Local Activism in Mississippi

A broadside with the Attention in bold bubble letters at the top of the sheet. The item reads<br />
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Attention citizens of Greenwood and surrounding area<br />
The revolutionary forces at work in this area have begun a boycott of certain business establishments in the city of Greenwood.<br />
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This useless troublemaking agitation is being sponsored by a group of draft card burning disloyal pro communist riffraff known as the Mississippi freedom Democratic Party it’s local prime mover is a nigger preacher who runs a shoe repair business on Johnson Street. JD Collins has prospered in Greenwood and he is repaying this town for its goodness to him by trying to destroy it<br />
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We have the manpower and the willpower to remove the scum from the streets but we do not wish to bring this type of trouble to the good name of our fair city. We will not stoop to the level of the trash who seek to promote chaos in our city.<br />
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There are several things which we ask all good citizens both white and colored to do to counteract these troublemakers.<br />
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They picked the time of the year when business is generally slow so as to impress their gullible followers with the success of their efforts. We should all make a special effort to be on the streets of downtown Greenwood as much as possible so as to put the lie to their claims of success. Law-enforcement officials and responsible private citizens will be on hand to see to it that everyone is protected on our city streets.<br />
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The primary object of this so-called boycott is the liberty cash grocery owned by Mr. Sam Killebrew. Mr. Killebrew has been more tolerant with the colored element of his trade and almost any other businessman in town and some of them are rewarding him by trying to destroy his business. Neither he nor in any other businessman can meet the impossible demands of this nefarious group. We should all make a special effort to do some of our grocery buying at the store.<br />
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Any effort at intimidation by this sorry element against any citizen white or colored should be reported to the law or to any responsible citizen and appropriate action will be taken.<br />
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This is communism in action the end justifies the means and they only succeed where ignorance and timidity prevail.<br />
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We worn this group who is not only our enemy but the enemy of all good citizens of this area not to misinterpret our intentions. We are and will remain equipped and ready for any eventuality.<br />
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You can help bust the boycott written printed distributed by a local Civic group

Flyer, Local group accuses the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party of communist behavior

Local groups in Mississippi, and around the country, were involved in efforts to thwart the infiltration of communism in their daily lives. In Mississippi, groups like the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, White Citizen's Council, and the John Birch Society seemed to be the most visible, but many individuals and local groups contributed to the process of educating people about the dangers of communism.

Individuals like L.E. Faulkner, the former vice-president of Mississippi Central Railroad, supported the anti-communism/pro-American cause by writing and distributing publications to alert people to his opinions on communism. He also wrote congressmen and other government officials requesting information about people he suspected of associating with communists.

Local groups formed around Mississippi to support the anti-communist movement and to publicize these beliefs to the public. Flyers, resolutions, and petitions were created to promote the beliefs of the groups to the community.

A letter from L. Eat. Faulkner to Honorable Harold Beech. Velde. Space the letter is dated March 11, 1953.<br />
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March 11, 1953<br />
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Honorable Harold H. Velde, chairman<br />
Committee on un-American activities<br />
House of representative<br />
Washington, DC.<br />
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Dear congressman Velde:<br />
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Please refer to my letter to you February 23, 1953, in which I requested information about the files of your committee regarding the following named persons, and kindly inform me if this information will be furnished:<br />
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Dr. Cameron P. HALL<br />
Luther a. WEIGLE, Yale University, 1929<br />
Julius a. BEWER, union theological seminary, 1930<br />
Henry J. Cadbury, Harvard University, 1930<br />
Edgar J. Goodspeed, University of Chicago, 1930<br />
James Moffett, union theological seminary, 1934 to 1944 (deceased)<br />
William R. Taylor, University of Toronto, 1931 to 1951 (deceased)<br />
Walter Russell Bowie, union theological seminary, 1937<br />
George Dahl, Yale University, 1937<br />
Frederick C. Grant, union theological seminary, 1937<br />
William a. Erwin, University of Chicago, 1937<br />
William L. Sperry , Harvard university, 1937<br />
Leroy Waterman, University of Michigan, 1937<br />
Millar Burrows, Yale University, 1938<br />
Clarence T. Craig, Oberlin graduate school of theology, 1938<br />
Ardel R. Wentz, Lutheran theological seminary, Gettysburg, 1938<br />
Kyle M. Yates, Southern Baptist theological seminary, 1938<br />
William F. Albright, Johns Hopkins university, 1945<br />
J. Philip Hyatt, Vanderbilt University, 1945<br />
Herbert G. May, Oberlin graduate school of theology, 1945<br />
James Muilenburg, union theological seminary, 1945<br />
Harry M. 0RLINSKY, Jewish Institute of religion, New York, 1945<br />
Fleming James, university of the south, 1947<br />
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I requested the same information from Mr. Thomas W Beale, senior., Clerk of your committee, under date of February 2, and I have no reply to my letter.<br />
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Thanking you and with best wishes, I am<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
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Here there is a red stamp with the words copy (signed) L. E. Faulkner<br />
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BCC: honor roll WM Colmee – I may need your help in securing the information I requested in my letter of February 23 to congressman Velde. For your personal information, I am enclosing a copy of my letter of February 23.

Letter to Illinois Congressman and HUAC chair, Harold Velde, from Hattiesburg, MS, resident L.E. Faulkner requesting information on members of the National Council of Churches' Translating Committee.

The following resolutions were adopted by citizens in Grenada, Mississippi, assembled under the sponsorship of the Lowndes county plan state project of the Mississippi Society Daughters of the American Revolution at the conclusion of an address on communism by Mrs. BL Parkinson of Columbus, Mississippi, January 16, 1951.<br />
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Whereas, the avowed aim of communism is to make the whole world a Soviet Union with Moscow as its capital; and<br />
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Whereas, communists are now working tirelessly to set up their ideology in our own country and are succeeding to an alarming degree; and<br />
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Whereas, their methods of propaganda are so scientific and subtle that our American groups both public and private are infiltrated and poisoned without recognizing what is taking place; and<br />
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Whereas, our people generally are unaware of the inroads already made by dangerous communistic doctrines in labor groups, race groups, youth groups, and religious groups; and<br />
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Whereas, communist now have access to centers, executive, scientific, and industrial that are vital to our national defense; be it<br />
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Resolved, that we recognize the world aim of communism as very real and very perilous; and be it<br />
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Resolved, that we meet zeal for communism with greater zeal for representative government, that we know better our privileges and blessings as American citizens and that we point these out diligently to those we meet; and be it<br />
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Resolved, that we inform ourselves of communistic methods of infiltration and indoctrination and that we expose these methods whereever we have opportunity; and be it<br />
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Resolved, that we work aggressively to arouse every citizen to the threat that communism poses to his personal safety and the American way of life; and be it<br />
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Resolved, that all known communists and there’s sympathizer should be interned in concentration camps until such time as the president and Congress may determine that they are not harmful to our national security; and be it<br />
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Resolved, That copies of these resolutions be sent to the local press, our congressmen, and United States senators, the committee on un-American activities, and chairman of national defense committee of the national Society daughters of the American Revolution.<br />
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Resolutions committee<br />
Grenada county chapter<br />
Lowndes county plan<br />
Mrs. John Rundle <br />
Rodney E Defenbaugh <br />
WO Semmes

Resolution adopted in Grenada, Mississippi, after an address about communism. (1951)