Mississippi's Anti-Negro Voting Laws and Anti-NAACP Laws Challenged
Press Release
March 17, 1958

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Press Releases, Loose Pages. Mississippi's Anti-Negro Voting Laws and Anti-NAACP Laws Challenged, 1958. 01852469-bc92-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/52c38cb5-04f1-47e6-a0e5-0df44592a399/mississippis-anti-negro-voting-laws-and-anti-naacp-laws-challenged. Accessed June 13, 2025.
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PRESS RELEASE® e NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND TO COLUMBUS CIRCLE + NEW YORK 19,N.Y. © JUdson 6-8397 DR. ALLAN KNIGHT CHALMERS oS THURGOOD MARSHALL President Director-Counsel MISSISSIPPI'S ANTI-NEGRO VOTING LAWS AND ANTI-NAACP LAWS CHALLENGED March 17, 1958 JACKSON, MISS,--Mississippi'ts first civil rights suit to reach the courts since the 195 Supreme Court decision in the School Segrega- tion Cases was filed here in the United Statea District Court on Friday, March 1). ‘The action challenges amendments to the state constitution and laws which, in effect, deny Negroes the right to vote, It was filed by NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund attor- neys in behalf of “ev. H, 8. Darby and other Negro citizens of Jefferson Davis County. The action also challenges Mississippi's new anti-NAACP laws which prohibit the giving and receiving of financial aid and furnish- ing of legal services without charge in law suits, Violations of these statutes constitute a crime punishable by a prison term of one year. Rev. Darby on two occasions tried to register in Jefferson Davis County in order to vote in Mississippi elections. On each occasion the registrar of voters required him to take a written examination, This examination included a requirenent that the prospective voter give a "reasonable interpretation" of a provision of the Mississippt Constitution and demonstrate a "reasonable understanding" of the duties and obligations of citizenship. This requirement was instituted following a 1955 amendment to the Mississippi Constitution and voting statutes which are designed to restrict Negro voting in the state. Prior to these amendments the Mississippi Constitution and statutes required a prospective voter to be able to read or write any provision of the Mississippi Constitution or give a reasonable inter- _pretation of it when read to him. The "reasonable understanding of the duties and obligations of citizenship" clause was not previously in the state constitution. -2= On each occasion on which Rev. Darby sought to register, he was denied the right on the ground that he had failed the examination, Mississippi was one of the first deep-south states to enact legis- lation aimed at cutting off NAACP Legal Defense Fund aid to southern Negroes in civil rights litigation. These laws, enacted in February, 1956, make it a crime to receive or give legal services without charge in a law suit or to accept financial assistance for the purpose of com- mencing or prosecuting further any law suit, Rev. Darby and his lawyers seek a federal court injunction enjoin- ing Mississippi's Attorney General Joe T. Patterson from enforcing these laws and enjoining the registrar of voters of Jefferson Davis County from enforcing the amendments to the Mississippi Constitution and statutes which are designed to restrict Negro voting. Rev. Darby's Mississippi lawyer, R. Jess Brown of Vicksburg, has sought the financial and legal aid of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The Defense Fund is giving financial aid and furnishing legal counsel to Rev. Darby. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund attorneys in the case are Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley of New York. E30 he