Student Nonviolence Coordinating

Committee (SNCC) - 1965

Chair: Eva Lucy Alvarado

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
DearDelegates,

Greetings!MynameisEvaLucyAlvarado,andIwillbeyourchairfor
VAMUN.IwouldliketowelcomeyoutotheStudentNonviolentCoordinating
Committee,setintheyear1964.Inthiscommittee,wewillbedelvingintothe
notsodistantpast,engagingwithissuesthatstillexisttoday.FromSelma,
Alabama,toFerguson,Missouri,thecollectivevoicesofAmericans,frustratedby
racialinequality,havesparkednationalmovementsforcivilrightsandsocial
justice.Grassrootscommunityorganizations,andleadershiponalocalscaleare
justasimportantastheiconsthatweassociatewiththeCivilRightsMovement.

TheCivilRightsMovementwastheresultofcenturiesofoppressionand
violence,andyet,thegreateststepstowardsracialequalityinAmericasincethe
CivilWarwereachievedthroughnonviolenttactics.Thetermnonviolentdoes
notfullyconveythestrugglethatthosefightingforcivilrightsendured,however.
BothblackandwhiteAmericans,whofoughtagainstthebrutalityofwhite
supremacists,riskedtheirlivesfortheirrights,andmanyofthemwereofcollege
ageoryounger.Theywerepersistentandresourceful,usingeducation,political
action,peacefulprotest,andthestrengthofcommunitytoachievetheirgoals.In
thiscommittee,youwillneedthispersistenceandresourcefulnesstomaketough
decisionsinthefaceofwhatseemlikeimpossibleodds.Iamconfidentthatyou
willbringthepassionnecessarytomakethiscommitteeasuccess,andwelook
forwardtoseeingyouthisNovember.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutyour
positionorthecommitteeingeneral,pleasedonothesitatetoemailmeat
ela8ee@virginia.edu.Goodluck,andhappyresearching!

Regards,

EvaLucyAlvarado
Chair
ela8ee@virginia.edu

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
CommitteeOverview

StructureandOrigins
TheStudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommittee,orSNCC(often
pronouncedSnick)wasfoundedin1960andwasoneofthemostimportant
1

organizationsintheAmericancivilrightsmovement. SNCCdidnothaveformal
membership,thoughitdidhaveelectedofficialsandvolunteersthatcarriedout
variousinitiatives.Inadditiontoitsownoperations,itservedtounifyseveral
otherorganizationsworkingforcivilrightsintheSouth,includingcollegesand
universitiessuchastheTuskegeeInstitute,aswellasTheSouthernChristian
LeadershipConference,(SCLC)ledbyMartinLutherKing,Jr.,andtheCongress
ofRacialEquality(CORE).Thestructureoftheorganization,aslaidoutby
executivesecretaryJamesForman,consistedofaCoordinatingCommitteeand
anExecutiveCommittee,whichmetthreetimesayeartoorganizeandvoteupon
projectsandprograms.TheCoordinatingCommitteeperformedgeneral
administrativedutiesandconsistedofgeneralstaffersandseven
subcommittees:thePersonnelandOfficeCommittee,EducationCommittee,
CallCommittee,FreedomSchoolCommittee,FederalProgramsCommittee,and
PoliticalActionCommittee.Inadditiontotheseduties,theCoordinating
CommitteewasinchargeofelectingtheExecutivecommittee.TheExecutive
Committeewasinchargeofregionalorganization,andconsistedofstateproject
directors,theChairmanofstandingcommittees,andfivedelegatesselectedfrom

"StudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommitteeinAlabama(SNCC)."EncyclopediaofAlabama.
AccessedJune10,2016.http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h1847.

