Allen Black Reports and Correspondence 1966-1967 (Folder) (Redacted)

    ■'DIVI§ION .qF INF. ..gsgBVI.CE
' Rftoional Pr-oararo:. A],Ag,n, Bla.cJi 
Reports and CorfditsotfSrg'hc^ -



TO; Allen Black
FROM: Jean Fairfax
RE; ONWARD AND DOWNWARD
We received word a few days ago that the foundation 
grant for my program has come through. This means 
that we can now talk seriously about the future.
We shall have funds for three regional offices and 
for a program to develop community aides. Also, we 
shall be able to involve on a consultant or part-time 
basis some persons with special backgroxmds or skills 
which enable them to relate to hard-to-reach groups 
such as Spanish-Speaking Americans, Indians, etc.
I want to make a detailed proposal to Jack Greenberg 
soon about our staff needs and about the loca,tion of 
the new offices. This raises the question again about 
Memphis. Several factors pro and con are in my mind;
1. The future of the Commission on Civil Rights'

Memphis office may have some bearing on our decision. 
I think of Jacques W'ilmore as a real strength. Yet
I believe he may be leaving in early 1968. Also 
the future of the Commission is insecure.

2. Marian Wright will be getting married in the fall 
and will be leaving Mississippi. So far as I know, 
the Bfests are staying on. The future of the entire 
LDF pFbgrara in Mississippi needs to be considered.

3. The advantage of Memphis is its good location for
a middle-USA program. Also, LDF will be helping to 
build up an interracial law office there.

Let le have your thoughts. You might want to go to 
Memphis; to talk with Jacques about that location as a 
base, i^s re^urces and disadvantages. Also, he may have 
ideas about new program areas for us.
I was not joking about Bob Valder. Do you think there is 
any chance of our getting him out of Alabama?

M E M O R A N D U M  May 25, 196?



MEMORANDUM

TO Miss Jean Fairfax

FROM Allen Black, Jr<

SUBJECT PROGRESS REPORT DATE: August 18, 1966

Operating from the Inc Fund's Regional office in Jackson, 
Mississippi, and from one area office in Little Rock, Arkansas, and 
another in a well-traveled suitcase located usually in the trunk of 
a well-traveled Chrysler, Region One of the Division of Legal Infor­
mation and Services has been active in school desegregation, equal 
employment' opportunities, and in providing the research attendant to 
both.

In the area of school desegregation, we have joined other 
Civil Rights groups in sponsoring two statewide conferences in Alabama, 
and one each in Arkansas and Mississippi. We have, in addition, joined 
the American Friends Service Committee in fielding the School Desegre­
gation Task Force, assuming responsibility for selected districts in 
Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas.

In Alabama, we were active in six northern counties.
Another team, headed by Winifred Green of AFSC worked a nine county 
area in the Black Belt.

Lauderdale County has two districts: Florence City
system and the County system. The Florence City system operated for a 
second year under a twelve grade freedom of choice plan. Last year an 
ad hoc committee of members of the Alabama Council on Human Relations 
canvassed the city and some 118 Negroes attended desegregated classes 
in all but one of the system's schools. This year, the same group 
was active, and 152 Negro students were accepted into the formerly all- 
white schools. At this writing no definite plans have made toward 
teacher desegregation, although "something will be done", according 
to the superintendent. One of the volunteer workers, who was a high 
school senior, discovered that not enough students had expressed a 
choice to enter a newly constructed high school, and the Principal of 
the existing high school had made announcements over the public address 
system, that students wishing to reconsider could change their choice 
forms in his office. Because these announcements were made after the 
choice period closed, our response was to prepare a petition for cir­
culation at the Negro school. Alas, the Negro principal discovered 
our plan, made quiet announcements over his P. A. system and M-lled our 
schero.e.



The Lauderdale county system also operated under a T2-' 
grade freedom of choice plan for the second year. Last year, eighty- 
one Negro students actually attended desegregated classes. This year, 
some 245 Negroes will enroll. Four inadequate schools are being closed, 
leaving only two all-Negro schools in operation. It now appears that 
a case can be made for closing one of these due to such small number 
students remaining. The county has made definite, though constantly 
shifting, plans for teacher desegregation. As presently envisioned, 
five Negro teachers will be assigned to formerly all-white schools 
(although only two will be in actual classroom teacher situations), 
while one circuit riding white reading teacher will serve all schools.
We have learned that several Negro students having transferred to 
Lauderdale County High School in Rogersville were not allowed to try 
out for the football team. A call to the superintendent revealed that 
the Executive Secretary of the Alabama Athletic Association ruled that 
conference rules governing transfer students supercede the guidelines 
and violators faced expulsion. The superintendent appealed to the state 
board and we appealed to the Office of Education, holding the school 
system responsible.

Colbert County embraces four separate districts: The
Sheffield, Muscle Shoals City, Tuscumbia city, and the county system,.

Sheffield was allowed to operate under a weird combination 
plan, with some children in grades 1 - 6  under a zoning plan and others 
under freedom of choice, while all students in grades 7 - 1 2  had free­
dom of choice. It is significant that while Negroes live in all zones, 
they are concentrated in only two, and that under the zoning feature, 
no white child was assigned to a Negro school. Complaints against the 
plan were filed by Father Brice Joyce, to no discernible avail. Last 
year, some 84 Negro children attended desegregated classes. This year, 
around 150 have been accepted. Details of the teacher desegregation 
plan have not been made public.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 2

Last year in Tuscumbia, 26 Negroes transferred to formerly 
all-white schools. Very little canvassing by ACHR was done in this 
area, and the exact number of new transferees is not known. Two new 
elementary schools have been built: One in the middle of the white
community and at the outer fringe of the Negro community. Protests 
were made to HEW last year when plans were announced for these schools, 
and complaints were filed again this year. We did not see these com­
plaints nor have we been advised of the response. The new Negro school 
has a white principal and a white male librarian. Three Negro teachers 
are in white schools, and the year round Headstart program, has a straight 
50-50 racial blend.



The plan for Muscle Shoals City was devised by officials of 
HEW, and is a classic example of Federal naivety. The plan provides 
that all students in grades 1 - 6  living within the city limits and 
west of Harding Avenue are assigned to Highland Park School "regardless 
of race, creed or color". It just happens that no Negroes live west 
of Harding Avenue. All other elementary grade children have freedom of 
choice, all high schoolers "within the city limits" are to attend the 
only high school in the district. The problem here is that the city 
limits are drawn in such a manner as exclude several Negto families 
near the Negro school. This means that students in this area were 
required to attend county schools. Continued complaints to the Office 
of Education cannot be expected to bring equitable solutions, for they 
are in a position of having to argue against a plan of their own making.

Colbert County proper did virtually nothing. Form 441-B 
was not signed "out of deference" to the governor, but the superintendent 
gave a verbal pledge to HEW. Very few transfers were accomplished here, 
and teacher desegregation amounted to placing the Negro supervisor in 
the main office with a new title. A small one room, one teacher school 
is still scheduled to operate this year for Negroes. Complaints have 
been filed by the ton, and funds have been deferred.

Franklin County itself has only twenty-six Negro students, 
who attended a two-room school remarkable for its lack of a cafeteria, 
library, toilet facilities, and for the great desire of the Negro 
community to keep the thing open. We have just been advised that the 
Office of Education will require the closing of this telephone booth.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 3

In the county seat, Russellville, the Negro school will be 
unable to field a football team, because among the 95 students who chose 
formerly all-white schools were the entire first team. Several re­
ported trouble when they went to preregister their children. In one 
case, a father charged school officials with tampering with the choice 
form he signed. A call from this office to the superintendent was un­
productive (the superintendent was out) but did cause the white junior 
high school principal to say some unpleasant things to the parent bring­
ing another child. All was duly reported to Washington. We await their 
action.

Robert James worked briefly in Lawrence County and determined 
that 47 pupils had requested transfers under a 1965 freedom of choice 
plan. This county, being the seat of the North Alabama KKK, is hardly 
conducive to productive results from freedom of choice. Because of 
this two parents have filed suits in federal court seeking to desegregate 
the county's schools.

Phil Draper worked in Huntsville and Madison County, both 
of which are under court ordered plans. He found a lot of interest in 
the county, but had difficulty securing a copy of the court order and



even more trouble getting transfer forms. A local dentist fina'lly 
printed forms of his own, and the school board immediately made the 
official forms available. At last report, some 99 Negro kids had trans­
ferred jn the county. In Huntsville proper, freedom of choice worked 
in the only way possible. As a result of the coordinated efforts of 
all the civil rights groups, teams made trips and return trips, worked 
with teenagers themselves and were successful in securing the transfers 
of all but 45 of the Negro high school's students. Faced with an empty 
school and nineteen Negro teachers under contract, the school board 
voted to shut down the facility and place the teachers elsewhere in the 
system "at the same pay and status".

In Decatur, we worked with the newly formed Decatur 
Improvement Association, which has as a member the principal of the Negro 
school. Am.ong other things, the Decatur volunteers report that a 
Reading Supervison (Negro) has been hired in the Central office, one 
Negro elementary school has closed, two white "teachers" are assigned 
to Negro schools (one librarian, one driver education) and two Negro 
teachers are assigned to white schools.

In all the aforementtioned cases, the major problems were 
Negro apathy or very subtle, sophisticated roadblocks by school officials. 
This was not the case in the Black Belt. Winifred Fall's report on the 
activities of the South Alabama Task Force is included here to complete 
state picture.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 4

Butler County This is a one county system that has a 12 grade 
freedom of choice school desegregation plan. Last year 7 students 
requested transfer to the formerly white school. Because of 
intiro.idation three of these students withdrew before school opened 
This year Claire McMenas spent eight days in the county encourag­
ing students to seek an integrated education. One of the pro­
blems she encountered was the fear of parents because of the 
harrasment of students in the school this year. On May 12 
Claire visited Mr. H. L. Terrell, Superintendent of Education 
in Butler county. He told her that approximately 44 students 
had requested transfer to the formerly white school. He told 
her that the names of the students would not be made public and 
that she should know that parents will not have any interference 
from the Board of Education or faculty members about the choice 
made by students. There has been no mention by the Superintendent 
of plans for faculty desegregation.



MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 5

Crenshaw County. Mrs. Maxine Sanders attended the 
Montgomery conference and in response to a letter I sent 
conference participants called and asked us for help in 
recruitment. I spent one day there in the middle of 
April and Mrs. Sanders and I agreed that I would come 
back to the county when the transfer period was announced. 
The county announced a 12 grade fieedom of choice plan with 
a 13 day transfer period. The Office of Education called 
the superintendent and asked that he extend the period.
His reply was that he had no intention of complying with the 
guidelines and that 13 days was long enough for anyone with 
sny sense to request a transfer. Crenshaw county s funds 
have been deferred. The period was held May 3-16. I spent 
three days there at the start of the period and Mrs. Annie 
Mae Williams spent five days there. During the three days 
I was there we got 20 parents to write the Justice Depart- 
ro.ent asking them to file a suit. Mr. Harvard Richburg 
filed another complaint about the difficulty of getting 
transfer applications and the attempts of Negro teachers 
to influence the choice of students. I do not have an ex­
act figure on the number of transfer request, but a Justice 
Department official told me it was between 225-240. At 
this time the School Board has not nitified parents as to 
whether the request will be honored. Six Negro teachers did 
not receive contracts for next year. The reasons given 
on the letter were drop in ADA and not fulfilling duties 
as a teacher and citizen. These teachers were represented 
at their hearing by Fred Gray. He asked for a definition 
of neglect of duty as a teacher and citizen and the Board 
said they would send it to him. As soon as this is re­
ceived two of the teachers are going to apply for jobs 
at the formerly white school. They do not want to do this 
before because they are afraid the Board will make up things 
about their conduct.

Lowndes County. This county is under a court order for 
12 grade freedom of choice. The transfer period was held 
during the ro.onth of March. I spent three days there and 
Claire McMeans and Lillian McGill worked during the last 
week of the period. In spite of difficulty in getting 
transfer blanks (slips were sent home by pupils rather than 
mailed to parents) and attempts by Negro teachers to in­
fluence choices 208 students requested Lowndes County (con.)



MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 6

transfer to formerly white schools. Approximately 45 of 
these students will be going to the Lowndes County High School 
in Fort Deposit and the remainder to Hayneville High School.
Last year there were 5 children in the Hayneville School.
There are approximately 4,000 Negro school students and 600 
whites in the county. Of these 600 whites at least 130 had 
registered for a private school as of May 29. There is a strong 
possibility that there will be a complete boycott of the public 
schools by white sutdents.

AUTAUGA COUNTY. Mrs. Annie Mae Williams worked this county 
for five days. During her first two days there April 4-5 
there were demonstrations in the county. These demonstra­
tions were carrid on by local high school students. There 
was a school boycott going on at the same time and on one 
day less than 30 students attended the all-Negro Highland 
High School. The boycott spread to the Autauga County 
Training School were 275 students stayed away from classes 
to demonstrate. The system has not had a transfer period.
There has been no word from the Superintendent even though 
parents have been to see him to ask how he intended to im­
plement the guidelines. Mrs. SaJlie Hadnott, the president 
of the local NAACP branch, has two children attending the 
formerly white school this year. Mrs. Hadnott told me she 
would write to the Justice Department and to the Office of 
Education concerning the school situation. She also filed 
a complaint about Mr. R. B. Davis,the principal of the for­
merly white Prattville High School. Students have repeatedly 
reported harassment to him and had their complaints ignored. 
Whenever an athletic event is scheduled he tells the Negro 
children not to come. The school has cancelled all social 
affairs such as proms, etc. Mrs. Williams found great 
interest in school desegregation, but could find no way to 
get the information parents needed to seek a better educa­
tion for their children. We had seven epople at the 
Montgomery conference from the county.

Montgomery County. Mrs. Carrie Peavy worked in Montgomery 
county for 5% days. The county is operating under a court 
order issued on March 22, 1966. The thirty day choice 
period was from March 30 - April 30. Mrs. Peavy worked 
in the county at the beginning of the period and was able b 
recruit some local people to help her with a house to house 
campaign. The situation is complicated in the county by the



fact that there are 66 schools. Mrs. Peavy visited the 
superintendent, but was unable to get the number of trans­
fer requests from him. Charles Nesson from, the Justice 
Department reported to me that there were over 300 
transfer requests. The Montgomery plan stated that unless 
you are notified to the contrary by May 30th your choice 
is approved. At this point Mrs. Peavy has not heard of 
any requests that have been refused. There were 15 people 
from, the county at the Montgomery conference. One of these 
was Rev. Jesse L. Douglas who ran in the May primary for 
the Board of Education. Rev. Douglas was defeated. Like 
Lowndes county one of the weaknesses of the Montgomery 
court order was the fact that notices were not mailed to 
each parent. They were given out in the schools and some 
teachers urged students to return them as soon as possible. 
Mrs. Peavy found parents who wanted to send their children 
to an integrated school after she had talked with them, 
but they had already returned the form.s because of what 
the, teacher told their children.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 7

Elmore County. This county was the most intensively 
worked county in the Alabama project. I spent over a 
week there during the transfer period and because two of 
the program, associates (Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Peavy) live 
in the county they were able to devote full time to the 
county when they were not on assignment to another county. 
This meant that one of them, worked at least two days a 
week in Elmore during the transfer period. There were 
seven people from Elmore at the school desegregation con­
ference in Montgomery. This year 19 Negro children attended 
intergrated schools in the county. The parents of these 
children formed a group that ro,et weekly to discuss problems 
and to give tutorial help to the students. They plan to 
continue this group and urged all parents that are sending 
their children next year to join the group and attend 
meetings. There were no particular problems during the 
free choice period. The principal of Doby High School tried 
to influence students to remain in the all Negro school.
He is not respected in the community by parents and his 
efforts met with little success. The superintendent reported 
to the Office of Education that he had received 148 transfer 
request. I had hoped that there would be more considering 
the amount of time invested in the county. I believe that 
the remarks printed about Janice Grayson, the first Negro 
graduate of Weturopka High School, kept some parents from



MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page £

seeking an integrated education for their children. This 
incident had great effect on the Negro community and re­
enforced the fears of many parents concerning the kind of 
treatment their children would receive in a desegregated 
school. Elmore county submitted an amended form 44IB and 
I learned this week from the Office of Education that they 
are preparing letters to Elronre and 19 other counties to 
tell them, that their funds are deferred. This brings the 
total to 32'school districts in Alabama that have had 
funds cut off or deferred. All of these are districts 
that did not file a 441B or that put some sort of amraend- 
ment on the form.. I gather from the Office of Education 
that most of these amro.endro.ents dealt with the question of 
faculty desegregation. It is, of course, a hopeful sign 
that the Office of Education has moved against these 
districts, but unless they take steps in the near future 
against districts that have signed but are not following 
the guidelines I am afraid that many of the 32 will sign 
and remain in noncoro.pliance.

Hale County. Mrs. Mildred Black lives in Hale County and 
worked in the county during the 30 day transfer period 
when she was not on assignment elsewhere. There were 26 
people from Hale county at the conference. There was 
much confusion over what the procedures of school desegre- 
would be. At first the school board said that they were 
not going to do anything. The Justice Department filed 
suit against them and before the pretrial hearing was 
held the school board announced a 30 day transfer period. 
This plan was patterned after last years guidelines. We 
had hoped that Hale county would be a place where we could 
have a coordinated effort for massive school desegregation. 
Because of the confusion and difficulty in getting accurate 
information this was impossible. The Justice Department 
says that the Hale county case will not be heard before 
school starts in September. This means that again this 
year most of the children in Hale county will remain in 
segregated schools. The roost intensive effort was made in 
the town of Akron. Mrs. Bradley reports to us that 28-30 
students requested transfer there. We do not know the 
number in Greensboro. There is great fear in the county. 
During the transfer period Mrs. Bradley wrote to Jean 
Fairfax:" We are encouraging our people to fill out these 
forms and choose to have their children attend the white 
school. We are doing this not because we believe tha.t this 
will bring about the end of the dual system but because we



MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 9

don't know what else to do." She and others in the 
community believe that restructuring of the grades is the 
best answer. This would certainly be true in Akron which 
has only two schools. The Negro school does not have 
state accredilHtion. In Greensboro there are three schools.
A white school grades 1-12 and a white elementary 1-6.
There is only one Negro school. The town of Moundville has 
only two schools both 12 grades. The only other schools 
in the county are at Newbern and Sawyerville. They are 
both Negro schools.

Perry County. This county was worked by Mrs. Mildred 
Black for four days and I spent a day and a half there.
There are two systems in the county. The Marion city system, 
was formed last year in an effort by city officials to 
maintain segregation. There was some misunderstanding at 
the beginning of the period because Albert Turner had told 
people not to go to the city schools. He meant not to go 
to the Negro schools, but some parents thought he meant 
that they should boycott the entire system. The Office of 
Education reports 5 transfer requests in the city. Mrs. 
Black reports that ten (10) parents in the city sent in 
transfer request. Her report is not clear as to whether 
this involves more than ten (10) children. Marion city's 
funds have been deferred. They did not have a 30 day 
transfer period and the forms were not mailed to parents. 
They were given out in the schools, but since the majority 
of the Negro students who live in the city were boycotting 
the city system they did not get slips. The superintendent 
finally agreed to give out forms in his office to those 
Negro students who lived in the city, but were attending 
county schools. The situation in the county was not quite 
so complicated. Mrs. Black sent in a list of 177 children 
who she says have requested transfer and reports that she 
contacted many other parents who promised to mail their 
forms. We had seven people from the county at the 
Montgomery conference.

Greene County. This was one of the few counties in the 
Black Belt that did not have anyone at the Montgomery 
conference. Last year one Negro student entered the 
formerly white schools, but there was so much harassment 
and so many threats that she withdrew after a few days.
SNCC, SCLC, And the girls parents filed complaints with 
the Office of Education, but no action was taken. The 
SNCC staff had asked us to give them, some help during the 
transfer period. Mrs. Black worked for four days in the 
county and alho put in sometime there on her own. She



We were also active in selected areas of Mississippi.

In luka, Mississipp:̂ many of the same problems encountered 
last year reappeared. With no Negro school in the district, school 
officials in the district had for years bussed the few Negroes of 
school age into the county or into a neighboring county. Last year 
under a four grade (1 - 4) freedom of choice plan, 31 children were 
accepted for transfer. This year, Phil Draper, working with a pair 
of veterans from the 1965 skirmish and a part-time teacher, was in- 
struro.ental in convincing the Office of Education that the city should 
be forced to provide an education for its Negro children. Office of 
Education subsequently ordered the Negro county school closed, and 
all children in the district educated in the single white school in 
the district. luka officials have to date not given up, and plans 
to submit an alternative proposal accepting children who attended the 
city elementary school last year, together with kids in grades 6--12.. 
They will propose to educate those Negro elementary grade kids who 
did not attend the white school last year in the county Negro school. 
We are advising Washington about what to expect, and demanding that 
they stand firm. luka has since decided it would allow no Negro 
students. Washington has been advised and we are awaiting action by 
them.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 10

Tishomingo County.has reportedly worked out an agreement 
with HEW to operate the only Negro "school" in the county as an 
all-Negro elementary school, while they woul^ absorb the high school 
kids and. one teacher. At this writing Phil Draper is working with 
local Negroes in an attempt to keep the elementary kids o ^  of the 
Negro school. Registration for that particular^’i^^August 19.

Corinth, Mississippi, attempted to operate this year under 
last year s plan. The results were confusing. The acknowledged 
leader of the Negro community simply refused to get enthusiastic, 
and though both Phil Draper and I made repeated trips, spoke to m,eetings. 
canvassed, circulated petitions, and tried to work through other people 
in the community, it would not be surprising if only a handful of

transferred. Complaints were made, however, over the 
of a plan and Federal funds have been subsequently deferred.

Tupelg, is possessed of a beautifully organized Negro 
Civic Club, which sends delegates all over the county for consultations 
and conferences on such matters as voter registration, school desegre­
gation, and related problems, and was delighted when Phil Draper came 
to speak. Some 200 parents came to hear him speak, then invited the 
superintendent over. This big organization then appointed "Block 
Captains" to canvass. School officials did everything the guidelines 
called for, 75 Negro kids transferred and that was that. It is



obvious that many of the members of the Civic Club found excuses not 
to transfer their ovm offsprings but were willing to make noise. With­
out any help from the Civic Club, about 20 kids transferred into for­
merly all-white schjols in Lee County.

Very little work was done by anyone in Starkville. A total 
of 56 Negro students chose, pretty much on their own, to attend desegre­
gated classes. They vjere encouraged by an FDP worker who maintained a 
fulltime office in the city, but never stayed there. As a matter of 
fact, neither did anyone else. Faculties will be integrated. This 
is to say that six white teachers will assume supervisory or counseling 
roles at the Negro school.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 11

plan.
Columbus did not sign 441B, but operated under last year's 

No letters were sent out, no choice period was held, ten
Negro children elected to transfer, and no organization was at work.
HEW was advised.

Last year, 14 Negro students attended desegregated classes 
in Aberdeen and suffered all sorts of indignities. Football stars attacked 
little girls, other sutdents threw knives, bricks, anj coke bottles 
at them. Two Negro were led to believe they'd be graduated, then told 
at the last minute they couldn't. Justice has the suit, and is aware 
of all the atrocities.

Jake Ayers worked his horo.e area, the Western Line consolidated 
district in Washington County, Mississippi, to such good effect that 
nearly all Negro students in Glen Allen chose the formerly all-white 
school. As a result of this mass migration all white students with­
drew to make it an all-Negro school. Fund lawyers are presently seek­
ing supplemental relief in Federal Court charging that school officials 
in the district actively cooperated with white students leaving the 
district and that officials in the Washington county district were 
equally guilty in that they provided transportation.

Jake also spent some dismal days in Desoto county. People 
in the area were concerned, as they were in many delta areas, that 
allowing their children to attend formerly all-white schools would re­
sult in reprisals. This is a valid concern in that people who indicated 
a desire to express themselves or exercise any civil right found it 
difficult to borrow money or remain in their plantation homes. A 
committee of interested persons was organized to spread the word. We 
have not been advised as to the effectiveness of the group.



In several Mississippi school districts, notably Drew,
Tunica, Brookhaven, Lincoln county, and other small predominately 
Negro areas, freedom of choice is now and will be completely worthless. 
No attempt is made to say that it really works an3̂ where, but in many 
areas where there is a lack of civil rights activity and/or militance, 
little can be expected to result. Such areas are not necessarily 
written off, but a judgement has to be made relative to the time 
available for such areas.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Pate 12

In Greenville, with virtually no effort from anyone 301 
students, or 4.9%, were accepted into desegregated classes. With very 
active work such a place should have been expected to do much more. 
Greenville is supposed to be a "moderate" town.

So, in fact. Meridian, which operated under a court-ordered 
plan. In Mississippi's second largest city, there exists a core of 
apathy that pervades even "responsible" civil rights organizations.
More militant civil rights advocates, and their programs are treated 
with tolerant disdain by ro.iddle class Negroes and something approaching 
hatred by the masses. We did, however, find an interest on the part 
of some parents who had children in grades not affected by the plan, 
and had them write letters making known their wishes.

Philadelphia, Mississippi is active. An NAACP branch is being 
organized and the FDP maintains a full-time office, but people cooperated 
in the 'Movement" on an hoc basis. This community has had its share 
of harrasment, police brutality, klan-type brutality, murders, beatings, 
and about every kind deterent imaginable their way, but they and their 
neighbors in Neshoba county cooperated splendidly with our efforts.
Our problem here was with school officials. First of all, only forty- 
two applications were accepted in the city system. Any excuse was good 
enough. An even smaller percentage was accepted in Neshoba county and 
neither system even considered teacher integration. We have been advised 
that funds for Neshoba county have been deferred.

Jake Ayers Made visits to Marshall, Panola, Tallahatchie, 
and Yalobush counties, holding meetings and advising people of their 
rights and organizing groups to work for integrated schools. His roost 
recent concentration however, has been in the Sharkey-Issaquena school 
district. He describes it as a "mixture of people and temperments and 
ideals. The attitudes run all the way from those frozen with fear at 
the thought of putting Negroes in the same school with whites to those 
who feel they should integrate the schools if for no other reason than 
to get even with white folk." The fears are understandable for the 
entire nation now knows of the reprisals suffered by the brave people



in this area last year. This year, the court-ordered plan provides 
a total four hour choice-registration period. Our efforts involve 
preparing our own choice forms and distributing them in advance. Should 
this prove unacceptable, we are organizing car pools to ferry parents 
to schools for registration.

This letter from Mrs. Unita Blackwell accurately describes 
the situation. (Letter attached.)

We do feel, however, that a large number of Negro students 
will choose desegregated schools. The fear is that all white students 
will withdraw to attend private schools.

Joanna Edwards worked an area south and east of Little Rock 
in Arkansas. 0 r choice of concentration here was simple: We went where
the Negroes were. Miss Edwards traveled through this area making speechs 
showing films, canvassing, filing complaints, and working with whatever 
civil rights, or civic groups were available. Letters were sent to 
over 400 college seniors encouraging them to apply for jobs in non- 
traditional positions. When choice forms were not readily available, 
petitions were used.

Arkansas has over four hundred school districts (compared with 
118 in Alabama and 149 in Mississippi) and the need for more work in 
the state is obvious.

In Altheimer, Arkansas, a small Jefferson county community 
with a high concentration of Negroes, many parents accustomed to free 
education and free transportation to Negro schools, found that this 
year a tuition of $20 per child have to be paid and that transportation 
would no longer be provided. Attempts were made to appeal to the school 
board, complaints were filed with the Office of Education, and finally 
a suit was filed by Fund lawyers to relieve the situation. There were 
about 64 transfers.

In Nashville, county seat of Howard County, two school 
districts covering the same geographical area (one for Negroes, one 
for whites) were ordered merged by federal courts last year. The 
court ordered plan called for freedom of choice in elementary grades 
this year, all grades in 1967. The order also provided for transfers 
in grades 7-12 to secure exposure to a more extensive curriculum.
School officials declined to publish this last condition, but Joanna 
did, urging people to sign a petition asking adro.ission to unaffected 
grades. The decision as to the legality of the "petition-choice" 
is up in the air, but 152 students made the choice.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 13



The Plum Bayou-Tucker district decided on a pairing plan' 
after a significant number of transfers drifted in. Much of this resulted 
from the appointment of a liberal superintendent who conducted meetings 
in which Negro children were encouraged to.„transfer.

In Magnolia, we worked with the NAACP branch, which has ties 
throughout Columbia and Lafayette counties. We found that many students 
desiring desegregated educations lived in the all-Negro Walker district. 
After consultation with Fund Attorney Walker, we found that a court 
test demanding consolidation would be impracticable, and could therefore 
offer little assistance to these students. We expected around 300 
transfers, but less than 100 will actually attend desegregated classes 
this fall.

Our most frustrating Arkansas project was Stuttgart. There 
is virtually no "ro.ovem.ent'*, and little desire for any. There was also 
apparently little desire for integrated education. For we were able 
to mount no real community support. Joanna seemed to think that a- 
nother contributing factor was the antipathy of many who might have 
worked toward any organization having NAACP attacked to its name. A 
matter which di require our attention regardless of support was de­
cision by school board to construct a new high school in a section of 
town completely divorced from the Negro community. The city has no 
public bus system., and the board provides no transportation, so the 
school would automatically be all-white. Although complaints were 
filed, no action by HEW has been noted. Our efforts, however, were 
not completely in vain. While only 12 of some 967 Negro students 
attended desegregated classes last year, we anticipate between 80 and 
100 will transfer this fall.

Dewitt, also in Arkansas county, was ordered in January to 
desegregate all grades, which meant that students previously bussed 
out of the district could choose to remain. Joanna contacted all stu­
dents and parents affected by the decision, and all transferred.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean FairfaxPage 14

In another matter, the board, with HEW approval, voted to 
discontinue the Negro elementary school in the face of a petition from 
the local Negro group to fix it up. No response, however, was made to 
a second petition asking for desegregation of the faculty.

