DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Ed Spannaus correspondence, June-September 1964 | 1964-09-01 Ed Spannaus to his parents Page 2

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Ed Spannaus correspondence, June-September 1964

1964-09-01 Ed Spannaus to his parents Page 2

9/1/64

A good deal of my time lately has been spent working with the LCDC lawyers (Lawyers' Constitutional Defense Committee). They can usually only handle cases that are directly connected with COFO. There is so much that could be done with adequate legal help, but it just isn't available. We try and help them by gathering evidence on harrassment, police brutality, etc., hoping that it can be used. Last week I was working with a family that was evicted from the housing project because the daughter is involved with COFO, a fellow who was arrested for "indecent exposure" after attempting to enter a white soda fountain and who was beaten in the police station, and a number of instances in discriminatory payment of wages at shipyards. And Friday night a Negro was arrested after a verbal exchange with two whites and charged with "assault and battery with intent to do bodily harm." The police accused him of threatening the two men with a butcher knife. Of course this type of thing happens all the time, but people usually aren't aware of any recourse which they may have. 

We had an incident here about two weeks ago in which a 16 year old girl was arrested for trespassing after attempting to use the "white" side of a local laundromat. She had gone in there completely on her own, just because the "white" side was nicer than the "colored" side, and this was arrested. Following this, a group of local citizens decided to organize a "selective buying campaign" (boycotts are illegal in Mississipp) against the washeteria, asking the owner to remove the discriminatory signs and partitions. The campaign has been quite successful, but Wednesday six people were arrested while walking back and forth in front of the place. They were arrested, tried, and convicted in a kangeroo court within an hour! They weren't even allowed a phone call, and were convicted on the basis of outrageously false testimony by police officers. COFO usually doesn't become involved in public accommodations disputes, but out lawyers are now appealing the case, and the people are out on $1000 property bond apiece. 

Shortly before the arrests, Robert Smith, a Negro COFO worker, and I went to the police station to talk to the chief and attempt to avert the arrests. When we got there Robert went to the nearest washroom. He was bodily dragged out of the washroom by a cop, and we were both thrown out of the police station, by the cop and four other men. Had I said anything, I'm sure I'd have been beaten. It would have made an interesting case, but my self preservation instinct told me to leave while I could. 

I mentioned previously some of the effects that the presence of the white volunteers has had on the Negro community. This has also had its effect on the white community, namely this: Many whites down here honestly believe that Negro males want to rape every white woman they see and they raise their children to believe this. Well the female COFO workers have been living in Negro homes without any trouble whatsoever, and this has caused a lot of people, particularly the younger ones, to re-examine some of their attitudes. This may even lead to a great tolerance on the part of the white community.

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9/1/64 A good deal of my time lately has been spent working with the LCDC lawyers (Lawyers' Constitutional Defense Committee). They can usually only handle cases that are directly connected with COFO. There is so much that could be done with adequate legal help, but it just isn't available. We try and help them by gathering evidence on harrassment, police brutality, etc., hoping that it can be used. Last week I was working with a family that was evicted from the housing project because the daughter is involved with COFO, a fellow who was arrested for "indecent exposure" after attempting to enter a white soda fountain and who was beaten in the police station, and a number of instances in discriminatory payment of wages at shipyards. And Friday night a Negro was arrested after a verbal exchange with two whites and charged with "assault and battery with intent to do bodily harm." The police accused him of threatening the two men with a butcher knife. Of course this type of thing happens all the time, but people usually aren't aware of any recourse which they may have. We had an incident here about two weeks ago in which a 16 year old girl was arrested for trespassing after attempting to use the "white" side of a local laundromat. She had gone in there completely on her own, just because the "white" side was nicer than the "colored" side, and this was arrested. Following this, a group of local citizens decided to organize a "selective buying campaign" (boycotts are illegal in Mississipp) against the washeteria, asking the owner to remove the discriminatory signs and partitions. The campaign has been quite successful, but Wednesday six people were arrested while walking back and forth in front of the place. They were arrested, tried, and convicted in a kangeroo court within an hour! They weren't even allowed a phone call, and were convicted on the basis of outrageously false testimony by police officers. COFO usually doesn't become involved in public accommodations disputes, but out lawyers are now appealing the case, and the people are out on $1000 property bond apiece. Shortly before the arrests, Robert Smith, a Negro COFO worker, and I went to the police station to talk to the chief and attempt to avert the arrests. When we got there Robert went to the nearest washroom. He was bodily dragged out of the washroom by a cop, and we were both thrown out of the police station, by the cop and four other men. Had I said anything, I'm sure I'd have been beaten. It would have made an interesting case, but my self preservation instinct told me to leave while I could. I mentioned previously some of the effects that the presence of the white volunteers has had on the Negro community. This has also had its effect on the white community, namely this: Many whites down here honestly believe that Negro males want to rape every white woman they see and they raise their children to believe this. Well the female COFO workers have been living in Negro homes without any trouble whatsoever, and this has caused a lot of people, particularly the younger ones, to re-examine some of their attitudes. This may even lead to a great tolerance on the part of the white community.