Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1961-08-26
Mississippi S Civil Rights
Roman Holiday

Here in Mississippi the current trials of the
Freedom Riders, the trials of all the different sit
in suits, Negro voter suits, and the suit of Ne
gro student to enter the University of Mississippi
sponsored and backed by CORE, the NAACP, Rev.
Martin Luther Kings Southern Christian Non-Vio-
lent Leadership Conference and the American Civil
Liberties Union, has taken on the aspects of
Civil Rights Roman Holiday in the State
In the light of what is now going on we be-
ieve that the time has come for all intelligent Mis-
sssippi Negroes to appraise the future in the light
OF recent history of Negro progress in the state.
No Negro in Mississippi who was intelligent
and observant at the time will deny that respon-
sble Negro leaders, seeking the goodwill and
cooperation of responsible white leaders at the local
community level, during the period 194O-1954, had
brought on the brightest and most hopeful period
in the history of the state in the matter of Negro
voting, political participation firstcass citizenship
and open and beneficial lines of communication
between responsible white and Negro leaders of the
state without the help of any of the above named
organizations, some of which were not even in
existence at the time.
We are also certain that no observant and in
telligent Mississippi Negro will deny that the
great Negro progress, so plainly evident until
1854 has since that time, come to virtual stand
still; with the only thing now evident among Ne
groes of the state is increasing unwarranted hat
red OF white people, confusion, bewilderment, and
continuing Illustration. A primary result of the
fact that Negro community leadership, who ques-
toned their programs, vctimized by es rdicue
Vllhtlcatlon, and calumny, were shunted aside as
the NAACP took over the leadership of the Ne
groes of the state.
What we going on in the state, is not
nearly as much of concern for Negro Civil Rights
as it is a contest between the NAACP CORE
Rev Martin Luther Kings Southern Christian
Violent Leadership Conference, and the Amer
lean Civil Liberties Union, for the greater share
IN the civil rights contribution loot, the collection
OF which has lately really become big business and
OF course supplies the money for the high paid
lawyers and officials of the organizations.
1t is becoming increasingly evident to us, and
we believe it is equally true of every other matur-
ed, intelligent and responsible Negro in the state
who has not become the victims of the civil rights
religious mombo-jumbo, and the unrealistic prom
Uses and predictions of the organizations spokes-
men of great happenings today or tomorrow, that
the progress being made in the period 194O-1954
will be resumed under the leadership of the or
CARNATIONS now active for Negro civil rights in
the state.
We see it as inevitable that the responsibility
for Negro leadership in the state is going to revert
to Negro leaders at the community level who have
not identified themselves with the activities and
demands of the above organizations, a fact which
to us stands out more clearly against the back
ground of the Civil Rights Roman Holiday now
going on in the state