While conducting research on teacher salary disparities, 
Joanna discovered that Ashdown in Little River county had one of the 
largest salary gaps in the state. A visit to the community taughL 
her that it was also one of the roughest communities in the state. 
While the Negro/white school population is about 610/872, only two 
Negroes are now attending desegregated classes. Haro.pered by a late 
start, the weather, and uncooperative citizens our work here was not 
too effective.



Last year, New Edinburg , a small Cleveland county community, 
sent all its Negro high school students to Fordyce. There was no 
integration at all. Miss Edwards visited the community in April, 
arranged a meeting of parents, found they had not received choice forms, 
and prepared a petition, circulated it, and go signatures from all 
but four Negro parents in the community. The four who did not sign 
were not at home, but subsequently wrote letters. Later, a letter was 
sent to the school board asking that all new teachers hired in the 
district be Negro until at least 42% of the entire staff was Negro.
The 42% was selected because Negroes comprise that proportion of the 
school population. The board considered the petition illegal, but 
the feds eventually said it was.

Other districts, noteably Washington, Fordyce, Blevins, 
Dermott, Lake Village and Mineral Springs were investigated and in all 
cases complaints were filed. Funds have been deferred in Dermott and 
Fordyce, and legal action is pending in Mineral Springs. All others 
await HEW action.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 15

Our efforts in employment are still somewhat in the forma­
tive stage. We have established pilot emplo5nnent projects in Decatur 
and the Muscle Shoals district of Alabama; in Magnolia, and Eldorado, 
Arkansas; and in Washington county, Mississippi. Plans to establish 
additional projects are under consideration.

The decision to establish projects in North Alabama was 
based upon our knowledge of the area and its potential. An industrial 
complex extends across the top of the state in an almost unbroken line 
from Huntsville to the Mississippi line. MDTA programs exist in many 
of the area communities, as well as five vocational training or trade 
schools, four colleges, five business schools, and plans for a tech­
nical training center. Much of the industry is based in the north, and 
most has some connection with the government. Most, in addition, pro­
vided on the job training or apprenticeship programs.

In Decatur, we located some community leaders and built from 
scratch the Decatur Improvement Association. In addition to regular 
civil rights work, the association established labor and education 
committees with which we worked. The labor committee conducted for 
itself a survey of the employment situation there, advertised itself 
as a medium for complaints, mimeographed letters encouraging people to 
enter trade schools (delivering them by hand, door to door) and set 
up a screening subcommittee which supposedly had the responsibility 
of advising people to apply for non-typical jobs. Whet actually



happened however, was that a "cream of the crop" operation evolved 
so that people only applied for work at which they were over-qualified. 
After consultation with them, the committee now agrees that Negroes 
now need only the same training as anyone else, and should therefore 
apply for any job they feel they can do.

In the Muscle Shoals Area, a committee drawn from four active 
c-ivil rights groups divided itself into "plant" subdivisions, surveyed 
the situation and filed several complaints off the bat. Several plants, 
learning of our existence called to disclose openings heretofore in­
visible. Complaints were also filed against the Tennessee Valley 
Authority and the Post Office. In the latter case, an agreement was 
reached at the local level. The TVA case merits some discussion.

A Negro man, having worked for about 13 years on the janitor 
force, applied for a position as Stores Records Clerk, to make use of 
some previous business school training. He had not applied earlier 
because care was taken to see that job vacancy announcements were routed 
around him. (We have proof and can get signed statements). TVA re­
quires that a clerical test be passed, a feat which our janitor accom­
plished on the fourth try. TVA then decided that this only qualified 
him him for a grade-two training position and no more such positions 
were being filed. All of this true, but overlooks the fact that never 
in its history has the agency had a Negro Stores Records Clerk, so 
the complaint filed by our janitor charged that a pattern of discrim­
ination within the Agency. They admitted as much and offered to 
create a training position for the man. As this would hardly break a 
pattern the janitor refused, and has asked for a full formal hearing.
We have been in constant consultation with a Chattanooga based Fund 
attorney in this case, and. envision a court test of TVA's heart soon.

Complaints from the Eldorado group spawned an investigation 
of two Petro-Ag Chemical companies, but the problems were not realisti­
cally resolved by EEOC, so the Fund has filed suit their behalf. The 
problem, here is that nearly all plants in the area are automating, 
and making use of fewer men. Another problem is that most of the 
interest generated by the committee related to the industry we now have 
in court, so except for supplying the group with materials, we plan no 
additional work there.

■ MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 16

In Magnolia we established our only dual project in the 
state. Working through the NAACP branch (this is also the only place 
in the region we were able to work solely with an NAACP branch) we



set tip both school desegregation and employment programs. Both pro­
grams lagged because the branch president preferred to run the whole 
show at his own pace and direction. This would be satisfactory except 
that one person can't organize, raise money, register voters, brow­
beat officials, conduct meaningful education and employment campaigns 
and cut hair at the same time. The good man has been made to realize 
this, and begining to allow committees to function. There have been 
several complaints filed (no investigations yet) and people are apply­
ing all over the place. One apparent bottleneck has been the employ­
ment office, and a complaint against this office hes just been filed.

To date, only one emplojnnent project has been attempted in 
Mississippi, that is in Greenville. Jake Ayers assisted in creating 
the Washington county Emplo}nr.ent Committee, a group composed of all 
civil rights elements over the entire county. The committee has estab­
lished an employment registration center in Greenville which will hope­
fully encourage people to apply for non-traditional jobs, assist them 
in filing complaints, supply them with materials and information about 
job vacancies, and inform them of rights to equal employment. To date, 
the effectiveness of the committee has limited by its participation 
with all other groups in a boycott.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 17

In addition to community work, the division has conducted 
vital research into salary disparities among Arkansas teachers, special 
and technical training schools, and on Mississippi employment potential; 
It is on the basis of this research and our experiences to date, that 
we offer a program for the continuation and extension of the division's 
work.



m - f -

General Delivery 
Moyersvilla, Mississippi

^i/%-

Attorsey General of the United States 
Honorable Nicholas Katsenbadi 
Departnsnt of Justloe 
Washington* D. C.
Dear Hr. Attorney Generali
Enclosed is a petition signed by Negro parents of pupils in 
Sharkey and Zasaciaena Counties* Mississippi and the covering 
letter sent this day to the President of the Unlt^ States.
The clear massage that you should draw fr<Mii this petition is 
that the Negro people Justifiably feel that their federal 
governnent is a farce. You and other high governmental offi­
cials have long spoken about our right to an integrated 
education. And you know full well ^ a t  in many cases that 
ri^t has been frustrated by the efforts of private and public 
persons in our sdiool districts. They have shot at us* fired 
us from our jobs, and beaten our children. And what has our 
federal government done to furotect us? we say nothing. We 
say that if our ^vemment provides no protection, our only 
recourse is self-belp.
our governsiMit h M  deserted us - it has left aged mothers to 
live in fear of being thrown in the river if they should 
choose the previously all-white school for their children.
In effect* there is no rif^t if one is required to exercise 
it fearing loss of life or employment. Only the federal 
government can make is now a fraud, a right that can be 
enjoyed by all without fear. That is your duty to the people 
you serve as the highest officer of Justice in the land. 
Oonsi^te yourself on notice that we demand a federal presence 
and protection.

Respectfully,

(Krsi) units Blackwell



m e m o r a n d u m
Miss Jean Fairfax 
Page 18

To provide a sense of organization and direction, a 
temporary regional office is being established at 406 Patterson Street 
Florence, Alabama, telephone 764-7965.

We propose to operate from this office selected employmemt 
projects in Arkansas; Alabama; Mississippi. Additional projects may 
be established upon evaluation of these.

The purpose of the project is to establish strong community 
committees whose task it will be to tell people of their right to equal 
employment opportunity under federal law, and to assist them in se­
curing it.

The committees themselves would have to be of a more stable 
mein than our ad hoc school desegregation groups. Our employment group 
would first educate themselves of their rights with the help of materials 
supplied by us. A material kit including complaint forms, retainers, 
questionnaires, personnel forms, and explanations of the law would be 
provided. A sample kit is enclosed.

The committee would also need to be aware of its own local 
potential and problems. This could be done by providing them the re­
sults of our own research and by having them secure more specific in­
formation through the self analysis questionnaire by subcommittees.
With this information the committee is ready to determine the shape 
and direction of its particular activity. Each community will have 
its own peculiarities and nuances so that no one plan would fit all.

Generally, though, the next move would be to find some 
way to pass this new-found knowledge along. This could be done through 
public meetings, mimeographed flyers, contacts through civic and social 
clubs on employee groups, door-to-door canvassing (the personnel 
questionnaire could facilitate this) various combinations of these 
methods or perhaps some other scheme devised by the local committee.
In any event, persons disiminating this information should be prepared 
to answer such obvious questions as how a complaint is filed, where 
training is available, and where jobs are available. The latter func­
tion is not to exclude use of local employment agencies. The idea of 
the Alpha-Urban League Skills Bank does, however, have much merit and 
if the committee has the resources the formulation of such a program 
would be helpful.

Using whatever method of communication seems most appli­
cable, then, the committee would encourage people to apply for jobs



MEMORANDUM

 



Research continues to be a vital concern. No plans are 
being made, however, to "fight fires". Energies of the division 
will be directed for the most part, to areas defined by us, using 
criteria selected by us. The point is that our major concern is in 
establishing community groups capable of acting for themselves rather 
than in solving all the south's racial problems ourselves. We will, 
of course, remain available to counsedl people an}?where, to provide 
continuing support to all areas we visit, and to act as a referral 
center for complaints, and/or legal action.

In addition, the division will soon extend the geographical 
limits of the region for special projects. While the final decision 
on an exact configuration has not been we look forward to the task.

Inevitably, the staff will have to be enlarged. On the 
basis of our experiences over the past few months, we have some idea 
as to what our needs willbe. It is hoped that when the need arises, 
a new Task Force of part-time workers can be found, oriented, and 
put to work. Attempts will be made to locate field workers within a 
fifty mile radius of their homes, to provide periodic consultations, 
and to provide standard report forms, expense forms, and schedules.

We staggered, stumbled and sometimes have fallen flat on 
our faces over the last few months. We hope we have learned from our 
mistakes and look forward to the great experiment which will determine 
how well our lesson was learned.

MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 20

To work !!!!!n !!





-z-



Contributions are deductible for V. S, Income Tax Purposes





L  egal im fefense F N A A C P  L E G A L  D E F E N S E  A N D  E D U C A T IO N A L  F U N D , IN C . 
10 Colum bus Circle, New Yo rk, N .Y .  10019 • JU d so n 6-8397

DIVISION OF LEGAL INFORMATION 
FIELD OFFICE

P. O. Box 334 Florence, Ala.
Telephone 205-764-7695

TO: ' iss Jean Fairfax
FTOH: Allen Rlaclc, Jr. 
RF : 'Our Location of a

June 1' 1<̂ 67

’egional Office: Pros and

I discussed x«rith Jacques RJilmore the feasibility of es­
tablishing-our regional office in Idemphis. Lr. Milinore talk­
ed very objectively and his advice was in a xford, no. I also 
talked with John Spence in the Commission office along the same 
line and his was the opposite ooint of view. Under these circum­
stances I have both sides of the question.

The deciding factor, I think, must be the territory vie 
intend to service from that office. It is obvious that in any 
other case any advantage Memphis might offer would be very much 
over shadov.red by a similar comparison to Atlanta.

■'le talked about the area to be served. If our major con­
centration is to be Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisi­
ana, Memphis is well situated. An additional advantage here 
is that the proximity of Memphis to Arkansas would make it diffi­
cult to ignore problems we know exist there. At the same time 
it would provide thinking room "for problems in MississiDvi".
One of the major problems of locating an office in Jackson is 
that one could very easily spend all his time on Mississippi's 
discriminatory problems to the detriment of the rest of the re­
gion. Memphis also sits astride the Fifth and Eighth Federal 
Judicial Circuits and is within easy striking distance of Okla­
homa, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio. This major factor, 
the area to b^^served , is I think, the strongest advantage Mem­
phis has to offer.

I've already discussed the transportation advanta.ges of 
Memphis over Jackson, Little Rock, Rirminaham, or R’lori'̂ a.
These advantages however, pale in comparison to Atlanta. I

Contributions are deductible for U. S. income tax purposes



think too, that transportation becomes somev’hat relative for 
I've had little trouble setting in and out of Florence.

In terms of resources, Heinphis pulls up rather short. There 
are only two federal regional offices , the Post Office and the 
U.5. Commission on Civil Rights and neither v?ill be there very 
long. The Post Office is moving to New Orleans and rumor has it 
that the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will move to Atlanta in 
fiscal year 1^69. Fr. Tilmore himself plans to leave Memnhis at 
about that time to return to his home.

The Commission has tried on several occassions to secure con­
sultants ,'from some of the colleges locate-̂  there. T be­
lieve that with a little more effort they could have found cap­
able personnel, the fact that they did not is not encouraging.
While there are several college there, only three, Southwestern, 
Memphis State, and Lemoyne would seem logical places from which 
to acquire consultants. Jacques says there are no outstandins 
people there, Spence says there gust might be, take your pick.

Memphis is a good to™ in terms of civil rights activity, '̂ he 
M A A C ? branch is a strong and militant group v’hich will march 
at the drop of a hat. The Tennessee Council on F\iman Relations 
provides a tame counterpart and a local community group fills the 
middle. The lack of proliferation there is an advantage because 
most workers who belong to one group usually participate in the 
activities of the other groups. At the same time Memphis has 
developed quite a political advantage and has the leadership to 
utilize it.
Three cooperating attorneys are locate'’ there: R. T. Cugarman,Jr. ,
’I, T. Lockard and A. ’-7. 'lillis, Jr. I knov: Sugarman an''’ Willis 
and feel that I cotild work with both,

Roth Jaques and Spence consider Memphis a good place to live. 
It is a city of sorts, has fairly good schools and is somewhat 
sophisticated. Public schools are zoned an'̂  are operated under 
a. H E '7 accepte'-'’ court order. I dojnot yet know the extent o -p 
desegregation.

Much depends upon (l)region to be served, ('2) location 
of the other offices. f for example,an office is tc be estab­
lished in Charlotte then the esdahlishment of an office in Atlanta 
woul'’ seem to me tc be out of the question. If the repional



lines are to be drawn from the Canadian border to the Gulf or if 
all three offices are to be concentrated in the South , then an­
other consideration woul''' obtain. I personally woul ’ like to see 
an office in I'emphis serving the southern states of Cklahoma, 
Arkansas, Louisiana, Tississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama 
an'‘ Llori^ia. Under these circumstances Memphis woul̂ '' be ideally 
situater’. If on the other hand Arkansas develooes into an entity 
this v’oul'- be something else.

'■']'e also discussed program areas and the commission has run 
out of them. We talked about employment(job training and ac­
quisition), w’el'̂ are ( which dacm,ies exoects to be their number 
one concern), po\'ertv, housing ( public and private) and ed­
ucation. My o\m hope is that our nevj regional office will con­
fine its community organization efforts to education, employment 
and housing. I have some ideas which I wil’l "'vt on paper.very



L  egal mBfense F

Kiss Jean Fairfax 
10 Columbus Circle 
New York, New York

N A A C P  L E G A L  D E F E N S E  A N D  E D U C A T IO N A L  F U N D , IN C . 
10 Colum bus Circle, New York, N. Y . 10019 • JU d so n 6-8397

DIVISION OF LEGAL INFORMATION 
FIELD OFFICE

P, O. Box 334 Florence, Ala.
Telephone 205-764-7695

J %\\

April 3, 1967

10019

Dear Jean:

I don't think I have ever reduced to writing any real ideas about 
the regional office, and it might be a good thing to do so.

The original idea and reasons, personalities aside, were and I 
think, still are valid. Experience thus far indicates that a much 
more effective and efficient job can be done under the discipline 
an office provides. I have at the same time seen that this recruires 
a considerable outlay of capital, and really needs to be well 
thou^^t out.

Memphis seemed a good site to me for three reasons: (1) it is 
located near the center of the area we sought to serve. As a 
matter it is within a f̂ Jur hundred mile radius of just about any 
place in the southeast, including even Kentucky, Illinois and 
Ohio. (2) It provides easy access to other parts of the country: 
good air service, good interstate roads, and good communications; 
and (31 it is far enough away to allow for Divisional autonomy and 
near enough to provide, service. All this is important. Memphis is 
not the only place possessing these attributes, arid has no particular 
attraction for me. It just seems reasonable.

Much thought has also been given to the type and quality of services
to be rendered, and the number of people needed to dp a 
In the fonper case, v?e have to, by definition, provi-ie whatever 
information we can about laws and court decisions to people who want 
to be helped, and to offer whatever professional services we can ib

Contributions are deductible for U. S. income tax purposes



page

developing community leadership to implement these laws and decisions. 
We could also provide the non-legal research and preliminary investi­
gative work for lawsuits in selected areas. As a matter of fact, 
this function follows as a logical extension of community work. Ue 
would also of necessity serve as a source of information for the 
Federal agencies, and vjould as a normal activity provide a public 
relations image (not like Jesse) for the ^̂ und.

A lot of things are involved, to my way of thinking, in the latter 
case. The area to be served, the type service rendered, the depth 
of that serijice, all these things play a part. Just as a g41e of 
thumb, I think we ti70uld need a full time person for every state we 
involve ourseives in. I recognize the impossibility of "covering" 
a state. Don't knov? if I would like the idea anyway. I do feel that 
it takes time to do a job, and that we should not undertake projects 
over and above our resources. At the same time we have responsibilities 
for which we have to be prepared to fulfill.

In terms of area, I think we should concentrate our efforts in 
Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama, and be prepared to undertake 
special projects in selected areas of other states. This would mean 
a full time staff of three persons. It would also mean a fu4l time 
secretary . I've also developed definite ideas about the type people 
we need.

I must say that I don't think it particularly wise or efficient to 
hire professional workers on leas than a one year basis. I also think 
that Mike Bruland has proved his worth to that extent, an suggesting 
that he be a member of the staff. Having watched Laura Ingle do a 
double job in the Jackson office, I have also thought of having a 
person like Barbara Green organize the office and be available for 
some field work.

As I said, I know this is an expensive undertaking. I tTOuld like 
to share ideas with you at length. Please understand that I am not 
really "hung up" on the office idea, but I would like to see it 
developed.

Sincerely,





]V.A.A.C.P. Legal Defense and Edueatidnai Fund, inc.
ID Eolumbus Eircle, New York, N. Y. 10019

DIVISION OF LEGAL INFORMATION 
FIELD OFFICE

‘  P. O. Box 334 Florence, Ala.
Telephone 205-764-7695

JACK GREENBERG 
Director-Counsel

JAMES M. NABRIT, III 
Acting Associate Counsel

July

7i'.
' .-fonnn rs’nJ 

10 ' min ibus Clrcl'^ 
I'r-’ Jov? "OV '. 100X0

'̂crtr '.'Oucl'J
1 received n If'tt&v frxm Robert '^^sWer, director of the Alabasia 

Council on 'rrcm yelation«i requesting the Fund’s assistance in de« 
s " jro \ntlo-;: 'rejects operated by the Auburn Rousing Authority,

A basic ’■>rohl':'- score to be that AJeqrocs retnaln on the waiting 
list while waiting for housing la the Negro Projects t.3hile white 
stiJe^ts at Auburn University are boused in the tvK> tjhlye projects, 

rierc are five public projects; three for ^!egroes, two for 
whlto';. i’he m’ralssion tx>licy is apparently the Louisville plan as 
v'cr, in the “'crry •''arc- frecdoT'n of choice is apparently the word,
:lie office ĵ ogs not volunteer to persons applying for public boosing 
the fact that they can apply for a;iy project they desire. It Is 
kiio./n tliat several students have been accepted Into the Auburn 
ilounlur Authority .’rojects 'who lived last year in the Opelika 
Housing Ibrojects, Anc of the rules for accepting tenants is that 
only those persons living in sub-standard housing arc eligible.

’•hat Is nrohably the nost serious problem Is the fact that so 
many sttklents live In the whf tt y  ujects. As a matter of fact  ̂
they catmp>risG about t’t̂ ô—thirds of the total residency. All of these 
students are Lee Hounty residents most of idiom used to llw In 
trailers. This seems to say somethlr^ about sub-etandard housing 
requirements.

Contributions are deductible for U. S. Income Tax Purposes



The income requireiaencs for students are the same as for any­
one else but the problem Is what they count as income. Only two- 
thirds of a G I”s Income Is income; scholarships that students re­
ceive for tuition are not income; loans received for edttcational 
expenses are not income; gifts for support are counted for Income 
if the gifts are regular so that If a parent sends some money 
and some laterpon^no regular basis, that is not income.

All students pay $32.00 a month or more. The lowest rent paid 
is $23.00 or something close to that. The housing authority will 
only t.ake a.s many minirntm rent persons as constitute 217« of all 
renters, and the reason for this they say, is that to admit more 
than that would not enable the Authority to break clear.and the 
program t^uldn't pay for itself. The Housing Authority employs 
three white persons and One Negro.

According to Valder's letter we do have plaintiffs now on the 
tfaiting list who would like to live In either of the projects. I 
can get additional information on this matter from Valder and do a 
study of it if the Fund T-jould be interested. Let me hear from you 
on this.

- 2 -

cc: Miss Jean Fairfax 
ABJ;m

Very truly yours, 

Allen Black, Jr.



^.A.A.C.P. Legal Defense and Edueatidnal Fund, ine.
10 Enlambus Circle, New York, N. Y. 10019

JUO SON  6>8397 P. O. Box 334 Florence, Ala.
Telephone 205-764-7695 '  '

JAMES M. NABRIT, III 
Acting Associate Counsel

Julf 27, 1967

Mr. Jack Greenberg 
Legal Defense Fund 
10 Columbus Circle 
New York, New York 10019

near Jack;
Bob Valder has referred to me the following report regarding 

the sheriffs department in Lee County, Alabama.
•during die past few weeks, there been lots in the local 

paper about police brutality. One man has been beaten, either 
by or in the prescence of the sheriff and another was treated and 
talked to in a b«d way, including getting called nanes and harrassed. 
Shortly after the second incident, the officer doing that was fired 
by the sheriff* ( Tliis is after lengthy articles two weeks running 
in the local paper about these incidents - the scapegoat bit as it 
turned out.) A couple of local folks have since talked to the dis­
missed officer and althoi^h he»s no radical integrationallst, he
was very much teed off about getting fired so he told them some pretty 
gory stuff about tAats been going on at the County jail for sometime 
now. His story Includes the fact that most Negroes get beat as a 
matter of course, the fact that one of them almost died as a result 
of a beating, the fact that one victim of a beating was a seventeen 
year old tdilte male and in general,the fact that beatings are a way 
of life for these folks. He also said that the only physician who 
treats persons in Jail, apparently whether beaten or just ill for 
for some reason, is a brother-in-law of the sheriff.

Contributions are deductible for V. S. Income Tex Purposes



In the first beating referred to above, it was because this 
same doctor got the sheriff to stop the Negro on a complaint that 
the Negro had tried to run the doctor off the road. We are con­
ducting 3 continuing investigation and should have lots of infor­
mation soon,”

1 stiggested to Valder that the results of his investigations 
should be submitted to the Justice Department but told him I thought 
the Fund would be willing to act in behalf of an agrieved plaintiff.

I would appreciate very much your letting me know what further 
response I should make to him.

-2-

Very truly yours,

Allen Black, Jr.
A B jJr. ttn
cc: Miss Jean Fairfax



 

Contributions are deductible for V, S. Income Tax Purposes





M.A.A.C.P. Legal Defense and Edueatidml Fund, ine.
10 Eolumbus Eiicle, New York, N. Y. 10019

JUD SON  6 -8 3 9 7 P. O. Box 334 Florence, Ala.
Telephone 205-764-7695

HON. FRANQS E. RIVERS 
President

JACK GREENBERG 
Director-Covnsel

JAMES M. NABRIT, III 
Acting Associate Counsel

m m m m m

TOt Board of Appeals and Eavicir
U. S. Civil Service Coranissicnt

FRCMt Allen Black, Jr.
Willian T. Undenood, Jr.

as* Case of Mr. Emesi: Cobb, Tennessee ?all^ Autliority

Conclusions reached by the Tetmessee Valley ̂ tl^rity examiner are draiat from 
some other oeans than a careful study of the record. The very first judge­
ment, for exM^le, finds "no evidwice of any plim or purpose to systssBatlcal- 
ly exclude Negroes from clerical jobs la Power Stores."
On page 20, lines 14 through 26, and page 35, lines I through 22, raanagmMnt 
personnel admit tJiat ̂  Negroes were hired in etilier tlmn "traditional" or 
menial-type sagtloy from tb« instant of the organisatiens existence mtil 
August of 1966. We cKisidter that these statimtents, together wltii Hr. Semer*s 
statement noted on page 5, lines 11 tJirough 14, that "it was incim^nt up­
on Power Stores to give some of our Negro eaployees an opf^rttmlty-— — " 
effect a tat̂ ic , and very forceful, ateission of a systematic eicclusira of 
Negroes from all but menial jobs.
We believe that if the exaiaincc had considered these statements, and fact 
as indicated In Exhibit R, pege I, nuaber 4 ^ t  the organisatl<xt's "only 
Negro" in clerical work was hired subsequmat to the filing of e eos|>laint 
by Mr. Cobb, and that the "only Negro" is the only employee with four years 
of college St lasa than SB4 rating (Exhibit R, pages 1-12), his finding oa 
this point would be markedly different.
In the second judgoient the oxaminer st^asts that the aystamtie divarsiof  ̂
of the vacancy announcememts from Mr. Cobb was in^ed in error, but not e 
product of racial discrimination. Wa find the conclusion rssmrkeble in tlm 
lif̂ t thst the only Negroes name on the list was ineî licebly scretclwid 
evmtt after Mr. Querlc's trensmittel memorandum of A u^t 10, 1962 (̂ diibit 
0, pege 2) end that ha continue to have knowledge of job vacancies denied 
him until It became the practice to inform T and L employaes of vacancies.
We find this too conveniently circumstimtiel.
In the third judgement, tim exmniaer refuses to umsider the possibility 
that Mr. Cobb has sufferad from past discrimination. This judgement In the 
light of the ergumenta cited in the above peregrephs bears re-cxsrainetimi.

Contributions are deductible for U. S. Income Tax Purposes



TOs Bmx4 «i mi Itovitv
8 . S ,  C i-rii S««rle&  C owdM ien

fjm z

rtm •llmlm 4* m4e tlw faet tb»t «r. Cobb «44 aol: m»* «*»• 
te»t oattl t:b« fourtb We tbe «rgt««at ierelevast pte-
ja 4l c la l ,  fkm point tn be eoaei<l«Tcd bert l »  tbet Hr. Cobb « w  bee t*e 
niBiawl wqaited. fmammoo Ullny Aatfeirlty bee no etipu-
Utiona tb«t ibt t»«t mmt be mntmzoi m  the tlre t ettm ptt i»r «« note 
«ny option of tb« mitfe fey other w^leyees in tb« memme,
Tb» exee^r that I&, Btelt istcounm^ e ̂ r o  to feetes the beet beeeuee
iut neater ^  jfot "^llfled Iteszo epplicents into eteres oetk* end that 
tbie l« reetwaftble end p*o|>«x, tt i« aeteworthy tb rmenhet that Mr. Holt 
apparently eonalderod «ily tM« om Sefr© to #nffie4«itly bigb qnalifice- 
ti«j to talce the te*t aiM! tbafe tbl# "epeclal Segro* bee yet after too 
attm^ta (part 2, pa^ m, line 20), to paaa the teat.
We xej««t tb* entire argnncot set of band. We anbait tl»t no applicant 
wtttwot s®*&»«!ispert«Bce ia qualified for Job} tbet prior to mtk on>tiM« 
job training a petiwa ia only qnalifiablei that any otbar jadgetianta are 
preatn̂ tire mi m  tite face of the record, dlacrlaiiaatoty#
¥e aukRlt tlwt Ibr. Cobb apecifieally, eni that Wegcoaa generally bare been 
diserininated by Itwer $torea apeeifleally, and Temwaaee ?alley antbority 
generally, &% «mbi^t tk»t the proof of a lack of diacriMeatloa nenld exist 
in examination of reeBlta.
We atiggcat ^ t  in iri«» of past perfemenee, affisaatire action, up to and 
including dlaerialnatioa in favor of Wegroea, ia clearly called for. ¥c 
auggeat that ^  facta clearly indicate a thorough iaveatlâ ti<»t of the 
Aut^rlty*# practlcesi Qae over-qualified liegro la a "n«i-tradltl«»3al'' 
poaition in Power Sterea and leas tlaaa ̂  per cent (32) Begrees in cqniteble 
aalary braebeta*
¥e respectfully aui^st that the decision of the Tenneaaee Valley Autbority 
Equal Op^rtunity Officer be ©ver-mled.



memo from Jean fairfax
^/19/67

 







L  egal afenseF N A A C P  L E G A L  D E F E N S E  A N D  E D U C A T IO N A L  F U N D , IN C . 
10 Colum bus Circle, New York, N .Y . 10019 • JU d so n  6-8397

DIVISION OF LEGAL INFORMATION 
FIELD OFFICE

P. O. Box 334 Florence, Ala.
Telephone 205-764-7695

March 22, 1967

Miss Jean Fairfax
Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
10 Columbus Circle
New York, New York 10019

Dear Jean:

I had a most pleasant visit with our friends the Carter's. I was par­
ticularly pleased with the excellent care and attention they had given the 
house. One would expect that 10 people could do some awful things to a 
house but it remains well kept and very attractive.

I'm enclosing a copy of the newspaper advertisement concerning the sale of 
the house for taxes. As you can see the problem was with county taxes in 
the amount of $27.07 rather than the city assessments. At any rate, all 
of them have been paid and this particular danger is past for the time being. 
You won't believe this but after remeasuring the lot I joined Mr. Carter in 
laying out a garden. Ah! pastoral bliss.

