State Sovereignty Commission report on the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, demonstrations; 13 February 1964

Title

State Sovereignty Commission report on the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, demonstrations; 13 February 1964

Description

The State Sovereignty Commission report on the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, demonstrations, dated 13 February 1964, covers the period of 31 January - 12 February 1964. The report mentions how the investigators found out that the National Council of Churches President, Rev. Eugene Carson Blake, was in Hattiesburg. According to the report, Blake was affiliated with several subversive groups.

Creator

Tom Scarborough
Virgil Downing

Source

Paul B. Johnson Family Papers, M191, Historical Manuscripts, Special Collections, The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries

Date

1964-02-13

Contributor

Elizabeth Arnold

Rights

Copyright not evaluated.

Language

En

Identifier

mus_m191_0005

Files

This is the first page of a report titled Hattiesburg demonstrations recorded by the Mississippi state sovereignty commission.<br /> <br /> Title: Hattiesburg demonstrations continuation<br /> Date of investigation: January 31 to February 12, 1964<br /> <br /> Data report: February 13, 1964<br /> <br /> Investigated by: Tom Scarborough and Virgil Downing, investigators<br /> <br /> Typed by: Elizabeth Arnold<br /> <br /> Agreeable to orders from director Johnston to make a day-to-day report on the Hattiesburg demonstrations, investigate Downing and I proceeded to Hattiesburg to make a check on events which have occurred up to the above date.<br /> <br /> Upon arriving in Hattiesburg, we contacted city and county law enforcement officers to learn there was no mass meeting held on Friday night, January 31; however on Sunday night, February 2, dick Gregory, Negro comedian, spoke at the St. Paul Negro Methodist church at 200 E. 5th St. JB Wheaton is the pastor of this church. Gregory carried on his usual line of nonsense in his talk to the congregation, but mostly made a peptalk designed to encourage more local Negroes to participate in the demonstration. It is my feeling that the outside agitators felt they should bring in some big wheels in order to fan up more interest in the agitation field by local Negroes. Gregory left the next morning by plane about 9:00 AM. He did not participate in any of the marches.<br /> <br /> Reverend Eugene Carson Blake flew into Hattiesburg on Monday, February 3, for some reason. Lake is president of the national Council of churches it has headquartered in the Witherspoon building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Blake is a white “supposed to be“ minister and is also affiliated with quite a number of various organizations which are considered pro communist and subversive. Blake has made several trips to Russia and was the gentle man who escorted the supposed to be Russian ministers around over various parts of the United States. Some of these ministers were known Russian spies. It is not known why Blake came to Hattiesburg. He visited at the SNCC headquarters located in the Negro section of Hattiesburg on Mobile Street. He also visited at the white preachers headquarters which is located on the second floor of the Negro Masonic building in Hattiesburg. He observed the marchers while in Hattiesburg and talk to news man. He did not attend the trial of the nine ministers which was going on at the courthouse. He left by plane Monday afternoon around 1:00 PM. Several volumes could be written concerning Eugene Carson Blakes leftist activities.
This is page 2 of the sovereignty commission document about the Hattiesburg demonstrations.<br /> <br /> The nine ministers were tried on Monday, February 3, 1964 by city Judge Mildred Norris and she apparently threw the book at them. They were given $200 fines at four months jail sentences with none of the days being held up. During the process of the trial, prosecuting attorney dukes requested Reverend Emile J Hatoon of Decatur, Illinois, to read a telegram which the police department had received allegedly from one of Hatoon’s deacons. Had to read the telegram which was composed of the following wording:<br /> <br /> Beheading was Decatur, Illinois, and addressed the chief of police, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.<br /> <br /> “Be advised Mr. HATOOin does not represent Presbyterian membership of Decatur. Congressional meeting of Woodland chapel, Presbyterian defeated motion for such irresponsible action by 2/3 majority past Monday, be obliged if you will keep him there.“<br /> <br /> Signed: EP Fulton, Deacon, Woodland Chapel<br /> <br /> It has also been determined that HATOON is not a qualified voter in the city from whence he came - yet, he was in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, carrying a placard around his neck demonstrating in behalf of Negroes registering to vote.<br /> <br /> The action of the white Presbyterian minister‘s has met with quite a bit of resentment from the church members where they came from as the Hattiesburg Police Department - Nonemergency Number few telegrams and letters expressing disfavor with the ministers actions such as “congregations strongly resent action of white ministers who are in your city. Suggest road gang.“ In a poll taken by a reporter in Decatur, Illinois, it was determined that most people interviewed were very much opposed to the ministers coming to Hattiesburg meddling in local affairs.