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
thegeneralSNCCbody.TheExecutiveCommitteealsoappointedtheFinance
2

andPlanningCommittees.
Inreality,however,thisstructurewasnotalwaysadheredtobecauseof
thefocusthattheSNCCplacedongrassrootsorganization.ManynotableSNCC
membersheldlessformalizedversionsofthepositionsdescribedabove.Dueto
SNCCsshortelectioncyclestherewasalsoahighturnoverrateforthese
positions,andmanymembersheldvariouspositionsthroughouttheircareersin
thecommittee.BecauseofSNCCsnebulousstructure,wehavetakensome
creativelibertiesinthespecificportfoliopowersthatdelegateswillhave.Some
positionswillhavegreaterinfluenceinandknowledgeofdifferentareasofthe
country,inboththeSouthandNorth.Somewillactasattachstoassociated
organizations,whileotherswillhavepowersmoredirectlyrelatedtothe
administrativedutiesoftheorganizationatlarge.Allofthesepowersareequally
importanttothesuccessoftheoperationsofthecommitteethestrengthof
SNCCcamefromtheresourcesandmanpowerthatitsholisticgrassroots
approachaffordedit.Itisstronglyencouragedthatdelegatesreadtheentiretyof
theDossierinordertogetasenseofhowthecommitteefunctionsandwhatroles
differentpositionswillplay.

"RulesfortheGeneralConferenceoftheStudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommittee,October
1416."ProceedingsofStudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommittee,Atlanta,Georgia.Accessed
June10,2016.http://www.crmvet.org/docs/6010_sncc_conf_rules.pdf.

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
HistoricalContext
TheCivilWarbroughtanendtoslaverybutnottotheracialdiscriminationand
inequalitythatslaveryhadfostered.Overthenextcentury,effortsbothto
maintainthisinequalityandtofightitstruggledbackandforth.SupremeCourt
rulingswerepassed,organizationswerecreated,andtensionsexplodedat
variouspoints.Reconstruction,whichlastedfrom1865to1877,wastheUS
GovernmentsefforttoreintegraterebelSouthernstatesbackintotheUnionand
toestablishpoliciestodealwiththeendofslavery.Withoutthesupportof
PresidentJohnson,itwasimpossibleforcongresstoenacteffectiveprogramsto
protectthecivilrightsofblackAmericans.Bythetimeitendedin1877,
Reconstructionwaslargelyconsideredtobeafailure.Thepoliciescreated
afterwards,knownasJimCrowlaws,ensuredthatracismpersistedforthenext
100yearstocome.TheCivilRightsActof1875wasdeclaredunconstitutionalin
1883,allowingstatestosegregatepublicspaces,andin1896,thiswasfurther
supportedbytheSupremeCourtrulingonPlessyv.Ferguson,whichmaintained
thelegalityofsegregationandestablishedtheconceptofblackandwhitefacilities
3

asbeingseparatebutequal. Segregationwasaccompaniedbyconstant
violencetowardsblackAmericans.TheKluKluxKlan,awhitesupremacistgroup
establishedin1866,helpedenforcethisstatusquothroughavarietyofhate
crimesfromthreats,suchascrossburnings,tooutrightmurderintheformof
lynchings.DuringtheJimCrowera,itisestimatedthattherewereatleast4,000

"TheRiseandFallofJimCrow."PBS.2002.AccessedJune10,2016.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/segregation.html.
4

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
4

lynchingsfrom1877to1950. Manylocalandstateofficials,police,and
politiciansintheSouthweremembersoftheKKK,oractivelysupportedWhite
Power.Politicaldisenfranchisementcontinueddespitethe14 and15
th

th

amendments,whichgrantedcitizenshiptoemancipatedslaves,andgranted
votingrightstoblackmen,respectively.Votersuppressiontacticssuchaspoll
taxes,biasedliteracytests,andoutrightthreatsofviolencepreventedblack
5

Americansfromvoting. Massiveresistanceonthepartofsouthernpoliticians
cametoaheadinthe1950sand60s,astheU.S.begantoshifttowardscivil
rights.In1954thelandmarkSupremeCourtCaseBrownv.BoardofEducation
6

deemedracialsegregationinpublicschoolstobeunconstitutional. USSenator
HenryF.Byrd,Jr.,andotherracistDemocrats(oftencalledDixiecrats)vowed
towritelawsthatwouldresistdesegregation.Itwasinthisclimateoffear,
violence,andstatesupportedpoliticaldisenfranchisementthattheCivilRights
Movementgrewandgainedtraction,meetingthehorrificmurders,beatings,and
institutionalizedinequalitywithpersistence,organization,anddevotion.