I also discussed with the Carter's such things as budgets and jobs. They 
anticipate an average monthly expenditure of $236.00 this includes a 
$40.00 per month rent charge for Mrs. Carter in Cleveland where she now 
workd but does not include clothing or expenses relative to the house such 
as leaks, plumbing, repairs, etc. and doctor bills. The largest item in 
the budget is food and I think that $100.00 a month for 10 people is quite 
reasonable. They have recently purchased 15 chickens and with the addi­
tion of vegetables from the garden this expense might be cut to some ex­
tent.

Right now Mrs. Carter's job with the Headstart program in Cleveland is sup­
pose to pay $220.00 per month. The last 3 weeks however she has received 
no check while the ACBC application for refunding is pending. They also 
get $25.00 per week from AFSC, $10.00 per month from a friend in New York 
and $16.00 per month from a son in service.

Neither Mr. Carter nor Naomi are now employed. Mr. Carter and I went to 
the employment office in Indianola where after some discussion with the 
interviewer and a call to 0. H. Simmons in Jackson, Mr. Carter was pro­
mised a job in Moorehead which is expected to commence on April 3. It de­
veloped that the employment service has a work experience program (con­
struction) specifically designed for men 45 years old and above. The job 
pays $1.40 per hour and Mr. Carter will be one of the first 25 to be called.

Contributions are deductible for V. S. income tax purposes



--2

On the way back from Indianola we stopped in Ruleville to talk with Sister 
Hamer about a job for Naomi. Fannie Lou expects 5 jobs vacancies to occur 
in the headstart program there and promised to use her influence there to 
see that Naomi is placed. The Carter's have approximately $528.00 in the 
bank and feel that if the new jobs develop they will be able to sustain them­
selves come summer.

I had an interesting experience in the sheriff's office in Indianola. I 
questioned the clerk as to the neccesity for my paying a printers fee or a 
penalty since no contact had been made with me regarding the tax and since 
the property was listed in the name of W. E. Jones although I had paid the 
Chancery clerk for transfer of the title and recording of the deed. The 
nice lady assured me that she could not be expected to keep up with all that 
stuff and I suggested to her that there should be more communication between 
co-officers. It was all very pleasant.

Right after that I asked this same nice lady for a license tag for a car.
The affidavit of sale indicates that the car was purchased by me from the 
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund which is apparently not too popular 
in that part of the country. The clerk asked me very few questions but had 
to confer with her superiors several times in the back room before issuing 
me a tag. A zerox copy of the tag receipt is enclosed. The only other ex­
penses still to be met on the car are a $3.00 inspection fee which Mike will 
take care of and the insurance which has not as yet been approved.

I talked to several people at the Veterans Administration in Jackson about 
the check supposedly due me, it developed that a warrant for the check had 
been Issued but had not at that time been signed. I was assured that it 
would be mailed forthwith. Mr. Carter called to report its arrival in 
Drew. He is sending it here.

I spent a good deal of time discussing Mississippi's special school pro­
blem
with Paul and Iris Brest and have developed a check list of things to look 
for. I would be particularly interested in the 2 reform schools, the 2 
schools for the deaf, the school for the blind and the Mississippi Hospi­
tal for Cerebral Palsy. A Mrs. Boykin in the Mississippi Secretary of 
States office has agreed to see me on Wednesday March 22. Iris suggests 
that much information can be obtained from this lady. Wednesday afternoon 
and Thursday morning I will make an on site inspection of Oakley Training 
School in Hinds County and will spend some time talking to contacts known 
to the Jackson office. I do not anticipate being able to finish this pre­
liminary work in less than a week.

I do Intend however, to visit Mobile on the 29^, 30'"*, 31st and to wind up 
the week in Huntsville April 1, with an employment workshop.



--3

You will recall I'm sure, the case of the Tennessee Valley Authority janitor 
who wanted to be a store clerk the Tennessee Valley Authority hearing offi­
cer has decided against us in this case and we are appealing the decision to 
the Civil Service Commission. Meanwhile we consider the hearing a victory 
anyway in that (1) the janitor has been offered a training position and 
(2) the Tennessee Valley Authority has recognized its lack of equal employ­
ment opportunities and has taken affirmative steps to correct same. What 
they have done is to erect an affirmative action consnission composed of top 
management officials and Negro leadership types. And they let us select the 
Negro representatives. I think that this should be quite helpful.

Bye for now.

Love,

Allen Black, Jr.

Enclosure

AB/r



COUNTY
A LIST OF LANDS TO BB SOLD TO INDIVIDUALS ON THE 1st MONDAY OF APRIL A. D., 1967, FOR THE 
TAXES DUE THEREON, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1966

BY W. I. Holiowell Sheriff and Tax Collector of Sunflower County, State of Mississippi.

TO WHOM ASSESSED DIVISION OF SECTION

1 SE Corner

.20

Commercial Accepteiice Corpn., 1 aert M&B 
Eugene Alton McCain, etux 0.2B7 acre M&tJ 

Twp. 23,Kng.3,HS
J. L. Parttridge. etux, 6.16 acres in Unit No. 56 Big Yeager, Sec. 31, Twp. 23,

Rng. 3, Acrs 6, HS
Mrs, Waukee Hendricks, 2 Acres & Res. in SW Comer lot 7 and 

iot SSudSiyvale Pita. Sec. 7. Twp. 17, Rng. 4 Acres 2 HS 
• Charles R. Scott, etux. Lot 120 ft. N&S x 130 ft. E & W in W 1/2 NW 1/4 

(Z16-137), Sec. 5. Twp. 18. Rng. 4
‘ Earnest Lee and Annie MacBrown, Lot 75 ft. E&W x 140 ft. N&S in W 1/2 NW 1/4 

(Z16-353) Sec. 5, Twp. 18, Rng. 4 
Hoitsing Services Corpn., Lot 5 & Reg., Ind., Bellaire Sub Div.
AQ & S Lumber Co., Inc.. Lot 13, Ind. Bellaire Sub. Div.
Mid-State Hems Inc. of Tampa, Fla., Lot 15 & E l.-'2 lot 14 & Res.. Ind. Bellaire Sub. :Div.
Ubfillirt T.pey 9 Sr 5  ̂ RgV jt,. lUfL, Baltwrif-. Sub. .................. —
Eddie Ma6 Smith, Lot 21. SSc. 18. rtng. 4, ind. Fair Acres No. 3 '

[ John & Ora Lee Ivory, Lot 35, Sec. 6. Twp. 18, Hng. 4, Ind., Pair Acres No. 3 
( John & Ora Lee Ivory, Lot 36, Sec. 6, Twp. 18, Rng. 4, Ind., Fair Acres No. 3 .20

Gerald Lewis etux. Lot 44 & Res., Sec. 6, Twp. 18, Rng. 4, Ind., Fair Acres No. 3 HS 
Ernest& Mary A. Webb, Lot 47 & Res., Sc. 6, Twp. 18, Rng. 4, Ind., Fair Acres No. 3HS 
Mrs. Lora H. GammlH, Wl/2 NWl/4 less 11 acres triangular strip off NW Comer Sec. 34, 

Twp. 20, Rng. 4, Acres 69, 1.64
Marshall Forrest Norwood, etux, 1 acre M&B in lot 8 (N17-91) Sec. 6, Twp. 21, Rng. 4

/"cres 1 1.12
E. C. Ringold, Share No. 4 in NE 1/4 SE 1/4 & W 1/2 SE 1/4 SE 1/4 less 1.2

acres Hiway, Sec. 16, Twp. 21. Rng. 4. Acres 39 4.04
C. A. Pearson. Jr., etux, 1 acre M&B in SW 1/4 NE 1/4 (B17-310) part Unit No. 414 Little

Yeager, Sec. 3, Twp. 22, Rng. 4, Acres 1, HS ............  4.46
Margie M. Mitchell. 0.673 acres M&B in Unit No. 415 Little Yearger See. 3, Twp. 22. Rng. 4 

Acres 1 HS
.36

Dick Dugger, S 1/2 SE 1/4 less 1.5 acrts road. Sec. 8, Twp. 22, Rng. 4 Acres 78, HS 
Dick Dugger, E 1/2 North of the East-West Gravel road less S 1/2 SE 1/4, Sec. 8,

Twp. 22, Rng. 4. Acres 221. 5.28
Dick Dugger, W 1/2 North of a East-West gravel Road (309.7 acres). Sec. 8, Twp. 22

Rng. 4. Acres 310 43.28
Isaac Aldridge etal. NW 1/4 NE 1/4 & SE 1/4 NE 1.’4, Sec. 7, Twp. 23, Rng. 4. Acres 73 10.80
Isaac Aldridge, NE 1/4 SE 1/4, Sec. 8, Twp. 23, Rng. 4, Acres 40 6.48
John Aldridge, etal, W 1/2 NE 1/4 & SW 1/4 NW 1/4, Sec. 8, Twp. 23, Rng. 4, Acres 120 13.24
F. O. Lamastus, 2 ac. M&B in Lots 8 & 13, Sec. 15, Twp. 23, Rng. 4 Acres 2 3.44
JamesE. White. Tract M&B in SE 1/4 (N16-133), Sec. 25. Twp. 23. Rng. 4, Acres 1 3.76
Roggie L. Reed, Jr. Unit 5 Huff Farm, Sec. 7, '^ p . 17, Rng. 5 Acres 70, HS

F. Biggart, NE 1/4. Sec. 34. Twp. 17, Rng. 5, Acres 161 16.12
, F. Biggart. N W 1/4 Sec. 34, Twp. 17, Rng. 5. Acre 161 18.28

Rufus Gant. SW 1/4 NW 1/4 less 5a in NW Corner & less .92 Hy., Sec. 21 Twp. 20, Rng. 5 
Acres 34. HS .

Rufus Gant, SW 1/4 NE 1/4. Sec. 28, Twp. 20. Rng. 5. Acres 40 HS 
TOWN OF INVERNESS 

Maggie Cooper, Lot 7 & Res., Blk. 2, Inv. Gholston 2nd Addn. 1.00
TOWN OF MOORHEAD 

N. & Annie HoHinshed, Lot 8, Blk. 2, M'head, Hoover & Jones Addn. .40
Maggie & Leola Latham, Lot 5, Blk. 3, M’head, Hoover & Jones Addn. .40\
Susie Foster, Est., Lot 8, Blk 3, M’head, Hoover & Jones Addn. .40
Otis & Roberta Moore, Lot 13 & Res., Blk. 3, M’head,. Hoover & Jones Addn. HS 
Otis & Roberta Moore, Lot 14, Blk. 3, M’head. Hoover & Jones Addn. .20
Mrs. Elizabeth Hull Owen. Lot 1, Blk. 1, M’head, Jordans East Side Addn, .20
Clara Edwards, Lot 14 & Cabin, Blk. 1, M'head, Jordans East Side Addn. HS 
Mrs. Elizabeth Hull Owens, Lot 19, Blk. 2, M’head, Jordans East Side Addn. .20
Jim Parks, Lot 6 & Res., Blk. 2, M’head, Oak Grove Addn. 1.40
Albert James, etux. Lot 8 & Res., Blk. 3. M’head. Oak Grove Adn. HS 
Arthur Strong, Jr., etux. Lots 9 & 10 & Res., Blk. 3, M’head, Oak Grove Addn., HS 
Jessie Hoskins, Lot 12. Blk- 3, M’head, Oak Grove Adn. .20
Etta Lewis, Lot 7 & Res., Blk. 10 M’head, Orig. Town 1.60
Earl McCraney, South 55 ft. of lot 7 & North 25 ft. of lot 9 & Res., Blk 11, M’head 

Orig.Town, HS
Esco Tyler, Lot 1 & Res., Blk. 16, M’head, Orig Town, HS
Rhoda B. Stewart. Lot 6 & Res., less West 47 ft., Blk. 18, M’head Orig. Town 1.20
John'* Ivell Hall, North 40 ft. of lot 17 & Res., Blk. 20, M’head, Orig. Town 1.40
Mary McWiUiams Gwin, W 1/2 of South 60 ft. iot 8 less South 15 ft. in ally or (lot

45 ft. E&W X 45 ft. N&S.) Blk. 21. M’head. Orig. Town 1.00
Maggie Lee Jefferson, S 1/2 lot 7 & Res. (Plat Book 1 Page 11), Blk. 22, M’head Orig.

Town HS
Troy Smith. N 1/2 lot 6 & Res., Blk. 23. M’head, Orig. Town ’ 1.20
LotUe King. North 50 ft. of lot 7 & Res., Blk 23, M'head. Orig. Town 1.00

: Doris Weston. Lot 16 & Rs., Blk 5. M’head, Taggart Addn.. HS 
Irma R. Teal, etal. Lot 549.7 ft. N&S x 150 ft. E&W on East side Elm St. lying

337.15 ft. N. of Wash’ton St. Etd., Sec. 3, Twp. 18, Rng. 3. Unltd. 4.40
TOWN OF SUNFLOWER

Otis Moore, etux. Lot 3. Blk. 22, Slfr., Claibornes Labor Addn., .40
Willie Brandon, Lot 3. Blk. 28, Slfr., Claibornes Labor Addn. .40
Robert McCraney, etux. Lot 4 & Res., Blk. 28. Sflr.. Claiborne Labor Addn. HS 
Buck KeRv. Lots 21. 24. 25. & 28. Blk. A2, Sflr., M. W. Mosbys Sub Dv. of Mosbys 2nd

Addn., .80
Buck Kelly, Lots 29, 32. 33,&36, Blk. A2, Sflr., M. W. Mosbys Sub Div. of M’by 2nd Addn. .80 
Lula Tyler. Lot 61 & 64. Blk. A2, Slfr.. M. W. Mosb’ s Sub. Div. of Mosbys 2nd Addn. .40 
Lena Grace Horton, Lot 5, Blk. 2, Slfr., Orig. Town .40

TOWN OF HOLLY RIDGE
WIU Draper, Lot 11, Blk. H, Holly Ridge, Orig. Town, .16

CITY OF INDIANOLA
Bennie "Jabo” Cooley, Mary C. Cooley, & Barbara Jean Cooley, West 150 ft. of lot 45,

Ind., Bailey Addn., .60
D. C. & Thelma Kemp, E 1/2 lot 12 & Res.. Blk. A, Ind. Bates Addn. 1.60
D. C. & Thelma Kemp. W 1/2 lot 12 & stor Bldg., Blk. A, Ind. Bates Addn. 1.60
Thelma Kemp. E. 80 ft. of lot 13 & Res., Blk. A. Ind., Bates Addn. 1.40
Oscar Hicks, Jr. etux. Lots 14 & 15 & Res., Blk. A. Ind.. Bates Addn. HS
D. C. Kemp. Lots 9. 10. 11. 12. 13 & 14. Blk. B, Ind., Bates Addn. 1.60
Everett & Edna McDaniels, Lots 3 & 4 & Cabin, Blk. C, Ind.. Bates Addn. 2.00
Essie Noel. Lot Blk. Bl. Ind. Carolina Addn. .40
Henry Noel. Lot 31, Blk. Bl. Xnd.. Carolina Addn. .40
Celester Brown, etux. E. 15 ft. lot 4 & W 13 ft. lot 4 & Res., Blk. B3, Ind. Carolina Adn. HS

1.20
Estellar Hoskins and Rosie Lee Lewis, Lot 24 & Res.. Blk. B3. Ind., Carolina Add. HS 
Katie Young Williams. W. 10 ft. of S. 13 ft. of lot 10 & E. 20 ft. of S. 13 ft.

of lot 11. Blk. B4. Ind.. Carolina Addn. HS 
Anna Mfller. W. lOO ft. lot 20 & Ks., Blk. Z, Ind.. Chandlers Addn. 2.80
James A. Shortrldge. Lot M&B in W. Side lot 21 & Bldg., Blok. Z. Ind., Chandlers

Addn. 1.40
Robert L. Howard, etux. Lot M&B in W. side lot 21 & Res.. Blk. Z. Ind.. Cliandlrs Addn. 1.40
Walter Bass, etux. Lot M&B in E 1'2 lot 21 & Res.. Blk. Z. Ind.. Chandler Addn. HS
Ada Smith. Lot 23 less E. 20 ft. & Store & Res.. Blk, Z. Ind. Chandler Addn. 4.00
Berta ThBmas Brooks. E. 100 tf. lot 42 & Cabin. Blk. Z. Ind., Chandler Addn. 1.40
James A. Shortrldge. Lot 45 & Res.. Blk. Z. Ind., ChancUtr Addn. 6.80
Adelena Huddiston Shaw Bays, Lot 50 less E. 30 ft. & Kes. less N. 50 ft. of W. 120 

ft., Blk. Z. Ind.. Chandler Addn., HS 
Lestia Brown, etux. Lots 6 & 7, Blk. 3, Ind., O. C. Possum Clay Addn. .40
Kathryn J. Green. Lot 5 & Res., less N. 94 ft.. Blk. 4. Ind.. 2nd Elmwood Addn. 3.80
Mrs. Julia Mae Adams, Lot 7 & Res., less N. 15 ft. Blk. 5, Ind.. 2nd Elmwood Addn., 5.60 
Rdben H. & Attlee Winters. Lot 13 & Res., Ind. Fair Acres Sllb Div. HS 
Willie Spurlock Sr., etux. Lot 12 & Res.. Ind.. Fair Acres No. 2, HS 
Frank l^elby, etux. Lot 28 & Rs., Ind., Fair Acres No. 2. HS
Crown Homes, Inc., Lot 31. Ind., Fair Acres No. 2 .20
John Henry Lee, etux. Lot 33 & Rs.. Ind., Fair Acres No. 2 3.60
Crown Homes, Inc.. Lot 34, Ind.. Fair Acres No. 3 .20
Sylvester Conrad, etux. Lot 39 & Res., Ind., Fair Acres No. 2 HS 
Roy 4  Betty McCool, Lot 13 & Res.. Ind.. Fairfield Sub. Div., HS

19.88
2.49

34.79

38.64
78.94
20.51
22.42
24.10

206.94
234.67

314.24
80.18
49.05
97.75
27.14
29.44
63.90

233.22
264.15

lr>t 3 & Res . Blk. 10, Ind. Faisons 1st Addn., HS  ̂̂  T- « m

etSx,’ E 81 of lot Ret Vot Hrl'lef B ? /Bennie & .-Mnnie Maek Reed, S 55 ft. lot 2 less E 50 tt. ot N 35 ft. & Res. Blk. 1 ^

Emmtstagletof, of E. 133.25 ft. of S 70 ft. of log 3 & Res., Blk. 2, Ind.

Martto*F?i'd.’ Lots 10 & 11 8: Res., loss N. 50 ft. Blk. V2, Ind., Faisons 3rd Addn. 2.01
Catherine B. Ward, Lot 15 less E. 45 ft. S= Res., Blk., W, Ind,, Faisons 4tU Addn. 8.01
Ceaster Dunnaigin, etux. Lot 3 & Res., Ind., Hough Addn., HS 
Wash Martin, Lot 19 & Res., Blk. 2, Ind., Hough E. Drive Sub Div. HS 
Vandane Nash, Lot 23 & Res. Blk., 3, Ind.. Hough E. Drive Sub. Div., HS 
Ben Flax, ttux. Lot 1 & Res., Ind., Hough 2nd Re Sub Div.,
L. R. Brown, etux. Lot 2 & Res., Ind., Hough 2nd Re Sub Div.
Housing Serviie Corpn., Lot 7 & Rs., Ind., Hough 2nd Re Sub Div.

3̂0
.40

23.13
17.40
16.19

19.88
19.88
19.88

26.29
23.25
19.10

BiU Williams, etal. Lot 9 & Res., Ind., Hough 2nd Re Sub Div„HS

Alberta Shortrldge, etal, N. 50 ft. of lot 1 & Res., Ind., Jefferson Addn., HS 
Willie Andrew Dirkerson, etux. Lot 30 ft E&W x 100 ft. N&S in NE Corner lot 

10, Ind., Jefferson Addn.,
Dock Clark, Lot 4 & Res., Ind., Johnson Addn., HS
Ora Lee Stevenson El/2 lot 12 & Nl/2 El/2 of lot 13, Ind., Johnson Sub. Div 
Mae Ella Harirs West 5 ft. of Nl/2 lot 3 & East 45 ft. of Nl/2 lot 3 & Eastft.of 

Nl/2 lot 4 & Res., Ind., 1st Les Oaks Addn. HS,
William Spencer, Jr., South 14 ft. lot 18 & north 36 ft. lot 21 & Res. Blk. 47 Ind 

2nd Les Oaks Addn.
James Shortridge Lot 3 less 132.7 ft. x 128.9 ft. E & W :

Corner Blk. 48, Ind., 2nd Les Oaks Addn.
Greenville Lumber Co. Lot. 27 Blk. 48 Ind. 2nd Les Oaks Addn.
William H. Brazil West 39 ft. of lot 3 & East 11 ft of J 

& Building Blk. 54 Ind. 2nd. Les Oaks Addn.

; 78.4 ft. in N. W.

; 4 less North 13 l

Rosia Davis Ceaser Lot 1 less South 50 ft. & Res. Blk. 56 Ind., 2nd Les Oaks Addn. HS 
Rosia Davis Ceaser All lot 2 & South 50 ft. of lot 1 & Bigs. Blk 56 Ind. 2nd Les 

Oaks Addn.

4,00 24.85

Ites. Blk R Ind. Orig. Town
Sallie Mahone Harvey Lot 1 less Nort 140 ft. & less 50 ft. by 50 ft. in SE Cor.

loti & less West 47 ft. of South 207 ft. & Bldg. Blk R Ind. prig-_Town 
Sallie Mahone Haivey East 5% ft of South 50 ft of lot 
Sallie Mahone Harvey West 47 ft. of iot 1 less North 93 ft. &

East 14* ft. of lot 2 Blk R Ind. Orig. Town = ^ iq Io
Boyd D Lott, etux 0.31 acre lot M&B in SWl/4 NEl/4 & Res. Sec. 36 Rng. 5 Ind Orig. Town 19.43 
John & Elnora Seawood Lots 1 & 2 Blk 59 Ind. Washington Addn. .40
Verlee 'Thomas Lot 3 & Res. Blk 59 Ind. Washington Addn. l.-iU
Elizabeth Johnson Lot 25 less the West 5 ft. Blk 59 Ind. Washington Addn. .20
B. & P. Inc., East .30 ft. lot 26 & West 5 ft. lot 25 Blk. 59 Ind. Washington Addn. 1.40
Otha Fulton Lot 7 Blk 60 Ind. Washington Addn.
Joe & Ollie Sands Lot 10 & Res. Blk 60 Ind. Washington Addn. HS
Ollie Mae Sands Lot 11 Blk 60 Ind Washington Addn. -2̂
Jessie Mae Woods Lot 15 & Res. Blk 60 Ind. Washington Addn. l-OO
Carrie Lee & Wesley Johnson, Lot 16 & 17 Blk. 60 Ind. Washington Addn. .40
Bessie Lee & Spring McCullough Lot 1 8Blk 60 Ind. Washington Addn. .20
Eddie Heamdon Lot 19 & Res. Blk 60 Ind. Washington Addn. 1-60
Palmer Lee Clanton Lot 11 less East 25 ft. & Res. Ind. West Drive Sub. Div. 5.60

TOWN OF DODDSVILLE
J. E. Oliver Lot 10 (George Brown( D’ville J. E. Oliver Sub. Div. .40
J. E. Oliver Lot 20 (Raleigh MooreC D’ville J. E. Olived Sub Div. \ -4U
Raligh Moore, etux Lot 21 & Res. D’ville J. E. Oliver Sub. Div 
J. E. Oliver 3 acres M&B in NWl/4 NEl/4 lying Northwest of J. E 

less lots sold Sec. 29, Tv’p. 21 Rng. 3, D’ville Unltd
Sub. Di\

11.18

2.49

3.24
1.24 .̂21,̂.49

•34.79

5.04
5.04 
20.14

i.55

.40

TOWN OF BLAINE
E. E. Love Lot 5 Blk 1 Blaine Orig. Town 
Mrs. Dora Love El/2 lot 6 & Res. Blk 1 Blaine Orig. Town 
Mrs. Dora Love Wl/2 lot 6 & Bldg Blk 1 Blaine Orig. Town 
Robert Holmes, Jr., Lots 5. & 6 Blk 2 Blaine Orig. Town 
Elizabeth Earl Love Wst 50 ft. lot 1 & Rs. Bdk 6 Blaine Ong. Town 

TWON OF RULEVILLE
Sylvester Johnson West 50 ft. of lots 6 & 7 & Res R’ville Langfords Sub Div HS 
Luberta Emory Lot, 8 & Res. Blk. 5 R’ville Langfords Sub. Div.
Luberta Emory .etal,'" Lot 3;Blk 6 R’vilit Langfords Sub. Div.
John Paul Henry and Ora Lee Henry Lot 5 Blk 6 R’ville Langfords Sub. Div.
John Peacock Lot 10 & Res Blk 6 R’ville Langfords Sub Div.
John Peacock Lot 11 Blk 6 R’ville Langfords Sub. Div.
.John L. Peacock Lot 12 & Res. Blk 6 R’viile Langfords Sub. Div.
Ernest Levy, etux Lot 3 & Res. Blk 8 R’ville Langfords Sub. Div. HS
Harold J. Schmaltz Lots 9 & 10 • & Bldg Blk 3 R’ville Orig Town
Kim B. Chew Lots 7 & 8 & Rs., less strip 7 ft. N&S 

located in SW Corner lot 8 Blk 5 R’ville Orig.
James King, etux Lots 21 & 22 Blk 8 R’villh Orig. Town 
Richard Stacy, etux South 25 ft. of West 162.5 ft. of lot 6 & North 50 ft. of West 162.5 

ft. of lot 7 & Res. Blk 1 R’ville Rules 2nd Addn. HS
Harold J. Schmaltz Lot 30 ft. x 50 ft. in Nl/2 of lot 3 & Bldg. Blk 5 Rules 2nd Addn,
W. M. White Lot 8 & Res. Blk. R’ville Rules 2nd Addn. HS 
Standard Oil Co. Lots 9 & 10 Blk 1 R’ville Rules 2nd Addn.
Earline King West 100 ft. of East 310 ft̂  of Blk 10 Blk 10 R’ville Rules 3rd Addn.
Jodie Sanders Lot 11 & Res. Blk C R’ville Seareys 2nd Addn. HS 
Jodie Sanders Lot 14 & Cabins Blk C R’ville Seareys 2nd Addn.
Florese Black Lot 6 & Res. Blk E R’ville Seareys 2nd Addn HS 
Ollie Young, Lot 1 & Res., Blk 1 R’ville B. C. Sheltons Sub-Div.
Napoleon Walker and Ethel Welts Lots 5 & 6

2.52
90.63
27.69
10.07
15.11

5.70
3.84
9.81

5.16 7
103.61 / 
33.29/

12.00

1.60

6.80

1.20

1.20

85.60 > 
14.75.. 
15.U

Res. Blk
Johnson Lots 7 & 8 less 50 ft. & Res. Blk 1 R’ville

William \Vare, etux Lot p

C. Sheltons Sub. Div. 
.. C. Sheltons Sub. Div. 

Sheltons Sub-Div. HS
2.40

14.57
97.99
17.62
19,23

22.04
24.85
36.10

. ^  _ Res. .Blk 1 K’viile B
Alice Wintirs' LoFl & '^es. B lk ._______  . . .
Mrs. Diamond D. Johnson Lots 13 & 14 Blk 1 R ’ville C. E. Sheltons Sub. Div, 
Dav|d Bankston Lot 18 R’vil<e Sla^s .Mdn.
James Willims. ethx Lots 2 & 3 
Mae Farley Lot 7 & Res. Blk 
Lula Seals Lot 19 & Kes. Blfc. 2 R' 
Harold J. Schmaltz All lot 9 fe 

Sylvias Re Sub Div. HS

Res. Blk 2 R’ville Sunflower Terrace 
2 R’vlle Sunflower Terrace 

?ilie Sunflower Terrace HS 
West 42.25 ft. of Lot 8 & Res. K’viile

19.08
12.38
3.58

32.21
12.80
53.12

5.34
30.72
44.16
10.01
10.97
10.01

10.01
18.63
18.63

TOWN OF DREW
D. McCoy, Jr., Lot 44 Drew Bayou Acres Sub Div. *40

Walter Johnson, etux Lot 33 & Res. Drew Brooks Addn. HS 
Mary Woods Lot 35 & Res. Drew Brooks Addn. HS
Lon Douglas North 35 ft. lot 1 & Res. Blk 17 Drew Daniels 2nd Addn. 1.40

Tiller, etux Lot 9 & Kes. Blk. 25 Drew Daniels 2nd Addn. HS 
Vanlandingham, etux South 74 ft. of lots 7 & 8 & Bldg. Blk 27 Drew 

Robert D. Haynes, tux eLot 4 & Ks., less 14 ft off the west side Blk 7 Drew Gr’ns Adn.
Daniels 2nd .4ddn. 4.00
G. Devine, Jr., etux Lots 9-10-11 & Res. Blk 27 Drew Daniels 2nd Addn 3.20
B. High, etux Lot 3 & West 5 ft. lot 2 & Res. Blk 4 Drew Jasper R Aliottment 4.00 

Jimmie Lee Langdon, etux 40 ft off North side lot 25 & 5 ft. off South side lot
&Res. Blk 1 Drew Kaplans Sub Div. 3.20

Marion White, etux Lot 24 & Kes. Blk. 2 Drew Kaplans Sub Div. HS
Willie Roach, etux All lot 4 & Nl/2 lot 5 Blk 6 Drew Kaplans Sub Div. .60
Rayford Carter, etux Noth 50 ft. of South 100 ft. of East 125 ft. of Kaplans Unltd

& Res. Sec. 32 Twp. 23, Rng. 3 Drew Kaplans Sub. Div. Unltd. 3.60
Willie Quinn, etux Lot 50 ft. N&S x 125 ft. E&W in SWl/4 SEl/4 & Unltd.

