MARCH ON WASHINGTON FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM 170 West 130 Street New York 27, New York Fi lmore 8-1900 .MEID Foundins Chairmen James Farmer Martin Luther King To : Eayard John Lewis A. Philip Randolph From : Courtland Roy Wilkins Re : Southern Freedom Trains Whitney Young Administrative Committee Cleveland Robinson Chairman Courtland Cox I have cOIIUlllllricated with the various railroads asking for Ann Arnold Hedgeman a written r eply which would give the reasons for the lack Rev. Thomas Kilgore, Jr. of the transportation facilities for the Mar ch . I also Rev. George Lawrence James McCain included in the letter a statement concerning our inten­ Dr. John Morsell t ions t o send copies of their letters to the I . C. C. Guichard Parris Director When they send t heir replies I suggest that a statement A. Philip Randolph be released to the press and/or a telegram to Robert Deputr Director Kennedy stating the following : Bayard Rustin Coordinator$ 1) PaQ:"ticipants will be t ravelling through the South for Norman Hill long distances and much of the travelling Will t:e done L. Joseph Overton at night through areas that have been known to be dan­ Southern Administrator$ gerous for travel when buses or cars transporting Dr. Aaron Henry Worth Long Negroes or an integrated group have risked travelling Att. Floyd McKissick through these areas. Rev. Wyatt Walker 2) If we ace not able to secure the t ransportation faci­ lities of the r ailroads we have no choice but to use - buses and cars for transportation to Washington • .3) The possibility of injury to our participants is there­ fore greatly increased and if this possibility becomes a reality, as we know it will, the United states govern­ ment would be placed in a very embarassing and dangerous position. 4) l'berefore, we are a sking that you inform the railroads as to the possible dangers involved in not making trains available to the March Committee. 7. J'. f~~ ~, 1/,_ f ~II ~-l,:v {c,.; .vr ~~ akl. /c. ~ {; I oe/_.~ I~ .Pe.Ci.U'"e,..t_;{ ~-~ ~f~"'o £ ,;; s-t 1,-e_ ~ 'f-ro.-(..- •"'- ~ 11 0 rt~.,t /, cc...~ I{ t..A... t- ~r('Q.I".f ~til- ~ ~ ""'{I. f' -h.-(;~ ' ~~J,. .J..,r.;: ;;\,., • 't'-4 r~..) t rl/,_<"l .