During SNCC Mississippi Freedom Summer three teenage volunteers were murdered within the first three days: Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner. The following summer, when my cohort was recruited by SCLC to join local leaders and students registering voters in the Deep South, we went through intensive briefings, training and interviews to determine whether we would be helpful or not helpful to the Movement. Before being accepted as a 1965 Voting Rights volunteer, I sat through interviews in Berkeley with Dave Fogel and others, using the SNCC questions.

One question: What will you do when a redneck stops you on the street, pushes you around and calls you a dirty m-f-n lover?  Stopped me cold. I didn’t really expect that although once in Wilcox County, AL there were many incidents of being yelled at and threatened.  Of course, a nonviolent response was the only acceptable answer. These forms I have are old, but I hope you can read the rest of the document.