Res. Sec. 32 Twp. 23, Rng. 3 Drew Kaplans Sub Div. HS 
►willie E. Jones, etux Lot 60 ft. N&S x 125 ft. E&W in SW 1/4 SE 1'4 & Unltd.

Kes. Sec. 32 Twp. 23, Rng. 3 Drew Kaplans Sub Div. Unltd 3.60
Mrs. ValeiTh C. Gullett Lots 8 & 9 & Res. Blk 3 Drew Orig. Town 2.40
J. B. Stewart etux Lot 14 less East 50 ft. & N 20 ft. lot 13 less E. 50 ft. &

Res. Blk.4 Drew Orig. Town 
Julia P. Showers Lot 15 Blk. 1 Drew Parks Addn.
Coleman Bradley North 50 ft. lot 10 & Res. Blk 7 Drew Parks Addn. .80 4.77 8.11
William E. Young, etux Lot 121 ft E&W x 62.50 ft. N&S in Sl/2 lot 3 &

Res. Blk. E Drew Shows Addn. HS 13.61 16.43
Zollie Smith, etal Lot 50 ft x 150 ft in SW corner NWl/4 SEl/4 Sec. 32 twp. 23 rng.3

Drew Unit HS 2.06 4.48
Robert Ball, etux, 0.J7 acres in SWl/4 NWl/4 SKl'4 ir lot 50 ft x 15 Oft. in SW Corner

NWl 4 SED4 Sec. 32 Twp- 23 Rng. 3 Drew Unltd HS ’ 2.89 5.34
Phebia A. Johnson Lot 65 ft. x 100 ft. in SEl/4 SWl/4 Sec. 32 Twp. 23 Rug. 3 Drew Unltd .40 23.9 5.24

Epps Lot 50 ft. by 125 ft SE 1/4 SW 1'4 Sec. 32, Twp. 23, Rng. 3Drew Unltd.HS 5.78 8.34
Jessie S. & Aaron Lester 105 ft. N&S x 210 ft. E&W West Hy. 49 W. S. of Martha Pool

lot& North of Parks Gin lot Sec. 32 Twp. 23 Rng. 3 Drew Unltd • 2.00 11.93 16.77
John W. & Christena Williams Parcel M&B in SWE4 SWl/4 (V16-33K 

TOWN OF ROME
11 Twp. 24 Rng. 3 Rome Unltd .40 2.39 5.24

I W. I. Holiowell Sheriff and Tax Collector in and for the County 
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI and State aforsaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing list contains 

a full, true and perfect statement of all lands ta be sold by me on 
. the 1st Monday of April 1967, as delinquent for *he taxts due there­

on for the fiscal year 1966.
Sufnlower County. Witness my signature this 3 day of March A. D., 1967.

W. I. Holiowell
Sheriff and Tax Collctor, Su.;i=.̂ v r County

3.80
.40







March 22, 1967

Mr. John Spence
S, Coeamlssloa on Civil Rights 

167 North Main Street 
Hi^iphis, Tennessee 36103

Deer Mr. Spencet

«e were awfully pleased to receive your con^liweata and c o e m n u  
on our workbook.

We had recognised that there were indeed several errors and have 
plans to replace 5 pages. The first printing m s  of 250 copies, 
three of vAiich have been distributed. Our present plans are to 
deliver by hand workbooka to each cwaaittee we establish. At the 
time we distribute then we plan to have an explanatory maeting to 
diacuss ways in idilch the workbooka can best be used. Thereafter 
we intend to maintain close contact with these cooraittees and to 
coordinate their activities with others throughout the area. We 
hope that by the end of May this type close contact with the 
people in the field will provide us with a ccsaprehenalve idea.
We t V o  hop# to schedule a meting with federal enforcement offi­
cials and types to inform them of our activities end the results 
occurring from them and to suggest ways In idilch equal employment 
opportunities can become a reality to the people of Southern 
Mississippi.

Our re-exminatton of the workbook had caused us to n o U  most of 
the errors you pointed out. We had thought to provide a list of 
companies covered by the Fair Labors Standard Act for each commi­
ttee. <htr reason for not doing so was to provide s o m  sense of 
responsibility to the cltlsens themselves. In other words, idien 
we pass the workbooks out we will tell thm, idiere such Informa­
tion may be secured. Tour experience however, makes me wonder 
whether they will get a response to their inquiries. My own feel­
ing is to utilise the old adage, "iriien in doubt holler anyway."

All tha other suggestiona you made will be effected right away, 
in addition, new pages will be added listing those companies with



— 2

government contracts and updating the material on training.

We are indeed very flattered that you would read our little book 
word for word and are overjoyed by your coapllments. Let us hope 
that it will result In some meaningful opportunities for those we 
seek to serve.

Sincerely,

Allen Black, Jr.

cc Jean Fairfax 

AB/r



L  egal afense F■ ■ ■ u n d
N A A C P  L E G A L  D E F E N S E  A N D  E D U C A T IO N A L  F U N D , IN C . 
10 Colum bus Circle, New Yo rk, N .Y . 10019 • JU d so n 6-8397

February 1, 1967

Miss Jean Fairfax 
10 Columbus Circle 
New York, New York 10019
Dear Jean:

I can't tell you how much I was so completely overwhelmed by 
the beauty and simplicity of your presentation to the conference.
It was■tremendous.

Mike and I discussed plans for fulfilling our committments, 
to follow up. Two minor hangups emerged. First, Mike does not 
have a car and we left unresolved the feasibility of renting a car 
to visit each of the communities in our target area. The other 
problem related to when we should get started. I'm all for strik­
ing while the iron is hot, so we decided to contact by letter, tele­
phone, and personally community leaders in Laurel, Hattiesburg, 
Colimbia, Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagoula and Bay St. Louis right a- 
way.

Meanwhile, Mike will have completed a hand book for use by 
community groups within a couple of weeks. The hand book will uti­
lize materials we received at the conference together with some of 
our own thoughts and information on the minirntm^^age law. We then 
expect to be back in the field for intensive work by the middle of 
February.

Upon my return to Florence I discovered that the son of one of 
the men who testified in Washington against the Muscle Shoals 
School Board had been fired by the school board. I felt kind of 
responsible for that since I was responsible for promoting the 
trip, so I filed a complaint. In the meantime the father, Charlie 
Burgess had protested the firing to a member of the school board 
and before HEW could act the young man was re-employed. We had 
called a meeting of the Webster P.T.A. inviting the people from 
throughout the county to attend so we went ahead with the meeting. 
The two witnesses described their trip and testimony and I preach­
ed a little sermon about supporting the few principals who would 
stand up for whats right.

I also met with Mr. Lawrence Alexander of the New Orleans of­
fice of EEOC. He was here to look into the sex discrimination 
charge at Stylon. We were able to give him a legal pad full of 
racial discrimination at that plant and several others. Mr. 
Alexander plans to return on February 1, at which time our old 
plant committees will chat with him.

Contributions are deductible for V. S. income tax purposes



Next Friday and Saturday, February 3rd and 4th, I will be 
attending the annual meeting of the ACHR in Birmingham and will be staying at the Dinkier-Tutwiler.

I've decidedto attend the NEA textbook thing on the 8th, 9th 
and 10th and to visit the Dick Fairley shop while there. I'm 
meeting with Bob Valder today to divide up the school districts and 
hope to have completed compiling information by February 8.

I'll be in touch.
Love,
O M ^ A

—  2

Allen Black, Jr.
Enclosure
AB/r
P.S.: I'm enclosing a copy of a report on the Deaf and Blind Institute given me by Bob Valder.



Becember 12, 1966

Richard Fairly
Department o€ Health, Education and %‘elfare 
Washington, D,C.
Dear Dick,

The Impossibility of effecting equitable solutions on a local 
level have made ma*«3atory this ccmplalnt against the Florence City 
School System,

Several students, among them, Jerwne Robinson, Calvin Sheffield, 
and Victor Cole, are being denied the opportunity to participate in 
extra-curricular athletics. They are being told by local school 
officials that the State Athletics Association has decreed their In­
eligibility, Embarrassing situations have developed.

One basketball player, was taken off a bus 
that was al^ut to leave for a game. The coach informed him that be 
had received a call from Montgomery and that he, 
would not be allowed to play.

Such behavior tends to discourage additional transfers. Local 
citizens and this office have attempted to Insure compliance by 
local school officials with 181.14 but with a remarkable lack of 
success. We are told that the official policy of the local board 
Is to allow full participation In all activities by all students,
A statement of policy, however, without a course of action predi­
cated upon full Implementation of that policy remains a conglamo- 
ration of high sounding phrases. We note, for example, that no Ne­
groes participate In band, football or basketball at Coffee High 
School. We also note that while Negroes are encouraged to practice 
intraraurally, only In the ease of a brand new school are they ac­
cepted for Intermural activities.

We therefore respectfully suggest that your office take Im­
mediate steps to insure the right of these students to participate 
In all activities related to the schools.



-2

We suggest further that steps be taken to halt the harassment 
of these students by the State Athletic Association

It is our feeling that the local school officials must be made 
to comply with the guidelines to the exclusion of any state pressures 
and that Federal funds to the local system and to the state board 
should be witheld pending compliances.

I will be in Washington December 16 and look forward to spend­
ing some time with you.

Very truly.

AB/rmm
cc Ĉ i.sB Jean Fairfax 

10 Colianbus Circle 
Suite 2030
New York, New York 10019

Mr, Alexander Robinson 
315 East timestone 
Florence, Alabama 35630

Allen Black, Jr.

Dr, John Blackston, Sup’t 
Florence City School System 
Municipal Building 
Florence, Alabana 35630

Mr, & Mrs, Julius Cole 
149 Fayette Street 
Florence, Alabama 35630

Mr. Louis Sheffield 
926 Beale Street 
Florence, Alabama 35630



T ,
afense F N A A C P  L E G A L  D E F E N S E  A N D  E D U C A T IO N A L  F U N D , IN C . 

10 Colum bus Circle, New York, N .Y . 10019 • JU d so n 6-8397

January 9, 1967

Inc.

■n

Miss Jean Fairfax
Legal Defense and Educational Fund,
10 Columbus Circle '
New York, New York 10019
Dear Jean,

Happy New Year!
My vacation was smashing: White, wet and relaxing. Some of

it was spent tying up a few loose ends, I met with Winifred, Dick 
Fairley, Goldia Dargan, Jacques Wilmore and Alex Poinsett of Ebony, 
in Atlanta to discuss some continuing problems and next years pro­
graming.

Mr. Fairley promised to dispatch Dr. Henderson to Bay St. Louis 
and assured me that whatever else happened the kids would be in 
school. It seems that both the Justice Department and HEW have an 
interest in the area and that some pressure is being applied on the 
local board by General Electric. How about that?

In most of the other areas HEW is colloborating with Justice 
in law suits requiring a bunch of things. Such cooperation these 
d ays.

The other issue involved the Alabama State Athletic Association 
and the inability of new transferees to participate in extra curri­
cula activities. The Fairley shop resolved the matter expediously.
I am enclosing a copy of his letter to me patting himself on the 
back.

We also discussed the role of private agencies in next years 
school desegregation thrust. I expressed the view that last years 
activities had demonstrated the impracticability of freedom of 
choice and that the most we could do would be to encourage local 
groups to propound alternative methods of eliminating the dual 
system and agitating for their adoption. I assured them that this 
position had not been officially adopted by the Fund but that it 
was my impression that our participation in a task force effort 
such as the one just ended was unlikely.

In exchange for some interagency reports and priority lists 
we sent a list of contacts to them.

I also talked with John Spence about the Eroplo3mnent Conference 
and he informed me that no principal speaker had yet been secured 
but that other preparations were moving along smoothly. Claude

Contributions are deductible for U, S. income tax purposes



—  2

Ramsey had agreed to come as had Dr. Wagner of the Mississippi Re­
search and Development Center, Owen Cooper of the MEC and good bro­
ther 0. H. Simmons of the Mississippi Employment Commission. I 
scheduled a meeting with him in Jackson next Tuesday.

Also during the holiday break we kept the office open for a 
good portion of the time and mailed copies of your letter to seventy 
other contacts, worked with Fairley, ACHR, SCLC and others on a stic­
ky situation in Wilcox County.

Incidentlly, when 1 took this job you told me I wouldn't have 
any spare time, I haven't had much but I considered it an irremiss- 
able faux pas to have a professional Civil Rights worker living in 
an area which produced no "movement" at all. I have therefore 
undertaken the task of creating some. Copies of our organizational 
proposals are enclosed. I am also enclosing a memorandum on text­
books that we put together for the local school superintendent.

A transcript of the case invloving the janitor at TVA is being 
prepared and will be forwarded shortly. So you see I haven't been 
standing still.

On Tuesday, January 10, I'll be in Jackson meeting with Mike 
and Spence. Mike will be leaving the following day for the coast 
and I will be going to Columbia. I expect to spend three days there 
and can be reached through Mrs. Sammie Mae Weary, 

telephone 736-9185. The following Monday, January 16 I'll 
be in Laurel staying at the Holiday Inn. I haven't planned any 
further than that.

Finally (and I didn't mean for this thing to be so long), I 
hope you give serious thought to putting Mike on the staff. He 
really isn't getting any younger and as you pointed out would bene­
fit greatly from the Fund's fringes.

The office here in Florence is being maintained on a six day 
week basis, but in such a manner as to cost no more than before.
It has proved to be a tremendous help to me.

I'll be in touch.
Your obedient servant.

Allen Black, Jr.
Enclosures
P.S.: I guess you noticed the Alabama State Board of Education's

decision permitting the hiring of additional teachers if any 
of 18 Negro teachers in integrated situations emotionally 
disturb any of their white students. An antitrauma guideline 
we have here.



FRCSi: Allen Black
REI A PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION

MEMORANDUM
TO: Civil Rights Leadership

The first thing that should concern us, now that we have agreed 
that we need to work closely together, is the matter of communication.
We should, as a matter of course, schedule an executives meeting per­
haps once per month to discuss our progress with problems facing us.
We realize that meetings abound, but one more won't kill us and our 
efforts could be better coordinated.

There are two other facets to the ccxranunications problem: (1)
We can take back to our respective organizations relatively complete 
reports, and (2) We can prepare a newsletter for ALL persons of 
goodwill. This, then, is the first half of the question of community 
organization, for which we propose the Alabama Council as secretariat.

The other half would come more naturally under jurisdiction of 
the Voters League a. Who as a part of their political activity can 
divide each community into 8 or 10 sections, under a particular leader. 
Each section would then be sub-divided and block captains appointed 
with the responsibility of maintaining communication with a disemana- 
ting information to every person in their block. Ab example: The
Civil Rights Leadership decides is made section leaders would be contacted’ 
and Instructed to disseminate the information and assure the effecta- 
tion of support. The section leaders would call block captains, block 
captains would ring doorbeels and before the meeting concluded the 
word would be out.



PAGE 2

MEMORANDUM
TO: Civil Rights Leadership

Other very specific problems confront us; voter education, 
employment, health and hospital education, housing, recreation, 
public acccxnmodations, municipal Inequalities and civil liberties 
and equal protection of the laws. Let's consider each of these.

FIRST. VOTER EDUCATION; Obviously, the organization having most 
responsibility in this area are the two voters leagues. This ques­
tion has several aspects; first, there is the question of registration 
and reidentlfication utilizing the organizational method set forth 
in the preceding paragraph the voters league would systeroically 
visit the home of every voter and potential voter in the area.
Adequate records should be kept of activities of these workers and 
follow-up activities should be made a part of the total effort.
It is strongly suggested that interested youHg people be encouraged 
to participate in this canvassing and that the leagues continually 
review the status of this particular project.

Another aspect is the actual education of the voting public.
The leagues should appoint effective committees to objectively 
study each and every candidate, amendment or proposal presented 
to the electorate. This study should bot be aimed toward any 
particular conviction but should be ccsnpletely objective outlining 
all pro and cons. The result of their stqdy and the recommendation 
should be presented to the various leagues for their action, \4hen



MEMORAKDm
TO: Civil Rights Leadership
PAGE 3

the entire league have reached a decision the machinery (coR«nunative 
set forth in previous paragraph) should then be effected.

There should also be an accurate record kept of any new laws, 
codes or rules applying to either registration or voting. This 
activity could probably be done best by the ACHR who would also 
keep a record of relative voting strength in the area.

It should be pointed out that proposals set forth here are by 
necessity of a general nature. When refined and agreed upon, 
workshops on each of the problems should be established with the 
ACHR again being the secretariat.

IN t h e.MATTER OF MPLOYMENT: It is suggested that the ACHR,
the HAACP and the Inc. Fund coordinate their activities. The 
ACHR would discover what Jobs are available, what training is 
necessary to secure these jobs, where such training could be 
acquired and prospects for the future stability of whatever jobs are 
available. This would Involve a study of the existing industries, 
projections of future expansions, policies of companies, unions, and 
eroplo5mnent agencies, cited and schedules of institutional training 
programs, specifics about on-the-job training and apprenticeship 
programs, salary break-downs, opportunities for advancement and 
instances of discrimination by employers, unions and employment 
agencies.

The NA^P would have the responsibility of seeing that all 
instances of discrimination ?<?ere adequately reported to whatever 
Federal Agency is involved. It would also have the responsibility



PAGE 4

MEMORANDUM
TO: Civil Rights Leadership

of acquainting employees and potential employees of complaint 
procedures, of the right to equal employment under Federal Law and 
enctxirage citizens to apply for jobs, for training and for promotions. 

Activities of both groups would be coordinated by the Inc,
Fund whoch would provide complaints foms and logistics, maintain 
a skilled bank and a test library, provide facilities for practice 
test-making and finance whatever legal efforts are necessary.

Let us now turn to EDUCATION: This question involves the e
elimination of the dual system and the assurance of quality educa­
tion for all children. It is proposed that this problem be placed’ 
under the jurisdiction of ACHR, NAACP and the Inc, Fund, The ACHR 
and the NAACP should have committees attend all scholl board 
meetings if for no other reasons that to receive advance knowlddge 
of board plans, and to let school administrators know of our interest. 
All resolutions and actions of the school boards should be studied 
to ascertain the focus of the action. That is, to each action an 
examination is made to determine whether that action encourages or 
discourages desegregation, and whether it promoted quality education. 
The ACHR should establish and maintain direct contact with school 
authorities, secure accurate information about their plans and the 
progress made, the elimination of the dual System. A big part of 
the ACHR effort should be toward the creation of a suitable climate 
for meaningful action. If it develops that freedom of choice is to be 
vehicled for desegregation, and the Inc. Fund is working day and



PAGE 5

MEMORANDUM
TO: Civil Rights Leadership

night to preclude this, then some courageous whites might be 
bcated to integrate Negro schools. ACHR would also keep a watchfull 
eye out for misuse of PL89-10 funds, discriminatory textbooks and 
subtle violations of the guidelines. Students in desegregated in 
schools may also need tutorial help, and the ACHR should, through 
its contacts, be able to set up such assistance. The NAACP would, 
in the meanwhile, be on the lookout for board violations of the 
law. Particular attention should be paid to such things as 
transportation, extra-curriculim activities, intimidation, infereior 
curricula and facilities, and harrassment by school officials or 
anyone else. The responsibility for seeing that complaints are 
filed and, if necessary, legal action instituted, would rest with 
the NAACP and the Inc. Fund, because it does have office facilities, 
would act as a clearing house.

It is suggested that health and hospitalization problems be 
handled for the most part by ACHR. This would involve "watchdog” 
activities at all hospitals and clinics, keeping a watchful ey« 
for the acquisition of federal funds for expansion or enrichment to 
see that they are equitably applied, and working on a local level 
to eliminate any inequalities discovered. Should such efforts 
fail to achieve the desired result, the NAACP should file either 
a complaint or a suit or both.



MEHORAOTOM
TOs Civil Rights Leadership 
PAGE 6

The sane should be true of Recreational facilities and public 
aecomodations. These items are apparently not as urgent as they 
once were, but continued vigilance and continued PSE is certainly 
indicated.

Municipal Inequalities (e.g., no streets paved in the Negro 
section, inadequate garbage collection) could, we suggest, be 
adequately handled by the Voter’s Leagues. Since it appears that 
this practice, committees from the Leagues should be able to work out 
solutions with city officials without legal action. The real danger 
here could bea relaxation on our part ot allow things to be "slipped 
in" over us. For this reason, the Leagues should have committees 
attend all meetings of city and county commission, and regularly 
repoirton their findings.

The Federal Programs committee of ACHR should operate on 
three levels. First, infiltrate (a la John Birch Society) or just 
meet with boards govetming the use of such fundsj second, watch the 
news media for reports of new fxaids and determine their equitable 
application; and third; devise methods to assure that the agencies 
distributing federal fxinds are themselves integrated. A study 
should be made, for example of the Welfare agencies.

’̂lolations of civil liberties and denial of equal protection 
fall naturally under the program of the NAACP. This organization 
should watch carefully the treatment accorded persons accused of



memorandum

TOs Civil Rights Leadership 
7

crtaie, real or imagined. At the sane time the organization 
should be alert for complaints of police brutality. It would 
be extremely h e l p f u l t h e  NAACP Joined the ACHR in sponsoring 
a “know your rights'* forum.

Finally everyone seems afraid totackle the problem of 
discriminatory housing. While we admit the complexity of the 
question, we suggest it can be solved In relatively short order 
srA without new legislation. It is proposed that all five organi­
zations collaborate in a workshop aimed at solving the problem.



TOs Lauderdale County Voters League 

FROM: Allen Black, Jr.
RE; Your Responsibilities

MEMORANDUM

In eur SMeting of December 1 which included representatives from your organiaation 
along with those from the HAACP, ACHR a:̂  the Inc. Fund it was decided to delegate 
certain responaihilities and to coordinate the actions of all civil rights groups 
in the eree. Your organixetion vma specifically asked to he responsible for the 
political end eoramunicetlve organisation of Lauderdale Countŷ  voter registration« 
voter education, and political tŝ lementation.
It ia suggeated that the firet taak he accosg>liehed along tba following liiMs;
1* Lauderdale County would he divided into eight sectiooa. Section I would en> 
coopase the area bounded by Court Street on the Beat, Coffee Road <m the South 
(Sevanneh Highway), Matcrloo Road on tha Horth and the City limits on the West.
Section 2 would bo bounded Court on the IhMt, faimessee Street on the Worth, 
Royal Avenue on the Beat end the tenoessee River on tha South. Section 3 
bounded by Rt^al Avenue on the Vest, Huntsville Read on the Worth, City limits 
on the South and Eaat.
Section 4 bounded by Wood Avenue on the Eaet, Woodlewn Road on the South, Pine 
Street on the West, Mitchell Drive ̂  the Worth.
Section 5 bomded Riekwotkl on the South, Fairground Road on the Worth, City 
Limite on the Eaat, Wood Avanua on the West.
SaetioB 4 would include the notham part of Lauderdale County from the Fairground 
Road Worth particularly between Highways IS? and 17.
Section 7 would include the Eastern part of tha County including the area between 
the Florence City limits and the Coratty line East of Rogersvllle.
Section S would include the Western pert of the County from the City limits West—  
ward to the Cowaty line near Waterloo.
Cere should be taken to solect e eection leader feailier with the area designated, 
responsible eiMugb to eelect end ride herd on block captains in his area and will* 
ing to do the Job. Each eection leader would then locate a rasponsible person in 
sech block of his eree vho would be willing to communicete with every person in 
his block. Perhaps it would be good to have an altemete block captain to assure 
availability of a workman. Under euch e setup cootmmicetions end activities 
should be in hsiui.
Wow if you accept thia responsibility and thia plan of action tests should be 
applied to determine its effactivenese. ^
1. The edeguacy of your organisational efforts esn ba ascertained by faking each 
section leader to provide the name, address and telephone numbers of each fmaily 
in hia saetion.



TOs Laud«rd«l8 Couaty Voters Leagu«
PAGE 2

MEMORANDUM

2. A sssspl* task will be reqaired at the next leadership conference, that is 
section leaders will be asked to prove in sone manner the effectiveness of their 
organisation ai^ the speed with which a request can be caannnieated.
3. Perhaps an even laorc realistic effort would be to secure names, addresses and 
ages of all registered voters, prepare a "master sheet" starring Negro registrants, 
use this sheet to get out the vote and to pell watch. This might become even more 
valuable in determining the outcome of close elections by assuring that all our 
people vote end that "they" only vote once.
The ACIffil has agreed to be responsible for a newsletter. Infonutiim pertaining to 
the activities of the league would be expected on a regular basis* It will pro­bably be necessary that a small contribution from the league to the ACHR be made 
to accomodate the mailiag c]q>ease.
The eecond major task for ̂ ich tha league has indicated responsibility is the sres 
of voter registration. As soon as the organisation has ceoq>latad its chain of 
coauunicatioa block leadars should ba required to undertake e deer to door canvess 
to dateraine who is ragistarad and to ancouxaga those who ere not to do so.
Soatkom should resmae the respmsibllity of providing such informatim aa the dates 
on idtich the Board of Registration arc open, locati<m of polling placea and spe­
cific procedures for registration and reidentlfication. Someone should also ba 
responsible for providing transportation, baby-altters and tdatever else it neces­
sary.
It should also be e pert of the leegues responsibility to provide the Board of 
County Commissioners with names of persons eligible for jury duty and to follow 
up in seeing that ^groes are selected for juries a basis other than uken.
In tha area of voter education an effective committee, and the importance of effec­
tive responsible committees cennot be over emphasised, should be created to ob­
jectively study each and every cendidate.or proposal subsiitted to the voting pub­
lic, This committee might welt follow the example set by the League of Woman 
Voters in requesting poaitimpt papers and paraonal appearancea from the candidates.. 
It should not be the respwtsibillty of this comotittee to endorse or censor any­
body. The committee should be concerned only with providing the entire league 
such eŝ osure and iaformati<xi es would make ratienal decisions possible.
In the natter of committees im thiidt it wise that only persona competent end will­
ing could do the "guef bit," (whatever the job there is to be dona), ehould be 
selected. Once formed the committee should es e matter of form ostabllah e re­
gular schedule for meetinge. In short, conaitteas should work diligently as 
opposed to e "tete e tete," five minutee pror to the meeting reeulting in e mles 
mesh of disconnectsd, unproved, unreseerched, misinformation. Such groups do 
more harm than good. Perhaps it would 1m  a good idea to require written reports 
to take the place of "I beard tey wlfes mployar eay."
Municipal Inequalttias (a.jg. no streatc pavad in the Negro section, inadequate 
garbage collection) could, we suggest, be adequately handled by the Voters



MENCRAMDUM

PACE 3
TO: Laud«rd«le County Voters League

Leagues* Since it appears that this practice, conmilttees from the Leagues 
should be able to work out solutions with city officials without legal action. 
The real danger hare could be a relaxation oa our part to allow things to be 
“slipped in“ o>rer us. For this reason the League# should have coimittees 
attend all meetings of city and county commissitKi, and regularly report on their findings.
Finally, it ia suggested that the iw>st effective organisation make full use of 
the leadership capeblUties of their leaders and of the capacities of those re­
sponsible people not In leadership positions. In short, an organisation has to 
do something. The total effect of sdietever the orgeoisatlon does reflects m  
both the leader end the lay memtorshlp. It therefor logically follows that an 
organisation Insures its good health by selecting capable leaders and making use of, full use of its lay participants* Organised. Work.



I«tEMORANDUM
TOs The ACHR Executive Camnlttee 
PR<Mj Alle» Black, Jr.