BackgroundontheTopics

Asthenamesuggests,theStudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommittee
usednonviolenttacticstofighttheharshoppressionthatAfricanAmericans
faced,especiallyintheAmericanSouth.SNCCusedgrassrootsefforts,focusing

LynchinginAmerica:ConfrontingtheLegacyofRacialTerror.Report.EqualJustice
Initiative.
5
"TheRiseandFallofJimCrow."PBS.2002.AccessedJune10,2016.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/segregation.html
6
Ibid.

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
ondevelopingleadershipthatcouldsustainitselfinvariouscommunities
throughouttheSouth.SNCCalsoreliedheavilyupontheparticipationand
leadershipofyouthvolunteers.Manyofthemostfamousandinfluentialprotests
oftheCivilRightsmovementwereorganizedbySNCCmembersorhadsome
degreeofSNCCinvolvement.
ThefoundingofSNCCsettwoprecedentsthatwoulddefineitthroughout
itscareer:itsfoundationasanorganizationofyoungpeople,anditsuseof
nonviolentstrategies.ThefirstnonviolentprotestconductedbySNCCmembers
actuallyprecededtheofficialcreationoftheorganizationitself.InFebruary1960,
fourstudentsfromNorthCarolinaA&TwalkedintoaGreensboro,North
CarolinaWoolworthsdrugstoreandproceededtositdownandorderlunch.
Theywererefusedservice,butinthefollowingdays,astheprotesterscontinued
andgrewinnumbers,theprotestsgainedmediaattention.Inthefollowingweeks
itbecameclearthatthestudentshadsparkedawidespreadphenomenonas
sitinsoccurredinalmosteverysegregatedstate.ByApril,agroupofcivilrights
leadersincludingEllaBakerandMartinLutherKing,Jr.hadgatheredhundreds
ofcollegestudentstogetherwiththeintentionofcreatinganorganizationto
coordinatestudentactivistsalloverthecountry.
Theprecedentfornonviolenceasthetacticofchoiceforthecivilrights
movementcameinpartfromleaderslikeMartinLutherKing,Jr.,theleaderof
theSouthernChristianLeadershipConference,whoseiconicspeechespreacheda

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
doctrineofGandhianresistancethroughtheuseofpeacefulprotest.Inits
foundingstatement,theStudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommitteeaffirms
thephilosophicalorreligiousidealofnonviolenceasthefoundationof

ourpurpose,thepresuppositionofourbelief,andthemannerofour
action.
Nonviolence,asitgrowsfromtheJudeoChristiantradition,seeksasocial
orderofjusticepermeatedbylove.Integrationofhumanendeavor
7
representsthecrucialfirststeptowardssuchasociety.

SNCCscommitmenttothesevaluesintheearlytomid1960sinformedits
programsandpolicies,andmadeitsimilartoseveralotherprominentcivilrights
organizations,suchastheSCLCandCORE.However,theemphasisthatSNCC
placedupongrassrootsorganizationandlocalleadershipsetitapart.Unlikeits
counterparts,SNCCemployedadecentralizedstrategyinordertomobilizelarge
numbersofpeopleinthestruggleforcivilrights.Themaintacticsofthis
approachwerevoterregistrationdrives,sitins,andfreedomrides.Collective
actionprovedtobejustapowerfulaforceastheinfluenceofleaderslikeDr.
MartinLutherKing,Jr.WhileDr.Kingwasabletorallyblacksandsympathetic
whitestothecause,SNCCagitatedthestatusquothroughdirectaction.President
JimmyCarterwouldlaternoteifyouwantedtoscarewhitepeopleinSouthwest
Georgia,MartinLutherKingandtheSouthernChristianLeadershipConference
8

wouldntdoit.YouonlyhadtosayonewordSNCC. Byprovidingthesupport
incommunitiesforpeopletoactuallyregistertovote,andtochallenge