<br /> <br /> FB agents were in the quart room during the trial of the nine ministers taking notes of the proceedings. After the trial was over and the ministers left the quart room, two FBI agents interviewed them on the outside of the quart room one at a time.<br /> <br /> Soon after the ministers were returned the city jail, James W Randolph, Negro attorney, business address, 200 W. 135th St., New York 30, New York, came to police headquarters and posted a $7100 cash bond for all ministers, who were involved in breaking the law. Or white ministers left Hattiesburg within two hours after getting out of jail. Seven or eight FBI agents also left Hattiesburg soon after the departure of the ministers..<br /> <br /> Soon after the ministers were returned the city jail, James W Randolph, Negro attorney, business address, 200 W. 135th St., New York 30, New York, came to police headquarters and posted a $7100 cash bond for all ministers, who were involved in breaking the law. Or white ministers left Hattiesburg within two hours after getting out of jail. Seven or eight FBI agents also left Hattiesburg soon after the departure of the ministers.. nothing of any consequence happened on Wednesday other than the continuation of the marching at the courthouse. Wednesday night, and executive meeting was held at the white ministers headquarters on the second floor of the Negro Masonic building on Mobile Street. They voted at this meeting first to have no sit in activity at the present time, second, to play strong emphasis on trying to recruit more local Negroes to attend the voter registration school which is being conducted by the SNCC headquarters in Hattiesburg and at the White ministers headquarters. Reverend JE Cameron, Negro minister, Reverend ponder, Negro minister, and Robert Moses are the three chief instructors at the voter registration school.
This is page 3 of the Mississippi state sovereignty commission report about the Hattiesburg demonstrations.<br /> <br /> The demonstrators have dwindled down to not more than a maximum of 30 to 40 per day, and at one time Thursday, I observed only six marchers. At no time was there more than one white man marching with the demonstrators. After school hours, however, some Negro school children join the marchers and the crowd was increased to 21. The demonstrators line of marching was considerably shortened by the police as they were marching in a circle from north of the courthouse steps around the corner across in front of the confederate statue, that’s back to the point of beginning. At 5:00 PM, the demonstrators start marching, Drew together, saying a few freedom songs, had prayers and dismissed.<br /> <br /> The demonstrators have dwindled down to not more than a maximum of 30 to 40 per day, and at one time Thursday, I observed only six marchers. At no time was there more than one white man marching with the demonstrators. After school hours, however, some Negro school children join the marchers and the crowd was increased to 21. The demonstrators line of marching was considerably shortened by the police as they were marching in a circle from north of the courthouse steps around the corner across in front of the confederate statue, that’s back to the point of beginning. At 5:00 PM, the demonstrators start marching, Drew together, saying a few freedom songs, had prayers and dismissed. There has been only one arrest since the arrest of the nine ministers. The person arrested is Monque Faulkner. Faulkner is a local Hattiesburg Negro and he was charged with refusing to a bad order of an officer when he stepped out of the demonstration line and would not move on.<br /> <br /> <br /> Circuit clerk Theron Lynd Advised me all total between 230 and 250 Negroes had applied to register. Most of these Negro applicants were totally unqualified to pass the voter registration test, Lynd stated. Many of them stated they could not read it right, but said the reason they came to the registrars office was that they were told at their church their names would be placed on the honor roll if they would go to the registrars office and try to register to vote mini gave up stating they were unable to finish the test, whereupon Lynd stated he would ask them to write a statement in their own hand writing that they gave up all the test of their own free will because they were unable to finish it and sign their name. Those that could not read and write place their mark on a statement verifying the fact that they could not read and write.<br /> <br /> Lawrence Guyot, Negro civil rights worker, was tried in Judge William Harrison‘s court and fined $500 and six months in jail for contributing to the delinquency of a Negro 13-year-old female. Aura May Curry said she found her daughter, Barbara and Thomas, last Friday demonstrating at the courthouse and that she had been gone from home since Tuesday. She stated the child was dirty, wet, and in an awful mess. Five months ofGuyot’s sentence was held up by Judge Harrison on good behavior. District attorney finch requested that Guyot replaced under $500 peace bond that was and was granted the request. Guyot was transferred from the city jail to the county jail and it is my understanding he has been doing some work on the county farm. Guyot is the same Negro, who developed a case of gonorrhea soon after being locked up in the city jail. I did not determine whether Guyot actually contributed to the delinquency of the 13-year-old Negro girl or whether she contributed to his being infected with gonorrhea. Dr. GO Runnells gave Guyot I shot of penicillin and I suppose Guyot’s System must have reacted favorably to the treatment as he is now able to work on the county farm. Guyot was still in jail on February 12.<br /> <br /> Peter stoner, white male demonstrator, whose name has been mentioned previously since the beginning of the demonstrations in Hattiesburg, went to the county jail and insisted so strongly that he be permitted to see Guyot that he created a disturbance and was locked up in the jail with Guyot. Stoner has a long list of civil violations on file with this department.
