detroit Common Council Primary race. Philadelphia Chapter has been presenting.) The Chapter was active in the unsuccessful fight against the Homeowners' Rights Ordinance on the September 1st Indianapolis InaugurM Primary Ballot. In late September and early October the The PIC chapter of Indianapolis, Indiana was organized Chapter cooperated with the NAACP in a Voter Registra in October, 1964. The fol^winS officers were elected for a tion Drive. The Chapter on its own, selected a Ward in the term of one year: inner city for Voter Education Project to inform people Ernest E. Ittner, President; about the issues at stake. The Chapter formed a Political Dr. George Rawls, Vice President; Action Committee and charged it to develop the guidelines Mr. Oscar Jewell, Treasurer; for involvement in the 1965 election. Mrs. Leona Armistead, Recording Secretary; Another major area of concern has come in attempting Miss Phyllis E. Rauth, Corresponding Secretary; to cooperate with secular civil rights organizations in the Members at Large: area. No coordinating council exists so the Chapter formed Rev. Geddes Hanson, a Direct Action committee to maintain communication Rev. Paul S. Stavrak°s, with other civil rights groups. Mrs. John Wilson, The chapter supported the NAACP action against Gen Mrs. Gordon Leech, eral Motors, and CORE in their drive for equal employ Mr. William Traylor, and ment opportunities. Mrs. Nathanial Stated About thirty PIC members participated in a Retreat on One of the first jobs undertaken by this chapter was to Labor Day weekend. The experience proved to be valu organize a workshop on housing, education, and employ able in terms of fellowship and increased knowledge of ment. The chapter hopes it is on the way to developing one another. an effective organization- The Home Visit program and Operation Worship are continuing on an expanded schedule. The Housing Com Focus on Housing: National Board mittee is attempting to help re-vitalize a Metropolitan The President of PIC, Eugene Callender called a meet Fair Housing Listing Service. The Chapter has provided ing of the National Board for November 13 and 14, 1964 interpretive programs for a number of churches, the Pres and invited the Presidents of PIC chapters to attend. bytery of Detroit, and the Detroit and the Southwestern Chapters represented were: Bergen County, New Jersey; Michigan Presbyterials. Chicago; Central Ohio; Central Illinois; Buffalo, New York; Detroit; Greater Los Angeles; Greater Kansas City Drama in Philadelphia (Kansas and Missouri); North Coastal Area (California); Late summer and early fall the chapter concentrated on New York City. Early in the agenda of the meeting chap a voter registration drive. Thanks to one energetic and ters reported to the Board on their strength, program enthusiastic couple, who devoted almost full time for activities and projections, problems and areas where they several weeks to the drive, PIC members and friends con needed help. , , , ,_ . . tacted around 700 non-registered persons, most of whom Numerous issues were on the agenda of the National promised to register. It was timed so that the blocks Board Meeting. One of the crucial items discussed was the close to a registration place were covered while the place purpose and future of PlC- PIC since its inception has had hich has served t0 hmit ro ram was open. We also had contacts with NAACP, CORE, to operate without staff, * P S and AFL-CIO. The drive was non-partisan. development. The need for PIC to continue as an or For about one year the Philadelphia Chapter has been ganized force was reaffirmed. The Board recognized that giving the play: "No Man Is An Island", with choir if PIC is to increase its effectiveness major contributions participation and followed by discussion. The cast and will have to be secured in order that adequate staff help can choir are of course bi-racial and in some of the churches be acquired to help weld those who have indicated their where the play is given there are no Negroes. However, concern about racial justice by joining PIC into an ef the chance of Negroes moving in and a wish to make this fective instrument for action. The President Eugene a peaceful event, often prompts the request for the per Callender is actively seeking Foundation support for PIC. formance in addition to the general interest that a passed An application for tax exempt status has been filed; a . * *u . • ,, if maior contributions are to be civil rights bill has aroused in interracial questions. u 1 In the discussion after the play the audience has the status that is necessary '""J'-' opportunity to ask questions and to hear frank answers obtained. „ ... . ^T^, ^, from the Negro and white PIC members. Discussions The experience of the three California PIC Chapters, have covered housing, education, employment, attitudes in attempting to defeat Proposition 14 in the November of whites and Negroes, fear and hostility. Every time it 1964 election of that State, was shared with the Board. has seemed as if we have left people in thought, willing Because of the implications of the California referendum to try to do something. for the rest of the Nation, the PIC Board of Directors is The play has been given in the city and its suburbs, but urging chapters to focus on the Housing issues in their .