"SNCCFoundingStatement."VeteransoftheCivilRightsMovementSNCCFounding
Statement.AccessedJune10,2016.http://www.crmvet.org/docs/sncc1.htm.
8
Bond,Julian."SNCC:WhatWeDid."MonthlyReview.2000.AccessedJune10,2016.
http://monthlyreview.org/2000/10/01/snccwhatwedid/.
7

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
segregationthroughsitins,SNCCwasabletothreatenthesecurityofoppressive
whiteestablishmentswithoutengaginginviolence.
Theuseofnonviolenttacticsdidnotequatetoastrugglewithout
violence.AlmostallSNCCoperationsweremetwithbrutalresistance.
ParticipantsinvoterregistrationdrivesandFreedomRideswereoftenthrownin
jail.Formanyprotesters,policebrutalitywastobeexpected.Theoriginal1961
FreedomRide,ledbymembersofbothCOREandSNCC,wasmetwithviolence
onseveraloccasionstheriderswereattackedinSouthCarolina,firebombedin
Alabama,andmobbedbytheKluKluxKlan(whowereaidedbylocalpolice)in
9

Birmingham. Overthecourseofitsoperations,SNCCmemberswouldbebeaten,
jailed,andevenkilled.ThisconstantviolenceledsomeSNCCmembersto
believethatnonviolencewasnotenoughtofightWhiteSupremacyandits
institutions.
Inthemid1960s,ashifttowardsBlackPowerbegantooccurwithinpartsof
SNCCleadership.Thoughitwasnotformeduntil1966,theframeworkforBlack
10

PowergroupssuchastheBlackPanthers,ledbyHueyNewtonandBobbySeale,
werealreadybeinglaid.LeaderssuchasMalcolmXpushedforcivilrightsand
politicalselfdeterminationinmuchthesamewayastheirnonviolentcounterparts,
butwithagreaterfocusonracialpride,andthebeliefthatmilitancywasboth
necessaryandunavoidable.Thenonviolentpracticesandgrassrootseffortsto

"FreedomRiders:Timeline."PBS.2010.AccessedJune10,2016.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/watch.
10
"BlackPantherParty|AmericanOrganization."EncyclopediaBritannica.AccessedJune17,
2016.https://global.britannica.com/topic/BlackPantherParty.

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
changethestatusquothatSNCCanditsassociatesemployedisoneoftwomajor
approachestoeffortsforfreedom.Itisonethatseeksintegrationandlegitimacy
withinAmericansociety,onethatreliesontheassumptionthatdespitethe
extensivehistoryofoppressionandracismintheUnitedStates,oneday,blacks
wouldbeabletoachieveequality.BlackPower,orBlackNationalism,isbasedupon
adifferentassumption,thatAmericassocietyandpoliticalsystemwerebuiltupon
theexploitationofblackpeopleandaretoofargonetoeverprovidetrueequality.
Instead,BlackNationalismsuggeststhatanewnationmustbecreatedinorderfor
11

blackpeopletohavefullpoliticalselfdetermination. Inaddition,BlackPower
supportsmilitantselfdefensetacticsandtheuseoffirearmsagainstthepolicein
casesofpolicebrutality.Whilethisideologymayseemextreme,itwasattractiveto
many,includingsomeofSNCCsmostimportantleaders.Facedwithbrutal
resistance,WhitePowergroupsthatessentiallypracticedterrorism,andthe
extensiveinvolvementofracistsinthegovernmentandpowerfuleconomic
institutions,manyactivistsbegantofeelliketherewasnootherescape.Stokely
Carmichael,agiftedSNCCorganizer,famouslysaidthathedisagreedwithDr.Kings
policyofnonviolencebecauseHismajorassumptionwasthatifyou
arenonviolent,ifyousuffer,youropponentwillseeyoursufferingandwillbe
movedtochangehisheart.That'sverygood.Heonlymadeonefallacious

