Freedom Summer (54 page)
INTERLUDE:
“Another So-Called ‘Freedom Day’ ”
Book Two
CHAPTER SEVEN:
“Walk Together, Children”
“Another So-Called ‘Freedom Day’ ”
152
“I’m going to wash the black off of you”: New York Times
, July 17, 1964.
“I’m going to wash the black off of you”: New York Times
, July 17, 1964.
152
“Come on, shoot another nigger!”:
“Worse Than Mississippi?”
Time
, July 24, 1964.
“Come on, shoot another nigger!”:
“Worse Than Mississippi?”
Time
, July 24, 1964.
153
“Everybody stopped worrying”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 103.
“Everybody stopped worrying”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 103.
153
“another so-called ‘Freedom Day’ ”: Greenwood Commonwealth
, July 15, 1964.
“another so-called ‘Freedom Day’ ”: Greenwood Commonwealth
, July 15, 1964.
154
“our Gettysburg”:
Holland,
From the Mississippi Delta
, p. 243.
“our Gettysburg”:
Holland,
From the Mississippi Delta
, p. 243.
154
“Get up and look out the window”:
Ibid., p. 218.
“Get up and look out the window”:
Ibid., p. 218.
154
“We will not let it stop us”:
SNCC Papers, reel 39.
“We will not let it stop us”:
SNCC Papers, reel 39.
154
“Everyone?”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 136.
“Everyone?”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 136.
155
“I want to go to jail”:
Ibid.
“I want to go to jail”:
Ibid.
155
“You are free to go and register”: Greenwood Commonwealth,
July 17, 1964.
“You are free to go and register”: Greenwood Commonwealth,
July 17, 1964.
156
“Jim Crow . . . Must GO!”:
Sugarman,
Stranger at the Gates
, p. 160.
“Jim Crow . . . Must GO!”:
Sugarman,
Stranger at the Gates
, p. 160.
156
“I think it would look very spontaneous”:
Rick Perlstein,
Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus
(New York: Hill and Wang, 2001), p. 385.
“I think it would look very spontaneous”:
Rick Perlstein,
Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus
(New York: Hill and Wang, 2001), p. 385.
157
“You mean that’s President and Mrs. Johnson?”: New York Times
, July 17, 1964.
“You mean that’s President and Mrs. Johnson?”: New York Times
, July 17, 1964.
157
“They’re always doing something”: New York Times
, August 3, 1964.
“They’re always doing something”: New York Times
, August 3, 1964.
157
“the deep feeling of regret”: New York Times
, July 16, 1964.
“the deep feeling of regret”: New York Times
, July 16, 1964.
158
“Caution: Weird Load”:
Tom Wolfe,
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
(New York: Bantam, 1968), p. 63.
“Caution: Weird Load”:
Tom Wolfe,
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
(New York: Bantam, 1968), p. 63.
158
“A Vote for Barry”:
Kevin Kerrane and Ben Yagoda,
The Art of the Fact: A Historical Anthology of Literary Journalism
(New York: Simon and Schuster, 1998), p. 176.
“A Vote for Barry”:
Kevin Kerrane and Ben Yagoda,
The Art of the Fact: A Historical Anthology of Literary Journalism
(New York: Simon and Schuster, 1998), p. 176.
158
“Furthur”:
Wolfe,
Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
, p. 63.
“Furthur”:
Wolfe,
Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
, p. 63.
158
“It’s too much like”:
Louis Harris, “The Backlash Issue,”
Newsweek,
July 13, 1964, p. 24.
“It’s too much like”:
Louis Harris, “The Backlash Issue,”
Newsweek,
July 13, 1964, p. 24.
159
“The denial of voting rights”: Chicago Tribune
, June 25, 1964.
“The denial of voting rights”: Chicago Tribune
, June 25, 1964.
159
“The President should now use”:
Huie,
Three Lives
, p. 150.
“The President should now use”:
Huie,
Three Lives
, p. 150.
159
“Without condoning racist attitudes”: Wall Street Journal
, June 30, 1964.
“Without condoning racist attitudes”: Wall Street Journal
, June 30, 1964.
159
“It is a dreadful thing to say”: Washington Post,
June 29, 1964.
“It is a dreadful thing to say”: Washington Post,
June 29, 1964.
159
“Unlike the democratic absolutists”: Boston Globe
, July 4, 1964.