 







 

­

 





MEMORANDUM
TOs NAACP Executive Branch Board 
FROM: Allen Black, Jr,
RE; Your Responsibilities

In our toeetlng of December 1 which Included representatives frcmi your organization along with representatives from both voters league, the ACHR and ttk Inc. Fund, it was decided to dellgate certain responsibilities and to coordinate the actions of all ci­vil rights groups in our area. The NAACP was specifically asked to be responsible for problems related to employment education,TOalth and hospitilization, receratlon facilities, public accomo­dations and civil liberties and equal protection. Prior to our next leaaership meeting, presently scheduled for February 1, we would hope that a decision to accept these responsibilities would have been made by you and that afrlimatlve steps would have been taken to effect a practicable program designed to accomplish our ends.
The following suggestions are offered as a possible way to achieve our goals. (1) Irt the matter of employment it is hoped that your 
activities will be coordinated with those of the ahd the Inc.Fund. You are specifically asked to set up a program whereby infor­
mation would be provided employees and potential employees of their 
right of equal employment under the law. This would involve per­fecting a systematic method of acquainting the local citlzentry as 
to what the law actually says, the proper methods of filing valid 
complaints <and following through on those complaints) and encourag­ing citizens to apply for jobs and for promotion. You would have the responsibility of seeing that employment agencies as well as industrial systems did not discriminate. It is hoped that back­ground data about industries, their policies, etc. wutd be pro­
vided by the ACHR as a practical matter. It is suggested that the Inc, F\aid have primary legal responsibility.
Perhaps seme thovjght should be given to an area employment confetence 
in which representatives of industry or technical schools, employ­
ment agencies, vocational counselors and federal enforcement agne- 
cies would meet in joint session with local citizens interested in fair employment. (2) In the field of education the branch should 
as a matter of course have committees attending meeting of all school boards in the area. In addition the same committee would 
be on the lookout for violations perpetrated or acquiesced to be 
school officials with particular attention being to such things as 
transportation, extra currlcultan activities and inferior curricula and plant facilities in schools which remain all negro.
In years past all of us have enge^ed in ethics to make the freedom 
of choice plan v«>rk to eliminate the dual system in our area, the 
fact that we still have a dual system indicates that we either didn*t 
do a good job or that we have demonstrated the impossibility of 
eliminating the dual system by the freedom of choice plan. My own



MEMORANDUM
TO; NAACP EKecutive Branch Board 
PAGE a

feeling Is efforts in thatthesystem which wiU. woiit. be prepared

the latter is time and that we should direct our uture toward creating pressures for a change tg.a:oward cresting pressures for a change to i  ̂ ,We hope that your, representatives will to discuss this at the leadership meeting. (3; We 
expect the ACHR to be our watchdog for violations and inequities 
in the field of health and hospltilization. We also expect that 
when any violations are uncovered the council will take Immediate 
steps to eliminate the inequality by negotiations on a local level. Should such efforts fall to bring desired results In a short pei>* 
lod of time It is hoped that the branch will file a complaint or 
a suit or both. (4) It has come to our attention that certain 
recreational facilities still remain closed to people of color in 
our area* There seems to be two reasons for this, first, Negroes 
are simply not utilizing their right to participate in activities to which they are entitled and second, enterprises not covered by 
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 considered themselves Inmune to any 
action we might take and therefore continue to discriminate with 
impunity. Since this area is to be a responsibility of the Trt County Branch it is up to you to come up with a solution to this 
problem. In the first case a program of encouragement (perhaps 
fay example) might be initiated so that more Negroes would frequent 
all ttose places covered by the Civil Rights Act and that some 
Negroes would do so even If they have no real reason except to add 
a little color to th® place. In the second case, this atea with 
its tradition for fair play and equltlable treatment should not be 
allowed to operate any public or ^alse public facility on a dis­
criminating basis. Efforts should be made by representatives of 
the branch to negotiate, conjole or otherwise convince business men 
and elected officials that the operation of such enterprises are 
not in the best interest of the area. Failing in this the branch 
should search for legal wmedies to the problem, but If all this 
falls the branch should, after consultation with state and national 
offices of the KAACP prepare a program employing extra legal mea­
sures, If this sounds rash it is suggested that you think of some- 
thii5® better or refuse to accept the responsibility. The point is 
that Civil Rights organizations and all people of good will should 
because it is right, be willing to do whatever it takes to elimi­
nate the last vestiges of discrimination, (5) Violations of 
civil liberties and denial of equal protection fall naturally under 
the progr®a of the KAACP. This organization should watch carefully 
the treatment accorded persons accused of crime, wal or imagined.
At the sme time the organization should be alert for complaints 
of police brutality. It would be extremely helpful if the NAACP 
joined the ACHR in sponsoring a "Know Your Rights" fonan.
Finally everyone seems afraid to tackle the problem of discrimina­
tory housing. While we admit the cooplexity of the question, we 
suggest it can be solved in relatively short order and without new 
legislation. It Is proposed that all five organizations collaborate 
in a workshop aimed at solving the problem. Information concerning



MEKOEAHDIIH
TO! NA^P Hsa^tlve Sjfsoaeh 
w m n  3

8t3«h & forum t» easily attainable ittm the ACiSl who wight «|»a- 
sor «ueh a ehlz^ or from Che A»«rlcaii Cli?4l tlt^rtiei tmcwg 
156 5ch Awewt*!. n&m York, Sew fork 1Q010, (6 )  i>etall» of the
attack o» 4lterwal»atory ftouslng h a w  not b e «  wetted «tt bet w#*d 
appredaCe your thl»kiBs &a  cte matter, We hoi^ to h a w  caaplet^ 
by February 1 a sjemor«a§i» aw elflca lly  deallae this preblaB*



January 3, 1967

Mr. Allen Black, Jr.
1009 V/est Irvine Avenue 
Florence, Alabama
Dear Allen:
Enclosed please find your telephone credit card for 1967.
it was good seeing you at the Airlie Conference. I hope 
you had a restful vacation and are facing 1967 with zest 
and good health. As I told you, I have recommended a 
salary increase which will become effective in the next 
pay period. Your salary will be increased to $8,750.I hope this indicates to you that we have been pleased 
with your work and feel that you have developed consider­
ably during your first year as a field worker.
My secretary sent you extra copies of the letter which 
was mailed from New York last week. About a half dozen 
have been returned to us so far for incorrect address.
We will let you know who these people are so that you 
can get the addresses corrected before the Civil Rights 
Cofanission issues the letters of invitation.
I shall be ip with you later this week after I have
had a chance to confer with our friends in Washington 
about plans for the conference. Meanw^iile, let me know 
if you hear anything from our Memphis friends.
A very Happy New Year to you and your family.

Sincerely,

Jean Fairfax

JFsdf
end.



D E P A R TM E N T O F  H E A L T H , E D U C A TIO N , A N D  W E LFA R E  
SOCIAL SECU RITY  ADMINISTRATION

BALTIM ORE. M ARYLAND 21235

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER REFER TO: OA:EMR

Dl

M iss Jean F a ir fa x  
NAACP L ega l D efense and 
E d u ca tion a l Fund, In c . 

10 Columbus C ir c le  
New Y ork , New York IOOI9

Dear M iss F a ir fa x :

T h is  i s  in  re fe re n ce  t o  your re q u e s t  th a t  we in v e s t ig a te  the  
W i l l i f o r d  Insurance Agency o f  Drew, M is s is s ip p i ,  f o r  r e fu s a l  
t o  Insure  the  p ro p e r ty  owned by  Mr. A lle n  B la ck , J r .

That f irm  has no c o n tr a c to r  o r  s u b -co n tra c to r  r e la t io n s h ip  w ith  
th e  S o c ia l  S e c u r ity  A d m in is tra tio n , and we have no a u th o r ity  to  
su p e rv ise  o r  c o n t r o l  t h e ir  p la c in g  o f  in su ra n ce . We have th e r e ­
f o r e  r e fe r r e d  your l e t t e r  t o  the  U .S . Commission on C iv i l  R ig h ts , 
17 0 1 P ennsylvania  Avenue, N .W ., W ashington, D.C. I  am-sure you 
w i l l  hear fu r th e r  from  th a t  agency .

y ^ ^ c e r e l y  y ou rs .

Robert M./'Ball 
Commissioner of Social Security



October 27, I966

Hon. Robert H. Ball 
Commissioner of Social Security 
Social Security Administration 
Social Security Building, Room 900 
6>+01 Security Boulevard 
Baltimore, Maryland
Dear Mr. Balls
Allen Black, Jr., who is a staff member of the NAACP Legal 
Defense and Educational Fund, recently acquired property in Drew, Mississippi. The property is located 

 Mr. Black is a Negro and purchased the property 
from a Negro couple, Mr. and Mrs. Willie E. Jones who had 
moved to Ghatanooga, Tennessee. Mr. Black lives in Florence, 
Alabama and has rented this property to Mr. and Mrs. Matthew 
Carter.
The property had been insured through the Williford Insurance 
Agency of Drew, Mississippi. Mr. Black asked Attorney Eddie 
Tucker,  to 
negotiate for a new insurance policy inasmuch as the property 
was being transferred. Mr. Black was interested in a 3-year 
policy and much of the negotiations concerned whether the 
agency would provide this kind of a policy. Neither Mr. Black 
nor Attorney Tucker was given the impression during these ne­
gotiations that the Williford Agency had any questions about 
insuring the property. There is a fire hydrant on the property 
and a fire station within three blocks.
Attorney Tucker and Mr. Black believe that they had a commit­
ment from the Williford Insurance Agency to insure the property 
for one year at the rate of $*+2 per ^7000 coverage. However, 
the agency returned the check for the year's insurance with a 
memorandum which stated only, "We regret we are unable to in­
sure this property for you." We are enclosing a copy of this 
memorandum.



Hon. Robert M. Ball - 2 - October 27, 1966

We believe that the Williford Insurance Agency has discrim- i^ted against Mr. Black because he is involved in the 
civil rights ffiovement. we do not know whether this agency 

regulations issued by the Social Security 
Administration because we do not know whether Williford is 
a contractor or a subcontractor. The denial by insurance

equal services to Negroes who are involved in civil rights and the cancellation of policies 
are practices which impose great hardships. We trust that 
the new regulations concerning nondiscrimination which were 
issued as you launched Medicare will be vigorously enforced so that these practices will cease.
We would appreciate an early investigation of the Williford 
Insurance Agency. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Very truly yours,

Jean Fairfax

JFjdf
end.
ccj Mr. F. Peter Libassl

Special Assisstant to the
Secretary for Civil Rights
Department of Health, Education and WelfareWashington, D.C.
Mr. Allen Black, Jr.
10 0 9 West Irvine Avenue 
Florence, Alabama



"  E d .d ,ie  T t » € k e i * j  AfctQT*n#»y T-«tf FROM

1 1 5 i  N .  F a r i s h W ILLIFO RD INSURANCE AGENCY

J a c k s ^ ^  M i s s i s * l p p - i  -^Q pn i
DREW, MISSISSIPPI 

Phone: 745-8563

SUBJECT:.
FOLD ^

i DATE:. 9/21/66

for you.

DATE SIGNED

BROOKLYN J THIS COPY FOR PERSON ADDRESSED



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Mr. A l l e n  B la c k  
1009 W I r v i n e  
F l o r e n c e ,  Alabama

Dear A l l e n :

Thanks f o r  y o u r  r e p o r t .  I  am r e a l l y  p l e a s e d  th e  way t h i n g s  
a r e  d e v e l o p i n g  re  th e  em ploym ent c o n f e r e n c e .  I  s h a l l  be 
i n t e r e s t e d  t o  have y o u r  p la n s  f o r  comm unity  p r e p a r a t i o n .  Do 
you  i n t e n d  t o  p u l l  g r o u p s  t o g e t h e r  i n  c o m m u n it ie s  around th e  
id e a  o f  d o i n g  an i n v e n t o r y  o f  em ploym ent  p r a c t i c e s ?  I t  wou ld  
be g ood  i f  we c o u l d  f i n d  a way f o r  p e o p l e  t o  r e p o r t  on what i s  
g o i n g  on  i n  t h e i r  c o m m u n it ie s  -  b u t  i n  an o r g a n i r e d  f a s h i o n  -  
and whay k in d  o f  h e l p  t h e y  n e e d .  A l s o ,  I  t h i n k  i t  would  be g ood  
f o r  you  and Mike t o  p la n  y o u r  t im e  so  t h a t  you  w i l l  have b l o c k s  
o f  t im e a v a i l a b l e .  F or  a c o n f e r e n c e  l i k e  t h i s ,  e s p e c i a l l y  i f  i t  
i s  s p o n s o r e d  b y  t h e  C o m m iss ion ,  t h e r e  i s  an e x c e l l e n t  p o s s i b i l i t y  
o f  i n v o l v i n g  p e o p l e  who w ou ld  n e v e r  come t o  a m e e t in g  u n d er  c i v i l  
r i g h t s  a u s p i c e s .  You m igh t  t h i n k  o f  ways o f  g e t t i n g  g o o d  l e a d s  
t o  e d u c a t o r s .  Are you  w a i t i n g  f o r  f i n a l  ok a y  from  W a sh in g to n ?  L e t  
me have y o u r  p la n  o f  a c t i o n  o n c e  th e  d e c i s i o n  has been  made.

T oda y  I  had a v e r y  s w ee t  l e t t e r  from  Mrs. C a r t e r .  She s a i d  t h a t  
th e  n e i g h b o r s  a r e  r e a l l y  n i c e .  She m e n t io n e d  r e c e i v i n g  a g as  
b i l l  f o r  $ 4 .3 4  w h ich  s t a t e d  t h a t  th e  m e te r  had been  r ea d  O ct  4 .
I  g u e s s  she i s  w o r r i e d  a b o u t  w h eth er  t o  pay  f o r  g a s  w h ich  she d i d  
n o t  u s e .  She m e n t io n e d  t h a t  t h e  b i l l  came i n  y o u r  name. P erh ap s  
you  s h o u ld  e x p l a i n  t o  h e r  t h a t  u t i l i t y  b i l l s  w i l l  come i n  y o u r  
name b u t  she s h o u ld  pay them . T h i s  t im e I  s u g g e s t  t h a t  you  pay  th e  
$ 4 .3 4  and c h a r g e  i t  on  y o u r  w e e k ly  e x p e n s e  a c c o u n t .  I  hope t h e y  do 
n o t  t h i n k  you w i l l  pay the  b i l l s  j u s t  b e c a u s e  t h e y  come i n  y o u r  name I 
I*m g l a d  t o  know th e  h ou se  i s  in  g ood  c o n d i t i o n ;  I  am e a g e r  t o  
v i s i t  them. I  hope e v e r y t h i n g  i s  s t r a i g h t  now r e  th e  i n s u r a n c e .
Did you  f i l e  a c o m p l a i n t  w i t h  S o c i a l  S e c u r i t y  i n  W a sh in g ton ?  I  
n o t i c e d  t h a t  I  have a l i s t  o f  in s u r a n c e  co m p a n ie s  on a s t a t e  by  
s t a t e  b a s i s  w h ic h  a r e  h a n d l in g  m e d i c a r e .  W i l l i f o r d  was n o t  l i s t e d .  
H ow ever ,  som etim es  t h e s e  l o c a l  b o y s  a c t  as  s u b c o n t r a c t o r s  and we 
s h o u ld  f i n d  o u t  w h e th e r  r e g u l a t i o n s  i n c l u d e  them.

We have been  s p e n d in g  l o t s  o f  t im e  g e t t i n g  a d v i c e  r e  the  su b com m ittee  
o f  th e  House J u d i c i a r y  Comm ittee  w h ich  w i l l  h o l d  h e a r i n g s  on the  
G u i d e l i n e s  a f t e r  th e  e l e c t i o n .  The cha irm an  i s  R o d in o  o f  New J e r s e y .  
The c o m m ittee  has some g ood  p e r s o n s  on  i t  p l u s  Ashmore o f  S .C .  and 
Cramer o f  F l o r i d a  who w i l l  be o u r  m ost  d i f f i c u l t  o p p o n e n t  b e c a u s e  he 
i s  v e r y  c l e v e r .  We a r e  now t r y i n g  t o  g e t  as  much u p - t o - d a t e  i n f o r ­
m a t io n  as  we c a n .  C o n n ie ,  W ini  and Hayes have s p e n t  some t im e  in  
W ash in g ton  c o n f e r r i n g  w i t h  O .E .  o f f i c i a l s  and r e a d i n g  f i l e s .  I  
p la n  t o  be i n  W ash in g ton  e a r l y  n e x t  week g e t t i n g  i n f o r m a t i o n

October 14, 1966



\
. ..-is-' about areas where we did not do much community work (Virginia,

North Carolina, Tennessee). Dave Seeley is very pleased that 
we are preparing testimony and has promised whatever help we need.
Howe has assigned to Harold Williams, Dave's deputy, the job of 
coordinating the gathring of material in response to my letter to 
him.
Our main concern now is to bring up to date the material which 
we have in our files. I am enclosing a copy of a questionnaire 
which Hayes Sent out to S.C. contacts, t'onnie has a version which 
she has mailed to people who sent us good stuff last year. I 
shall ask her to send you some copies. I would appreciate it if 
you and Phil would get these filled out for the districts where 
we worked or where we have good contacts who could supply accurate 
information. We probably have lots of this stuff already in files 
in reports which you have sent in but it is a lot easier for you 
to do a district report and bring it up to date at the same time. 
Otherwise, I would have to go back through your reports and I 
still might not have the post-opening of school information.
Henry sent a letter to some cooperating attorneys asked for help 
in collecting information. John Walker was one of them. I —
would appreciate it if you would contact John. Between the |wo 
of you could you decide how the Arkansas report can be done. He 
sent me a bill for the woman who worked in the program after Joanna 
left. I asked for hex report and he promised to send it. So far 
nothing has arrived. Remind him that we need it. Maybe her report 
could be cor\mlidated into the final report, ^ertainly, there is 
no point in doing anything until you have seen a report of her

Just talked with Wini who is still shaking over a tiBumatic experience 
in the Montgomery airport. State troopers tried to arrest Dick 
Fairley and Woody Bankhead for "interfering with the operation of 
a school system" after they had been in Elmore County making an 
investigation. They did not challenge Wini and actual^ chickened 
out after Dick called Washington. But she is a little uneasy about 
a forthcoming trip to Birmingham. She will send you some questionnaires- 
Would youc call her or Connie to let them know which districts you 
will cover?
Re timetables! we hope to do the first draft of our testimony *
the last week in October and then have a session of all involved to 
discuss it. This means that the raw data should be in in about 
ten days. I think that most of our information can be gathered 
by phone or through trustworthy local contacts. I hope we will not 
need to make more community visits now uiJess there are some really 
terrible things which need on-the spot investigation.' Or, if there 
is the chance that we can get some really good pictures of bad schools.
I hope the letter I wrote Jake is okay.

Sincerely,

Jean Fairfax



onmh school officisils fiave be<m ordered to at 
.0 U.S -DKtnci Co-irt at Alx;rdecn €jt% n  t 

SKavv cause why thev- should nor be enjoired fror 
and teitdiers to cla-ssfooms on thfeaM>o!race

A sRunmons served yesteiday by a U, S. Marshnl
' * «• to provH*. uottt,e Of

a^fctp -g *.{KH.a mimictiou v hioh ■ ?, Takijig any aetioif *Jtt! re.
In e£i.x-t, lower raciai ' 

ba. nprr ir. at! n  gianry..
_ Mr- P’ icy "*w *-j! art- a.- 
School Board ooui-isoi, .\aid sornf 
irf tj!c ixikils tiatij. OLii-fudy beta 
'wadeij ki gf the j ’ostier

;»< ram  b, prorious court ItfusMi mi m. OvU
R.r.'hn Art,

spect to the opm atior. ssrd adm.ii. 
^̂ hatn>o of i-ctWTols designed to 
oerpftnate, maUitaln im  Mtpport 
ticiioote oa « metalimk

i  Hpfusinc tf. thow a'udt'iits in giatit’g :n! ."ft i-mohed hy 
the iloc»I‘ 4o«'gr»*gstf(jt pJag to triuKfer to tsteol rfOm 
which lie woujd othfimtoc be ex- 
oladpd on accorait o{ race or co-

‘ r- „. /.Lie «fe .mil ..it/ r,u
Biynt .'«• ;i!l I'.f ih c« . jjotjili.,”  lie v™
.‘■.aid. “Btit »c  will argue that I lor

nxcwd the intert of tJic iStrt at-, , Price poiutel out 'hat the salt 
 ̂ I e ii.e4,a.. I lalUaied on the complaint

wh 't  1 •*' «t * Oirinth Kof?™ parent w hortith would (.rohJbit the htard ! was not idoiisfled, t fe  natur*
from

1 EojolUng iirtsr Of tmnsferpuinli on itit: hbisrs- oj mce oj-
color. i-rhi- woitJd spjatrwUIy at>. 
pl.v to all gnulfss •

2 .̂ a.igiunw teachers, pniicS. 
l«l:. s.id ot.Ki wnsoiuiel »cc«.l. 
mg to tlio race of pupus
UH'. frie particular scfKK* rxc-oit 
that efk’h a,.KCgrimieuts niav ty- 
niiitie to - fuithor UK' process of defcgi-egatSoi: " '

.3 Coii'siium g ><> m »!(f  rtis, 
tfrictii  ̂ habrul Off mce or colot 
ti the opemii<m of schools

I the original compialtit »iso 
has »it bt.eK reveahyi,

! Ml Price .said Uv su« if not 
: oounco.led wi-h co.'Kroversial 
; auWoiiac* tailed b,v the U S. 
j BiluMtion Department f  a pre- 
j 1-CQ.tiall# tor conthiued recc.pt o' 
I Pijck-m! school funds,
I The ScuotC Board refused to 
' sdm the fai'-reachlug guidc9nc.i 
: for de-segregadon. maintaining 
i that thC5 arc Uifgal and far e.x.
; ceed the 19P< avj! Hghts Act, 
i Ml IPreie s8'.a /,l!c board ha.i 

, . ,T........ I ««»--ted * he»iiBi! wirn Ediica-
Hm- light of otudciit* to {Emttos I »u«eii.nc» m  h*« m -eired  i>» 

^  re<BJe.st In to*

** 'rtaxHSl .te -m ! »cts-
•** * **«***il dlstwle over s. P a i^  to ppouid,. the guidelines has tattlated a con-

not.oe of chedee t i  uchoois aud ' graasSanal iovaa&gbuaa. 
c^ico^of actioW fu.rajK so jaaresui j Tlie JiiiUcd 4«g)«rtnasait suit

“ Ob]**i wstoOaee hr <
tsrt." th* suit tflaicis, “4

■ 8t!i wttt eestlnue to w -» t  
»<*- . M  deny Hegro 
as , .fducattanol ORpew-t* •■t'h *.'• etliii! to tlMS* 
tuato* to »Wi« chiidn 
htion of too liimt
lOndOieBt .

I ii also efeargoB but mxwent- 
I iy does isoi »tw4t to ipecUicaJiy
I correct l»y IniiUictMi, that th* 

kn-al desegrrgatiuti plan <toe» not 
procidc lur

I —toni*c!i»te edtoymmi bv *n,v 
Btiaicrif of all scliool asid sclwol. 
relaicd *fltivitle.s on a ootuli#.

; crinihsitory basis.
,.--AssigimwBt of si! .students 

j »ho fall to exei'cloc a  eboicr u> 
the actoo! iiearesi tiielr residence 

' whish hss available space. 
-PrecS-to C litoris of ovrr- 

crowgJhur which would detomun* 
whk-b sWttent* applying lor at- 
toodance ai a school cotiid b* 
nuected due to overcrowding 

—BqtudteatSon of edacatlonaj 
opsorbmiliefc and remedia,; piu*

, graras (d cormet i-he effect*, in. 
j eludiBg tho.to upob Hegre cluld- 

rer. attenrtip" tarrici-ly whito 
schcajia ot ptoi ‘Mtepamie educa. 
tlPiwa opporfclBtUeJ '

of ewidema. altegw that -**aoi <*diaes pro- 
I Tided her* for »c«io studenta 
! are tafetifg to Uatoe {or wWtes. 
j It aito Mnto out that toe to.
] cal deaetfttgattori .plan, atkvted 
I last yeagAo nie«t toe origwal ' BtoicatoWtitpartmetitgiddeBBes.
' resulted' only gl JTegio alu- 
: deuiii b«<»||,i»s«igjto<j ip fon»erl.v 
I all-white sB^ls. and, iiwi-eaaed
I w oBijr n m >  pMifi

Urn l^Sf-Called Mt freedotip 
j o(toholc4||«ligiM»eni*|lii giadea , 
‘ 1-t SsatUtj-. aact fe/Im adea 5-* 

fWa y«H'^Snce tmtfplah waa 
pe JusUMllkpartment 
K mlnli»*l'.l|toegT«ga- 
fBtbento h ill  been ex- 

>r court
Price *aMj)|tOoi 11 

net $a HlhnnaUty,
It time at 'KViet date

Mil

V'.’a

it  tim e at j i t tg i t  i 
on the of

be eeUhtla'iMi



lumbiis Schoc's 
"ace Shift fri^iay

Board ©K’s Ŝ easstptJ 
Of 25 M  i«s»6s

♦̂wn AointtlOio»n3«8« msfvm
COLUMBUS, Miss.. Oct, 11.- City School* Supt. J. 1.

G n 0 i s h y Tuesday had W* 
nhooi board’* approval to 
wassign 3J mors Negroes to 
prsvjoMly all-wWt® tchooJs 
and shift 25 whites to schools of 
their choice. ,

This followed an almost 
mwth-lcBg period in which 
every parent of a city school 
child had to ask for reassiga-l 
tnent to the school of their 
choice under the Federal edu­
cation program which saw four 
more grades totegnsted here 
llii.s fall.

The 35 Negroes wUI be as­
signed to their choice of 
ichtwls on Friday. Supt. Gools­
by said. potBtlng out tM* is the- 
last day of the first six-week 
period. The 25 whites will also 
{Juft m  that day “ to keep aU 
report cards strailf*.”

With tto shift m  Fridigt ft 
will mean ® Negttwi Mi^ledi 
»  all grsdi* oae thro»#s eight- 
in six previously all-white 
schools of the city.

Demonstration School m  thej 
Miisisaippt State College fori 
Women campu* will receive its 
first three Negro children and 
Barrow Elemeiftary Sdiool 
neai% will gain its fiwrt atee. ’

- Eight Bia« are brti«{ a d «  to, 
Franklin Academy, an ideroen-.

- taiy school, making a ttoal of [ 
3S there. Bra.ton will receiver 
seven, making a total of eight 
and Cook Junior High Will gain 
eight, lor a total of to.

All of the whites sskit« 
transfer. Supt. Coobby sald,- 
did *0 becBUiie of school Isms 
rout^ and because of todr 
homes’ itotrness to another 
school. "Happily, w* «add ao< 
cede to all n^ueste this ttme,” 
he said.

Broken down ^  grades, the 
«S l^dtass in toe fepBee white 
scljo^ aro 13 first groders, 1* 
second, 1& third, U fourA, ®i 
fifth. # sixth. 6 aeventh. S ' 
eighth and 1 ninth.

Cdumbos city schods are in. 
line to integrate grades 
ftutogh 12 next year.

•t*

friit

lictfijn j-’rr Progi tn 
T-ffset 3.Mfi«i>as

W'A&IINOTT?!, V-i H.-rj 
The CfeTcs of Efotwffiic <^^r- 
tumty Tuesday announced that' 
a grant of $3,020,906 ha* been gwftrited to Mii»tsijpi« Actit»j 
for Proere®, tae,, to ctariuct 
{& Htead-Start pww«w f »  l ,W  
^iWren for s year. ;

Sargent Shriver. OEO direc­
tor, sftid 10 milltefs has; 
been reserved lo fipapee MAP; 
'ehiSd development plciirajha. 
Which could reach • uetsssgas 
4.300 and S.flOO chiidroii.
1 MAP will be adsninbtoredj 
(by an H-meutbcr Mraciali 
(board of dlrectarj headed' hy|, 
■Owen Cooper, prominent buai-| 
'n*s»mah and Bai îst l5Qf k a «  
er of y#*oo City. 'V,v hfenrUll 
W. Lladsey of W&tt Pofti*. d% 
trict superintsndfni .of the! 
Methodist Church, w vice! 
chairman.
. Mr. Sbnver said. "No F w  
jpral program as Mliafva.spii 
(has evC''been under rtse dhiht-j 
'tinn of such an ouwtjjndiagl 
boarn of wfite und .Me®",,- 
lenders. Tvto ywri it!

_tbo stBawBiM- 
that this could not be dSse !»> hnŝssippi, iwt li. Bss !>««! 
done. 4

"These men wlU bn toinyii 
on tbs board by * «  raptwwa- 
atives of the peer, restdeot* 
of tlk 8.Td grotroa to be 
aerwid. la addlttos, fi4AP ha* 
endtos^ ftse concept of eut- 
^ y isg  a maxiinum auiabsc of., 
poor people to assist in the 
operotioft o# programs.

"Local advisory oommittses 
will be established In each of 

tjtoe communities to be served 
iby the MAP propfsa* -to 
■ vise on prog ram 

• tion. (acilitiej aad 
In those counties Wfiere prior 
Head-Start pfi)fr«»s ,Mv« op- 

.. erated, MAP* w«l ntnpm ®8t* - 
-'sona h*V#f

I ’ lfBce, with ilte prc^w®,sowr 
;as is practicabk. and canrisb

r« '
I.ijent wito *co«|Aa!% jFjjtioiw saafWirk_rsf.'irt|y V

I



DECISION

SUMMARY OF CHARGES
One hundred seventeen Negro employees of Reynolds Metals 
Company allege that the Respondent is enforcing discrim­
inatory labor practices on four counts;
1) Hiring and Recruitment;

Negroes are hired only from the Aliminum Workers, Hod 
Carriers, and Teamsters Unions, as hourly employees.
Case Nos. 5-12-3443 thru 5-12-3560
Also, after successfully passing required tests 
for employment, Negro probationary employees are 
terminated by a much larger percentage than white 
probationary employees. Furthermore, within the 
Aluminum Workers* Unit, Negroes are not placed in 
several higher-paying departments.
In the recruitment of potential hourly employees, 
Negroes are offered work only in the three above- 
named Union bargaining units. Negroes hired on the 
same day as whites are placed last on seniority 
rosters, as younger employees.
Negroes are excluded from non-union jobs in depart­
ments such as medical, protection, and office workers.

2) Promotion and Selection for Training;
In the past twenty-four years;
(a) The Company has not promoted a single Negro to 

a supervisory capacity; and
(b) The Company has never selected a Negro for on- 

the-job supervisory training in the Reduction 
Plant.

3) Apprenticeship Training;
Since the establishment of the Listerhill Plant, 
Negroes have been excluded from the Company's 
apprenticeship programs.



-2 -

4) Facilities;
The Reynolds Metals company maintains and operates 
segregated bathroom facilities, inasmuch as Negroes 
are assigned lockers at a designated end of the bath­
room,

5) Other Conditions;
The Company has failed to make a sincere attempt to 
eliminate derogatory language about Negro employees 
that appears on walls, throughout the Plant.

Case Nos, 5-12-3443 thru 5-12-3560
The Charging Parties further allege that the fourteen 
listed unions, as signators of contracts with the 
Respondent employer, are in agreement on two discrimi­
natory labor practices and share equal responsibility 
for their continued discriminatory effect against Negro 
employees. These are as follows;
1) Hiring and Recruitment;

Negro applicants, after successfully passing the 
required tests for employment, are permitted to be 
hired in only three of the fourteen unions holding 
labor agreemnnts. Negroes are denied, through thrse 
policies, placement in higher-paying departments.

2) Negroes are relegated to the bottom of the seniority 
rosters.

3) Apprenticeship Training;
The Union, in collusion with the Company, has ex­
cluded Negroes from apprenticeship programs since 
the establishment of the Plant,

SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION
1) The Respondent established its plant at Listerhill, 

Alabama in 1941, From the outset, Negroes (both 
men and women) have been relegated to job assign­
ments in the labor pool and in other menial tasks. 
Of the fourteen vinions that have contracts at the 
Respondent's plant, only three represent those job 
classifications to which Negro workers have been 
assigned. They are the Alimintim Workers, Hod Car­riers, and the Teamsters.