This is the fourth page of the Mississippi state sovereignty commission report relating to the Hattiesburg demonstrations.<br /> <br /> <br /> It is believed that the Hattiesburg demonstrators will attempt to instigate a boycott of the business houses there; however, this was has not been verified.<br /> <br /> In another investigation which I have been conducting in Canton, Mississippi, I definitely have established the fact that the Canton boycott and Hattiesburg demonstration were planned to occur simultaneously by the same group of national agitators. James T McCain, Negro male director of organization at 4CORE has been shuttling back-and-forth from Hattiesburg to Canton. James farmer has been in Canton and also Hattiesburg. James Jones, Lawrence Guyot, Matthew Suarez, Charles Cobb, white male, Donald White, David Denis, Robert Moses, Jesse Harris, and Art Thomas, who is an official with the national Council of churches, all met on January 10 at a staff executive meeting, place unknown to this investigator, and discussed the engender for instigating the demonstration at Hattiesburg and boycott at Canton. This information was obtained from material taken from Edward Hollander, white male, who is national public relations director for CORE and is at present in jail at Canton along with Claude Weaver, Negro male, who is one of the field directors for SNCC from Atlanta, Georgia, for making threats against Charline Smith’s, Negro female, child if Charline Smith went to work for Mr. Joe Ferguson who runs a store which is being boycotted by the Negroes in Canton. At this meeting, Art Thompson from the national Council of churches explained about the plan to have northern Presbyterian ministers to come to Hattiesburg. He was concerned that the ministers be used effectively and expressed hope, so the report stated, that the project could involve the confrontation with the federal government. These facts, as we will know, or started Tim Lee born out of Hattiesburg, since government officials were on hand and so were the Presbyterian minister‘s.<br /> <br /> I am attaching a copy of what took place at this meeting of agitators to this report. I also am attaching a photo static copy of a telegram sent to President Lyndon B Johnson and Attorney General Robert F Kennedy by David Denis, all of which is a light relative to police brutality in the Negroes not be able to register to vote. I am also attaching a news release from SNCC headquarters under date of January 18, 1964. I report dated December 7, 1963, from the steering committee of the national action counsel is attached. This is a subsidiary of CORE. I have marked on pages four and five of this report a conversation which James farmer, Negro mail, says he had with President Lyndon B. Johnson in a 55 minute meeting between Johnson and farmer. Farmer has been in all kinds of racial demonstrations, in fact and some we violence has occurred.<br /> <br /> I also have been able to determine definitely and positively that the national Council of churches are working handing love with these various racial agitator groups, eating them financially and otherwise in the field of agitation throughout America and in both Hattiesburg and Canton. I have in my possession mini documentary items of proof which were secured from material Edward Hollander had in his possession which link the national Council of churches with these various groups in which time the agitative groups now operating in Mississippi together at Hattiesburg and Canton. Most of this material will be attached to the Canton report.
This is page 5 of the report from the Mississippi state sovereignty commission relating to the Hattiesburg demonstrations.<br /> <br /> According to information I have received, I am which I have reason to believe a mass demonstration will be put on by this group of agitators in Canton on February 28. City and county officials met with this investigator Tuesday night and were apprised of what might occur there.<br /> <br /> More investigation will be reported on the Hattiesburg demonstration as it develops from day today. The outside agitators are not getting local support at Hattiesburg like they had hoped. It is possible that they may pull out of Hattiesburg for lack lack of local Negro support. There are 20 white ministers have have recently arrived and are still in Hattiesburg.<br /> <br /> <br /> The communications system set up by the FBI is still in operation in Hattiesburg.

Citation

Tom Scarborough Virgil Downing, “State Sovereignty Commission report on the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, demonstrations; 13 February 1964,” Online Exhibits at Southern Miss, accessed April 17, 2024, https://usmspecialcollections.omeka.net/items/show/216.

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