“Unlike the democratic absolutists”: Boston Globe
, July 4, 1964.
159
“outraged and disgusted”:
Letters,
Newsweek
, July 17, 1964.
“outraged and disgusted”:
Letters,
Newsweek
, July 17, 1964.
159
“By what stretch of the imagination”: New York Times
, July 10, 1964.
“By what stretch of the imagination”: New York Times
, July 10, 1964.
159
“Lincoln did this country”:
Letters,
Life
, July 24, 1964.
“Lincoln did this country”:
Letters,
Life
, July 24, 1964.
160
“Could you possibly bring yourselves”:
Letters,
Newsweek
, July 27, 1964, p. 2.
“Could you possibly bring yourselves”:
Letters,
Newsweek
, July 27, 1964, p. 2.
160
“I would say”: Hartford Courant
, July 7, 1964.
“I would say”: Hartford Courant
, July 7, 1964.
160
“clear that the whole scheme”: Greenwood Commonwealth
, July 17, 1964.
“clear that the whole scheme”: Greenwood Commonwealth
, July 17, 1964.
160
“I turned around”:
Linda Wetmore, personal interview, March 27, 2008.
“I turned around”:
Linda Wetmore, personal interview, March 27, 2008.
161
“Sounds like rubbing”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 126.
“Sounds like rubbing”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 126.
161
“nigger huggers”:
Ibid., p. 139.
“nigger huggers”:
Ibid., p. 139.
161
“I am proud”: Delta Democrat-Times
, July 17, 1964.
“I am proud”: Delta Democrat-Times
, July 17, 1964.
163
“that son-of-a-bitch”:New York Times
, July 16, 1964.
“that son-of-a-bitch”:New York Times
, July 16, 1964.
163
“extremists . . . who have nothing in common”: Christian Science Monitor,
July 17, 1964.
“extremists . . . who have nothing in common”: Christian Science Monitor,
July 17, 1964.
163
“The nigger issue”:
Perlstein,
Before the Storm
, p. 374.
“The nigger issue”:
Perlstein,
Before the Storm
, p. 374.
164
“I was always complaining”:
Richard Beymer, personal interview, July 6, 2008.
“I was always complaining”:
Richard Beymer, personal interview, July 6, 2008.
164
“Beymer drove”:
Congressman Barney Frank, personal interview, June 18, 2008.
“Beymer drove”:
Congressman Barney Frank, personal interview, June 18, 2008.
164
“off the map”:
WATS Line, July 16, 1964.
“off the map”:
WATS Line, July 16, 1964.
165
“We are not going to eat”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 144.
“We are not going to eat”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 144.
165
“We won’t eat tomorrow”:
Ibid., p. 145.
“We won’t eat tomorrow”:
Ibid., p. 145.
CHAPTER SEVEN:
“Walk Together, Children”
169
“Three are missing, Lord”:
Ira Landess, personal interview, November 28, 2007.
“Three are missing, Lord”:
Ira Landess, personal interview, November 28, 2007.
170
“Hello, Freedom!”:
Ibid.
“Hello, Freedom!”:
Ibid.
170
“When you’re not in Mississippi”:
Martinez,
Letters from Mississippi
, p. 18.
“When you’re not in Mississippi”:
Martinez,
Letters from Mississippi
, p. 18.
170
McComb: Mount Zion Hill Baptist Church:
COFO Incidents.
McComb: Mount Zion Hill Baptist Church:
COFO Incidents.
171
“The mosquitoes down here”:
Jinny Glass Diary, USM.
“The mosquitoes down here”:
Jinny Glass Diary, USM.
171
“You will all be glad to hear”:
Len Edwards, correspondence, August 5, 1964.
“You will all be glad to hear”:
Len Edwards, correspondence, August 5, 1964.
171
“Ho hum. This violent life rolls on”:
Hodes Papers, SHSW.
“Ho hum. This violent life rolls on”:
Hodes Papers, SHSW.
171
“nothing serious”:
WATS line, July 20, 1964.
“nothing serious”:
WATS line, July 20, 1964.
171
“engaged in widespread terroristic acts”: COFO v. Rainey, et al.,
Meikeljohn Civil Liberties Institute Archives, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley,
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/meiklejohn/meik-10_1/meik-10_1-6.html#580.7
.