- 3-

2) The Reduction Plant employs 1,255 people, and the 
Alloy Platn employs 3,314 people. Three hundred 
twenty-two of the employees in the Reduction Plant 
are Negro, all male; one is employed in a super­
visory capacity and two, in clerical. Twenty-seven 
female employees are located in the Reduction Plant; 
none are Negoo, All 12 apprentcces in the Reduction 
Plant are Caucasians. Of the 3,314 employees in the 
Alloy Plant, 109 Negro males are employed and three 
Negro females, Tv70 of teh Negro males are in pro­
fessional or supervisory categories, and one Negro 
female is employed as a clerical. The other two 
Negro females are unskilled laborers. No Negroes

a are employed among the 611 skilled apprentices and four 
white collar on-the-job trainees at the Alloy Plant; 
all are Caucasian.

3) This particular plant is located in the Tri-County 
area of Florence, Sheffield, and Tusctmnbia, Alabama 
with Muscle Shoals as a suburb of the three. The 
Tri-Covinty area has a population of 130,116 people 
and is approximately 15 per cent Negro. In the 
Reduction Plant, also called Metals Plant, most 
Negroes are assigned to the Reduction and Sanitation 
Section, Since 1960, a few have been assigned to 
the Silicon Section. On the other hand, the Cryolite 
Section, with the cleanest production jobs in the 
Reduction Plant, is lily-white.

4) In the Alloy Plant, Negroes were relegated to jobs 
in Scrap Segregation and Sanitation and as helpers 
in the Alloy Plant. Fifteen of the 25 departments 
have no Negroes employed,

5) The Respondent employer initiated pre-employment 
testing on the reduction side in 1959. The testing 
was initiated in the Alloy Plant in 1962, These 
tests have had the effect of limiting new hires 
from the Negro commxinity. The evidence regarding 
validation and relevancy of the test is inconclusive.

6) All employees other than supervisory employees are 
represented by one of the fourteen Respondent unions. 
Each union represents a separate bargaining unit and 
is protective of seniority of employees within the 
unit. From the outset, Negro employees have been 
relegated to job classifications and bargaining 
tinits covered by the Alxmimsn Workers, Hod Car­
riers, and Teamsters Local. All their seniorityhas been accvimulated only in job classifications



-4-

covered by said Locals, In order for them to 
transfer or to be promoted to jobs located in 
bargaining units covered by the other 11 Local 
Unions, often the skilled jobs, it would be neces­
sary that they enter the plant as new employees, 
either as apprentices or full-fledged journeymen 
in one of the building trades; thus, they would 
lose all the seniority accumulated in the Ijargaining 
vinit from which they transferred,. This has the 
effect of restricting promotional opportunities for Negro workers.

7) Neither the Respondent employer nor any of the 
Btiilding Trade Unions have ever accepted a Negro 
apprentice, thru perpetuating the exclusion of 
Negroes.from the Building Trade Unions and the 
crafts v?hich they represent. This explains that 
of the 611 job opportunities in the skilled crafts, all are Caucasian,
The Respondent employer did recommend and vote for 
a Negro applicant's admission to a Steam Fitter's 
apprenticehhip program on September 24, 1965, and 
for a Negro applicant's admission to the Electri­
cian's apprenticeship program on October 5, 1965.
In each is stance the respective xinions voted against 
the Negro apprenticeship classes because of the Negro applicants.

8) Typical of these Building Trade Unions' attitudes 
toward the admission to Negro applicants to appren­
ticeship, is the statement made at the October 5, 1965

mmeeting of the Electrician's Apprenticeship Committee, 
as reflected by the minutes of said meeting, wherein 
Conrad Hill, Assistant Business Ag2n>t, is quoted as 
saying, !'Wa are not going to consider hiring a nigger 
until the new standards are accepted by the Federal 
Government with the nondiscrimination clause included; 
desides, I don't want anything to do with any damn 
nigger anyway." He and the other two union committee 
representatives proceeded to vote against the one 
Negro, J. I, Humes, who was fully qualified for ad­
mission to the apprenticeship program,
The-minutes of the Steam Fitters' Apprenticeship 
Consiiittee on Friday, September 24, 1965, reveal that 
management proposed the same of William Russell, a 
Negro, for admission to the program. The minutes 
reflect that E. H. Call (Business Agent of the



-5-

Steam Fitters' Local), prior to the vote, stared 
that a problem could conceivably exist iri an appli­
cant was chosen for the apprenticeship program and 
subsequently was denied membership in the Steam 
Fitters' Local Union. This might come about as a 
result of the Local Union's membership rejecting 
him in their vote,.
There are no Negroes in said Union local. Following 
his statement, he and the other two Local Union 
committee representatives voted against the Negro 
applic^t.'

9) Prior to November 1, 1965, employees were considered
for selection to supervisory positions only at the 
instigation of the department head. Because of 
continued complaints by Negro employees, the company 
initiated a new policy on November 1, 1965, per­mitting all employees to contact the Personnel Office 
on their ô -m accord with the possibility of being 
given the test if the employee appeared to meet basic 
qualifications. The four criteria set up for oelec- 
tion of supervisors were: job knowledge, leadership
skills, academic requirements and health. Among
the academic requirements are a high school educa­tion, or its equivalent, and the ability to make 
a satisfactory score on tests designed to measure 
supervisory characteristics as well*as general ap­
titude, The 3,314 employees in the Alloy Plant 
are supervised by 222 persons, one of vjhom is Negro. 
There are 132 supervisors in the Reduction Plant, 
and only one is Negro, Nine Negros have requested 
an Opportunity to be tested subsequent to Novem­
ber 1, 1965, and up to the time of investigation 
in March, l966. All nine failed the academic test 
given by the Respondent employer, notwithstanding 
their knowledge of the job and experience in per­
formance of duties. The evidence regarding the 
validation of this test is inadequate to warrant any finding thereon.

10) In the Alloy Plant, 242 new persons were hired 
between July, 1965, and the date of the investi­
gation. Twenty-seven of this total were Negro,
Nine of the Negroes were assigned to the two lowest 
departments in the Plant, Only fifteen (or four­
teen and one-third per cent) of the white employees 
were assigned to these departments. A comparison 
of pre-employment test scores of the new hires 
reflected that the 27 Negroes scored better than



-6-

25 per cent, as well as 50 per cent, and lower 
than 25 per cent of the 215 white new hires; yet, 
one-third of the Negroes were assigned to the lowest 
departments in the Plant, indicating a definite 
pattern of assigning Negroes to menial jobs in the Alloy Plant.

11) Records in the Alloy Plant further reflect that 21 
new salaried persons were hired in the third quarter' 
of 1955, and 13 in the fourth quatter. None
of the new hires were Negro; however, of the three 
salaried employees promoted in the fourth quarter, 
one was a Negro promoted to become supervisor of teh Groiinds Section,

12) The Hods Carriers and the Teamsters represent those
employees into two of the three lowest-paid depart­

ments in the Plant to which, historically, Negroes 
were assigned. These are the only bargaining units 
in which the Respondent employer does not require 
the administration of a pre-employment test,

13) Fifteen Negroes, assigned to the Sanitation Depart­
ment prior to the advent of testing, have been 
permitted to irorkin various other departments in 
the Alloy Plant; however, they are carried on the 
Sanitation Department's seniority list and are 
denied seniority in those departments in which 
they actually work (see Attachmnnt). For p\3~^oses 
of accounting they are carried against the payroll 
of the departments in which they actually work; how-

e ever, they may hot bid oh jobs that occur in their 
current departments since, for seniority purposes, 
they are actually members of the bargaining unit 
that represents the Sanitation Department. In order 
to be included on the seniority list of the depart­
ment in^which they are working, they would have to 
be tested (not required of vjhite employees with 
similar seniority) and enter the department as new employees X'/ith loss of seniority acquired in the 
Plant and, in many instances, in the department in 
which they.are actually assigned (although it is 
credited, only,to the Sanitation Department). A list of said employees is attached.

14) Because_of a previous charge alleging segregated 
facilities, the Respondent employer removed a wall 
that physically separated Negro and white employees 
in the locker room located in the Metals Plant.
Now both Negro and white are located in the same 
locker room; however, Negro employees are assigned 
to one end of the locker room and white employees 
are assigned to the opposite end of the same room.



-7-

The doors are located so as to make it more conven­
ient to approach the lockers and showers at the op>- 
posite end of the facility. Segregated facilities 
remain a fact at the Respondent’s facility.

15) The job classifications in the bargaining imit 
represented by Altmiintim Workers Local 200 does not 
have apprenticeship or other formal training pro­
grams; thus, there is no evidence to indicate that 
this Union Local denies Negroes equal participation 
in apprenticeship or other training programs as 
alleged.

16) The Aliiminum Workers Local Union 200 did have know­
ledge of the employer's practice of assigning Negroes 
to various departments within the Alloy Plant but 
limiting their seniority to the Sanitation Department. 
The Local is a party to an agreement with the Respon­
dent employer that contains Article *8, designed to 
have and having the effect of continuing discrimina­tion against those Charging Parties assigned to the 
Alloy Plant.

17) The following Building Trade Union Locals all operate 
hiring halls that refer employees to the Respondent 
for hire and participate in apprenticeship training 
programs in existence at Respondent employer's facility 
at Listerhill, SXaaS Alabama:
a) United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of 

America, No. 109;
b) Operative Plasterers and Cement Finishers, Nos. 614 

and 826;
c) International Brotherhood of Boiler Makers, Iron 

Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers,
No. 455;

d) International Union 6f Operating Engineers, No. 320;
e) Brotherhood of Sainters, Decorators and Paper 

Hangers of America, No. 1293;
f) Brickmasons and Plasterers, No. 8 of Alabama;
g) United Association of Journeymen, Plvimbers, and 

Steam Fitters, No. 760;
h) Intepiational.Associatifm of Bridge, .St^ctural and urna3:ienCal Iron as woricers, h //, and



-8-

i) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 
No. 558.

In the operation of hiring halls in the selection 
of applicants for apprenticeship, each union excludes 
Negroes and either participates in the discriminatory 
hiring assignment and selection of apprentices by the 
Respondent employer or causes the Respondent employer 
to so discriminate.

18) The International Association of Machinist and Aero­
space Workers, Local No. 1189, excludes Negroes from 
membership, operates a discriminatory apprenticeship 
training program in conjvmction with the Respondent 
employer, and prevents the Respondent employer from 
complying with the requirements of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

DECISION
1) Reasonable cause exists to believe that the Respon­

dent employer has violated Title VII of the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 in the following particulars;
a) In the recruitment and hiring of Negroes in the 

Alloy Plant and by excluding them from jobs in 
the Medical, Protection and Office VJork Depart­
ments cf said Alloy Plant;

b) In excluding Negroes from apprenticeship training 
opportunities in the Alloy and Reduction Plant; and

c) By the maintenance of segregated locker rooms 
in the Reduction Plant;

d) In the assignment of Negroes to menial jobs in 
the Alloy Plant;

e) By the discriminatory use of tests as a means 
of denying equal hiring and promotional coppor- 
tunities of Negroes; and

f) By operating its seniority system in a manner 
discriminatory to 15 Negroes allegedly assigned 
to the Sanitation Department.

2) Reasonable cause exists to believe that the Respon­
dent, Aluminum Workers Local No. 200, has violated 
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by en­
tering^ into sgl agreement with the Resoondent employer that aiscrrminates against Negro employees in job



-9-

3)

4)

5)

assignments and in the operation of its seniority 
system.
Reasonable cause does not exist to believe that 
Alumimm Workers Local No, 2 0 0 has violated Title VIII 
of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, in the discrimina­
tory operation of an apprenticeship or other training 
progsam.
Reasonable cause exists to believe that the follovjing 
unions have violated Title VII of the Civil Rights 
Acts in the operation of their Hiring halls and in the 
selection of apprentices for apprenticeship programs 
in a discriminatory manner because of race;
a)

b)

c)

Operative Plasterers and Cement Finishers, Nos. 614 
and 826;
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of 
America No. 109;
International Brotherhood of Boiler Makers, Iron 
Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers,
No, 455;

d) International Union of Operating Engineers, No. 320;
e) Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paper 

Hangers of America, No. 1293;
f) Brickmasons and Plasterers, No, 8 of Alabama;
g) United Association of Bridge, Structural 

and Ornamental Iron Workers, No. 477;
h) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers,

No. 558;
i) United Association of Journeyman, Plumbers, and 

Steam Fitters, No. 760; and
Ij) International Association of Machinists and Aero­

space Workers, Local No. 1189.
Reasonable cause does not exist to believe that the
following named xinions are in violation of Title VII
a s  a l l e g e d  b y  th e  C h a rg in g  P a r t i e s :

a) International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers, 
Local 212;

b) International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers, Local No. 402; and the



-10-

c) International Hod Carriers, Building and Common 
Laborers, Locals 366 and 898,

FOR THE COMMISSION

Date Marie D. Wilson 
Secretary



Phone:
205 -  766-2453

LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC.
Vl\ih>lon oi LzgaZ Inionmtion and SeAV-cceAi 

1009 West Irvine Ave.
FLOi^NCE, ALABAMA

August 10, 1966

Kiss Jean Fairfax Suite 2030, 10 Columbus Circle New York, Nev; York 10019
Dear Jean:
I have been working on a progress report for several days, and should be finished by the end of the week. I think it is ne­cessary for me to reviev; our activities both in the area of school desegregation and in employment, because it would serve as a vis­ible means of determining where our mistakes were made,and where we should go from here.
Since it does not represent much new material, I can hold it back while doing the things I'm supposed to do.
My ovm ideas about an employment project are perhaps a little sophisticated. Briefly?, it involves putting together a committee stable enough to do the unglamorous work of compiling the truth about their ora locale (e.g. completing the questionnaire, locating training facilities, keeping files on the location of qualified people, etc.) persistent enough to educate themselves about what the law entitles them to and to desiminate this information; and broadly based enough to enjoy the respect of the Negro community (and hopefully the white community).
One reason I hoped to be able to v̂ ork with an established civil rights group is that you have a built-in audience, and in some cases a central location at which to leave materials, complaint forms and where people with problems can come for help. Even with a central office, however, the problem of being all things to all people be­comes evident. The committee would therefore have to dedicate it­self solely to employment and be prepared to serve as a neighborhood referral service in other matters.
The biggest problem in doing anything on the coast will be in creating such a committee. I think that by starting in Hattiesburg and relating the coastal cities to a project there we might be able to get something going. It would be better if a course of action is plotted well in advance of any start, so that the projections at the end of my progress report should be analyzed and altered as soon



Miss Jean Fairfax Pase 2 August 9, 1956

as possible. At the same time I'm putting together a packet of materials which you can make adjustments and additons to.
At any rate, the establishment of a project would involve some time.It would mean an initial investment of at least three weeks per city, then at least a visit of sever 1 days duration periodically for several months. The big reason for this is that people have to be­come accustomed to a long term project which may not bring immediate tangible results.
My report on the Gulf coast was late because I lost it and had to do Jfit over from cold notes. I found it, along with the expense reports ^  which I'm enclosing.
While in Arkansas, I talked with John and Joanna about the need for continuing work there. Both were somewhat skeptical about what a reopened transfer would do in most areas in which have been involved. In areas like Ashdoiim where Joanna started late, a reopened period might generate some additional transfers, but whether this would amount to significant percentages is debatreable.
Dr. Jewell was anxious to see an emplo3mient project started in Helena. If this could be worked in, perhaps Jake (who lives within 100 miles) could assist there. I visited Helena and checked with Myrtle Glascoe and Bill West of SNCC and Rev. Bryant of the KAACP, who all said a project of this sort was sorely needed, and that their o\m efforts to date amoxinted to responding to complaints.
In Magnolia, I think that at last things are going according to reason. A new man on the employment committee, James Pickens, CE4-5831, has filed three complaints against Southern Extrusion, and people are applying all over the place. One apparent bottlenect is the employ­ment Security office, so ^ was able to pick up a complaint against them. To prove my heart was in the right place, I checked on a com­plaint of police brutality and sent the facts to John.
The Decatur Labor Committee is pending most of its time getting folk in Trade schools. They've also been screening the people who apply for jobs. The result has been that only a few people are applying for anything other than "typical" jobs, and all are being hired. My own impression is that this amounts to is a "Cream of the crop" operation, and there will probably be some changes in this tactic.
TVA has finally exhibited its vulnerable side. I've spent a good deal of time pushing the complaint of a janitor who wants to be a clerk and passed, after four tries, the qualifying exam. TVA claims, how­ever, that at least one year's experience at a level no longer in existence is necessary. Our complaint charged a pattern of discrimi­nation in that no Negro Stores Clerks have been hired by the branch



Miss Jean Fairfax Page 3 August 9, 1966

since 1933, and that no avenue exists within the Agency to allow Nep-roes to qualify. Their very swift reaction was to create a position of a training level for the janitor to eliminate the need for a formal hearing. Our feeling is that the creation of a single position would not free TVA from its pattern of practice, and we're asking for a formal hearing before the Civil Service Commission to 
expose the v7hole mess.
My progress report should reach you by week's end, and I'd welcome 
your comments about the projections.

Yours truly, 

Allen Black, Jr.
/mjp
end.



February 25, 1966

Mr. Allen Black 1009 West Irvine Florence, Alabama
Dear Allen:

It was good talking with you earlier this w«ek. When I called John Walker’s office yesterday to give you a message about the Monsanto Company, 1 discovered that you had gone to Magnolia. Evidently the weather improved enough to permit you to travel.
Herbert Hill’s secretary told me that a complaint from Eldorado against the Monsanto Company was filed September 15, 1965, but that the NAACP had received no report about it from EEOC. I called the compliance office at EEOC and was told that the case is now under investigation. The complaint was filed by John Dykes of Eldorado. Did you see him while you were in Eldorado? With whom did you talk? I am eager to hear about what you found in Arkansas.
Enclosed is a copy of our employment questionnaire. You will note that I changed a few questions and added a few. Then, this afternoon Michael Piore of Harvard who will probably be working as a consultant in our program made the following addi­tional suggestions— unfortunately after the questionnaire had been mimeographed. He thinks we should also find out:

- Has the company ever fired Negroes who are active in civil rights?- Are Negroes now employed by the company who are active in civil rights?- Are there jobs which Negroes would like to have in this company which they do not have? What is the problem?- Re unions: Do Negroes attend union meetings? Are Negroesofficials in the union?- What reputation do the officials of this company have in the community? Especially, are they active in segregationist organizations?What reputation does the union have in the community? Are union members active in the Klan or other segregationist groups?



Allen Black - 2 - February 25, 1966

He also suggests that we should get a copy of the collec­tive bargaining agreement if there is one.
I do not want to add a third page to the questionnaire now. Where you think the above questions apply, suggest that community leaders add them to the list. I see this form of the question­naire as a trial run. After you have used it for-a while, we can evaluate it, make changes and then run it off. We may want to print it so that we can make it more compact in size. Hope you don't mind the legal size this time. We ran off 200 copies and are sending you 150 copies for your use. Let me have your reactions.
I received the Joanna Edwards' personnel form and have talked with Jack Greenberg about her. He is willing for me to hire her on a full-time basis for 6 months. Before I write her, I want to get your okay since she would be working under you. So call me Monday collect. There will be plenty for her to do working full time on school desegregation for the next several months.We may want her to broaden the scope of her work after the major push is over.
Best wishes.

Sincerely,

JFirt 1 Enc. Jean Fairfax



,3 f'
V^,

\}t

1009 W. Irvien Avenue Florence, Alabama February 20, 1966

Miss Jean FairfaxSuite 2030, 10 Colvimbus CircleNew York, New York 10019
Dear Jean:

I am becoming increasingly enthusiastic over our little local pilot project. We have divided our committee into seven sub groups, six of which will survey twelve of the largest AREA industries. The other group, the largest and most integrated, is working on training opportunities, employment services, unions, and the possibilities of new industry. This group is also setting up to act as a clearing house for job applicants. We are scheduled to meet again next Saturday morning and my next report will hope­fully contain some suggestions based on our experiences here.
I met a group in Decatur, and explained to them our program.I was, however, not too well pleased with the make-up of the com­mittee, and suggested that they serve as the nucleus for a more br broadly based group. All the members were pretty well-to-do, and while they were all well respected by the entire Negro com­munity, I questioned whether they were hungry enough. At any rate we agreed to attack the 3M Company, Prostolite -AC Spark­plug, and Chemstrand, and I'm to meet them again next Saturday evening.
I received a letter from Al Feinberg which served to resolve most of the questions.! raised in my last letter to you. (By the way, after reading that thing again, I thought all manner of evil. Hope you didn't.)
So I am off to Arkansas. Monday night I will stay with Mrs. Ora Cobb in Eldorado, who has a phone, but I don't know it.I also plan to visit Magnolia, where some efforts are currently being made in the employment field, Camden and Helena. We didn't mention Helena before, but the local paper here has carried job vacancy announcements for a new plant there.
Sometimes during the week, I will report to you on my progress. I will be driving so if you think a visit to Mississippi should be tied into this trip you can let me know.

Thanks,

Allen Black, Jr.



V
1009 W. Irvine Avenue 
Florence, Alabama 
February 16, 1966

Miss Jean Fairfax 
538 North Farish 
Jackson, Mississippi
Dear Jean;

There are several reasons why you did not hear from me 
,at the beginning of the week, the first being that I had ex­
pected some instruction from you over the, week end. I had 
also received a telephone call from A1 Fenberg requesting 
that I withhold any missionary work until such time as I had 
received more material from him. K re about that phone call 
later. ^

Winifred Falls called to report that a school desegration 
work-shop was planned for March 12, in Montgomery and that we 
were to co-sponsor. So a |ood part of my time had been spent in finalizing my contact list which I have since mailed to her.

Our ideas on the questionnaire mesh perfectly. I am 
therefore enclosing a tenative form from which copies can be 
mimeographed. Already we are putting this form to work in the 
Tri-Cities and should soon be able to determine its effective­
ness. Tomorrow I will meet with a group in Decatur, which has 
gained importance by virture of the 3-M company's planned ex - 
pension. I called Valder in Huntsville and told him of my 
availability to work with a community group there. If they on 
their own initiate some action and need some help they were to 
get in touch with me. I plan to qjend next week in Arkansas.
I am not at all sure as to whether I will go to Little Rock.
If I do go, Joanna is certain to ask me questions to which I 
am suppose to have an answer but in all honesty do not. At any 
rate, I will be in Eldorado on Tuesday, February 22, in 
Magnolia, Feb. 23, and Camden on Feb. 24.

I hope to use the questionnaire as an opening gambit in 
a plan of action. I would think that the next step would be 
the filing of valid complaints and that brings up Feinberg's 
questions. If we are to use forms supplied by EEOC, then the 
additional information requested by Feinberg would be to be 
filed separately. There are some questions on the other hand 
as to whether the forms he supplied are official. What to do?



Jean Fairfax -2- February 16, 196'6

3 By the way, I have been approached by Michael Rosenbaum, 
son of Stanley Rosenbaum with whom you are familiar, about 
the possibility of his working in one of our summer programs. How about that?

I hope to be able to talk with you before you leave 
Jackson. Meanwhile I will set up for the Arkansas trip, the main purpose of which will be to identify the people with 
whom we will work. In my weekly report I will list the people 

 ̂hope to stay, or at least telephone numbers at which I can be reached.
Sincerely yours.

Allen Black, Jr.
mjp



/i













Philadelphia, Pa. 
July 8, 1966

Dear Allen,
The airlines' strike has grounded]me in Philadelphia for the day. I 

had planned to go to Cleveland, Ohio, to take care of some family business 
and would have flown to Washington from C for the Airlie Conference. The 
Conference is still being held so I’ll plan to take the train to Washington 
this afternoon. At least this gives Ine a chance to write you a note. From 
Airlie, I'll head for Florida where I shall be visiting the four reform 
schools. I'll not be back to N.Y. until Friday, July I5. I've been

reach you by phone and will try again from Florida. I assume you 
are on the road and am eager to get caught up.

What are you finding out about interest in employment projects in 
sslsSippi communities? Barbara Moffett toldlme that she saw you at the 

March in Jackson so you probably heard Whitney Young's announcement that 
the Urban League plans to open an office in Jackson. This frees us of 
having to concern aurselves about a project in H^nds Coxinty (even though 
Urban Leagues are uneven in the quality of their work and sometimes do not 
put as much emphasis on opening up nontraditional jobs as I would prefer).

Jake's last report puzzled me. It was hard to figure out whether he 
is getting an employment committee organized and d̂iat he sees as its program.
He mentioned working with the law students on welfare. I have no objection to 
his helping them get settled and introducing them around. But it should be 
made clear to him that we are not going to take on welfare projects at the 
present time.

Yesterday I called Lloyd Henderson to find out lirtiat's going on. He 
is planning to take off for Mississippi next week and will be there for at 
least 2 weeks. He plans to include a visit to Drew. He said that only one 
school district has been ordered so far to have a reopened transfer period.
It is the city of Vicksburg and only grades 7 and 10 are being reopened. 
Apparently, they followed last year's plan and schedule a registration period 
for February. Mow, school officials are saying that HEW did not tell them that 
new guidelines were coming out so HEW haslno ground to stand on in ohallening 
the February registration period held before the I966 Guidelines. The only 
reason grades 7 and 10 are being reopened is that these grades only has 2-3 
days to register. I told Lloyd that a reregistration period for selected 
grades would hardly be worth the effort. How would we find out in advance 
#iere the families are r̂tiich have kids in these grades?

Talked with Connie yesterday. She is feeling pretty discouraged, as I 
am, about results we can expect this year. We're both moving toward an out­
right attack on freedom of choice!

What is Joanna doing now? John Walker was in New York this week. He 
said she is doing a good job but admits that her reporting is week. What plans 
do you have for her after she finishes the reports on special schools, vocational 
schools, etc. in Arkansas? Check with John. He may have ideas for more work 
to be done on schools. Also, Connie wants to know if Joanna would be available for 
work in other states. At the present time she probably could not be used in La. 
Everyone is waiting for the 5th Circuit ruling. Then motions will have to be 
filed in district courts. All in all it looks as if August is going to be the 
big month for schools.



I have not talked with you yet about vacation. In fact, we need to talk" 
about nsany things. I am going out to Phoenix to see my mother and am working 
toward taking July 20 - 31 off• Maybe I could plan to meet you someone on the 
way west. Or on the return trip. I want to know what you see emerging as an 
employment package, how long you will continue to need Mike Bruland, what you 
see Jake doing, etc. Maybe some of these questions cannot be answered now but 
a report on the progress of your thinking would be helpful. %  the end of 
the summer, we should make a report to Jack Greenberg on things as we see 
them and make recommendations for the future which will include our ideas 
about where the office should be located. If our recommendations involve 
moving your family, you would probably want to have decisions made before school 
opens. The Jackson office will have a husband and wife team of lawyers by fall.
I met them this week. If this is going to free Marian and Henry to do more 
of their own community work (and in their way), then we may want to think of 
an even more selective kind of operation in Mississippi than we have discussed 
before. Or, we may want to widen your geographic area but have fewer project 
communities per state. You got my memo re reform schools. I may decide to 
give this to you as a package. This would include Oklahoma, Arkansas and 
maybe even Virginia plus the states where suits would have to be filed. I'm 
just thinking aloud. What I am exploring is the possibility of/Pcontinued 
area assignment for you \diere target communities would be selected for employmant 
and other sustained efforts plus (2) occasional special projects of limited 
duration like the reform school project.

Several ideas were thrown out at the stff meeting in N.Y. this week which 
s^gg®st future ways of using the Tj,sk Force on assignments in areas other than 
schools. By the end of the summer we should have some plans to discuss with 
Barbara and Connie.

Will try to reach you next week. 
Friday, will you call me, please.

If I havelnot been able to do so by

Sincerely



Phone:
601 352-8243

LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC.
Vlviilon oi LagaZ JnipAmvUon and SeAvZcu

538I5 North Far'rish Street 
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

Dear Jean;

I"ra on my way back to the coast now. Since we talked,I've worked with Mrs Carter in the rural areas around Drew, while Jake and three law students worked the town, I don't we'll accomplish much here. This might be a ggod place to see if HEW means what it says,
I also attended the orientation Henry set up for the law stud'ents. While I thought a disproportionate amount of time was spent on the "cold entry approach", it was a very informative session,
My typewriter will accompany me on my trip, and I'll make a full report of the past week. Joanna is working on the special school report, Jake is concentrating on a Washington County employment committee while keeping an eye on the areas near him under court order, and Draper is finishing up Corinth before spending a week in Huntsville.
I'll keep in touch.



Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc, 
Division of Legal Information & Services 
538’i North Farrish Street 
Jackson, Mississippi

June 22, 1966

Dr. Lloyd Henderson
Equal Education Opportunity Program 
U. S. Office of Education 
Washington, D. C. 20202

Dear Sir:

Our contacts in luka have informed us that there was 
indeed a fire in the cafeteria in luka High School 
earlier in the year. In the Cafeteria. Our contact 
also says that work continues a pace on this facility 
and on a new gymnasium. As far as ha knows no class 
room space was involved.

Phil Draper Intends to make a personal visit to the 
site, and if his investigation determines the accuracy 
of this report you will be so advised.

I eagerly await information relative to H E W 's plans in 
Mlsslss i p p i .

Respectively yours.

Allen Black,' Jr. 

A B ,Jr/mj p



June 24, l*?66

Miss Winifred FallsAmerican Friends Service Committee
41 Exchange Place 
Atlanta, Georgia
Dear Winifred!

I*ve talked with hraper about going to ’luntsville, and though 
he had hoped to get Into South Mississippi, he did express a will­
ingness to work close to home. His decision was given added im­
petus by our failure to hear from tlo3rd Henderson, which had as 
a consequence the lack of a definite assignment. He plans to 
spend the weekend in Corinth, then go to Huntsville on Monday.

While doing pieces of work and collecting reports from contacts he has managed to stir Florence up. After a breakfast session with me at a local drugstore to discus's future plans, we noticed our meals coat about twice as much as usual. For the hell of it, we 
returned that evening with a larger (about 15) integrated group.
Cokes in paper cups went up all of a sudden to 26q, coffee to 2lc 
milk shakes to 48e and hot dogs to 50p, Such fun.

