Among Freedom Summer's strategic objectives were raising national awareness of
southern realities, demanding Federal action, and mobilizing political support
for the MFDP. Summer volunteers were urged to write frequent letters to
family, friends, teachers, and ministers about the Freedom Movement and their
experiences. Many volunteers arranged to have their letters published in local
newspapers, school or church bulletins, or reproduced and distributed to
informal networks.
Freedom Summer projects and volunteers were also supposed to send regular
progress reports to movement headquarters. Some actually did so.
This was before the era of cheap photocopy machines, so letters and reports
had to be retyped with carbon copies, or mimeographed from
hand-typed stencils (often by parents who just days or weeks earlier had been
desperately pleading with their daughters and sons not to to to Mississippi).
| |
| Letter & Reports Collections from Multiple Mississippi
Locations |
| | 1964 |
Letters From Mississippi
(collection) |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Oxford OH Volunteer Training |
| | 6/9 | Why I Am Going to Mississippi, Chude Allen |
| | 6/14 | Note from Oxford training session (handwritten), Lucy Montgomery |
| | 6/18 | Letter to Tom Levin re medical support for Freedom Summer, Carol Rogoff, SNCC |
| | 6/18 | Letter re Orientation & Training, Mike Yarrow |
| | 6/16 | Letter re Freedom Summer training, William Hodes |
| | 6/22 | Nonviolence debate at Freedom Summer training, William Hodes |
| | 6/26 | Dear Parents and All (re CSG), Eugene Nelson |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Batesville & Panola Co,
MS |
| | 6/23 | Summer Volunteer Hit By
Local White, unsigned COFO |
| | 6/25 | Confidential Report, SNCC
Activities in Panola County, Claude Weaver, SNCC |
| | 6/26 | Sheriff Parades Police Dog at
Court House, Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/27 | Local, COFO Volunteer
Receives High Parking Fine, Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/28 | Police
Harassment — Traffic Violations, Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/29 | White Citizen
Harassment, unsigned COFO |
| | 6/29 | White Citizen Harassment
of John Hardy & Joseph Murphy, Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/29 | White Citizen Harassment
of John Hardy & Joseph Murphy #2, unsigned, COFO |
| | 7/3 | Two Local Whites Chase, COFO
Volunteers, Mike Smith, COFO(Batesville ) |
| | 7/9 | Letter to Annell Ponder re
Greenville community center, Vicki Halper, COFO |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Canton & Madison Co, MS |
| | 1964 |
Freedom Registration in the City of Canton, L. Foner? |
| | 1964 |
Report re her secretarial experience for Mrs. Devine, Judy Hampton |
| | 1964 | Report about phones, Margaret Cunningham |
| | 6/6 | Project Report Valley View, Unsigned CORE/COFO |
| | July | Gluckstadt: General Information & report, Unsigned COFO/CORE. |
| | July | Report: Southwestern area of Madison Co., . James Ohls, Mark Lepper and Sandra Watts, COFO/CORE |
| | 7/4 | Valley View weekly report, unsigned COFO |
| | 7/7 | Michael Piore, COFO, Federal Programs Project Weekly Report, Canton |
| | 7/8 | Rev. Alexander Harper, COFO, Canvasing report, Canton |
| | 7/12 | Weekly Report, Valley View project (Madison Co) (). Unsigned COFO |
| | 7/15 | Freedom Schools in Rural Madison Co., Wood & Bishop |
| | 7/19 | Attempt to integrate white facilities, Valley View. Charlie Bromberg, COFO |
| | 7/26 | Weekly Report, Valley View project (Madison Co). Unsigned COFO |
| | 7/26 | Weekly Report, Pleasant Green project (Madison Co). Daniel Wood, COFO |
| | 8/25 | Madison County Freedom School Reports, Jo Ann Ooiman |
| | 7/16 | Lettter From a Freedom School Teacher, Dorothy Teal |
| | 1964 | Report on Gluckstadt Freedom School threats, Arlene Bock, COFO |
| | 1964 | Letter to President Lyndon Johnson, Arlene Bock, COFO |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Clarksdale & Coahoma Co, MS |
| | 7/25 | Report From Clarksdale No. 1, . Fraser Thomason |
| | 7/30 | Reports from Clarksdale, July 28-30, Fraser & Loris Thomason (DM?) |