“engaged in widespread terroristic acts”: COFO v. Rainey, et al.,
Meikeljohn Civil Liberties Institute Archives, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley,
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/meiklejohn/meik-10_1/meik-10_1-6.html#580.7
.
172
“the happiest project”:
Dittmer,
Local People
, p. 257.
“the happiest project”:
Dittmer,
Local People
, p. 257.
172
“a real movie star”:
Carmichael,
Ready for Revolution
, p. 399.
“a real movie star”:
Carmichael,
Ready for Revolution
, p. 399.
172
“plain cute”:
Hudson and Curry,
Mississippi Harmony
, p. 82.
“plain cute”:
Hudson and Curry,
Mississippi Harmony
, p. 82.
173
“If you want to start a meeting”:
James Kates Papers, SHSW.
“If you want to start a meeting”:
James Kates Papers, SHSW.
173
“out under the trees”:
Sugarman,
Stranger at the Gates
, p. 114.
“out under the trees”:
Sugarman,
Stranger at the Gates
, p. 114.
173
“laughing his ass off”
and
“Someone shot at you”:
Williams, interview, November 24, 2007.
“laughing his ass off”
and
“Someone shot at you”:
Williams, interview, November 24, 2007.
173
“I don’t believe in this sort of thing”:
Fred R. Winn, correspondence, July 29, 1964.
“I don’t believe in this sort of thing”:
Fred R. Winn, correspondence, July 29, 1964.
173
“Canton—Number of those”:
SNCC Papers, Reel 38.
“Canton—Number of those”:
SNCC Papers, Reel 38.
174
“high degree of probability”:
SNCC Papers, reel 40.
“high degree of probability”:
SNCC Papers, reel 40.
174
“
everyone
who is not working”:
Ibid.
“
everyone
who is not working”:
Ibid.
174
“canvassing, which you all know about”:
Ibid.
“canvassing, which you all know about”:
Ibid.
175
“The Democratic National Convention is a very big meeting”:
Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party brochure, Chris Williams private papers.
“The Democratic National Convention is a very big meeting”:
Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party brochure, Chris Williams private papers.
176
“I got to think about it”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 187.
“I got to think about it”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 187.
176
“battle royal”: Washington Post
, July 23, 1964.
“battle royal”: Washington Post
, July 23, 1964.
176
“potentially explosive dilemma”: Los Angeles Times
, July 26, 1964.
“potentially explosive dilemma”: Los Angeles Times
, July 26, 1964.
176
“Papa Doc”:
Dittmer,
Local People
, p. 262.
“Papa Doc”:
Dittmer,
Local People
, p. 262.
177
“He has trouble relating to white women”:
Chude Pamela Allen, “Watching the Iris,” in Erenrich,
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
, p. 418.
“He has trouble relating to white women”:
Chude Pamela Allen, “Watching the Iris,” in Erenrich,
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
, p. 418.
177
“will have to pack his bag”:
Sellers and Terrell,
River of No Return
, p. 96.
“will have to pack his bag”:
Sellers and Terrell,
River of No Return
, p. 96.
177
“We can’t let them think”:
Ibid., p. 98.
“We can’t let them think”:
Ibid., p. 98.
177
“the one thing where the Negro”:
Barbara Ransby,
Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision
(Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2003), p. 314.
“the one thing where the Negro”:
Barbara Ransby,
Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision
(Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2003), p. 314.
178
“Young man”:
Martinez,
Letters from Mississippi
, p. 207.
“Young man”:
Martinez,
Letters from Mississippi
, p. 207.
178
“I felt personally responsible”:
Watkins, interview, June 16, 2008.
“I felt personally responsible”:
Watkins, interview, June 16, 2008.
179
“They both left together”:
Charlie Cobb, personal interview, July 16, 2008.
“They both left together”:
Charlie Cobb, personal interview, July 16, 2008.
179
“Muriel was tough”:
Ibid.
“Muriel was tough”:
Ibid.
179
“We had never seen anybody”:
Blackwell,
Barefootin’
, p. 70.
“We had never seen anybody”:
Blackwell,
Barefootin’
, p. 70.
179
“Oh Lord, Lord”:
Ibid., p. 78.
“Oh Lord, Lord”:
Ibid., p. 78.
179
“For someone so young”:
Ibid., p. 79.
“For someone so young”:
Ibid., p. 79.
180
“Muriel taught things”:
Ibid., p. 80.
