In
I
.[
-'
Mississippi
6 Raymond Street, N. W.
Atlanta, Geor:ia
30314
While
.I
General have legal weapons now which they have never used to
protect the right to vote in the ~outh. Section 594, Title 18, U.S.
Code provides: "Whoever intimidates, threatens, coerces, or attempts
to intimidate, threaten or coerce , any other person for the purpose
of interferring with the right of such other person to vote ... shall
be fined not more than $1, 000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or
both."
If the statute had been enforced in Mississippi (it has been
n the books since 1948), we may be certain that the genocidal legislators presently in power would long since have been retired to the
political boneyard where they belong.
The President and the Attorney Gener a l have refused to use the
criminal statute quoted above, preferring to seek injunctions against
officials who interfere with voting rights. The total bankruptcy of
this policy should now be apparent to everyone. At the time the
genocidal Mississippi House was elected last fall, 22 voting suits
had been filed by the Attorney General against Mississippi registrars
and other officials.
Yet fewer Negroes were registered to vote
than had been registered in the previous election.
The case of Forrest County registrar Theron Lynd is classic.
An injunction ordering him to cease discrimination against Negroes
was issued by a Federal court more than a year ago. He refused to
comply and was cited for contempt. He has been under this citation for
more than six months now (with no sanctions of fine or imprisonment imposed against him), and his discriminatory tactics continue.
This piling of injunction upon injunction has been going on since the 1957
and 1960 civil rig-hts bills were enacted. Negroes still can't vote in
Mississippi.
Now they are faced with action by Mississippi government which
literally threatens their existence as a people.
If the President and the Attorney General were placed, themselves,
under a similar threat, what could be their reaction? If they had
used every conceivable stratagem, had faced police dogs and fire
hoses and billy clubs and prison for the right to vote, and if all their
efforts resulted only in a wor s ening of their condition, would they, would
Americans generally, react with a strengthened conviction of the efficacy of such peaceful persuasion; or would they begin to think in pure
terms of self -defense, peaceful or no, violent or nonviolent?
This question the President and the Attorney General must ask
themselves, as must all Americans. As they answer it for themselves,
so must they answer it for Negroes in Mississippi. As they would act
for themselves, so must they act for those Negroes.
Else let them not wring their hands and gnash their teeth and roll
their eyes heavenward when Mississippi Negroes begin doing for themselves what their government has refused to do.
Exhibit 1
MISSISSIPPI LEGISIA'IURE
By: Messrs. ~wek, Pierce, Swindoll,
Cook. Mitchell (Walthall). Lee;
and Harned.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON WHO SHliLL BECOME THE PARENT OF AN
ILLEGITIMATE CHILD SHALL BE GUILTY OF A FELONY AND TO PROVIDE THE PUNISHMENT
THEREFOR.
~arent
WID
E xhibit 3
Ho w Mississippi Counties
Vote d on the Genoc ide Bill
. ~ll
.
representatives voted for
Exhibit 2
~~!dTG~:en<;:li~irt1iliraO~eJA~d~~1~i~~r~e~~i:ir~i~~p~}iaMjs~r~~h
LLB degree 1927; SEA; Kappa Beta Phi; Rotnry; Golf Clun;
National
Football
Rules
Committee
(Miss.
Representative
24
ANDERSON, ROBERT EDWARD (Bob), Route 3, Box 2.11 Wesson, Copiah County. Born November 30, 1914 .t Haziehurst
Miss.; Farmer and Dairyman; Baptist; Lions Club; Touchdow~
g~~:~61.' Bl!r~; Mis:!. Milk Producers' As.n.; Married; House
l! EiliNETT. DAVID HOLMES (David), Lamar, Benton County.
Bon> May 15. 1921 .t Chalyhellte, Mi ... ; Fanner; BaPtis~;
. , . eEresident, Miss. ~~';'1n Bll!~ :~'!Jrcsidentt Bent.oIt-Co\lnt:Y:
Moson; PIA; ]\!'l'C~~~~E.!':!'~ M~iT!e<l;trouse 1960-1~
~oP'
the Confederacy;
Sons O!t the American
... "- .", .......
. . . Revolution; Marnea.-BRANCH, ELWOOD L . (Elwood), 414 Michigan Ave., McComb,
Pike County. Born November 30, 1909 at Smitbdale, Miss.;
Construction Contractor; Baptist; ucr;. Married.
BRISTER, MILTON E. (Milton), Kilmichael, Montgomery County.
,~ .
~-.
~. -
Born April 6, 1917,in :M ontgo m.. eery ~\IDty. Miss .; Asst. Cashier;
Cattle Farmer; Baptist;--.A.me~ aJ:L...1&J:lCU]; ann Bureau; Aberdeen
Angus Breeders Assn.; Ma~son; Q),llp1ber of Commerce; Lions Club;
CAMMACK, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. JR. lB. F.l. Route 1. Hazlehurst. Copiah County. Born June 16, 1906 at Rockport, Miss.;
Farmer and Cattleman; Merchant; Methodist; Farm Dnrea],l;..
Pres ident. Copl8.1i- -County Farm Bureau; Hazlehurst toucbdown '
Club; Marrl~d .
"
_~;Pt:esiMI11
COMANS
cOOi(--JAMES -
..
Shrine1';
Pnl
D<>lta
I net.a ;
Lexmgton
Chamber ...o f
COlllIJle.rce ;
1900 at Magnolia ,
Mi ss .
