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Tags: Civil Rights Activists

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JOHN’S SPEECH: FELLOWSHIP COMMISSION<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Mr. _________, ________, ________, ladies and gentlemen:<br /><br />
The March on Washington, this year, was one of the first times in history that America has shown that all faiths, all races, labour, government workers and Americans of all professions and convictions could and would unite [typo] to carry forth a cause that they believe in. Before this, we have only seen such a show of strength and unity in times of war; but now, Americans are uniting in times of peace. Americans are demonstrating that they believe in democracy, that it is not a word to be used for propaganda, or something to fight for when our lives are threatened, but that [typo] democracy [typo] will be the American way of life.<br /><br />
The Fellowship Commission, and groups like it, who have paved the way for [typo] last years March are now entering a new era. As some people have pointed out, the Supreme Court decision did not integrate the schools, but freed the civil rights groups to [typo] begin integrating the schools. And so, if the Civil Rights Bill is passed, we will be free to begin integration on a nation-wide basis.<br /><br />
This is the beginning of the third decade after [typo]the original March on Washington; the second half-century of American Labour and the second century after the Emancipation Proclamation. In the first half of this century there were many marches proposed and carried out, to bring the unemployed to Washington, to bring our [typo] plight to the Federal Government. Most of these have been forgotten, except by the few who participated in them.<br />

Text of speech written by Sheila Michaels for John Lewis to deliver to the Fellowship Commission in 1964.

TEXT OF SPEECH GIVEN AT WASHINGTON MARCH BY JOHN LEWIS <br /><br />
AUGUST 28, 1963 <br /><br />
nothing <br /><br />
We march today for jobs and freedom, but we have/to be proud For, ; hundreds and thousands of our brothers are not here. They have no money for their transportation, for they are receiving starvation wages ••• or no ·wages at all. While we stand here there are sharecroppers in the Delta of Mississippi who are out in the fields working for less than three dollars a day for twelve hours of work. While we stand here there are students in jail on trumped charges. Our brother, James Farmer, along with many others is also in jail. We come here today with a great sense of misgiving.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
It is true that we support the present civil rights bill in the Congress. However, we support it with great reservations. Unless Title three is put in this bill, there is nothing to protect young children and old women from police dogs and fire hoses, their penalty for engaging in peaceful demonstrations. In its present form this bill will not protect the citizens of Danville, Virginia, who must live in constant fear in a police state. It will not protect the hundreds of people who have been arrested on phoney charges. What about the three young men---SNCC field secretaries--in Americus, Georgia who face the death penalty for engaging in peaceful protest. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
As it stands now, the voting section of this bill will not help thousands of black people who want to vote. It will not help the citizens of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia who are qualified to vote but lack a 6th grade education. "One man, one vote.,” is the African cry. It is ours, too. It must be ours. Let us tell the Congress: One man, one vote. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
We must have legislation that will protect the Mississippi sharecropper who is put off of his farm because he dares to register to vote. We need a bill that will provide for the homeless and starving people of this nation. We need a bill that will ensure the equality of a maid who earns $5 a week in the home of a family whose income is $100,000 a year. We must have a good FEPC bill. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
Let us not forget that we are involved in a serious social revolution. By¬ <br /><br />
and large, American politics is dominated by politicians who build their careers on immoral compromises and ally themselves with open forms of political, economic, and social exploitation. There are exceptions of course. We salute those. But what political leader can stand up and say, “My party is the party of principles". The party of Kennedy is the party of Eastland. The party of Javits is also the party of Goldwater. Where is our party? Where is the political party that will make it unecessary to have Marches on Washinton? <br /><br />
<br /><br />
Where is the political party that will protect the citizens of Albany, Georgia. <br /><br />
Do you know that in Albany, Georgia., nine of our leaders have been indicted, not by Dixicrats, but by the Federal Government for peaceful protest. But what did the Federal Government do when Albany's Deputy Sheriff beat Attorney C.B. King and left him half-dead? What did the Federal Government do when local police officials kicked and assaulted the pregnant wife of Slater King, and she lost her child. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
To those who have said, be patient and wait, we must say that we cannot be patient, we do not want to be free gradually. We want our freedom and we want it now. We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We do not<br />

Text of Speech Given at Washington March by John Lewis, August 28, 1963

Text of speech given by John Lewis at March on Washington, August 28, 1963. This is a draft with subtle differences from the official speech given to…

1963 portrait of Civil Rights Activist John Lewis wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and striped tie. He looks candidly toward the camera with his head tilted and his lips parted.