“Muriel taught things”:
Ibid., p. 80.
180
“What Muriel Tillinghast really taught”:
Ibid.
“What Muriel Tillinghast really taught”:
Ibid.
180
“Okay, I’ll do that”:
Ibid., p. 81.
“Okay, I’ll do that”:
Ibid., p. 81.
180
“Things getting pretty tight”:
WATS Line, July 13, 1964.
“Things getting pretty tight”:
WATS Line, July 13, 1964.
180
“They recognized we were”:
Tillinghast, interview, December 16, 2008.
“They recognized we were”:
Tillinghast, interview, December 16, 2008.
180
“Go back to Greenville”:
COFO,
Mississippi Black Paper
, pp. 88-89.
“Go back to Greenville”:
COFO,
Mississippi Black Paper
, pp. 88-89.
180
“If he gets killed”:
Beschloss,
Taking Charge
, p. 460.
“If he gets killed”:
Beschloss,
Taking Charge
, p. 460.
181
“There are threats”:
Ibid., p. 461.
“There are threats”:
Ibid., p. 461.
181
“Talk to your man in Jackson”:
Ibid.
“Talk to your man in Jackson”:
Ibid.
181
“We tried to warn SNCC”:
Payne,
I’ve Got the Light
, p. 103.
“We tried to warn SNCC”:
Payne,
I’ve Got the Light
, p. 103.
181
“Martin Luther Coon”:
Hampton, “Mississippi—Is This America?”
“Martin Luther Coon”:
Hampton, “Mississippi—Is This America?”
181
“Martin Luther King at Communist”:
Blackwell,
Barefootin’
, p. 68.
“Martin Luther King at Communist”:
Blackwell,
Barefootin’
, p. 68.
181
“the unspeakable Martin Luther King”:
Davies,
Press and Race
, p. 41.
“the unspeakable Martin Luther King”:
Davies,
Press and Race
, p. 41.
181
“I want to live a normal life”:
Kotz,
Judgment Days
, p. 176.
“I want to live a normal life”:
Kotz,
Judgment Days
, p. 176.
181
“just suicidal”:
Ibid., p. 177.
“just suicidal”:
Ibid., p. 177.
181
“the most creative thing”:
King,
Freedom Song
, pp. 307-8.
“the most creative thing”:
King,
Freedom Song
, pp. 307-8.
182
“to demonstrate the absolute support”:
Branch,
Pillar of Fire,
p. 410.
“to demonstrate the absolute support”:
Branch,
Pillar of Fire,
p. 410.
182
“You must not allow anybody”: New York Times
, July 22, 1964.
“You must not allow anybody”: New York Times
, July 22, 1964.
182
“Gentlemen, I will be brief ”:
Ibid.
“Gentlemen, I will be brief ”:
Ibid.
183
“mobilize the power”: Washington Post
, July 23, 1964.
“mobilize the power”: Washington Post
, July 23, 1964.
183
“murdered by the silence”:
Ibid.
“murdered by the silence”:
Ibid.
183
“that these same efficient FBI men”: Delta Democrat-Times
, July 22, 1964.
“that these same efficient FBI men”: Delta Democrat-Times
, July 22, 1964.
183
“
Seat
the Freedom Democratic Party!”
Forman,
Making of Black Revolutionaries,
p. 384
.
“
Seat
the Freedom Democratic Party!”
Forman,
Making of Black Revolutionaries,
p. 384
.
183
“the Right Rev. Riot Inciter”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 164.
“the Right Rev. Riot Inciter”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 164.
183
“Small Crowd Greets King”: Jackson Clarion-Ledger,
July 22, 1964.
“Small Crowd Greets King”: Jackson Clarion-Ledger,
July 22, 1964.
183
“It is a known fact”: Hattiesburg American,
July 21, 1964.
“It is a known fact”: Hattiesburg American,
July 21, 1964.
183
“It is a sad commentary”:
Shirley Tucker,
Mississippi from Within
(New York: Arco, 1965), p. 130.
“It is a sad commentary”:
Shirley Tucker,
Mississippi from Within
(New York: Arco, 1965), p. 130.
184
“Latest Wave of Invaders”: Jackson Clarion-Ledger
, July 22, 1964.
“Latest Wave of Invaders”: Jackson Clarion-Ledger
, July 22, 1964.
184
“Happily, the inclination toward violence”: Panolian
, July 30, 1964.