- • TU„ Board expressed the view that we have also traveled outside our Presbytery borders and 1 respective regions. The L>UCUU "r . open occupancy ilegislate • lotio1n1 must be secured in States where laws have not been enacted, and where State and Council, 2230 West Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles, Municipal laws exist they must be sustained and strength California 90018). ened. Bergen County Ecumenicity Tipping the Scales/Kansas City Bergen County Chapter reports that its Education Com The Greater Kansas City Chapter held its first Annual mittee set up a Presbyterian Camp and Conference Schol Meeting Nov. 30, 1964 with over 120 in attendance. arship fund aimed at enabling minority and non-minority Chapter Certificates of Recognition were received by children who cannot afford camp to have this experience. Mayor Illus Davis for his leadership in Kansas City's This was coordinated through the Christian Education public accommodations referendum and to Attorney committee of the Presbytery. The chairman of the com Gwendolyn Wells for her current leadership involving mittee has in the past months been doing preliminary the Citizen's Coordinating Committee (all major civil work with suburban high school students in tutoring Ne rights groups) with the Kansas City Board of Education. gro children in Paterson. This work is carried on in the New officers and chapter Executive Committee mem Central Presbyterian Church of Paterson. This is a pilot bers elected were: Pres., Attorney Robert B. Langworthy; program and will be augmented in the next few months. Vice Pres., Mrs. Harold Holliday; Sec'y., Mrs. Dudley The Employment Committee is planning a program of Grimm; Treasurer, Mr. R. Clair Anderson; and Carl M. job counseling in the Paterson Area (urban complex in Peterson, M.D., Mrs. Louis Welton, Mr. Frank Spurlock central Bergen County with high rate of unemployment). and the Reverends F. Andrew Carhartt and Kenneth S. For three evenings a week the committee will supervise Waterman. the operation of this service in the St. Augustine Church The largest effort of the chapter in its first year was in Paterson. This program has the support of all the expended in the April 7 public accommodations referen churches in the city, and has offered to it training pro dum. Much of that was concentrated in the inner city grams by the United States Employment for personnel in "machine controlled" 2nd Ward, where over 500 vol volved in supervising the program. The committee plans unteers organized by PIC delivered 922 voters to the polls to "go into the street" to spread the awareness of its out of 983 they had registered, plus many hundreds more services. The committee in the last few months has sur previously registered, in a referendum that carried the veyed employers to determine the type of jobs available, city by 1,614 votes. qualifications, etc. A high degree of cooperation has been The first president of the Chapter, Dr. Carl Peterson, indicated by this survey. The program is still in prelim ran Nov. 3 as the first Negro nominated (by 9,500 petition inary stages, and cannot as yet be properly evaluated. signatures) to the School Board. Although Dr. Peterson was defeated, the success of the referendum and of three other Negroes for State Legislature (among them Harold Keeping the Books Holliday of the Chapter) indicates his School Board can The Audit Committee appointed at the annual meeting didacy was a major assist in emerging Negro political reports that the PIC financial records were audited as realization and of white political power recognition of the required by the By-Laws of the organization. The audit reality of Negro vote potential. PIC through its members covering the period February 1, 1963 through November and work has assisted a great deal in this development. 9, 1964 was conducted by the firm of Dykema and Dyke- ma of River Forest, Illinois. A detailed statement is on record in the office and a Struggle in Los Angeles copy will be included in the annual report. Members de The Greater Los Angeles Chapter reports that it has siring a copy before that date may obtain one from the been busy during recent months. A great deal of effort office on request. was expended in the attempt to defeat Proposition 14. February 1, 1963 — November 9, 1964 Although the referendum passed by a substantial margin, Total Receipts — $14,199.45 the struggle is not over. Total Disbursements — 12,329.89 The Los Angeles Chapter in cooperation with the Los Balance — 1,869.56 Angeles Presbytery committee on Ecumenical Mission and Relations is embarking on a "Student Temporary Resettlement Assistance Program (STRAP)". The pro Write It Down: May 20 gram is to provide for the sponsorship of capable Negro The Presbyterian Interracial Council 1965 Annual young people of college age now residing in the State of Meeting will be held in Columbus, Ohio, May 20, 1965 Mississippi. The Temporary Resettlement Program would at 7:00 A.M. You will be notified of further details. enable students to participate in the Junior College educa Mark your calendars now. tional system of California. PIC members, Gail Carson, a psychologist, and Rev. Name Your Choices Edward R. Danks were in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in De The Nominating Committee is at work drawing up a cember 1964 to interview students and give college en slate for National Board Membership to be presented at trance placement tests. the annual