Atlanta Daily World

Freedom
Fighters Saluted
At
Crusade
For Freedom
Dinner

COLUMBIA, S.C. - More than
400 persons at the "Crusade for
Citizenship Dinner" and 2000 at a
public mass meeting applauded and
cheered freedom fighters of the
South here Wednesday night in
Township Auditorium. Two gatherings
were held on the same evening
because Hurricane Gracie cancelled
activities the night before, and
marked the high point in the
three-day session of the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference.

Dr. Hubert V. Manning, president
of Claflin University, Orangeburg,
S.C., delivered the principal dinner
address. He paid tribute to "the
courage and dedication of the cause
of freedom" of such persons as Rev.
M.L. King, Jr. and Rev. Ralph D.
Abernathy of Montgomery, Rev. F.
L. Shuttlesworth, Birmingham,
Rev. C.K. Steele, Tallahassee; Mrs.
Daisy Bates and "the Little Rock
Nine", the leadership of the Tus-
kegee Civic Association, and Rev.
Matthew McCollom, Orangeburg, S.
C. Other South Carolinians cited
were Dr. W.E. DuRant and Rev.
Ivory of Rock Hill.

REDDICK TOASTMASTER

Dr. L.D. Reddick, author of
"Crusader Without Violence", served
as toastmaster, and Rev. Shuttles-
worth responded to Dr. Manning's
address in behalf of the southwide
leaders cited.

Dr. Martin L. King Jr., who was
the main mass meeting speaker,
told the enthusiastic audience that
it has become politically inexpedient
to talk about white supremacy.
He cited "rays of hope" in the present
desegregation struggle. He cited
"there is hope in the breakdown
of the 'solid south'" and listed three
Souths:

1. The "South of Compliance",
represented by the border states.

2. The "Wait and See" South,
which included Tennessee, North
Carolina, Texas and Florida. They
are not all out for compliance
nor completely opposed to integration.

3. The "Resisting South". In this
category he placed Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Georgia and
the good state of South Carolina.

LAW ABIDING

In contrast to that group in the
south that would do anything to
preserve segregation", Dr. King
pointed to the much larger group
which was law-abiding, "but passive
adherents of the status quo".

"They've come to see that segregation
is morally wrong,
a cover-up for slavery,
an evil that
no good man can adjust to."

Other rays of hope pointed out by
Dr. King were: The watered-down
Civil Rights Bill", "the Nation's increasing
sensitivity to world opinion"
and, finally, "hope in the
determination of the Negro himself
to be free".

Rev. C.K. Steele, First Vice-
President of SCLC, and president of
Inter-Civic Council, Inc., Tallahassee,
who presided over the meeting,
summed up its purpose in saying,
"We are here tonight because we
are determined to be free".

Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy made
a financial appeal which netted over
$700.