“Happily, the inclination toward violence”: Panolian
, July 30, 1964.
184
“We do know that Communist influence”: New York Times
, April 22, 1964.
“We do know that Communist influence”: New York Times
, April 22, 1964.
184
“Hey, you don’t worry”:
Carmichael,
Ready for Revolution
, p. 304.
“Hey, you don’t worry”:
Carmichael,
Ready for Revolution
, p. 304.
184
“all communists speak Russian”: Panolian,
July 4, 1964.
“all communists speak Russian”: Panolian,
July 4, 1964.
184
“mass invasion of Mississippi”: Congressional Record
110 (July 22, 1964): S 16036-37.
“mass invasion of Mississippi”: Congressional Record
110 (July 22, 1964): S 16036-37.
184
“stooges and pawns”: Jackson Clarion-Ledger
, July 23, 1964.
“stooges and pawns”: Jackson Clarion-Ledger
, July 23, 1964.
185
“a long-time Communist legal eagle”: Congressional Record
110 (July 22, 1964): S 16040.
“a long-time Communist legal eagle”: Congressional Record
110 (July 22, 1964): S 16040.
185
“beatnik looking crowd”:
MDAH SCR ID# 2-20-2-2-2-1-1.
“beatnik looking crowd”:
MDAH SCR ID# 2-20-2-2-2-1-1.
185
“If they ain’t calling you a Communist”:
Blackwell,
Barefootin’
, p. 118.
“If they ain’t calling you a Communist”:
Blackwell,
Barefootin’
, p. 118.
185
“The history of America”:
O’Brien, interview, November 12, 2007.
“The history of America”:
O’Brien, interview, November 12, 2007.
185
“Do you know what the Gettysburg Address means?”:
O’Brien, correspondence, July 18, 1964.
“Do you know what the Gettysburg Address means?”:
O’Brien, correspondence, July 18, 1964.
186
“We can’t understand y’all”:
Ibid.
“We can’t understand y’all”:
Ibid.
186
“You haven’t a thing to worry about”:
O’Brien, correspondence, July 10, 1964.
“You haven’t a thing to worry about”:
O’Brien, correspondence, July 10, 1964.
186
“the little darlings”:
Ibid., July 13, 1964.
“the little darlings”:
Ibid., July 13, 1964.
186
“Jekyll-Hyde transformations”:
Ibid., July 28, 1964.
“Jekyll-Hyde transformations”:
Ibid., July 28, 1964.
186
“my babies can’t be sold away”:
O’Brien, interview, November 12, 2007.
“my babies can’t be sold away”:
O’Brien, interview, November 12, 2007.
186
“Well, you just read the book”:
Ibid.
“Well, you just read the book”:
Ibid.
187
“Now,” she said:
Ibid.
“Now,” she said:
Ibid.
187
“Sometimes I feel I’m not doing much”:
O’Brien, correspondence, July 18, 1964.
“Sometimes I feel I’m not doing much”:
O’Brien, correspondence, July 18, 1964.
187
“the worst state in the Union”: Los Angeles Times
, July 24, 1964, p. 21.
“the worst state in the Union”: Los Angeles Times
, July 24, 1964, p. 21.
188
“And what about you, young lady?”:
O’Brien, interview, November 12, 2007.
“And what about you, young lady?”:
O’Brien, interview, November 12, 2007.
189
“Three young men came here”: New York Times
, July 25, 1964.
“Three young men came here”: New York Times
, July 25, 1964.
189
“I just want to touch you”:
Ibid.
“I just want to touch you”:
Ibid.
189
“that there are churches”:
Ibid.
“that there are churches”:
Ibid.
189
“I know what fear is”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 169.
“I know what fear is”:
Belfrage,
Freedom Summer
, p. 169.
189
“We’ve been waiting for you”:
SNCC Papers, reel 39.
“We’ve been waiting for you”:
SNCC Papers, reel 39.
189
“RE: Arguing with the Red Queen”:
Ibid.
“RE: Arguing with the Red Queen”:
Ibid.
190
“Mrs. Hamer is back”:
WATS Line, July 20, 1964.
“Mrs. Hamer is back”:
WATS Line, July 20, 1964.
190
“Listen,” the man said:
O’Brien, correspondence, July 28, 1964.
“Listen,” the man said:
O’Brien, correspondence, July 28, 1964.
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