The HCAC public history focused digital archive cataloging is an ongoing process, and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. We welcome your comments and feedback if you have more information to share about an item featured on the site, please contact us at: HCAC-DigiTeam@si.edu
Bessie Warren took a job in 1972 at Lift Incorporated Community Action Agency in Tupelo, Mississippi, where she worked as a rotating teacher’s assistant. Later, she became Head Start Educational Coordinator and Career Development Officer, positions she had held for 12 years up to the time of the interview.
Bessie Funches began work as a teacher at the first Head Start in Gulfport, Mississippi (Harrison County Head Start) in 1966 and worked as a resource teacher for that summer. In 1973, Ms. Funches became Special Service Director of Harrison County Head Start. She talks about her experiences in the classrooms with the students and other workers.
Bernice Jones (aka Safiya Bukhari) was a Black Panther Party member and vice president of the Republic of New Afrika. In this personal narrative, she tells her life story from the time of her birth in 1950 until her time in high school.
Bernard Thornton was born in 1908 in Natchez, Mississippi. He lived 53 of his 68 years in Jackson, Mississippi. The purpose of the interview was to learn information concerning the function of the Lynch Street C.M.E. Church in the community. Mr. Thornton talks about being a member of the church since 1925 and a trustee since 1945.
Beatrice Martin was born in Rankin County, Mississippi, in 1904 and moved to Jackson two years later. For her, the "Good Old Days" were when she was younger and went to church and played games with her father. She discusses getting married in 1928 and purchasing some land and a home in a part of Jackson that had not yet been fully developed.
Beatrice Coats talks about her involvement in voter registration work with the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. She talks extensively about her experiences helping to register people to vote in 1964, after being a registered voter herself since 1946. That work led her to helping open a Head Start Center in Hollandale, Mississippi.
Barbara Mason discusses the beginnings of Head Start in Utica, Mississippi, in 1965 and sending her daughter to attend the Head Start Center at St. Mark's Catholic Church. She goes on to talk about working at a Head Start center in Jackson, Mississippi, as a driver for the kids in the program.
Barbara Strauss was a member of the board of directors of the Bethlehem Center in Jackson, Mississippi, a United Methodist Church organization that does work in impoverished communities. She talks about her extensive work in these communities and the Bethlehem Center sponsoring the opening of the first Head Start in Jackson.
A newspaper article from The New Jersey Afro-American about prisoners who refused work assignments as a protest over living conditions. The prisoners were transferred and denied their personal belongings, telephone calls, and medical care. The group Prisoner’s Rights Organized Defense (PROD) asked a judge to restore everything for the inmates.
A button with a black and white photo of Assata Shakur. She is a political activist and was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA), an organization that engaged in armed struggle with the U.S. government. In 1977, she was convicted in a cop-killing case from 1973. Escaping prison in 1979, she has lived in political asylum in Cuba ever since.
A newspaper article from The Star Ledger about the defense team for Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard), who was on trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper, opening their case by calling for dismissal of the murder charge on the grounds that she cannot be convicted since Clark Squire has already been convicted of the killing.
A newspaper article from Daily News about Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) being in New Jersey to stand trial for the May 1973 killing of a state trooper. Shakur was convicted in 1977 of killing the state trooper during a shootout, escaped prison in 1979, and is still wanted by the FBI.
A newspaper article from The Topeka Capital Journal about opening arguments in the Topeka desegregation case. The opening day also saw the opening of testimony by expert witness for the plaintiffs William Lamson who used maps and charts to argue that the Topka School System continues to remain segregated.
A newspaper article from The Home News about a day long juryless court session where defense lawyers made numerous motions to dismiss the indictments against Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) who was on trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper. The judge rejected these motions and the attorneys are scheduled to call witnesses that day.
Case Data and Exhibits for Brown III, a relitigation of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954) that corrected resegregation issues caused by open enrollment school choice in 1992. U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas Circuit Judge Stephanie Seymour’s opinion, ruling that Topeka school’s have not done enough to rectify segregation.
Case Data and Exhibits for Brown III, a relitigation of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954) that corrected resegregation issues caused by open enrollment school choice in 1992. Ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas on the Brown III case that reverses a lower court’s ruling that the Topeka School District is unitary.
A letter from "M" to Terry. The author writes that it is the early days of the struggle and there is an opportunity to organize the people for revolutionary struggle, giving specific examples of work that can be done in communities to gain the support of the people. Tenets such as internationalism, organization, and Marxism-Leninism are discussed.
The unnamed sender writes about the lost trust among members, the wrong direction the Black Panther Party is headed, and the responsibility of the older members. The sender addresses the behavior of the New African People's Organization in New York and vows to expose the corruption.
The unnamed sender addresses the comrades about the mistreatment of women in the Black Panther Party and explains the historical importance of women in the struggle as revolutionaries. The sender urges the revolutionaries to not make the same past mistakes.
A letter from Terry to an unknown recipient. The author writes that they need to put past mistakes behind them to begin seriously organizing for the fight for liberation. He makes the argument that a propaganda campaign will be needed to gain the support of the masses.
Maggie/Jean, a White revolutionary, writes to an unknown Black Liberation movement leader. The author is apologizing for the way White revolutionaries dealt with the struggle for Black liberation during the time they worked together. The writer says that the criticisms of their group exposed the national chauvinism and racism of their organization.
“J”, a White movement leader, writes to “T” to apologize, explain, and take responsibility for past behavior that was in retaliation to the Black Liberation struggle. “J” explains the connection between sexism and racism. “J” acknowledges that Comrade “T” always understood the organization was wrong.
Annie Smith was part of the group that started the first Head Start program in Edwards, Mississippi, in 1965. She talks about that process, including buying and renovating the building, hiring teachers, and recruiting students to get the program off the ground.
Annie Morganfield talks about sending her children to Head Start in 1966. She recounts going to community organizing meetings and informational sessions about the beginning of Head Start in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. She also talks about the experiences her children had in Head Start and other schools and touches on racial differences in schools.
Annette Barnes was born in 1905 in Mount Olive, Mississippi. Her family moved to Jackson in 1909 when her father opened Barnes Drug Store. She talks about her childhood in Jackson being fun but also with responsibilities. She recalls the “Good Old Days'' as the times she can look back on and times were not as hard as they were then thought to be.
Anita Dixon became a Head Start student when she was 5 years old in 1968 in Mendenhall, Mississippi. She talks about her experience as a student, saying she learned things that prepared her to be an elementary student.
Case Data and Exhibits for Brown III, a relitigation of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954) that corrected resegregation issues caused by open enrollment school choice in 1992. Spreadsheets calculating percentages of white students in Topeka Public Schools plus a handwritten page listing data sources, all by William Lamson.
Case Data and Exhibits for Brown III, a relitigation of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954) that corrected resegregation issues caused by open enrollment school choice in 1992. Analysis (handwritten notes and spreadsheets by William Lamson) of numbers and percentages of Black students in Topeka Public Schools from 1950-1983.
A copy of a photograph of an unknown woman, Dr. Alferdteen Harrison, and Dr. Cora Norman at the Smith Robertson Neighborhood Folklife Festival, April 9-11, 1983. The festival was a one-time grant sponsored event held on the grounds of the Smith Robertson Museum to celebrate the rich history and culture of the Farish Street Historic District.