meeting. PIC members desiring to recommend (Editors Note: If you are interested in more information the names of individuals to the Nominating Committee about the Temporary Resettlement Program write the should send these into the National Office as soon as Greater Los Angeles Chapter of Presbyterian Interracial possible. THE URBA LEAGU EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY THROUGH INTERRACIAL COOPERATION October, 1964 Vol. I, No. 1 TEAMWORK. American History Textbooks Evaluation Public schools in Bergen County in which Negro pupils are enrolled are now examining the treatment of Negroes in their American history textbooks. The evaluation has grown out of resources provided by the Education and Youth Incentives Committee of the Urban League. "In the midst of this civil-rights revolution," the Committee states, "historians and educators have a clear responsibility to see to it that the role of Negroes in American life is taught fully and accurately." As a guide to the study the Urban League prepared and distributed an abstract entitled, "The Substantive and Inter pretive Elements Relating to Negroes Which Should be Included in Textbooks Covering the Whole Period of American History." This is a summary of a research project conducted by Volunteers provide technical assistance the History Department of the University of California. The Education and Youth Incentives Committee is en couraged by the seriousness of this study demonstrated by Talent Search and Placement school superintendents. Requests for additional abstracts have been received as A special sub-committee of the Job Development and follows: Teaneck—30; Ridgewood—25; Hackensack—300; Employment Committee is engaged in a massive "talent and Englewood—20. search" in Bergen County, aimed at locating non-white workers for better jobs, states Mr. David Hinton, Chairman of the Employment and Job Development Committee of the candidates for Manpower Development Training Act. Train Urban League for Bergen County. As a result of this effort, ing Programs through the Urban League along with candi approximately 269 persons registered with the SKILLS BANK. dates for Counsellor Aides to work in Youth Opportunity A total of 125 persons acquired jobs through the services of Centers established under the Anti-Poverty program. The the Job Development and Employment Committee. chairman of the Job Development and Employment Com While the SKILLS BANK was operated explicitly for the mittee was recently appointed to the local Manpower benefit of professional and technical workers, unskilled Development Training Act advisory committee, which is persons benefited from a working relationship established responsible for providing guidance in developing and plan between the Urban League and the local offices of the ning training programs to produce skills needed in the local New Jersey State Employment Services in Englewood and labor market area. Hackensack. These offices cooperated by providing testing, Job Development activities have been carried out through counselling, and direct placement of unskilled workers. In continuous conferences and negotiations with major em addition, the State Employment Services sought to recruit ployers in Bergen County. Conferences were held with: (continued on page 4) Support your United Fund and Community Chest Bergen County Staff Ebony Fashion Fair at National Conference One of the finest collections of international fashions ever shown in this area drew an audience of more than 400 Mr. Monroe Dowling, Executive Director, and Mr. John at Academic Hall, Dwight Morrow High School in Engle O. Crawley, Associate Director, represented the Urban wood, on September 16. League for Bergen County at the National Urban League Called the EBONY Fashion Fair, and organized by Ebony Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, August 2-6, 1964. magazine, the show featured daytime, evening, cocktail, This was the 54th meeting of this assembly which estab and cruisewear by such top designers as Spain's Herrera y lished the national program and policy of the organization. Ollera and Manuel Pertegaz, Italy's Pucci, and France's Capucci, Chanel, and Guy La Roche. Important objectives were enunciated for the year ahead in American designers were well represented, too, by such the areas of Education and Youth Incentives and the Anti- names as Pauline Trigere, Teal Traina, John Weitz, and Poverty Program. Barbara Taylor. The National Conference called for every textbook pub Styles ranged from stunning coat and dress ensembles by lishing firm to "establish a policy statement of intent that such designers as Chanel, Tita Rossi, Trigere, and Sarll to all textbooks and other materials include the contributions the bizarre designs of Rudi Gernreich of Topless bathing- of the Negro where pertinent to that subject." The Con suit fame. ference also took action to encourage local boards of educa Two nearly nude Gernreich designs caused a mild sensa tion—one a transparent chiffon blouse which had been tion to enlarge their efforts to secure materials which give lacquered and was worn with black slacks, the other, his accurate data on the contributions made by the Negro to all bib-front Empire evening gown. phases of American life. The real hit with the audience, though, was a completely All Urban League directors were directed to seek to covered-up outfit by Jean Louis