April 20, 1965 – Camden

Martin Luther King Jr came through on another whirlwind tour of Alabama during a 200-person march that was already underway. This same date, the state of Alabama secured a federal injunction against Dr. King to prevent him from using children to march and demonstrate.  Source: Chicago Defender and participant-witnesses.

Author’s note: Charging Dr. King was useless since the students in each community were planning their own strategies. Dr King came to show support and give encouragement. He did not organize any events in Alabama after the Selma marches and was not even a lead organizer of those marches. He was the inspirational leader, but the white press and politicians saw him as the only leader.

April 21,1965 – US Court of Appeals 5th Circuit Alabama

Federal Court of Appeals finds “substantial un-contradicted evidence” that registration officials in Wilcox County were applying the supporting witness (voucher) requirement in a discriminatory fashion. Records disclosed only one instance of a Black person attempting to obtain a white voter as a supporting witness.  Source: US v Logue, 344 F2d 290 (1965)

April 21, 1965 – Camden

Camden civil rights leaders declare they will protest daily until allowed to register and to vote. They continue to do so until school lets out at the end of May. Source: Chicago Daily Defender

College Roomates 1965
Clockwise from top: Diane R, Lorraine Kwan, Jeanne Searight (McEwan), Maria Gitin (Joyce Brians). Photo by Bob McEwan

April 21, 1965 – San Francisco

This author’s 19th birthday was celebrated with friends in San Francisco where I had already joined SNCC and signed up for the SCOPE project with SCLC. I left for the South as soon as the second semester of my freshman year in college was completed. My life would never be the same.