On the way hcrne, Draper’s car forced off the tt>ad, and he 
and Is passengers were photographed^’Sfld roundly cussed and thteatened, 
Before noon-the following day, we had filed a complaint with Justice, 
been later'.dewcd by the FBI, had the group which forced Thil off the 
road la jail, and organized about 35 people to picket the drugstore.

About noon the manager of the drugstore asked for a conference 
at which he agreed to explain his compliant policy to his employees 
(1 sat in), publish an apology in the paper (which I wrote), fire 
the joker responsible, and refund our money (which X forgot to 
collect), Deilghtful experience.

Back to schools, 1 think that by the time Gadsden is ready 
for us, both Robert James and Mike Rosenbaum will be available. 
Meanwhile Rev. Gabriel in Decatur is anxious to do whatever he can.
I told him we’d be in touch.

My own plans are to be in Jackson this weekend then spend a 
day in Brookhaven, and go from there to Hattiesburg and the coast, 
winding up In Mobile on July 7. T can be reach through my home 
phonel can’t get you a half dollar unless X see you. Maybe we can 
get together around the middle of summer.

Meanwhile, you take care.
Yours,



June 24, 1966

Mr. Jake Ayers Box 334Glen Allen, Mississippi 
Dear Jake:
Thanks to you and the oiissus for beine so nice to «e while 1 wag in Gle^^A|.le^ you ever find it convenient to cometo Alabaraa, ■ri?iprocate,
I'm sorry you never had an opportunity to see Mrs, Carter, this truly remarkable woman will continue to work the county area until July 1, Meanwhile, Kellie McDowell has a peti- ' 
with which she hopes to enroll teanagers, I don't expect a lot because her patents, though they talk big, don't seem to like the idea at all. All in all, my experiences in the county were very similar to yours.
Now about next week. I’m enclosing some suggestions and materials which might help you with your couhty»wlde employ­ment c<»nmittee. When t see you in Jackson, oerhaps I'll have made some decision about Lincoln county], As yet, 1 haven't heard anything from Lloyd Henderson. At any rate, it you can find out what the organizational set up is In Sharkey County we'd have a pretty good picture of the Northesn half of Mississippi.
If things develop as scheduled, 1 might be able to Join you for the Jackson rally. If for sate reason I can't make it.I will be in touch with you.
Yours truly.

Allen Black, Jr.
A3,Jr;mjp
end.



v--\

.* »
• \ ^ T r  . June V

f'port.’inr' thing to do is  to firJ or 
in-' <1 sustained proftratr. "'>!e 

‘ . a Hrnad iro ss -sect  ion of the 
-ondttionSj all  C ivil  Rights, Jivi:

'■V; aru rrc- t̂ i ’
rtiTf- ' J e of

!h inclu-e.^ if
•ur'-t',', ”nder ontimun - ,
re::itions croups in the area snould be represented. "ni; 

-lo'.irse ,, u.r»ne..:essarv wbere ir.v one group Is strong enough,
to enjoy, the support of the en-•'ou,-."-. at?*’ reepected enou'

t task  o£ the committ€?e would h e .r o  educare i! 
rates di s ;  riml >ntion and what to do abO'.Jt i t .  
err. " 1 r Jertk : n- , the forms I l e f t  wtth^ you and

a I'd is  f-'-i s-vl f anal vs is  provided by the e»,*>lc
I left , wit!'. 'JO' , h  real epexf rove Is to 

le wur:, ;ri2 »n tpe same plant complete a 
c i V .-.'vn work inc cend 1 ons .

■is:

cove'i

: knovle ■i.g.g of hscw to f i l e  < cu
■iner ne out at the sat.'
ate that ^hts applies nnlv fo  

’ A copv of the *'o'nri uscud ",v 
'’cJeral eronlovc’es, i« enclc.ae«'i

of the'cosiwiitree, perhaps its most Important, 
ttc? wan in the . r i l l .  The cor.imltte'* therefore 

-r as a clearine lictise for information. At the ■nc'oura.ce people to apply for jobs not normal 1 v 
3n1v for whatever training is  available (an-*
■ now wb.. t̂ IK avatleble and hov; »;o uet in) to 

S‘v;nsored b y  their errployer, * : o  b i u ;  
and to f i l e  romnl aints when discriminated e-’ nli

o i ? - p t t  j i t  I S  in c -v t  t a ' - le  t'la*' 
t ;  ref'.'r people to i t ,  Av t >t a" 
rrrtnr-p w i l l  rtiCTt than l i k e  I v cc-vt* 
thoulf* ‘tel.nful vhen at a ll  pO'*

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T i 1 ‘ : r; . ..ndafid toi s ■ au- j j-Ji

< v - s ■ ; '»v n- 1
a ; t-: v <i t ' ihlnrp you v i  ] t neef * o re
' , M '■ ‘ '̂t ’ are 1 ’ f '.'tenf p:O"' , e.i)^ and

■ ' '..V  ̂‘ ( . v l l . CO Sf '
f rrh;f :■ :■ ^ upon w h icn  t o •Start. r ,



June 24, 1966

Miss Joanna Edwards 

Dear Joanna:

Thank you for your reports and for the maps..I now 
have a pretty good idea of the status of school desegrs. 
gation in Arkansas. I agree with you that Washington 
has given little attention to Arkansas or, as a matter 
of fact, to Mississippi and Alabama. We might be able 
to help them more if we could provide them with both 
the names and addresses of your contacts. It is up to 
us to keep the pressure on them.

For the next couple of 
you give some time on the p 
status of desegregation in 
That is. Schools for the de 
reform schools. Technical s 
The type information we wan 
our recent telephone conver 
plete this- in a couple of w 
possibility of doing some s 
Northern Louisiana. 1 will 
this .

weeks we would like to have 
reparation of reports on the 
special schools in Arkansas. 
a£, blind and handicapped, 
chool and Junior Colleges, 
t was, I chink, explained in 
sation. If you could com- 
eeks, you might consider the 
chool desegregation work in 
be writing you later about

In terms of an office for you I would have no o b ­
jections to your using any space which might be made 
available free of charge. On the other hand 1 am sure you 
recognize Che impracticability of maintaining a full time 
office while you are on the road. I would think that such 
a thing would be very advantageous in the maintenance of 
adequate files and in the completion of the afore mentioned 
r e p o r t .

Give my regards both to Mr, 
will stay in touch.

Sutton and to John.

Sincerely yours.

Allen Black, Jr,

AB,Jr:mjp



May 23, 1966

Mr. Jake Ayers
P. 0. Box 384
Glen Allen, Mississippi
Dear Jake:
Thanks for the report. I m  sorry I was out when you called be­
cause I wanted to talk with you about the May 13 report. You 
know, of course, that we wanted you to remain in Tate County for 
as long as you felt your presence was necessary, I look forward 
to hearing of your accomplishments there.
I was very pleased to hear from Henry that some two hundred kids in 
the Western Line district made transfer choices. Good work!
I couldn't determine from your report exactly what use you made 
of the information you got fraa various connnunlty organizers.
In Pike county, which has no plan, have parents complained to the 
Justice department? What were the features of the KcComb plan, 
and what Is the status of desegregation there? Is anyone conduct­
ing a house to house canvas in Hattiesburg? What suggestions did 
you make to the CO's with whom you talked?
I notice too, that the Bay St. Louis transfer period is still open. 
Did Rev. McGee indicate any interest on the part of Negro parents and students?
My impi^Bsion fro® your telephone message was that you would con­
tinue your work in Tate County for a couple more days, then go to 
the Coldwater area. I am please that you are using your CDGM con­
tacts to good advantage. You've probably found, as we all have, 
that a lot more can be accomplished when our visits are prearranged.
Your work after this week will more than likely involve areas imder 
court order and where transfer periods have closed. You should be 
on the look out for violations that can be documented and used in filing ctwiplalnts,
1 can be reached for the rest of this week at home either late at 
night or early in the morning. Tills weekend I will go to Arkansas 
and you can locate me through Attroney John Walker, phone FR 4-7860.



Mr. Jake Ayres Page 2 May 23, 1966

I assume you have been advised of our meeting scheduled for 
Atlanta, June 3 and 4. We will look forward to seeing you there.
Yours truly,

:
Allen Black, Jr.
rojp

Miss Jean Fairfax 
Miss Constance Curry



May 23, 1966

Miss Constance Curry 
American Friends Service Committee 
41 Exchange Place, Room 502 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Bear Connies

I wrote a beautifully phrased seven page memorandum 
concerning community work which I had intended to bring 
to Atlanta* After seeing it in print, however, I dis-» 
cover not a single outstanding feature. As a matter of 
fact, it’s probable the type thing we were supposed to be doing all the time.

Rather than tear it up, however, I hope to select 
five or six sentences from it for our consultation.

My present plans are to arrive in Atlanta via 
Southern Airways at 9:45 A. K. Friday morning, June 2, 
and to leave Sunday at noon. Draper will fly in with me and leave Saturday at 3”40 p.m.

I will bring as much of my school desegregation 
file as can be er®ned into my bags, Unita Blackwell has 
indicated to Jake Ayres that our requirements were too 
severe, and decided to continue her work CDGM. I*ve 
heard no tiling from the Lane child and enclose a copy of 
the last letter I sent her, along with a copy of the letter to Jake Ayres.

Have some good moments.

rajP
Allen



P h o n e:
601 352-8243

LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC.
V-Lv-Ulon o{ Legal InioAmatlon and SeAvlc.es, 

538J5 North Farrish Street 



M y 23, 1966

Mrs. Mary Lee Lane 

Dear Maryi
I m  terrible distressed to have heard nothing from you. I 
understood from our last conversation that a report from you 
was in the mall.
We are all interested in knowing what happened in that final 
Carroll County meeting, how many people you were able to transfer 
to formerly all white schools, and what you were able to accomplish 
in Montgomery county.
An irmiediate judgment has to be made relative to our future 
efforts.
Were you able to get a house? I read of the •’Palace Coup" pulled 
off by your SNICK buddies. It shoudl be interesting to see what 
direction the group takes now.
Let us hear from you.
Sincerely,

Allen Slack, Jr. 
AB,Jr/mjp
CCJ
Miss Jean Fairfax 
Miss Constance Curry



Phone:
601 352-8243

LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC.
V-ivli-Lon 0(5 Ltgal In iom a tlon  and SMvla&i 

538*5 North Farrlsh Street 
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

24 April 1966

Miss Jears Fairfax 10 Columbus Circle, Suite 2030 New York, New York 10019
Dear Jean:

My exciting week had to come to a close before I'd intended because my boys contracted pneunomia and had to be hospitalized,
I'lp enclosing my report, Jake Ayre' s personnel form, a copy of the Philadelphia plan, my personnel form (which I thought you had), and copies of reports from Phil Draper who is working Northeast Mississippi. Mary Lane's form is in Atlanta as is Draper's. Both agreed to a ten dollar honorarium and ten cents a mile, the formula given me by Connie.
I followed up the luka report with a letter to Lloyd. Henderson, and suggested that parents be encouraged to pick up their oivn forms. Draper could provide transportation if he liked. His next move is into Lee County where he has a good thing going, with a meeting set up for Monday.
The local school has reacted to the failure of Negro kids to keep up by securing Federal funds for a summer school project. A copy of letter sent me is also enclosed.
Next week I hope to touch Kemper and Newton counties before the Airlee House meeting.

Regards,

Allen
mjP



Phone:
601 352-8243

LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC.
oi LzgaZ Iniomation and SeAvicu 

538*5 North Farrlsh Street 
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

25 April 1966

Miss Jean Fairfax10 Columbus Circle, Suite 2030New York, New York 10019
Dear Jean:

I got your note somewhat belatedly and was unable to 
phone before you left the office.

I talked with Joanna last week by phone and explained the facts of life. Her report arrived today and she indicates that a copy was mailed to you. You should also receive a re­port from her each week hereafter. I know from my own contacts that she is doing impressive work and is getting coverage for 
her efforts.

Joanna, of course, will not have time to set up a work­shop. John Walker indicates that he plans to pull somefolk together but doesn't know how many will come. Cooperation among groups is somewhat nebulous. I'm sending him copies of everything I can find relative to the Alabama and Mississippi conferences to help him along.
I sent Jake's personnel form along with my report. The others had already been sent to Connie because I thought every­

thing was to go through her.
Also, I should explain my reason for spending so much time s 

in Neshoba: It's my model. s
S ee you  t h i s  w eeken d .

Allen
P.S The boys are better and should come home today.



1009 W. Irvine Avenue
Florence, Alabama 35630
April 2, 1966

Mrs. Arlene Walton 
10 Columbus Circle, Suite 2030 
New York, New York 10019
Dear Mrs, Walton:
I am in receipt of your letter of March 30, requesting infor­
mation relative to rental of a car in Arkansas. I assume 
that you are interested in the circumstances attendant to 
this expense.
The nearest ariport to Magnolia, Arkansas, where I have two 
projects in operation, is in Eldorado, I therefore rented 
a car in El Dorado, and used it traveling to Magnolia, sur­
rounding Lafayette County, McNeil in Ouachita County, Pine 
Bluff in Jefferson County, and to Little Rock where I caught 
a plane for Alabama.
You should also know that on March 30, I rented a car in 
Jackson, Mississippi and drove it to Florence, Alabama, 
making stops in Corinth and luka, Mississippi. The cost 
of this rental is 934.11.
I feel that my failure to send in expense reports accounts 
for your lack of knowledge about these bills. I promise to 
eliminate this dereliction.
Sincerely yours,

C U M -
Allen Black, Jr,
«>3p

A
is

^  l i r S
2



1009 W. Irvine Ave.
Florence, Alabama
March 6, 1966

Miss Joanna Edwards 

Dear Joanna:

staff.
It is a pleasure to officially welcome you to the

I would think that preparation for our conference in 
Montgomery, as outlined in Miss Fairfax's letter to you, should sufficiently occupy you.

We have arranged for you to visit with Constance 
Curry and Winifred Falls of the American Friends Service 
Committee in Atlanta, Georgia, both of whom have considerable 
experience school desegregation projects and coaanunlty or­
ganization. Y<»a should plan to arrive at the Friends' office 
on the morning of March 10th, I would suggest that you fore­
go taking the **Nltty Gritty" and try to get a good flight.
I understand the Atlantan is a moderately priced hotel with 
good acccsBOdatlons. Just steer clear of the Cadillac.

I hope you were able to talk to Ozell Sutton, and to 
make some contacts at the State Arkansas Council on Hinnan 
Relations meeting.

Please feel free to contact either Miss Fairfax or my­
self if you have questions. 1 look forward to seeing you in 
Montgomery.

Sincerely yours,

Allen Black, Jr.
mjp
cc: Miss Jean Fairfax 

John Walker, esq.



1009 w, Amtme
Florence, Al«b«ea
Umreh 6, 19§6

Mies Constance Curry 
Asierlcaa Frlene Serylce CoBailttee 41 Exchange Place 
Atlanta, Georgia
Dear Conniei

This Mill coaflrts the arrangMents we ««3e earlier by 
tel@{)hone concerning Joanna Edwards visit with you.

We have suggested that she plan to arrive at ymir 
office OB Thursday aontlng, March lOth, and to attend the 
Alabana C<mfer#nce In Montgomery on Satuirfay, March 12,
Je®B has suggested also that we plan an additional conference 
either Saturday night or Sunday,

Joanna is to be «cwr man in Arkansas**, with the re­
sponsibility for developing actlcm g»ups In selected areas 
of the state In the promotion of maximum school integration. 
And we feel that a visit with you and Winifred Falls i«»uld be 
of more benefit to her than another year at the University of Arkansas,

By the way, 1 talked with Chuck Sogers In Decatur, and 
he had not been advised of the conference, I would think that 
Sev, M. L, Gabriel, a relatively new and very vigorous Negro 
minister, would be In a better oosltlon to utilize the work­
shop. I took the liberty to Invite him* His addreas is 

I plan to be In Montgomery Friday, March llth, look forward to seeing you thereabouts.
Yours,

Allen Black, Jr.
mjp
cc Miss Joanna Edwards 

Mitt Jean Fairfax



1009 W, Irvine Avenue
Florence,Alabama 35630
January 30, 1966

Miss Jean Fairfax10 Columbus Circle, Suite 2030New York, New York 10019
Dear Jean:
I returned from Atlanta Thursday night, January 27, full of ambitious plans for the coming week. First, of all I decided to forego the ACHR workshops experience since such elaborate plans had been made to provide bus transportation from Washington to Airlie House. I am not returning the Time and Date Arrival Card as yet because I have not been able to se- cure all the necessary information re airline schedules.
I plan to spend the week conducting an intensive survey of employment opportunity in this area, I have prepared a questionnaire, a copy of which is enclosed. I have also made plans to meet with leaders of all Civil Rights organi­zations in this area on Tuesday night. This is in response to their questions as to ray new job and the possible effects of it on their activities. I intend to tell them how they an help me do my job.
Alas, the best laid plan of mice and men sometime go astray. The truth is I don't know how much of this I can get done in the wake of a 10 inch snowfall and sub zero weather. I will do as much as I can.
After my return from New York, I hope to join Winifred Falls in planning two school desegregation workshops in Alabama, the formed of which I hope can be used in both Arkansas and Mississippi.
Yours,

Allen Black, Jr. 
end
AB, JR/mjp



Friday
Dear Allen,

Good to see you in Atlanta, Hope you felt the meetings worthwhile. Enclosed is the draft of the "calling card" we have worked out, I was told that your credit card's were sent out this week to you.
Note thejenclosed to John Walker.We’ll talk more when you come up. I plan to be out of the office until Wed. but will be in touch with you about the Airlie House conference and your visit here on Monday afterwards Meanwhile, I am glad to have you work in the Tri-cities area this coming week. Sometiae early in Feb. we should perhaps plan to spend some time together in Mississippi. Good luck.

Sincerely



January 21, 1966

Mr. Allen Black, Jr. 1009 W. Irvine Avenue Florence, Alabama
Dear Allen:

I seem to be getting into a pattern of airmail special delivery letters composed late Friday afternoons. I have been waiting for information to send to you.
Yesterday I had a call from Mrs. Elizabeth Cole who has had the Mississippi desk at the Office of Education. She in­formed me that a strong letter had gone to the Corinth super­intendent who apparently sent an angry reply although he agreed to do essentially what had been required by Washington. Indi­vidual letters were sent to families with 3rd and 4th grade youngsters. Apparently over 80 children still had not registered a choice so another letter was due to be sent January 20 advising them they could not be enrolled until the registration was com­plete and that forms could be returned by mail. She had the names of these children and said she would send them to me unless her boss forbade it. Although I have been waiting all day, nothing has come. I told her of your program in the community and of the fact that you and local Negro leaders had circulated information in the community. Before you come to Atlanta, I would appreciate it if you would check with Mr. Jones in Corinth to find out whether children are in fact out of school because their parents have not returned the forms.
Now about your schedule:
Atlanta. There are t»» meetings in Atlanta which I hope you are planning to attend. The first is a consultation on school desegregation which Robert Green of SCLC has called. It will be held all day Tuesday, January 25. Note the enclosed letter from him. I doubt whether the breakfast session will be important.If you can get an early morning flight to Atlanta which would arrive by 9:00 A.M. or so, I think that would be Okay. Take the limosine into the Dinkier Hotel and then get a cab to the SCLC office. If you would prefer to arrive Monday night, the Atlantan



Allen Black -2- January 21, 1966

Hotel, which is near the Dinkier and w^ich I think is on Luckie Street, has moderate priced rooms, I have not made my travel plans yet but 1 shall arrive in time for the Tuesday A.M, session.
The Southern Interagency Conference meets from Wednesday, January 26, at 2:00 P.M. - Thursday, January 27, at 3:00 P.M.

We will probably have an evening session on Vfednesday, Sometime around the edges of these two meetings, I look forward to talking with you about your developing program. I have an appointment with a housing official early Wednesday morning but that is the only data I have made. Also, I think it would be good for you to see people at the Southern Regional Council about their pro­grams and about materials which would be helpful to you. Maybe you could do that Wednesday morning while I am at the housing office.
■Airlie House Confarence and. New York City. Several times a year the Legal Defense Fund sponsors conferences at Airlie House for groups of our cooperating lawyers. The mid-winter con­ference will be February 4-6. This would give you an opportunity to meet lawyers who are involved in our program and some of the staff and to get information about some areas in which the Fund is working. 1 think it would be a good idea for you to come to New York either before or after the conference. We might also schedule a few appointments in Washington. If the new guidelines for school desegregation are out by then, I might want to make some visits to Washington. It might be very important for you to visit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office, too. We can decide on dates. One possibility is for you to spend Friday, February 4,here and go dovm to Airlie House with staff members who are planning to attend the conference. I will prob­ably not go this time but could meet you Monday in Washington if wo decide to take on the Federal Government. I won’t make any plans until I see you in Atlanta.
Best wishes.

Sincerely,

JF:rt
Encs.

Jean Fairfax



1009 W, Irvine Avenue
Florence, Alabana 35630
April 6, 1966

Miss Joanna P, Edwards 

Dear Joanna;
I trust that mf check was of sufficient ammint to enable 
you to continue your excellent efforts, I tm certain Chat 
your expense money will be coming In shortly.
We are sure that as a civil rights worker, you recognize 
the darters inherent in your work. It would at that same 
time, I think, be well that your whereabouts be easily ascertained. In addition, since you continue to use John*s 
office as a working address, it would probably be well for 
you to leave a weekly Ittlnerary, Including telephone 
WHBbere If possible, with the Little Rock office. Any legal 
follow-up to emv work in Arkansas would be initiated by 
John, so he should be kept posted. We continue to be Im­
pressed by your enthuslam and Initiative, Your Idea about 
not spreading yourself too thin le quite valid. Taking 
time out for reports every week is part of the Job and you 
should not hesitate to do so.
Thanks for the number. While I probably can*t get back 
to Arkansas before May 7, I*ll try to keep In touch.
Warm regards.

Allen
mjp





MEMORANDUM

FROM

TO

SUBJECT

Allen Black, Jr. 

Miss Jean Fairfax 

Field Report #3 DATE; 11 April 1966

Wednesday afternoon, April 6, was spent in Jackson, I 
talked with Mike Bruland about his reports and we were able to isolate 
three areas of concentration for Title VII work. On area, in the N o r t h ­
east would include Lee, Monroe, Clay, and Lowndes Counties; another, on 
the gulf coast, would include Harrison and Jackson counties; while the 
third would include Warren, Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties, Mike's 
immediate plans are to continue research into the industrial and social 
make-up of these areas. His last two reports, Warren county and Monroe 
County, were excellent. His future studies will include an indication 
of Union strengths and attitudes.

My discussions with Marion and Henry ranged over two su b­
jects (aside from bemoaning Ben Hunton's continued employment with HEW): 
Areas of initial concentration and personnel. We agreed, after a while, 
that it would not be wise to expend our initial efforts in areas not 
under HEW approved voluntary plans. This eliminates quite a large chunk 
some parts of at least twenty-five counties. It was pointed out to me, 
however, that Charles Evers was working on projects other than school 
desegregation, and his presence in the area did not obviate the need of 
someone else. This leaves them almost all of North Mississippi, e x ­
clusive of most of the Delta, in addition to most of the fourth and 
fifth congressional districts. Specifically, we agreed to exclude for 
the time being all or part of Clay, Noxubee, Clarke, Lauderdale, Cov i ng ­
ton, Forrest, Jackson, Amite, Wilkinson, Jefferson, Copiah, Hinds, Warren 
Madison, Leake, Shankey, Issaquena, Humprey, Holmes, Sunflower, Leflore, 
Grenada, Bolivar, Washington, and Coahoma counties.

Significant progress in the remaining areas would require 
at least six workers, including Mr. Ayres and Me. Everyone has high praise 
for Jake Ayres, including CDGM, but Marion is certain of his availability 
if we can get a good salary ($125 a week) for him. Two white women sub­
mitted applicatioiB,but indicated, to my way of thinking at least, that 
their availability would be limited to work in and around Jackson.

Marion suggested that I find, evaluate and put to work 
immediately those people I thought capable. Although I don't have the 
authority to offer anyone anything legitimate, the idea of getting folk 
on the job right away seemed quite improtant.

I was able to talk with Alberta Barnett by telephone and 
agreed to meet with her and with Mary Lee Lane the following day in 
G r e e n w oo d .



MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
April 11, 1966

 

- 

 

 

 



MEMORANDUM
Miss Jean Fairfax
Page 3



1009 W, Irvine Avenue 
Florence, Alabama 35630 
January I5, I966

Hiss Jean Fairfax 
10 Columbus Circle 2030 Suite 
New York, New York 10019

Dear Guardian Angel;

My first full day on the Job was packed from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m.
In the mnrning I met with Robert Valder in the ACHR office in Huntsville, 
had a leisure lunch with Jacques E. Wilmore of the U. S. Commission on 
Civil Rights, then srent the afternoon and early evening talking with 
ACHAC officials and Mr. Bradford of the Calary Hill Project. This 
nroject concern itself with the testing and placing of under privilege 
nersons in Hmtsville industry as trainees and apprentices. More about 
that when I see you. Later I »ias able to talk with Zeke Bell before I 
fell asleen.

On Tuesday I went to Decatur which seems to me to have nossibilities. 
I met with Charles Rogers at Eva A. Sterrs Boys' Club and discuss with 
him Decatur's problems and chance for organization.

Wednesday, of course, I was in Jackson and met the engaging Mr.
Clark who filled my head with facts about Title VII. After I talked with 
you, I went on the Corinth and srient the night there. It seems that 
school officials are holding open the period for re-registration until 
the last day of the current semester which is January 21. Jones and I 
decided that the oroner approach would be to prepare circulars adver­
tising the urgency of the situation, to provide radio annoimcements, 
and to make house to house calls. We also thought it would be a good 
idea to meet with the area ministers and urge them to make a pitch from 
the nulpit Sunday, This meeting which was held this morning was not 
well attended but those who were there oromised to contact the other 
minister.

Next week I clan to be in Little Flock. I will be staying with Dr. 
Jerry Jewel. I8I3 Pulaski Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, Phone FR 5-8039.

Later I entend to get COFO personnel from the list Marion left for

I look forward to seeing you in Atlanta on the 26.

Sincerely yours.

AB:mJp



P, S, These observations are brief because I want to discuss them fully 
when I see you. By the way, except for four or five cross- 
burnings, life is quite peaceful in luka. My labor Union buddy 
has been successful in ulacing six other of Jordan's ex-employees.



Dear Allen:
I was glad when you told me that you plan to visit Little Rock during the coming week. I am eager for you to talk with John Walker, Ruth Hansen and Joanna Edwards and look foarward to your recoBHBendations. Since it may not be convenient for you to return to Arkansas soon, I hope that this visit will cover develofments in several fields so that we can discuss how the Legal Defense Fund can relate helpfully to them.
EffloloviBent integration is key, of course. We will need to know vsmat are the Important areas of industrial development, whether there are state agencies programs for development and training, whether there are private groups working on the problem, etc.Does it make sense to think of concentrating in the area east of Little Rock or does that exclude some important communities?
School dsseareoation. Mow that Joanna Edwards has completed the s'tudy on disparities' in teachers’ salaries, will she be available to be a community worker to promote school desegregation? Has there been compiled in any one place infortaation about what happened this year across /Arkansas as schools were desegregated? Do you and John see the potential for a state-wide school desegregation effort?What would be required? What agencies could be involved in a coordina­ted project? I recently met the State CojMissloner of Education,^A.W, Ford. Perhaps you and John could see him to find out what kinds of information the Arkansas State Department of Education has on school desegregation (numbers of children, kinds of plans, dates of transfer periods, teacher desegregation, etc.). ’Whatever infor­mation you can bring to the interagency conference at the end of this month will help as we try to get an overall picture of the 
job to be done this rpring.
Pick up whatever information you can civil rights agencies working in the state and their programs. Also, I am interested in your impressions about the general climate and the readiness of Megroes to press further. If there are certain areas of the state where the Negro community is in a mood to get things done, we should know about them and the quality of leadership there.
As I told you before, I am Interested in what you and John will recommend so fax as continuing Ruth and Joanna. This is going to be a new set up with well-planned projects, careful reporting

Januairy 14, 1966
Mr, Allen Black, jr,
1009 V/. Irvine Avenue
Florence, Alabama '



required regularly and close supervision. After your \dsit, we will work out some program goals for Arkansas for the next several months. What you and John should decide is whether they can carry on independent work within the framework which we vdll design and produce tangible results - particularly whether they can discover and/or create local action groups and help these local people change patterns.
I hope a report from your Mississippi trip is on the way. I gather you are in Corinth now, Mrs. Doswell told me that she wrote you today sending your check and some information.
All the best. Will be In touch with you about the Atlanta meetings. Meanwhile, I am enclosing the announcement of a meeting which would not have high priority on your time but wiilch you might want to attend for one day to make some contacts.

Sincerely,

Jean Fairfax
ccj John Walker



Dear Allen;
I was glad when you told ms that you plan to visit Little Rock during the coming week. I  ais eager for you to talk with John Walker, Ruth Hansen and Joanna Edwards and lock forward to your recoiaraendations. Since it may net be convenient for you to return to Arkansas soon, I hope that this i/isit will cover developassants in several fields so that we can discuss how the Legal Defense Fund can relate helpfully to thea.
EmplQVPent integration is key, of course. We will need to know vwiat are the important areas of Industrial development, whether there are state agencies programs for developrasnt and training, whether there are private groups working on the problem, etc.Does i t  f a a k e  s e n s e  to t h i n k  o f  c e n c e n t r a t i n g  i n  t h e  a r e a  o a s t  of Littlo Rock o r  does t h a t  e x c l u d e  s c * a e  i m p o r t a n t  c o f 5 E ; u r d t l e s ?