of California, a sparkling launch anti-poverty campaigns in concert with all public velvet black coverall with sparkling velvet boots to match, officials and organizations in their cities and districts. "It is designed for at-home hostessing. Sponsors of the Fashion Fair were: the Urban League for the commitment of this nation to give each citizen the oppor Bergen County, the NAACP of Bergen County and the tunity to attain to his highest potential," the National Con El-Mats of Galilee Methodist Church, a group organizing ference stated. a preschool nursery for the children of working mothers. Other issues dealt with at the five-day assembly were fair Mr. Leroy McCloud was co-ordinating chairman for the housing legislation, health insurance for the aged, family show. Perry C. Smith and Augustus Harrison were co- planning, and voter registration. chairmen. Committee heads were: Eldred Callender, Ben jamin Wright, Mrs. Jean Jones, and Mrs. Jeanette Winslow. On their committee were: Mrs. Burtis Jennings, Mrs. Esther Kalina, Mrs. Fanny Mais, Isaac Patch, Mrs. Cher- Mr. and Mrs. Tibbs rigale Townsend, James O. Wyatt, and Nathaniel Young. The Urban League has been commended for this presen Crowned King and Queen tation and requested to sponsor such a fashion show another year. The Urban League Guild's 1964 King and Queen, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent E. Tibbs, were crowned before an audi ence of 600 by the 1963 King and Queen, Mr. and Mrs. Czolgus Coleman, Saturday, October 3, at their annual dance, "An Evening in the Caribbean," which was held at Mrs. James Kimble, Decorations; Mrs. Gloria E. Kline, St. Cecilia's Auditorium. The hall was beautifully decorated Souvenir Journal and Publicity; Mrs. Meleona Robinson, with flowers, ferns, and balloons. Patrons; Mrs. John Mitchell, Contestants; Mrs. James Runners-up in the contest were: Mr. and Mrs. James Ryland, Tickets; Mrs. Gladys Jones, Reservations; Mrs. Williams, second; Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth A. Page, third; William Brackett, Treasurer; F. Bruce Templeton, Conces Mr. and Mrs. Cosa Johnson, fourth; and Mrs. Jeanette sions; Mrs. Aida Mitchell, Program; and Mrs. Columbus Winslow, fifth. McCoy; Mrs. F. Bruce Templeton; Mrs. Evelyn Hicks; Net proceeds of approximately $2,000 will be donated Mrs. Lillian Johnson; Mrs. Harrison Caviness; Mrs. Louise by the Guild to the Urban League for Bergen County. Oliver; Mrs. Viola Reeves; Mrs. William Watkins, Sr.; Mrs. Serving as Chairman was Mrs. Raymond Jennings; Co- Howard W. Smith; Mrs. Eva Thurman; Dr. William H. Chairman, Carrol Nicholas. Others on the committee were: Jenkins, and James Ledbetter. Meet Our Staff Meaning of Membership A member of The Urban League for Bergen County is a part of an agency which: • seeks equal opportunity but never special privilege; • seeks to eliminate all barriers which are race based; • seeks to establish attitudes and patterns which will cause every individual to be judged on his personal merit, not on his group background; on his compe tence, not on his color. There are now 680 members of The Urban League for Bergen County. An increasingly large group are working with the program committees; Education and Youth Incen tives, Employment and Job Development, Health and Wel fare, Housing, Vocational Guidance. Those members who are unable to take part in the pro gram participate through financial contributions. Those who contribute more than $50 are Patrons; those who con tribute $25 to $49 are known as Supporting Members; MONROE DAVIS DOWLING those who contribute $5 to $24 are Participating Members. Executive Director of the Urban League for Bergen County The Membership Committee is working toward a goal Monroe's presence is always felt and respected. Be it our of 10,000 members in Bergen County. Use the form below Board of Directors, the Common Council, The Education to apply for membership for yourself or a friend. and Youth Incentives Committee, a county conference with public school counsellors, a private luncheon at the Rath skeller, or any meeting for the public good; Mr. Dowling's presence makes a difference. He brings into each situation years of experience which APPLICATION FORM include: the Harvard School of Business Administration (of which he is a graduate), the U.S. Department of Labor, So that I may have a personal share in the important the U.S. Treasury Department, the American Cancer So work of the URBAN LEAGUE FOR BERGEN COUNTY, ciety, the New York State Department of Labor, the Victory please enroll me as a member. Mutual Life Insurance Company and more. His wide public acquaintance, his understanding of people and his ability to work with all kinds of people and human problems are Name. _Phone_ assets of tremendous value to the Urban League of Bergen County. Address- Mr. Dowling came to the Urban League five years ago. Under his leadership the League's work has grown from a limited welfare service on an individual basis with a budget of $7,000; to a broad spectrum of community building im • Patron $50 (or more) I enclose $ plemented by volunteer committees such as: Education and Youth Incentives, Employment and Job Development, • Supporting $25 to $49 • Check • Cash Housing, Health and Welfare. • Participating $ 5 to $24 • Money Order Additional staff members serving with Mr. Dowling are: Mr. John O. Crawley, Associate Director, who has