John Lewis Portrait

Headshot of John Lewis in Atlanta, GA 1963

RABBI ARTHUR J. LELYVELD<br /><br />
FAIRMOUNT TEMPLE<br /><br />
CLEVELAND, OHIO 44122<br /><br />
<br /><br />
5 Tevet 5742<br /><br />
December 31, 1981<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Ms. Sheila Michaels<br /><br />
87 Columbia Street<br /><br />
New York, NY 10002<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Dear Sheila:<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Your letter was a joy to receive and it awakened memories -- in retrospect it was a peak experience. It was good to see the names of other "alumni" as well. I open feel we really turned Mississippi around.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Good luck and may 1982 bring you peace and blessings.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Cordially,<br /><br />
[signature]<br /><br />
Rabbi Arthur J. Lelyveld<br /><br />
<br /><br />
AJL:et

Letter from Rabbi Arthur J. Lelyveld

December 31, 1981 letter from Rabbi Lelyveld to Sheila Michaels regarding Civil Rights Movement reunion and thoughts about movement.

Black and white photo of an exhibit in an indoor atrium about 1960s Holmes County, Mississippi and the civil rights movement, taken by Susan Sojourner. There are people gathering around a table in the background.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
There is a hanging banner that reads "The Some People Of That Place. 1960s Holmes County, Mississippi: The Local Black People and Their Civil Rights Movement."

"THE SOME PEOPLE OF THAT PLACE" Exhibit at Georgetown University

Black and white photo of an exhibit about 1960s Holmes County, Mississippi and the civil rights movement, taken by Susan Sojourner.

typed in memoriam poem titled for miz hamer* who just died<br /><br />
<br /><br />
fannie lou a woman who knew and flew sang and grew pained and knew more and more and more <br /><br />
<br /><br />
and as she grew we also knew but never more than she-- who sparked and flamed spoke and rang and pushed on and on and on through ruleville sunflower the delta and all of mississip up to congers to stake her claim<br /><br />
<br /><br />
so grand and fine big broad warm black bold strong -- miz hamer was her name<br /><br />
<br /><br />
we were glad enriched and full inspired by her being her voice her smile her heart her style her being fannie lou the woman who knew and flew sang and grew pained and knew more and more and more...<br /><br />
<br /><br />
susan sojourner<br /><br />
march/june 1977<br /><br />
<br /><br />
*Fannie Lou Hamer was a black plantation worker then SNCC & civil rights leader dynamic orator & singer, she was one of three Mississippi Freedom Democrats put forward in 1965 to sit in the U.S. Congress instead of the "duly elected" white officials. She was born and raised in Ruleville, Sunflower County, Mississippi where she died in March 1977.

"for miz hamer who just died" Poem

An in memoriam poem about Fannie Lou Hamer, written by Susan Sojourner.

Photo of Fannie Lou Hamer

Black and white print photo of Fannie Lou Hamer speaking in Holmes County, taken by Susan Sojourner.

A broadside with the Attention in bold bubble letters at the top of the sheet. The item reads<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Attention citizens of Greenwood and surrounding area<br /><br />
The revolutionary forces at work in this area have begun a boycott of certain business establishments in the city of Greenwood.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
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 /><br />
<br /><br />
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 /><br />
<br /><br />
There are several things which we ask all good citizens both white and colored to do to counteract these troublemakers.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
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 /><br />
<br /><br />
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 /><br />
<br /><br />
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 /><br />
<br /><br />
This is communism in action the end justifies the means and they only succeed where ignorance and timidity prevail.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
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 /><br />
<br /><br />
You can help bust the boycott written printed distributed by a local Civic group

Flyer, Attention Citizens of Greenwood and Surrounding Area

Flyer accusing Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party of communist behavior.

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