| | 8/5 | Report #7 from Clarksdale. Fraser Thomson, COFO
|
| |
| Letters & Reports From Cleveland & Bolivar Co, MS |
| | 6/28 | Sunflower and Bolivar counties update #1, Jerry Tecklin, COFO |
| | 7/7 | Sunflower and Bolivar counties update #2, Jerry Tecklin, COFO |
| | 7/13 | Report—Terror in Shaw , Wally Roberts, SNCC |
| | 7/19 | Sunflower and Bolivar counties update #3, Jerry Tecklin, COFO |
| | 7/23 | Report on work as minister-counsellor, Shaw project, George Phelps, DM
|
| | Aug | Report: Arrested for Leafletting, Wally Roberts |
| | 9/2 | Report: Observations Regarding Cleveland , Robert Hall & Robert Gregg |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Columbus & Lowndes Co, MS |
| | 7/8 | Report on Trip to Columbus, Lowndes Co, Don Elliott, COFO, |
| | 7/14 | Civil Right arrests and trials, Columbus. Unsigned, COFO |
| | 7/30 | The District One Project July 17-30, W.M. Weber, DM |
| | 8/04 | Columbus activities. Mike Higson, COFO
|
| |
| Letters & Reports From Greenville & Washington Co, MS |
| | 6/23 | Political and racial situation, unsigned COFO |
| | 6/29 | Suspicious cars, Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/30 | Greenville research report, Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/30 | Weekly Report to Jackson, Unsigned COFO |
| | 7/5 | Incident of July 5th, Greenville. Unsigned COFO |
| | 7/9 | Louis Grant, COFO? Report on visit to Sheriff of Washington County, Greenville |
| | 7/12 | Weekly report: Greenville, . Unsigned COFO |
| | 8/28 | Letter From Irene & Everett MacNair |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Greenwood & Itta Bena, LeFlore Co, MS |
| | 6/26 | FBI Investigation and Arrests in Itta Bena, Unsigned |
| | 7/27 | Report on mob violence against SNCC workers. Betty Garman & Julian Bond |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Hattiesburg & Forrest Co, MS |
| | | Report & Evaluation Forms, Summer 1964 |
| | 7/11 | Report to Greenwood and Atlanta; re: Hattiesburg, T. Shaw, DM |
| | 7/23 | Report on work as minister-counsellor, Shaw project, George Phelps, DM |
| | 7/24 | Report from Hattiesburg. Beech, Cameron, COFO |
| | 7/26 | Report from Hattiesburg, T. Shaw, Delta Ministry? |
| | 8/3 | Report from Hattiesburg, Beech & Cameron, COFO |
| | 8/10 | Report to Greenwood and Atlanta; re: Hattiesburg, T. Shaw, DM |
| | 8/11 | Report from Hattiesburg, Beech & Cameron, DM/COFO |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Holly Springs & Marshall Co, MS |
| | July | Three Letters & Reports From a Freedom School Teacher, Chude Allen |
| | 7/8 | Letter re the freedom project, Gitta Perl |
| | 7/8 | Letter re leave of absence, David W. Trimble |
| | 7/12 | Weekly report, Kathleen Dahl |
| | 7/13 | Letter re end of service, Gitta Perl |
| | 7/19 | Weekly report, Eugene Hunn |
| | 7/19 | Weekly report, Ruth Koening |
| | 7/26 | Weekly report, Ruth Koening |
| | 7/26 | Weekly report, Eugene Hunn |
| | 7/26 | Letter regarding research & information, Mary Jennings |
| | 8/2 | Weekly report, Eugene Hunn |
| | 8/2 | Report on visit to Welfare Office, Eugene Hunn |
| | 8/5 | Field report from Holly Springs. Harriet Tanzman, COFO
|
| | 8/9 | Weekly report, Eugene Hunn |
| | 8/19 | Letter re Frank Caccatori (Frank Cieciorka), Karin Kunstler |
| | 10/22 | Letter re news from San Francisco, Sandy |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Jackson & Hinds Co, MS |
| | 7/2 | Dear Jack, letter re MFDP. Signature illegible |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Moss Point & Pascagoula, Jackson Co, MS |
| | 1964 | Report From Moss Point-Pascagoula, undated |
| | 6/24 |
Kirschenbaum and Ridenour arrested Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/25 |
Moss Point report, June 23-25, Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/25 | Daily Report, Unsigned COFO (Moss Point) |
| | 6/30 | Report from Moss Point , Unsigned, 6/17-30
|
| | 6/25 | Report from Moss Point , Unsigned, 6/23-25
|
| | | Memorandum: Report From Moss Point, unsigned Undated (believed to be 6/24 1964)
|
| | 6/25 | Report from Moss Point , Unsigned,
|
| | July | Moss
Point-Pascagoula, harassment, unsigned COFO |