respon All contributions are deductible for income tax purposes to sibilities for all program activities and community organi the extent provided by law. Make checks payable to: Urban zation; Harriet Boone, administrative assistant to Mr. League for Bergen County, 28 N. Van Brunt Street, Dowling, and Cherrigale Townsend, receptionist and clerk- {Englewood, New Jersey 07631. Phone: LO 8-4988. ^ typist. We will introduce these staff members in more detail in subsequent issues of THE URBAN LEAGUE VIEW. AGSJ8P M3» '^tUOS'l pisoH 8d ^aoj 90d dBiuna ejuoai -sJW 01V '°N JiUJJsj •r -^ 'poOM9|6ug aivd IZ9L0 ^3SJ3f A\3fs[ 'pooA\3r3ug 3ovisod s n J33JJS lunjg u^A W°N. SZ •QUO JLIdOHd NON AXNH03 NH9HH9 tfOJ Hfl9V3q NVaHfl 3HT, Benefit All the Talent Search and Placement (continued) 1. Motorola, Inc. People of America 2. ITT 3. New Jersey Bell Telephone Company Mr. Whitney M. Young, Jr., Executive Director of the 4. General Electric 5. P. Lorillard Company National Urban League, is one of the most articulate and 6. Skouras Theatres capable leaders in what we have come to call "Civil Rights." 7. General Insurance Co. of America Keynoting the national conference theme of "Poverty Re- 8. Grand Union Company 9. A &P Stores Examined: Old Problems and New Challenges" he said 10. General Supermarkets that Negroes "have risen from slavery to freedom and will 11. Mack Trucks, Inc. rise from poverty to prosperity." This trek would, in the 12. Volkswagen of America, Inc. process, he said, "benefit all the people of America" from 13. General Motors 14. Ford Motor Company (Teterboro) the standpoint of increased prosperity, improved neigh 15. General Precision Aerospace borhoods, safer streets, better education, and higher em 16. Lever Brothers, Inc. ployment. 17. Prentice Hall, Inc. Mr. Young declared, "The Urban League is more con 18. Bendix Corporation 19. Dalto Electronics cerned with building strong, intelligent citizens than with 20. Leslie Company building bigger and better bombs. 21. Kulite-Tungsten Company "The Urban League believes that extremism, whether in 22. ESC Electronics the form of Black Nationalism or white Klu Kluxism, is not 23. Peoples Trust Company 24. Garden State Plaza Corp. a virtue but a vice. The Urban League believes that modera 25. Addressograph-Multigraph tion as exemplified by positive, responsible action on the Job Development has been approached with a twofold part of enlightened businessmen, labor leaders, government emphasis. The first emphasis has been placed upon creating officials and all decent Americans is a virtue," he said. opportunities for Negroes and other minority persons in "We deplore violence, looting, vandalism, and criminal higher skilled and better paying jobs through promotions action of any type," Young added, and urged cooperation and upgrading and direct recruitment for higher positions. with law enforcement officials. However, he said, "Obses The second emphasis has been placed upon creating oppor sion with law and order, while ignoring poverty and suffer tunities with employers that previously had not hired mi ing, is unrealistic. Responsible Negro leadership needs nority group workers. In general, Job Development has been responsible white leadership. America cannot afford a police focused upon creating opportunities at all skill levels, with state." special emphasis on opportunities to increase the earnings of Negro men. (Opportunities for females are about five The question is how much patience does the situation require? times higher than for males.) It is easier for the white man to be patient since he already has his full citizenship rights, than it is for the Negro, who has The 29 member Job Development and Employment so long and so widely been treated as a second-class citizen Committee is currently planning program projections for or no citizen at all. THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 1960 1965, with major emphasis being placed on youth employ ment in addition to continuation of the SKILLS BANK. MISSISSIPPI PROJECT PARENTS COMMITTEE MINUTES OF PARENTS COMMITTEE MEETING, TUESDAY JUNE 29th. The Executive Committee met briefly, elected Mr. Gene Reich as Chairman and set up an agenda for the meeting. The first concern at the meeting itself was a decision on what role the Parents Committee should play. After a vigorous, extensive debate, it was decided that the role should be one of support to the activities of their children, most of whom were volunteers for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party Summer Project rather than the formulation of any independ ent program by the Parents Committee. In the course of the discussion on this, a number of parents raised questions concerning the present tactics in Jackson. As a result, a decision was made to send a letter to the MFDP requesting clarification on this. A report was given by Mrs. Kates on the need to bring pressure on Congress for the printing of the testimony submitted by the MFDP to challenge the seating of the Mississippi Congressmen. Parents were urged to send telegrams and to participate in a delegation to Washington which is being planned by the California Parents Committee on or about July 8th. Several volunteered to go. Those interested were to contact Mrs. Kates. There was also some discussion on whether it was advisable for individual parents to call the jail. Support was given for calls