The reports from Freedom Movement field staff to headquarters were crucial for leadership planning, they often formed the basis of press releases and fund appeals, and were the raw material on which lawsuits and legal-defenses relied.
Unfortunately, reporting back to HQ was not a personal priority for most field organizers. After an exhausting day on the front lines, the last thing most freedom fighters wanted to do at night was peck out a report on some broken-down typewriter with a faded ribbon. And, to be honest, the kind of people who become activists fomenting rebellion against tyrannical authorities are rarely the kind of people who enjoy reporting their activities to distant leaders — even leaders they respect, admire, and honor.
Below are some example reports from one worker during the Grenada Movement of 1966.
Summary of Legal Cases. After the Meredith Mississippi March, SCLC returned to Grenada and resumed direct-action protests on July 7. As shown in this summary, within 10 days almost 20 legal cases were underway.
Weekly Individual Report. Atlanta HQ wanted daily activity reports from each staff member. Sometimes we actually did them. This is an example from August 1966.
Weekly Project Report. Each project was supposed to send in a weekly summary of activity — called a WATTS Report. In theory, they would be compiled and shared with all the other projects. This example is from August 1966.
School Integration Report. Because the Grenada Movement was so strong, a large number of Black children tried to enroll in the white schools under a court order. On opening day, the KKK organized a huge mob to attack and beat the kids as they came to school. This report to attornies fighting the case attempted to summarize the numbers involved.
Arrest Report. The one kind of report that field staff were diligent in filing were arrest reports so that the lawyers would know who had to be bailed out of jail. This report from October 1966 lists those busted on the 27th, and those jailed on previous days who had been moved to Mississippi's notorious Parchman Penitentiary.
ASCS Organizing Report #1 and ASCS Report #2. The Agriculture Stabilization & Conservation Service (ASCS) elections determined who got Federal crop subsidies. This is where the big money was, and the white plantation owners were determined that Black sharecroppers receive no share of it. These two undated example reports are probably from November or December of 1966.
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