Sch'-ol desegrenation. liow that Joanna Ed'wards has completed the study on disparities in teachers’ aalarico, vdli she be available to be a cojnaunity worker tc pra;>ote school desegregation? Has there bec-n compiled in any one place information about what happened this year across /Arkansas as schools were desegregated? Do you and John see the potential for a state-vdde school desegregation effort?•*/hat would be required? What agencies could bs Involved in a coordina­ted project? I recently met the State Coisssissioner of Education,
A.'d, Ford. Perhaps you and John could see him to find out what kinds of information the /Arkansas State Department of Education has von school desegregation (nuiabers of children, kinds of plans, dates of transfer periods, teacher desegregation, etc.). Whatever infor­mation you can bring to the interagency conference at the end of this month will help as we try tc get an overall picture of the job to be done this spxirn.
Pick up vdiatevor irsformation you can civil rights agencies working in the state and their programs. Also, I am interested in your impressions about the general clitmite and the readiness of Hegroes to press further. If there aro certain araas of the state where the Negro coKtrunity i:.; in a mood t-' got things done, we should know ab-'Ut them and the quality of leadership there.

I told you before, I am interested in vdoat you and J'̂ hn will rocornmond sc far as continuing Ruth and Joanna. This is going to bo a new set up vdth well-planned projects, careful reporting

January 14, 1966
Mr, Alien Black, jr,
1009 Irvine Avenue
Florence, Alabama



required regularly and close supervision. After your visit* 
m  will woric out soej© program goals for Arkansas for the next several months# VThat you and John should decide is whether they can carry on independlent work within the framswork which we will design and produce tangible results - particularly wliother they can discover and/or create local action groups and help these 
local people change patterns.
I hope a report fraa your Mississippi trip Is on the way, I gather you are In Corinth now. feirs. Ooswsll told me that she wrote you today sending your check and scsae Infonaation.
All the best. Will be in touch with you about the Atlanta., meetings, Meansrtill©* 1 m  enclosing the announcement of a meeting which would not have high priority on your time but sî ich you might want to 
attend for one day to laake some Ci>ntacts.

\ Sincerely,

iyean Fairfax
CCS John Walker



. ----  C ^4f^~C ^-. ....... ........  _.... _

-V  t f  l i j :

c ^  / in'

/ t " ^  >  ’7  C < . ^  ^ / i ^ . . ^ ^ - ' ' ’/ ' . , -e ^  j-.

, . . ^ . ^ r  ........:ZĴ ..̂ _____________________

/ 2  iX>

Go/j' 2 ^^7^



1009 W . Irvine Avenue 
Florence, Alabama 35630 
December 27, 1965

M iss Jean Fairfax 
Legal Defense Fund 
10 Columbus Circle 
New York, New York

Dear Jean:

Total round trip mileage for my delightful trip was 856 miles.
I saw Henry and Mary and thought they were tremendous.

Upon my return to Fort Smith I talked with local NAACP as to the 
effects of the Sumpreme Court decision. Nothing has been done as yet 
on pupil transfer and nothing here has been said on teacher integration.

I will see Walker in Little Rock before the first of the year. I 
have found enthusiasm all over Arkansas and am anxious to get started.

Tell me as soon as possible when you would like for me to come 
to New York and how long I will be expected to stay.

Another letter follows in the near future.

Sincerely yours,

Allen Black, Jr.



Dear Alleni
After I received your call this morning, I telephoned the 
Office of Education to pass the information along to Mrs. Cole 
who has the Mississippi desk. She said that the superinten­
dent of Corinth had informed her that practically all of the 
white children had registered a choice. I suggested the 
possibility that school officials had strongly persuaded the 
white children to return their forms after the announcement 
in the paper had been ineffective. She said that she would 
have David Seeley, Mr. Keppel's assistant, call the superin­
tendent to inform him of the report that notice had been 
inadequate and to insist that individual notices be given to 
children. She will keep me informed. Meanwhile, please keep 
in touch with your Corinth contacts. If a new choice period 
is opened up, this may have a priority on your schedule next week.
First, some administrative details and then some comments about 
program development and youi- schedule for the rest of the month. 
Mrs. Marjorie Doswell of this office will write you about matters 
such as insurance. Please write her immediately about your pre­
sent health plan and about what you have arranged during this 
interim period before you can be enrolled in this plan. The Fund will take care of the cost.
I discussed with Mrs. Arlene Walton the ordering of calling 
cards for you. She will have the printer make up a sample.
I am in favor of using the Jackson address and possibly the 
national office address but not your home address and phone.
If you want to give it out to local contacts, you may do so. But 
there is always the possibility of nuisance phone calls and it 
would be good not to bother your family. What do you think?
You will be reimbursed for all travel expenses. There is a iCt 
a mile allowance when you use your own car. Hotel costs and 
meals when overnight trips are involved are also covered. We 
are concerned to keep travel expenses at a minimum, of course, 
but we also recognize that a traveling job is very strenuous. 
There are several ways in which you can help to keep costs 
down. Travel tourist on planes, request minimum rates in hotels, 
etc. Also, when you plan to work for an extended period in a 
community, local contacts are often very eager to provide hos­
pitality as their way of expressing appreciation. However, this 
is often very tiring, so use your own judgment. Also, most

January 6, 1966
Mr. Allen Black, jr
1009 W. Irvine Avenue
Florence, Alabama



agencies do not cover meals if the representative is just out 
on a day’s trip which does not involve overnight. Here again 
you should use your own judgment about what to submit. I feel 
that if your work goes into the evening, for example, and a 
meal is Involved, you should include that as a cost. I am 
going into what may seem small details because I feel that they 
may be on your mind.
I have submitted a voucher to reimburse you for the trip to 
Jackson and to provide you with an advance of $100.00. I 
suggest that you keep a daily expense record and be sure that 
you have hotel bills and any other large items.
We are orderings a telephone credit card, an air travel card 
and a Herz auto rental card. There may be times when it is 
most convenient and reasonable to fly to your destination and
then rent a caixl.
You should send in a we kly report which should include a 
summary of what you have done, your general observations and 
your plans for the coming week. Also, send in a weekly 
financial report. It is very easy on a traveling job to get 
your own finances tied up because you have forgotten to send 
in your reports so that you can be reimbursed. In addition to 
these weekly reports (I have had some friends who have kept 
a daily “log" ox diary quite successfully), it would be valuable 
to have community reports occasionally which report what you 
h ve been doing over a period of time in a community and which 
summarize developments, list names and addresses of contacts 
and evaluate your efforts.
It is important to have a plan of work, especially since your 
region is rather large, to let people know in advance when you 
are coming and to have an objective in your mind for each visit. 
This will maximize your usefulness and minimize the danger of 
scattered resoiarces.
I decided that in order to be helpful to you, I needed to or­
ganize my thoughts about the goals of our program. So I 
worked out the enclosed ’’Description of Field Program for 1966” 
which looks more formidable than it really is. I consider it 
a working document subject to revision.
As I told you over the telephone, it would be very easy for 
you to be out in the field all of the time. This would not 
only be bad for your family; it would be very exhausting. I 
should think that you could work out a schedule which would per­
mit you to be home every other week or at least to have a long 
block of time at home after an extensive trip. Fortunately, 
some of the areas in your region have a high priority in my mind 
and are also easy to reach from Florence: Huntsville, eastern
Mississippi and, of course, the Muscle Shoals area. Jackson is 
headquarters and I hops you will be able to have whatever

Alien Black, jx,
January 6, 1966
page 2



secretarial work is required done there. You can type rough drafts 
of your program reports and send them to me for the time being. My 
secretary will type them and share them with the appropriate persons.
If you have notices of meetings or other kinds of secretarial work 
for your Alabama activities, engage part-time secretaries as you need them.
After you have studied the “description," then we can set some 
3-month goals for the program. I should think that by the end 
of March, (l) we should have identified the target coimnunities 
for the FEP effort and have some activity started; (2) we should 
know the shape of the school desegregation project and should have 
had some area conferences; and (3) should have done whatever we can 
to contribute toward the launching of the medicare program since 
the initial registration ends March 31-
The Southern Interagency Conference will have its mid-winter meeting 
in Atlanta January 26 and 27. More about that group later but put 
the date on your calendar. This will give us a chance to talk 
since I will be there. Also, I am hoping to pull together an 
interagency consultation on school desegregation at the same time.
Early in February we look forward to having you here in New York.
If there are any Washington contacts which can be made on that trip, they can be scheduled.
Now for January. Since your visit here will be more fruitful if 
you can bring us a picture of some developments in your region, I 
am suggesting that January should be devoted to exploratory work 
and that you should try not to get deeply involved in particular 
community situations for a while. This may be difficult since 
Marian Wright has suggested some situations to you which I believe 
she communicated in a letter and since the Corinth registration 
period (if reopened) shouldhave some priority because of your pre­
vious involvement. Generally speaking and allowing for crises, I 
am recommending exploratory visits, particularly to pull together 
information about employment developments, for January in: Huntsville,
your own area. Eastern Mississippi and Arkansas. The purpose of the 
trip to Little Rock would be to get John Walker's ideas about 
priorities and to evaluate Ruth Hansen’s work to see whether you want 
her to continue on the employment project. Joanna Edwards has also 
been working with him, primarily on a study of discrimination in teachers' salaries. Find out the status of that research. A 
decision should be made soon about what to do with the findings.
Leroy Clark of this office will be in Jackson next week. Leroy is 
the staff person in charge of the Fund's employment work. This 
would be a good time for you to get adquainted with him. I suggest 
that you cantact him at the Jackson office on Monday and plan to 
join him there Tuesday for a few days. If you and he feel that 
you should look into any school matters, fine. I would prefer 
that you concentrate on the FEP program at first. Michael Bruland

Allen Black, jr.
January 6, 1966
page 3



who has been doing research for the Misiissippi program will be 
there. This will give you an opportunity to see how his work can 
promote your efforts.
There are some representatives of other agencies and some Mississippi 
officials whom I believe you should visit. You can decide whether
to do so v.now or at a later time:

- Mississippi State Employment Commission Director
- Someone at the Agricultural and Industry Board and 

also someone connected with Balanced Agriculture with 
Industry (BAWI) Program, Mike Bruland may have suggestions 
of persons to see. The purpose of these visits would be to 
get an overall view of anticipated developments in industry, 
employment projects, training plans, skills needed, etc. If 
you cannot get the name of a good person to see, wait until 
later.

~ STAR Project. This is an OEO-financed program which the 
Catholics are administering. Find out about their training program.

* Civil rights and human relations leadership; NAACP,
Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Mississippi Council
on Human Relations, etc., etc. National Counc&l of Churches, also.

I think of the above contacts as useful in orienting you to the 
state and to local contacts and resources. However, you may 
prefer to wait until I could join you or until Marian and/or 
Henry have returned. Sometimes, too, one feels more confident 
about going to see state officials and leaders when one has 
some familiarity with the situation and can ask good questions.
This has been much too long and rambling a letter, I have had to 
type it myself and have had many interruptions because of the 
general state of canfusion caused by the strike.

Allen Black, jr*
January 6, 1966
page 4

1*11 call sometime Sunday to see whether this makes sense, great having you on the team. Welcome.' It's

Sincerely,

Jean Fairfax
cc: Leroy Clark



]V. A .  A .  C . P .  Legal Defense and Educational Fund, inc.
10 Columbus Circle, New York 19, N. Y.

J U d so n  6 - 8 3 S 7

Contributions are deductible for U. S. Income Tax Purposes



 



1009 W . Irvine Avenue 
Florence, Alabama 35630 
January 5 , 1966

M iss Jean Fairfax
10 Columbus Circle , Suite 2030
New York, New York 10019

Dear Jean:

Enclosed is a paid receipt from the Sun-N-Sand Motor Hotel, 
Jackson, M ississippi, in the amount of $ 9 .4 1 .

If things break right, I will go to Little Rock this week-end.

Yours truly.

Allen Black, Jr.



January 6, 1966
Mr. Allen Black, jr 
1009 W. Irvine Avenue 
Florence, Alabama
Dear Allen:
After I received your call this morning, I telephoned the 
Office of Education to pass the information along to Mrs. Cole 
who ,has the Mississippi desk. She said that the superinten­
dent of Corinth had informed her that practically all of the 
white children had registered a choice. I suggested the 
possibility that school officials had strongly persuaded the 
white children to return their forms after the announcement 
in the paper had been ineffective. She said that she would 
have David Seeley, Mr. Keppel's assistant, call the superin­
tendent to inform him of the report that notice had been 
inadequate and to insist that individual notices be given to 
children. She will keep me informed. Meanwhile, please keep 
in touch with your Corinth contacts. If a new choice period 
is opened up, this may have a priority on your schedule next week.
First, some administrative details and then some comments about 
program development and your schedule for the rest of the month. 
A/!rs. Marjorie Dosweli of this office will write you about matters 
such as insurance. Please write her immediately about your pre­
sent health plan and about what you have arranged during this 
interim period before you can be enrolled in this plan. The 
Fund will take care of the cost.
I discussed with Mrs. Arlene Walton the ordering of calling 
cards for you. She will have the printer make up a sample.
I am in favor of using the Jackson address and possibly the 
national office address but not your home address and phone.
If you want to give it out to local contacts, you may do so. But 
there is always the possibility of nuisance phone calls and it 
would be good not to bother your family. What do you think?
You will be reimbursed for all travel expenses. There is a IQ}; 
a mile allowance when you use your own car. Hotel costs and 
meals when overnight trips are involved are also covered. We 
are concerned to keep travel expenses at a minimum, of course, 
but we also recognize that a traveling job is very strenuous. 
There are several ways in which you can help to keep costs 
down. Travel tourist on planes, request minimum rates in hotels, 
etc. Also, when you plan to work for an extended period in a 
community, local contacts are often very eager to provide hos­
pitality as their way of expressing appreciation. However, this 
is often very tiring, so use your own judgment. Also, most



agencies do not cover meals if the representative is just out 
on a day’s trip which does not involve overnight. Here again 
you should use your own judgment about what to submit. I feel 
that if your work goes into the evening, for example, and a 
meal is involved, you should Include that as a cost. I am 
going into what may seem small details because I feel that they 
may be on your mind.
I have submitted a voucher to reimburse you for the trip to 
Jackson and to provide you with an advance of $100.00. I 
suggest that you keep a daily expense record and be sure that 
you have hotel bills and any other large items.
We are ordering: a telephone credit card, an air travel cardand a Herz auto rental card. There may be times when it is most convenient and reasonable to fly to your destination and then rent a caxxj.
You should send in a we kly report which should include a 
summary of what you have done, your general observations and 
your plans for the coming week. Also, send in a weekly 
financial report. It is very easy on a traveling job to get 
your own finances tied up because you have forgotten to send 
in your reports so that you can be reimbursed. In addition to 
these weekly reports (l have had some friends who have kept 
a daily "log" or diary quite successfully), it would be valuable 
to have community reports occasionally which report what you 
h've been doing over a period of time in a community and which 
summarize developments, list names and addresses of contacts 
and evaluate your efforts.
It is important to have a plan of work, especially since your 
region is rather large, to let people know in advance when you 
are coming and to have an objective in your mind for each visit. 
This will maximize your usefulness and minimize the danger of 
scattered resources.
I decided that in order to be helpful to you, I needed to or­
ganize ray thoughts about the goals of our program. So 1 
worked out the enclosed "Description of Field Program for 1966" 
which looks more formidable than it really is. I consider it 
a working document subject to revision.
As I told you over the telephone, it would be very easy for 
you to be out in the field all of the time. This would not 
only be bad for your family; it would be very exhausting. I 
should think that you could work out a schedule which would per­
mit you to be home every other week or at least to have a long 
block of time at home after an extensive trip. Fortunately, 
some of the areas in your region have a high priority in my mind 
and are also easy to reach from Florence; Huntsville, eastern 
Mississippi and, of course, the Muscle Shoals area. Jackson is 
headquarters and I hope you will be able to have whatever

Allen Black, jr.
January 6, 1966
page 2



secretarial work is required done there. You can type rough drafts 
of your prograta reports and send them to me for the time being. My 
secretary will type them and share them with the appropriate persons. 
If you have notices of meetings or other kinds of secretarial work 
for your Alabama activities, engage part-time secretaries as you need them.
After you have studied the "description," then we can set some 
3-«onth goals for the program. I should think that by the end 
of March, (l) we should have identified the target communities 
for the FEP effort and have some activity started; (2) we should 
know the shape of the school desegregation.project and should have 
had some area conferences; and (3) should have done whatever we can 
to contribute toward the launching of the medicare program since 
the initial registration ends March 31.
The Southern Interagency Conference will have its mid-winter meeting 
in Atlanta January 26 and 27. More about that group later but put 
the date on your calendar. TlUs will give us a chance to talk 
since I will be there. Also, I am hoping to puli together an 
interagency consultation on school desegregation at the same time.
Early in February we look forvjard to having you here in New York.
If there are any Washington contacts vdiich can be made on that 
trip, they can be scheduled.
Now for January. Since your visit here will be more fruitful if 
you can bring us a picture of some developments in your region, I 
am suggesting that January should be devoted to exploratory work 
and that you should try not to get deeply involved in particular 
community situations for a v^ile. This may be difficult since 
Marian Wright has suggested some situations to you which I believe 
she communicated in a letter and since the Corinth registration 
period (if reopened) shouldhave s<Kne priority because of your pre­
vious involvement. Generally speaking and allowing f o r  crises, I 
am recommending exploratory visits, particularly to pull together 
information about employment developments, for January in: Huntsville,
your owi area. Eastern Mississippi and Arkansas. The purpose of the 
trip to Little Rock would be to get John Walker's ideas about 
priorities and to evaluate Ruth Hansen’s work to see whether you want 
her to continue on the employment project. Joanna Edwards has also 
been working with him, primarily on a study of discrimination in teachers' salaries, rind out the status of that research. A 
decision should be made soon about what to do with the findings.
Leroy Clark of this office will be in Jackson next week. Leroy is 
the staff person in charge of the Fund's employment work. This 
would be a good time for you to get adquainted with him. I suggest 
that you contact him at the Jackson office on Monday and plan to 
join him there Tuesday for a few days. If you and he feel that 
you should look into any school matters, fine. I would prefer 
that you concentrate on the FEP program at first. Michael Bruland

Allen Black, jr.
January 6, 1966
page 3



who has been doing research for the Mississippi program will be 
there. This will give you an opportunity to see how his work can 
promote your efforts.
There are some representatives of other agencies and some Mississippi 
officials whom I believe you should visit. You can decide whether 
to do so now or at a later time:

” Mississippi State Employment C' ŝnmission Director
- Someone at the Agricultural and Industry Board and 

also scmieone connected with Balanced Agriculture with 
Industry (BAWI) Program. Mike Bruland may have suggestions 
of persons to see. The purpose of these visits would be to 
get an overall view of anticipated developments in industry, 
employment projects, training plans, skills needed, etc. If 
you cannot get the name of a good person to see, wait until 
later.

- STAR Project. This is an OEO-financed program which the 
Catholics are administering. Find out about their training program.
Civil rights and human relations leadership; NA/>CP,
Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Mississippi Council 
on Human Relations, etc., etc. National Council of Churches, also.

I think of the above contacts as  ̂ ^useful in orienting you to thestate and to local contacts and resources. However, you may 
prefer to wait until I could join you or until l-iarian and/or 
Henry have returned. Sometimes, too, one feels more confident 
about going tc see state officials and leaders when one has 
some familiarity with the situation and can ask good questions.
This has been much too long and rambling a letter. I have had to 
type it myself and have had many interruptions because of the 
general state of canfusion caused by the strike.

Alien Black, jr*
January 6, 1966
page 4

1*11 call sometifoe Sunday to see whether this makes sense, great having you on tiie team. Welcome,' It’s

Sincerely,

Jean Fairfax
cc: Leroy Clark



January 20,1966

M e a o r a n d  u m

FROM; ALFRED FEIHBERG, ESQ. 
TO; MR. ALLAN BLACK

I have been asked to send you a brief understandable summary 
of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The following is not intended to be intensive/tor all~exclusive. 
However, it will give you a good grasp of the subject matter, as 
well as enable you to carry on missionary work in the employment 
area;

"TITLE VII EQUAL MFLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.
This Act of Congress is not self-enforcing. The passage of 
the law does not by itself elirainate racial discrimination 
in emplo^ent. The only way citissens can make it work is by 
insuring that Negro workers and others who are the victims 
of job discrimination by employers, labor unions and employ­
ment agencies, immediately file valid complaints. A complaint 
must be icade by an aggrieved individual who signs a sworn 
statement of fact, giving all the details describing how he 
or she was discriminated against.

ANALYSIS OF THE LAW
Title Vll prohibits discrimination in eraployroent on accoimt of 
race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The law becomes 
effective on July 2, 1965. During the first year the law is 
applicable to employers of 100 or more employees and to labor 
organizations with 100 or more members. These minimums are 
lowered to 75 during the second year, 50 during the third year, 
and 25 thereafter.
The principal administrative responsibility under Title VII has been assigned to the !^ual Employment Opportunity Commission 
created by Section 705 of the law. This commission consists of 
five members whose chairman is Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr.



2.

According to the law, Conwiission members are appointed for 
staggered five-year terms by the President with the consent 
of the Senate,

COVERAGE.
Title VII when fully effective v/ill cover the employment 
practices of employers of more than 25 employees, mployment 
agencies servicing employers covered by the Act and labor 
organizations with 25 or more metiers.
Employment agencies, irrespective of size, are covered if 
they regularly recruit employees for employers covered by 
the haw.
Libor organizations are included within the law if they 
represent employees of a covered employer. National organizations 
(international unions) of labor tanions wiiich represent or seek 
to represent such employees are also covered by the Act. In 
addition it is important to note that a provision in the Act 
covers directly every labor organization which, through a hiring 
hall or recruiting office, procures employees for a covered 
employer, Tĵ is provision is applicable even if the membership 
of the labor organization is less than the established minimum.

EMPLOYERS.
The basic obligations imposed upon employers under the law are 
set forth in Section 703(a). Under this section, it is an un­
lawful employment practice for an eraployers

1, To fail or refuse to hire, or to discharge any individual 
or otherwise discriminate against any individual with

respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges 
of employment because of his race, color, religion, sex or 
national origin.
2. To limit, segregate, or classify mployees in any way that 

would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employ­
ment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect his status as 
an employee because of his race, color, religion, sex or nationa. 
origin.

It is also an lanlawful ®aployment practice to discriminate against 
any individual because of his race, color, religion, sex or 
national origin in admission to or employment in any apprentice­
ship training, or retraining program. This applies to employers, 
labor unions, or joint labor-management committees.
Retaliation is expressly forbidden against those who seek the 
law's processes. It is an unlawful employment practice to dis­
criminate against any employee or job applicant because he has



3.

opposed any imlawful jaractice under the Act or because he has 
made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any 
investigation, proceeding or hearing. It is also unlawful to 
print or publish any eaasployment notice or advertisement that 
indicates any preference, limitation,specification or discrim­
ination based on color, race, religion, sex or national origin.

MOTICES. RECORDS.
The law imposes on employers an obligation to post notices 
prepared by the Equal Employment Opportimity Coitanission and to 
make and keep such records as the Conanission prescribes.

EMFLOBOiagT AGESClES.

An "employment agency" is defined broadly to include "any 
person regularly undertaking with or without compensation to 
procure ©nployees for an eanployer or to jarocure for employees 
opportunities to work for an employer." The term also includes 
the United States Steployment Service and state and local employ­
ment seinirices that receive federal assistance. It does not, 
however, include other federal agencies or agencies of a state or political subdivision of a state.
Section 703(b) specifies the following major unlawful practices for employment agencies:

1. To fail or refuse to refer for emplo3̂ ent, or otherwise 
to discriminate against, any individual because of his

race, color, religion, sex or national origin (but not age).
2. To classify or refer any individual for employment on the 

basis of his race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
The retaliation prohibitions against those vdio invoke the law’s 
processes and/or use advertising indicating a preference or dis­
crimination based on race, c»lor,religion or national origin fully apply to employment agencies.

lABOR UNIOJŜ .
Title VII contains a broad definition of labor unions and includes 
local unions, state emd city central labor councils, national or 
international labor organizations, their subordinate bodies,joint 
labor comcils, and all employee representation coimittees. Independent unions are also included.
A labor union is covered by Title Vll, if it:

1. maintains or operates a hiring hall or hiring office that 
obtains eit̂ jloyees for en^loyers or jobs for employees;

2. has 100 or more msnbers during the first year after the 
effective date of the Title, 75 or more during the second

year, 50 or more during the third year:, 25 or more thereafter? aind
3. is a certified bargaining representative ^ r e c o g n iz e d



or acting bargaining representative of eitployees in an industry
"affecting ccsamerce", (with few exceptions all industries 
"affect commerce”.

under Section 703(c> unions are forbidden:
1. Ito exclude or to expel from raeiabership or otherwise to discriifiinate against, any individual becattse of his race,
color, religion, sex, or original Origin.
2. To limit, segregate, or classify membership or to classify 

or fail or refuse to refer an individual for employment in
any way that would deprive or tend to deprive him of employ­
ment opportunities or would limit smch «aployment opportunities 
or otherwise adversely affect his status as an employee or as 
an applicant for employment because of his race,color, religion, 
sex, or national origin.
3. To cause or to attempt to cause an employer to discriminate 

against an individual in violation of the Act,
Unions are also subject to the prohibitions against retaliating 
against those who invoke the law's processes, discrimination in 
the operation of apprenticeship aiid training programa, and ad- 
vei'tising that indicates a preference or discrimination based on 
race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

CO^!gIAI^T AID m W O R C m s m  |>RQCSDURSS..
Section 705 cf the Civil Rights Act establid^es a five-person 
Eqttal Employment Opportunity GoEmission with the basic admin­
istrative responsibility for the operation of the provisions of 
Title VII. The Commission, appointed by the President,consist® of 
a chaimam and three other menbera.
The Commission itself has no law enforcement powers. Its functions 
consist of persuasion and conciliation. Failiure to reach a settle­
ment by these means may be resolved through litigatfon in the 
Federal courts. The law establishes two basic foms of legal en­
forcement:

1. The individxml who charges he is a victim of job dis­
crimination may initiate action in a Federal court.

2. The United States Attorney General may file suit in a 
Federal court whenever there is reason to believe that

any person or group of persons is engaged in a pattern or 
practice of discrimination.

If the Coranission fails to secure coH^liance within a period 
of no more than 60 days frean the day it is filed, the individual 
laay take his case to a Federal court. This court has the powar to



5.

appoint an attorney and laay exempt the complainant from pay­
ment of certain costs. ISie court, in its discretion, may allow 
the Attorney General to enter the case.
A worker who thinks he has been discriminated against can also take his complaint directly to idle Attorney General, who may 
bring the case before a three-judge Federal court if he believes 
there is a general patterns and practice of discrimination to­
gether with resistance to this title.
If the court finds that the accused intentionally engaged or 
is engaging in an unlawful employment practice, it may enjoin 
the practice and order such affirmative action as may be approp­
riate, including reinstatetaent or hiring with or without back 
pay. It also may award a reasonable attorney's fee as part of 
the costs.
If the accused fails to comply with the order issued by the 
court, the COnmiission may bring contQupt proceedings to compel 
coR^liance . If the proceeding is for criminal contempt, the 
accused is entitled to a jury trial.

HOW TO MAKE A COtiFLAIHI.
Complaints are initiated by filing a sworn written charge of 
unlawful discrimination with the Equal Bnployment Opportunity 
Conanission. The law requires that the charge must be filed 
within 90 days afjer the discriminatory act has occurred.
(Acts of continuing discrimination,e.g.discrimination in pro­
motional opportunity should be so indicated.) A charge of dis­
crimination may be filed either by the aggrieved person or by 
a menber of the Commission who has reason to believe that a 
violation of the law has taken place. However, the Commission 
is not authorised to conduct investigations in the absence of a 
formal charge of discrimination.
After receiving a written complaint charging discrimination, 
the Coitanission furnishes the accused anployer, labor union or 
emplo.^ent agency with a copy of the ccxaplaint but is expressly 
forbidden to make the charge known to the public. The Commission 
then orders an investigation and if it is found that there is 
reasonable cause to credit the allegations of the complaint,the 
Conmiission "shall endeavor to eliirdnate any such alleged unlawful 
employment practice by informal methods of conference,conciliation 
and persuasion."
If after exhausting this procedure the Commission is unable to 
obtain voluntary compliance with the law, the aggrieved person 
who has filed the complaint, but not the Commission, may seek 
relief under the law by initiating a suit in a Federal court.
Hhder the lav/ the CcMisaission has up to 60 days to investigate 
tlie charge and to seek ccxnpliance. If it does not succeed, it 
must notify the complainant who is then entitled to bring suit 
within 30 days thereafter. The complainant may initiate litigation 
whether or not the Correnission made a determination of "reasonable



6,

cause" tmder Section 706(a). However,an eKamination of the law would indicate tlmt Section 706 requires the complainant to 
first esdiaust Cotnmission procedures before initiating litigation.

HMPEB mM IM i.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 contains several 
e::c:>;ption«. The prohibitions against discrininafcion do not apply*

1. To agencies of tl̂ e Federal goverruaent or of a state or 
political sx&division of a state, except the United

States Kaployment Service and state osployment services 
receiving Federal financial assistancej (on mplojtient agency 
of a state or political subdivision thereof probably receives 
Federal financial assistance).
2. T?Jhere an education institution owned or supported by 

a bona fide religious corporation employs members ofthat religion excltisively.
3. To educational institutions specifically with regard 

to employees engaged in educational activities.
4. ishere there is a bona fide private club receiviiJ^ no 

public funds of any hind and supported entirely by
private fluids.
5. iJhere religion, sex, or national origin la a proven and 

legitimate qualification necessary to the normal ojserationof an enterprise.
6. Micre the ^ipioyer is subject to U.S.Goiiernment security 

regulations and where worhers involved do not have, or
are denied, security clearance by authorised agencies.
7. At a business operation on or near an Indian reservation 

that gives preferential treatment to Indians.
S. hhiere differentiations in pay based on sex are authorized 

under the provisions of the Equal Pay Act of 1963.
9, When the persons discriiaiated against are raCTibers of the
c Commuriist Party or communist-front organizations as re­cognized by the i»w.