especially when volunteers might be in small county jails. A mailing committee was set up which would be responsible for regular mailings and a newspaper to the membership. Mrs. Ruth Fischer was appointed recording secretary. One of the parents was able to secure the services of a telephone answering service free of charge. This would be available evenings and weekends. The service would be in contact with Atlanta and Mississippi and parents would have the latest information available. Mrs. Adler is expecting to secure a room with a desk from the Stephen Wise Free Synogogue which the Parents Committee could use. Five parents volunteered to spend one day each week so that we could have around-the-clock answering service. Submitted by: RUTH FISCHER Recording Secretary FROM THE CHAIRMAN; We have received permission to install a telephone in the Library of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue. The telephone will be installed on Wednesday, July 7th. We were unable to get free answering service. We have arranged for 24 hour answering service at this time. This does not mean we do not need volunteers to take care of the office. We must give the answering service the names of four persons whom they can contact in case of emergency. Since we were not able to meet on July 6th, the next meeting will be on July 13th, at 8:00 P.M. at District 65, 13 Astor Place, New York City. I urge that you attend and bring all parents you can contact. Eugene Reich, CHAIRMAN The Library IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY \ Pocatello, Idaho June 21, 1965 Mr. Edwin Castagna, President American Library Association Enoch Pratt Free Library 1+00 Cathedral Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 Dear Mr. Castagna: You will find enclosed a copy of a statement which I propose to make, if I'm given the opportunity to have the floor, at the Membership Meeting of ALA which you announced would be held at Detroit at 11:00 a.m. on July 6, 1965, in the Cobo Hall Convention Arena. My point in preparing this statement is that very often things are said on the floor as an immediate reaction to a situation which are not necessarily what should be said or what the speaker would like to say. By preparing this statement in advance and presenting a copy to'you, David Clift, and Martha Boaz (in her capacity as Chairman of the Intellectual Freedom Committee), I believe I am alerting those people most directly concerned. You are welcome to have this statement reproduced in any fashion or in any quantity you so desire. I hope you will see fit to recognize me in the Membership Meeting so that I may present this statement. As you see, the main point is that rather than simply holding a discussion on the matter of whether or not institutional libraries which are not integrated should be admitted to ALA membership, I am proposing a formal action, in the way of the necessary amendment, as I see it, to the ALA Constitution to make crystal clear where we stand on the matter. In my opinion, statements do not have the authority that Constitutional amendments do, and I don't believe that one more re vision of our Miami Beach statement will serve much purpose. I think discussion on the amendment by our membership will bring out the different points of view, and, I hope, will result in approval by the membership of this action to request the Council to take the action which only it pan take--namely, to make an amendment to the ALA Constitution. I regret sending this to you this late before the Conference, but I have been away on vacation, and have not previously had an opportunity to prepare the statement. I'm looking forward to seeing you at Detroit, I am sure it will be a most wonderful conference, particularly in view of your democratic action in pro posing this Membership Meeting and also in proposing the discussion—which I hope will result in action—on the vital matter of whether or not libraries which are not integrated should be permitted to become members of ALA. Incidentally, you will note that I have also extended this to a matter of whether organizations which are not integrated should be permitted to join ALA. This is probably the kind of matter which might be discussed in more detail at some future date. At least, I'm bringing it up for discussion, and it might be more feasible to get one change at a time. I believe I have a particular right to speak on this matter, since, as Lowell Martin and David Clift can attest, before the Washington Conference in 1959, I appealed to Mr. Martin, then Head of the Intellectual Freedom Committee and to Mr. Clift that some action should be taken to ascertain whether or not particular libraries in the South were segregated and to take action to do^what we could to desegregate them. This makes me far from a "Johnny-come-lately on the matter 01 library desegregation. As you probably are aware, I've also done some other re search and had some other activity in direct relation to these matters. I hope that you will find the attached statement worth considering. Sincerely yours, / SIGNED / Eli M. Oboler University Librarian EMO:kj cc: Mr. David Clift Dean Martha. Boaz A STATEMENT ON A STATEMENT by Eli M. Oboler* University Librarian, Idaho State University At the Miami Beach Annual Conference in 1962, after prolonged discussion, •' both in and out of ALA meetings, the Council of the ALA adopted a "Statement