Correspondence from Lani Guinier to Sandra Nelsen (Assistant Clerk) Re: Thornburg v. Gingles
Public Court Documents
July 12, 1985

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Press Releases, Volume 5. Telegram to Ramsey Clark Asking Investigation of the Case of 2 Negro Students in All White School in Worth County, Georgia Who Were Arrested, 1969. e3ada33a-b992-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/09a0ca7d-ce82-4772-b1b4-52e42bea0fa3/telegram-to-ramsey-clark-asking-investigation-of-the-case-of-2-negro-students-in-all-white-school-in-worth-county-georgia-who-were-arrested. Accessed August 19, 2025.
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J_bomestic service \ $ 1 INTERNATIONAL SERVICE Check the class ofservicedesired, @ ] ’ XT) () . otherwise this message will be \ | a \ \ \ sent as a fast telegram S By ) oe & N \ N ioe ae TELEGRAM as A nicht verter W. P. MARSHALL. paesioenr | J 10 Columbus Circle, N.¥.c.1001/9 Fe | *'Send the following message, subject co the terms on back hereof, which ave hereby agreed to [[no-wossct oF sve] ro. on coun] cas OY] ET0 THE oF T Time Feo | AACP Legal Defense & Bd.Fund Jamuary 7, 1969 The Honorable Ramsey Clark Attorney General of the United States Department of Justice Washington, D.C. Yvonne and Dorothy Young, age 1I and 14 respectively, two of first Negro students to’ attend previously all-white. schools of Worth County, Georgia, arrested from classrooms charged with delinquency on Dec. 4,.1968.. Public profanity and fighting on school bus were alleged basis of charges. Parents of girls informed of children's-detention via note given to another child by school principal. - Parents highly identified in-community as civil rights activists. Principal's note told parents to speak with sheriff concerning details of arrest. Sheriff refused to disclose where children were jailed or why. LDF attorney C.B:Kimg learned by calling Superior Court Judge J. Bouie Gray of Tifton, Gas, the next day that children were detained at Youth Development Center, Albany, Ga. Parents denied permission to see children for additional three days. Children were released into custody of parents on Dec. 11, six days after arrest, pending conclusion of proceedings. Both children ‘convicted of “delinquency and neglect" on Dec. 28. Yvonne released in custody of parents on rigid probationary terms. Dorothy sentenced to one year in detention home. She is still confined. She was denied bail pending appeal. The Black Humanitarian Society organized marches and pickets to protest arrest of sisters. Demonstrations resulted in closing of all five Negro schools in Worth County. At the same time, predominantly white schools were initially kept open. Groups of whites discharged firearms in and about Young home on three different occasions on Dec. 31. Unexploded molotov cocktail also found-near Young home on same day: LDF believes arrest of two Young children, closing of all-Negro schools and violence directed at Young family perpetrated for purpose and will have effect of harassing, intimidating, and preventing Youngs and other members of black community from exercising their civil rights, particularly desegregating public school system, unless your department takes substantial counter Measures. Accordingly, LDF requests that Justice Dept. immediately order thorough investigation of these matters. Also request filing of approp- riate civil and criminal actions to protect civil rights of Young family and black community of Wath County, Ga. : Jack Greenberg, Esq. Director-Counsel