Arizona sun., 1962-05-31
Mr.. w. A. Robinson
The Arizona Sun

Inc Arizona Dun
Phoenix, Arizona
Dear Mr.. Robinson:
Enclosed is copy of a letter
being sent out by the Tucson Chap
ter, Committee to Aid the Monroe
Defendants. It's lengthy and space
limitations may not permit you
to print the entire letter, but we
hope that the Arizona Sun will be
able to print parts of it. When
John Lowry spoke here in Tucson
on April IL a number of people
decided to try to do what we could
aid the Monroe defendants in their
struggle for justice in North Caro-
lima. Any help you could be through
the Sun would be deeply apprecl-
ated.
Sincere good wishes,
Clyde R. Appleton, Co-Chairman
Tucson Chapter, CAMD
Dear friends,
Have you heard about the Mon
roe, North Carolina "kidnap' case?
For more than nine months three
young men-John Lowry, 20 year
old Freedom Rider; Richard
Crowder, 10, head of the Monroe
on-Violent Action COMMITTEES; and
Harold Reape, II, an active mem
Der of MNVAC-have been under
Indictment on kidnapping charge.
Also under indictment are Mrs.
Mae Mallory, now fighting ex-
tradition from Ohio, and Robert
F. Williams, leader of the Negro
community lin Monroe, who es-
capped with his family to Cuba
where he has been granted politj-
cal asylum.
This letter is an appeal for ur-
gently needed funds to aid the
Monroe defendants in their legal
fight, to publicize the true story
of the events in Monroe, and to
materially aid the hardpresSed
Negro community of Monroe.
Following is a brief resume of
some of the events in Monroe which
should give some indication of the
realities of the situation there,
the events leading up to the kid
nap' charge, and the difficulties
in securing justice in Monroe,
North Carolina courtroom.
*In 1858 Monroe was the scene
of the infamous kissing Case"
in which two Negro boys, and 9,
were sent to the reformatory on a
charge that one of them induced
a 7-year old white girl to kiss him.
Held incommunicado for several
days, the boys were not even per-
mitted to see their parents.
*LaSt summer Monroe's muni-
cipal swimming pool was picketed
the first picket line ever seen
in Union County where there are
no unions. Authorities refused to
integrate the pool or even to set
aside one day a week for its use
by colored townspeople. They claim
it would be too expensive since the
water would have to be changed
each time after Negroes used it.
SIN August, 1861, II Freedom
Riders, returning from appeal hear
ings in Jackson, Miss, came to
Monroe with their non-violent tech
niques to help in the anti-Jim Crow
struggle. They joined local resi-
dents in forming the Monroe Nom
Violent Action Committee. On Aug
ust 81 an anti-segregation picket
line practicing the disciplines of
non-violence was begun in Court
house Square in downtown Mon
roe. Police condoned hoodlumism
against the pickets occurred daily,
but no arrests were made. On
August 26 a xxx Motorcade trail
ed the pickets as they marched
back to Newtown, the Negro neigh
borhood. Signs were displayed such
as "Open Season on Coons" and
Death to All Niggers and Niger
Lovers. .
son August 27 a mob of be-
tween 1000 and 5000 white suprema-
cists rioted against the anti-seg-
regation pickets. 33 Freedom Rid
cts. 33 Freedom Riders and local
anti segregation pickets were ar
rested and given various sus-
pended sentences ranging up to
2 years. The asSailants who had
indiScriminately assaulted Negroes
and Freedom Riders were not ar
rested. A white couple drove into