on ' • Individual Membership, Chapter Status, and Institutional Membership." Although even at that time there were some who spoke for stronger measures, the section j covering "institutional Membership" which was finally passed read as follows: " 3. Concerning Institutional Membership, the Council shall-- a. Pursue with diligence the study of access to libraries so that factual data on this subject are collected. b. Make public promptly the results of this study. c. Urge libraries which are institutional members not to discriminate among users on the basis of race, religion, or personal belief, and if such discrimination now exists to bring it to an end as speedily as possible. d. Advise libraries applying henceforth for institutional membership of the Association's attitude toward and general policies relating to access to libraries and that in accepting institutional membership they are also accepting the responsibility for working toward free and ready access to libraries by all persons regardless of race, religion, or personal belief." At the time of the discussion of the statement, I was one of those who spoke against an alternate version which was moved by the now incoming President of the American Library Association, Mr. Vosper, which stated "require all libraries not heretofore , Institutional Members in applying for such membership in the Association to certify that they do not refuse use of materials and services on the basis of race, religion, or personal belief, before such membership may be granted." The obvious point here was that this seemed to discriminate against those libraries that had not previously been institutional members, as opposed to those libraries which already were in the Association, thereby using a sort of "grandfather clause" to permit a great many institutional members in the South to flout the expressed will and desire of the vast majority of the members of the American Library Association. This alternate version was defeated by the Council at the time. * Former Chairman, College Libraries Section, ALA, former ALA Councilor from Idaho, incoming member of the Intellectual Freedom Committee. - 2 - Now, the Executive Board of the American Library Association has placed a review of this statement on the agenda for discussion at this meeting. According to the June, I965, ALA Bulletin, in Executive Director Clift's "Memo to Members", "The Board believes that the section of the Statement dealing with Institutional Membership should be examined and it proposes this question for discussion: Shall library institution membership in ALA be open only to libraries which are integrated?" It seems to me that this is not even a very complicated matter. It has many complicated implications, obviously, but, if we examine the Constitution and By-laws of the American Library Association, we will find this statement in Article III. Membership: "Section 1, Members. Any person, library, or other organization interested in library service or librarianship may become a member upon payment of dues provided for in the By-laws." Obviously, on constitutional grounds, we must either amend the Constitution, or we can refuse no one who is "interested in library service or librarianship" and who is willing to pay the dues provided for in the By-laws. I don't want to sound pedagogic or rule-bound, but I must insist that we are in no position to handle this in any other way than to discuss this in terms of a change in Article III to get the sense of Section 3<3 of the Miami Beach Statement as an amendment to our Constitution. Since this is the case, and to place this on more than a discussion basis, and since this is a Membership Meeting where, to quote Section ka of Article VI of the Constitution, "The Association by a vote at a meeting held during an annual Conference may refer any matter to the Council as recommendations and may require the Council to report on such matter at any specified session of the Association." I am hereby recommending the following resolution: RESOLVED that WHEREAS at the annual American Library Association Conference in Miami Beach, Florida, in June, 1962, by majority vote, this Council did adopt a statement on Individual Membership, Chapter Status, and Institutional Membership (a copy of which is to be found in print on page 637 of the July-August, 1962 issue of the ALA Bulletin) which states, in part "The Council shall... urge libraries which are institutional members not to discriminate among users on the basis of race, religion, or personal belief, and if such discrimination now exists to bring it to an end as speedily as possible," and WHEREAS the same statement says that the Council shall "advise libraries applying henceforth for institutional membership of the Association's attitude toward and general policies relating to access to libraries and that in accepting institutional membership they are also accepting the responsibility for working toward free and ready access to libraries by all persons regardless of race, religion, or personal belief," THEREFORE, the American Library Association, in Conference assembled and at Membership Meeting on July 6, 1965, at Detroit, does hereby recommend to the Council of the American Library Association, which by the ALA Constitution has the sole responsibility for originating proposals for amending the Constitution, that it originate a proposal for