Fanner'
Ginner;
GRAHAM, MACK, Box 2.05, Sumrall, Lamar County. Born Iune 12,
1924 at Sumrall, Miss.: Merchant and Farmer: BaptistS' World
War II VeteraD: .Y.F'r~: ~ Americap Legion: 40 & 8; oard of
Directors, Miss. Assn, 0 Retarded Children;- P.T.A.; Lion; VicePresident, P .T. Council Miss. School for Blind: Married: House
1961-1964.
GRAHA~I
THOMAS ESTUS (Estus), Route 2. Ellisville. Jones
County.' Born No'-'ember 10, 1904 at Ellisville, Miss .: Farmer:
Baptist: Mason: Eastern Star; Jones <:Quoty Wild Life uague:
Mnrried: House 1952-1956.
Born Sep-
16. 1927 at Mt. Olive. Miss.; School Administrator; BapAfason, 32nd Deureej Shriner;
~f!~ri:J711~~~e' f9B~Ib~:F.w
.;
. .._ -
JOHN
FIELDING
(John).
Route
I.
Meadville,
Franklin County, Born May 25, 1917 at l\-if"adville, Miss.; Merchant. Fanne r and Sawmill Operator; Methodist; American . Lpg-ion;
A.hom~aud _Insu.ra~.ce
Ag~nt;
Pr~sbyterian: .l!~iss...
Bar. . .
Assn. ' ~ncrDegTee Mason; Phi-'Kappa PSi; Chamber of Commerc~: Pine Hill Golf and Country Club; Anlerican Legion: Boy
Scout Council Imember; Ripley Football Boostercru"O; " Married.
LASSITER,. ROBERT L.
Born October 19, 1920 at Jackson, North Carolina. Farmer;' Carpenler: Baptist: p~acon, _ G_o~<I._ Ji~~ ~.~: Married.
LEE, BILLY JOE, Route I , Box 190A, ~i1ver Creek, La.wrence
County. Born March 14, 1929 at Arm, MlSs,;" Farmer' Cat leman:
LONG, BETTY JANE <Betty). 2219 49th Ave . Meridian, Lauderdale County. llom May 8, 1928 at Electric Mill., Miss.: .L_a.~er.i..
Presbyterian: Miss. FannBureau; Pilot Club: B. & P. W. Club:
Salvation Army-Board, Cerebral" Palsy Board; A.A.U.W.; Who's
Who of American Women 1958-1959; Single; House 1956-1964.
F!!!!!.L.Burea~i\i7,ens_ Cou~~il;
t.o[t'u~~Jl..;
CIYltanj
~Iarncd;-Housc-1V60- 1964-=--
- , ~.
M e th o dist; Alpha
"------
.Att on'~
Born De-
McALLISTEn . LEWIS LESLIE, JR. (Mack). 2402 46th St .. Merid ian . Laude rdale County. Born September 25; 1932 at Jackson,
Miss .; C. P,A.; Meth odist; Miss. Society of C.P.A.; AICPA; Kappa
Alpha ; ODK; Married; House 1963-64.
McCOY. CH AR LES ELVIS (Charley), Bo. 56, Wheeler, Prentiss
County. Dorn OClober 7, 1lHD at Booneville, Miss.' Construction; Methodist; Married.
'
Marne.
__
Born July
Fnrm
PHILLIPS, JOHN ALTON (Alton ) , Macon. Noxu hee Cou nty. Born
June 8, 1905 at Carrollton, Alahama ; Lawyer; Trte Farm.. ; BaI?tist Shriner ; DKP ' R o t ary; Chum b.e.r--or:-commE' rCE'j Economic
Co~cil; American . te~ion; B,u Assn. ;. Married; House 1932-1940,
1944-1964.
McGAUGHEY, NOEL DOUGLAS (Noel), Route 2, Prentiss, Jefferson Davis County . Born O ctober 8, 1916 at Tylertown, Miss.;
M8~a .s::er of Sunfl<?wer F ood Store; Baptist; Mason; " ~J!le!'i~1(I
~; PTA; Marn ed .
--
~CI\U(;GS.
J IJ 1.'3
III
Mn,oll~~~ l ITh;
.5l.tpt.._
MILLER. AL BERT VIRGIL (Alhert). Rolli ng F ork, Shnrkey County.
Born August 12. 1926 at Gainesville . Mi ss .j ... Lawycr; Baptis t; Phi.
Delta Phi; Ame ri can Legion; F:lnn Bureau; Miss. StAte Bar Assn.;
Rota ry ; Mason; Delta C ouncil; Marric di House 1956-1964 .
CI.~;STOI\,
Juntlilry :23,
~~tt0..!.l;
1 \lI llt~
FIITHl('q
lIorn
M., rhmllttti
SI~IPS01\:,
(Jim), 706 W.
,COU11Ucu:.C;' VFW; Pass Christian Yach t Clu b; Marricd:--- - SLAYD E1'. MRS . EVERETT ( G ladys), The Mnp'olias, Holly
S pri ngs , Marshnil County. Born in MIIl'shull Coun ty, M iss. ;
F arm e r; Baptist;, Life Memb e r, Natl. Ga rden Clubs ; Life M emb e r
ilnel Past Presidenl;'-Cardcn Clulls of Miss. ; Farm Bureau; DAR;
ODC; '- J>nst "Pres ident and Pil~rima gc C hairman, Holly Spiir'lgs
Carden Club; Widow; House 1960-1964.
SMITH, WADE ORCHIN (Wade), Route 2, Box 168 , Poplarvilie.
Pt.arl R iver County.
Born FeblUnry 16. 1911 nt Poplarville,
~Ii.(j; s .;
Fanner; Ba ptist; President" .Fam1. BureAu; Pearl RiveT
C() unty D irector, Wolf Ri'ver Wildlife Council; Married.
County
2 . . . (; 1
S~..
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t'<t '.~ .
ST.
12