MISSISSIPPI
FREE PRESS
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The Truth Shall Make You Free
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Volume One — Number One
Jackson, Mississippi — Saturday, December 16, 1961
10 Cents Per L'o§3>J
Announces For Congress
A Newspaper Is Born
Never in the history of journalism, as we know it in the
State of Mississippi, has any newspaper from its inception
had such bold aims and purity of purpose as the MISSISSIPPI
FREE   PRESS.
This is a Mississippi paper and a free paper.
Let it be clearly understood from the very beginning that
this paper is incorporated in Mississippi by Mississippians for
Mississippians — All Mississippians! We intend that it will be
Uhe Peoples' Paper. We know that Mississippi needs such a
newspaper and the MISSISSIPPI FREE PRESS is determined
to fulfill that need.
This newspaper holds certain beliefs tb?t are characteristic
•f free Americans. We believe that all men should be free
i— no man a slave. We believe in freedom of speech, freedom
of worship, freedom of movement, and freedom from intimidation. These, among others, are the rights of all Mississippians,
regardless of creed, color, or religion. The MISSISSIPPI FREE
PRESS dedicates itself to helping to maintain these freedoms.
But even more important the MISSISSIPPI FREE PRESS makes
A pledge of helping to secure these rights for those Mississippians
who have been denied them.
This newspaper will at all times champion the cause of
Justice. It will fight injustice. It will take no backward steps.
Much will be written in the future in the MISSISSIPPI
FREE PRESS about the problems of this State — and we
have many. We will not hesitate in offering constructive criticism. We very definitely will have our say about our state's
fiscal policies, about our schools, about. teachers salaries, about
reapportionment, about voting and registration, and about desegregation.
We will be interested in the various communities and their
problems.
We turn our attention now to one of these communilies
end one of its problems.
The community is Jackson, Mississippi. The problem is
an economic one, as well as a moral issue — a question of
right and wrong.
For years, the Negro population of Jackson has spent its
money with the merchants of Jackson. Most merchants readily
accept this Negro business. But many times the Negro has not
been given the same courtesy and appreciation as is extended
to whites. Too mrmy times he has heard himself called, "Sam",
'Sally', 'John', 'preacher', 'boy', or 'girl'. The Negro as a group
has remained patient but will not remain patient indefinitely.
The Negro wants the same courtesy that is extended to others.
He wants the same opportunity of employment in these stores
as whites. This desire has been conveyed to members of the
(Continued on Page Two)
R. L. T. Smith Will
Be First Negro To
Run In 20th Century
It was announced today that
Mr. R. L. T. Smith of Jackson
will run for United States Representative from the 4th Congressional District of Mississippi. Smith will presumably oppose the incumbent Congressman, Honorable Jonn Bell Williams of Raymond in the Democratic primary of June 5,
1982.
Mr. Smith, so far as the FREE
PRESS can determine, will be
the first Negro candidate from
Mississippi for' a major office
in the 20th century. The announcement of Mr. Smith's candidacy was made by his campaign manager, Dr. A. B. Brit-
ton of Jackson in an exclusive
release to the FREE PRESS.
Dr. Britton further said that
a press conference will be held
at 3:00 p. m. on Saturday, December 16, 1961, in. the Masonic
Temple building at 1072 Lynch
Street. He added that full scale
campaign plans were underway
and that a headquarters office
would be opened in a matter of
days. The campaign manager
stated that Mr. Smith would
wage a vigorous and large scale
effort throughout the district
and into all sections of the 13-
county area.
Mr. Smith is a prominent
Jackson businessman, a former
mail carrier and a Baptist minister who has pnstored in and
around the Jnckson area for
more than 25 years. He is one
of the leading citizens of Jackson.
Watch next week's Free Press
for a feature story on Mr.
Smith.
R. L
SMITH
Jackson Negroes
Asked: "Slay Off
Capitol Street'
Seven Clarksdaie Negroes Writ Be Trie! \
For''Conspiring To Withhold Trade"      f
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In a December 9th statement,
NAACP leader Med gar W.
Evers called on the Negro community to "stay off Capitol
Street."
Mr. Evers said in a prepared
<-'tatement: "For many years
now, Negroes have lined Capitol
Street in Jackson, Mississippi,
ipeHding their money where
they couid neither be employed
as Bales clerks, cat at lunch
counters, nor be given courtesy
titles as 'Mr.'. 'Mrs.' or 'Miss.'
These indignities have, in a
number of instances, been harsh
ind brutal, as well as humiliating.
"I am reminded here of an
undent which ocrured recently
to a prominent Negro woman,
■vho was accused of taking articles from a Capitol Street mer-
nhmt This lady was searched
and humiliated before numerous
pre*''tors. As it turned out, the
(Continued on Back Page)
A hearing for seven Clarksdaie Negroes charged with "conspiring to withhold trade from
downtown merchants" has been
set for next Tuesday, Dec. 19th,
at 10 a. m.
Judge Rodney Brooks will
preside at the trial to be held
ut the County Courthouse in
Clarksdaie with County Attorney Thomas H. (Babe) Pearson
prosecuting.
Jack .Young will represent
the defendants who are Aaron
Henry, president of 1he State
NAACP, Mrs. Vera 1'igee, Rev.
Theodore Trammcll, Laboyd
Keys. R. L. Drew, John C. Mel-
choc  and  Walter Wright.
The arrests of ihe seven j
Clacks-ale citizens came after
a conference which was called
by the County A-llorncy of Con-
hotna County, with the Rev.
lore Trammel), Mr. R. L.
Drew, and Mr. Aaron E. Henry,
had h< r n held. These three
'eadera were asked to use iheir
nfluence to call off the down-
'ov.n CJnrksdale boycott which
cepoi telly has been 95 per cent
•'fcr-tive. The men refused to
cad olf the boycott.
Piioj ',r> the arrests, it was dc-
■ ed   in  a  meeting  of the Coa-
-orn;i  County federated Council
A Organizations that the down
town merchant* would be givnj_
the   opportunity   to   cog-to  Slo-
gro   patronage,   if   they  -wanted
it.   "We   asked   them   to   begin
employing    Negroes     in    other
than  menial positions, in stains
desiring   Negro   trade.   \We  feel
Ihey   should   be   given   jobs   as
clerks  etc.,   also,   just   as  white
citizens, that Negroes should bfc
' vtended  courtesy titles such M
Mr.' and 'Mrs.', said  Mn.  Voi-
M.   Pigee,   spokesman   for   th«
rroup.
Can't Parado
November  3rd   1961,   was   Ihw
Annu.'il    Homf coming    day    for
Coahoma  Junior  College.  Everf
year   for  the  past  twelve  years
the    Homecoming    Parade    kaa
marched  through   the downtown
frets   of   the   city.   Ibis   year
Chief of Police Ben  Collins end
"iayor W. S. Kincade refused to
,(rmit   them   to   pared*   at   nil
Brd   the  Homecoming   fcstivilic«t
had to be camelled
Invitation Is Withdrawn—-
A Slap   In  Th* Fate
Bark    in    October,    1961,   (he
Chamber   of  Commerce   extended  to both  the Coiihoma Junior
College   and   the   Higgins   High
School   an   invitation   to paHiei-
prife   in   the   Christmas   prirvdr.
This has tx en 'he custom of i*be
city  and  1he  Chamber  of CV.nri-
(Continucd  on Back  Page.)    k
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