11

Smallwood,AndrewP.,AssistantProfessor.BlackNationalismandtheCallforBlackPower.
AcademicPaper.BlackStudies,UniversityofNebraska,Omaha.
9

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
assumption:Inorderfornonviolencetowork,youropponentmusthavea
12

conscience.TheUnitedStateshasnone."
Otherdivisionswerepresentwithintheorganizationaswell.Though
manyofSNCCsmostdevoted,effectivememberswerewomen,sexismwas
presentintheorganizationaswellasinthecivilrightsmovementatlarge.Ina
reportwrittenbytwomembers,thesexismoftheorganizationwasdetailed,
revealingthatwomenwereoftengivenclericaljobsdespiteextensivefield
13

experience,anddocumentsshowedfemalelawyersbeingreferredtoasgirls.
Initsearlystages,SNCCalsofounditselftornbetweentwodifferentideologies:
directaction(suchassitinsandothernonviolentconfrontations),versusapush
tofocusonvoterregistrationdrivesinthesouth.Thisdivisionledtoasplitinto
twodifferentorganizationalwingsinordertoorganizetheseoperations.Itis
importanttorememberthevarietyofoptionsthatthecommitteewillhavein
ordertoaccomplishtheirgoals,aswellastheobstaclesthatthismaypose.The
strengthaffordedtoSNCCbythebreadthandscopeofitspeople,operations,and
locations,canalsobeaweaknessattimes.

Analysis

By1965,thecivilrightsmovementhasbecomeanationalmovement,and
theStudentNonviolentCoordinatingCommitteesaggressive,agitativetactics

12

Carmichael,Stokely."BlackPowerAddressatUCBerkeley."Address,Berkeley,CA,June10,
2010.
13 URBAN,DENNISJ."THEWOMENOFSNCC:STRUGGLE,SEXISM,ANDTHE
EMERGENCEOFFEMINISTCONSCIOUSNESS,196066."InternationalSocialScience
Review77,no.3/4(2002):18590.http://www.jstor.org/stable/41887103.
10

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
havemobilizedthousandsofyoungpeopletoparticipateintheCivilRights
movement,andhavetangiblychallengedoppressiveinstitutions.Thesitinsthat
beganinGreensboro,theFreedomRides,andthevoterregistrationdrivesthat
SNCChasengagedinupuntilthispointhavegivenitanameasoneofthemost
effectivecivilrightsorganizationsofthemoment.BrownvBoardofEducation
setaprecedentofdesegregationbydesegregatingpublicschools,andvoter
registrationdrivesencouragepoliticalparticipationandunderminethevoter
suppressionenactedunderJimCrow.TheCivilRightsActof1964outlawed
discriminationonthebasisofrace,nationalorigin,religion,sex,andcolor,and
theVotingRightsactof1965prohibitedracialdiscriminationinvoting.
However,inmanyinstances,thewellbeingofblackAmericansisnotensuredin
anymeaningfulway.Manyschoolsremainsegregatedanddonothavethe
resourcestoprovideadequateeducationformostblackAmericans,andjob
discriminationandotherformsofeconomicdiscriminationpersistinboththe
SouthandtheNorth.BeforethestartoftheCivilRightsmovement,manyblack
Americansdidnotevenattempttoregistertovote,becauseofthethreatof
violencethatgroupsliketheKKKposedtoAfricanAmericansattemptingto
combatthestatusquo.Andyet,thefootholdforthecivilrightsmovementto
gathertractioncamefromthepoliticalprocess,whentheSupremeCourtbegan
overturningracistlaws.Asthemovementgrowsandadaptstothescaleofthe
civilrightsmovement,thepracticesthatthecommitteeuseswillhavetoconsider
whichinstitutionsitwishestosubvert,andwhichitwishestochange.

11

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
TopicsForDiscussionandQuestionstoConsider
ThemajorthemeofthiscommitteewillbetodiscussthefutureofSNCC.Asthe
CivilRightsMovementachieveslegalgainsandgrowsthroughoutthecountry,
howwillSNCCadapt?In1965,SNCCisattheprecipiceofseveralmajor
decisions:whowillbeinthecommittee,howitwillfunction(bothlogisticallyand
ideologically),andthescaleonwhichSNCCwilloperate.