amending the ALA Constitution to read as follows: "Article III, Membership, Section 1. Members: Any person interested in library service and librarianship may become a member upon payment of the dues provided for in the By-laws. Section 2. Any library or other organization interested in library service and librarianship which does not discriminate among users on the basis of race, religion, or personal belief may become a member upon payment of the dues provided for in the By-laws. Section 3. The Executive Board may suspend a member for cause after hearing, by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Executive Board and may reinstate a member by a three-fourths vote of the members of the Executive Board." - 3 - Ladies and Gentlemen of the Association, I recommend the passing of this resolution, which in essence will provide for the recommendation by this Association to the Council to originate such an amendment and which, following the usual course of such amendments, could become effective, as I understand it, so that libraries or any organization which wants to become a member of ALA and will not agree to integration could not join after January 1, 1967 • I am assuming that Council will vote on this Amendment at the next mid-winter meeting and then at the next annual Conference, following by asking for the members present at the 1966 Conference to vote on the Amendment by giving the required one-month written notice to the Association of the text of the proposed amendment before ordering a vote at the New York meeting in 1966. On March 1, 1962, Eric Moon, Editor of the Library Journal stated concerning the 1961 recommendation by the Intellectual Freedom Committee which would bar any library practicing discrimination from institutional membership in ALA that "we do not think that this could be effectively implemented," further stating that "it could hamper the efforts of those librarians who are working toward quiet desegregation of some libraries in the South." He exhorted the Executive Board "to replace action with a statement of belief directed toward the authorities in libraries where discrimination is still practiced." Even though he stated that this statement "must be much less equivocal than the Chicago effort," I believe that after what has happened in the last few years, not only in the library profession but throughout the United States, it is time and past time that we pass such an amendment as I have suggested. The Association, at this regular Membership Meeting, should do as it has the absolute duty and responsibility to do, and put into force the strong recommendation by the Intellectual Freedom Committee, which is now over four years old. I, for one, cannot see why this could not be effectively implemented, and I also do not believe that it will in any way "hamper the efforts of those librarians who are working toward quiet desegragation of some libraries in the South." I am for open desegregation of all libraries in the South. I would say the same thing if I were in a library in the South. I believe that any librarian who has the backing of the American Library Association by such an amendment to its Constitution would be in a better position to make positive achievements toward actual desegregation than he would by applying to a standard which is at best a very weak and equivocal one, such as the current statement on Institutional Member ship which I have quoted twice before. Let's vote now for making ALA truly an integrated, non-discriminating Association! JN 28814 THE NEW JERSEY STATE CONFERENCE OF BRANCHES of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE OFFICE of Labor and Industry Nick Kourambis,Chairman 309 Hillside Ave,Leonia,N.J. Phone 201- ¥1 , 7-0013 Our December 4th Conference on the issue of Migrant Workers was a highly successful meeting. We had labor unions,churches, civil rights groups,individuals present there. I want to thank all of you for attending this highly important first step. And I want to thank those who did not attend but have volunteered their name as sponsorers. At this meeting we have set the date for us to take our SECOND BIG STEP. THE DATE OF THIS MEETING IS JANUARY 8th,1965,FRIDAY 8 P.M. at UNITED PACKINGHOUSE WORKERS OF AMERICA,AFL-CIO 129 Clinton Ave,Newark,N.J. The purpose of this meeting is to set up the necessary machinary to follow through on many excellant suggestions that came out at the conference. In the main they reflected one basic point, to GET ACTIO* STARTED IN THE FIGHT FOR SOCIAL,ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FREEDOM FOR THE MIGRANT WORKERS OF NEW JERSEY. The following is the agreed upon agenda. 1- Elect a temporary chairman. 2- Discuss policy and program that will be the guide to unity of action. 3- Set-up a state-wide committee. Establish a name for this committee* 4- To consider our first objective of calling $ state-wide conference on Mirgrant Workers. REMEMBER THE DATE OF OUR NEXT MEETING JANUARY 8th,1965,FRIDAY ( Your welcome to bring anyone who wishes to work and participate in this meeting.) , A PLEA FOR FUNDS. The NAACP of New Jersey has spent over $150 for this project already. To those who have not donated any funds please realize that this fight is your fight. To succeed in the above program we WILL need funds, ( Make checks or money orders out to Mrs. Octavia Catlett and send them to above address. Thank You.)