| | 7/7 | Special Report July 6 and 7 re shooting at Moss Point mass meeting, unsigned COFO |
| | 7/7 | Special Report re shooting, follow up Moss Point, unsigned COFO |
| | 7/8 | Report from Moss Point , Unsigned,
|
| | 7/11 | Statement: violation of Civil Rights Act in Moss Point () |
| | 7/13 | Report from Moss Point , Unsigned, 7/9-13
|
| | 7/13 | Voter registration, courthouse report, Mosspoint, Mary Ellickson, COFO |
| | 7/13 | Report on courthouse visit, Mosspoint, Marianne McKay, COFO |
| | 7/16 | Harrassment of COFO workers by Moss Point police, Howard Kirschenbaum, COFO |
| | 7/17 | Moss Point membership meeting. Sally Belfrage, COFO |
| | 7/20 | Report from Moss Point , Unsigned, 7/17-20
|
| | 7/21 | Report from Moss Point #1, Unsigned, 7/15-21
|
| | 7/21 | Report from Moss Point #2, Unsigned,
|
| | 7/21 | Moss Point weekly report of court proceedings and meetings, Unsigned, COFO
|
| | 7/26 | Report from Moss Point , Unsigned,
|
| | 8/6 | Report about bomb attack by 12-year old COFO worker Biloxi. Lodie Robinson, COFO |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Ruleville & Sunflower Co, MS |
| | June | Arriving in , first days, & fear., Mike Yarrow |
| | 1964 | Christopher Hexter bogus trial notes for obstructing traffic, Unsigned, COFO |
| | 6/28 | Sunflower and Bolivar counties update #1, Jerry Tecklin, COFO |
| | 7/1 | Letter home, Wally Roberts |
| | 7/2 | Experiences of a Summer Volunteer #1, Mike Yarrow |
| | 7/7 | Sunflower and Bolivar counties update #2, Jerry Tecklin, COFO |
| | 7/11 | Experiences of a Summer Volunteer #2, Mike Yarrow |
| | 7/18 | Account of Arrest and Jail, Mike Yarrow |
| | 7/19 | Sunflower and Bolivar counties update #3, Jerry Tecklin, COFO |
| | 7/27 | Experiences of a Summer Volunteer #3, Mike Yarrow |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Florida. |
| | 6/22 | All-Day, CORE Conference, Dunnellon Florida, Judy Benninger, CORE |
| | 8/5 | Weekly Report, CORE Florida Task Force, Judy Benninger, CORE |
| |
| Letters & Reports From Louisiana. |
| | 6/13 | Dear People, letter re journey South & CORE training, Plaquimines, LA, Peggy Ewan (Meg Redden) |
| |
| Misc. & Other Letters & Reports |
| | 5/31 | Letter From Jim Boebel, about Freedom Summer |
| | 1964 | Report From Amite County, Marshall Ganz, COFO |
| | July | Memo re Second District MFDP Convention, undated. Stokely Carmichael, SNCC |
| | 7/7 | Federal Programs Project Weekly Report, Michael Piore, COFO, Canton |
| | 7/7 | Freedom School at Asbury Church, Unsigned COFO, [Handwritten report] |
| | 7/13 | Letter to Amzie Moore re support for, COFO, Rep. Don Edwards |
| | 7/16 | Lettter From a Freedom School Teacher, Dorothy Teal. Carthage . |
| | 7/16 | Courthouse Situation Issaquena Co. Muriel, COFO |
| | 7/18 | Communication & Transportation letter, Sara Lieber & Ruth Steward, COFO/CORE |
| | 7/21 | Letter to Steve Blum re community center at Biloxi, Annell Ponder, SCLC |
| | 1964 | Report on Freedom School, Cedar Grove (Newton County), Prickett, Nelson, Tompkins, COFO |
| | 1964 | Report on Freedom Democratic Party work toward educational meetings, Mabel Metzer, MFDP |
| | 7/22 | Report on meeting with Joe _____, (handwritten), Wesley A_______ |
| | 7/22 | Report on meeting with Ralph Wisedess?, (handwritten), Wesley A_______ |
| | 7/23 | Report on meeting with Rev. S_____ Mason?, (handwritten) |
| | 7/24 | Memo to George (Raymond?), re request for speaker in Rankin Co. , Natalie Tompkins, COFO
|
| | 7/24 | Report from Mississippi NAACP Headquarters, re Dr. King speaking tour & other topics, Lee Ball |
| | 7/25 | Report of Visit to Mississippi, July 19-25. A. Stauffer Curry, DM
|
| | 7/31 | Report from Starkville, unsigned |
| | 8/8 | Mississippi Summer Project – Experiences and Observations, July 26-August 8. Albert Ronander
|
| | 8/8 | Report on the Summer Project. Alvin Pam |
| | 8/24 | Letter re funding community centers, Kaufman, Levine, Lodge |
| |
| Letters & Reports From New York, NY |
| | 7/4 | To Mrs. Hodes re Newsletter, Kay Raphael, parents group |
| | 7/20 | Notes on parents meeting with James Forman, Steve Schwerner, Unsigned COFO? SNCC? |
| | 2/9/65 | Meeting of Miss. Project Parent's Committee, Unsigned |