Ideology:IntegrationandBlackPower
AspowerfulmembersofSNCCmovetowardsBlackPower,manyremain
committedtoSNCCsoriginalmissionofnonviolentprotestandgrassroots
organization.Asracialtensionspersistandactivistsbecomedisenchantedwith
theeffectivenessofnonviolence,howwillthecommitteegoaboutitsoperations
inthefuture?

FutureTactics:MilitancyandNonviolence
Whetherornotthecommitteewillcontinuewithitseffortsinstrictadherenceto
anonviolentdoctrineisoneofthemostimportantissuesthatSNCCfaces,andis
deeplyrelatedtowhetherornotSNCCwilladoptmoreofaBlackPowerstance.
Thisissueisverymultifaceted:keepinmindthatthiswillalsodeterminehow
SNCCwillworkwiththeUnitedStatesgovernmentwithitoragainstit.The
CivilRightsActof1964waspassedthroughthefederalgovernmentandthe
federalgovernmenthasalsobeenabletofacilitatethelegitimizationoftheir

12

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
effortsinsomecases,atleastintermsofprotectingtheconstitutionalprogress
thatwasmade.In1963,presidentJohnF.KennedysenttheNationalGuardto
defendtheintegrationoftheUniversityofAlabama,inresponsetoGovernor
GeorgeWallacesvowtoupholdsegregation.Thisisnotanissuethatwillbe
resolvedinonediscussion,butratheranoverarchingthemethatwilloftenbeat
thecoreoftheotherdebatesthatthecommitteewillhave.

ThePlaceofWhitesintheCommittee
SeveralmembersofSNCCarewhiteandhaveriskedtheirlivesandthewellbeing
oftheirfamiliesforthecause.IfthecommitteeweretoadoptaBlackNationalist
stance,wouldwhitefieldsecretariesandothermembersstillhaveaplacein
SNCCsefforts?Inaddition,somebelievethatbecausetheydonotexperiencethe
samesystematicdiscrimination,whitescouldunderminethefightforcivilrights.
Inthecomingyears,shouldSNCCencouragetheinvolvementofwhites?

WomenintheCommittee
SomeofSNCCsmostimportantleaders,suchasEllaBaker,arewomen.Andyet,
evenastheyfightforracialequality,manywomenfeelunderappreciatedandface
sexismfromtheirmalecolleagues.Whatarethewaysinwhichfeminismhasa
placeintheCivilRightsMovement,andhowcanSNCCimproveattitudes
towardswomeninthemovement?

13

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
GeographicFocus
SNCChashadoperationsintheNorthforsometime,butthenatureoftheissues
therearedifferent.AcrosstheUnitedStates,discriminationpersists,butthe
landscapeoftheNorthandWestaredifferent.Forthemostpart,therestofthe
countryhasaneconomicfocusonindustryratherthanagriculture.This
economicfocusonindustryhasmadetheNorth,Midwest,andWestmoreurban,
andhaschangedtheformsofdiscriminationthattakeplace.WhiletheSouth
foughtforslaveryinordertosustainitsagriculturaleconomy,moststatesthat
sidedwiththeUnionhadlongoutlawedlegalslaveryinfavorofwageslavery,or
thedependenceofaworkerslivelihooduponwagesandsalary.Thissystem,
whichforcesworkerstotakelowpayingjobswithlittlesecurity,exploitspoor
immigrantworkersaswellastheAfricanAmericansthatmovedtotheNortheast,
Midwest,andWestduringtheGreatMigrationfrom1910to1970.Incitiessuch
asNewYork,Chicago,Detroit,andLosAngeles,defactosegregationand
discriminationexistsinschooling,housing,andemployment.Majorityblack
innercitydistrictsstruggletofundschoolsandotherpublicworks.
Theclimateofprotest,too,isdifferentintheNorthandWest.Onlydays
aftertheVotingRightsActwaspassed,Watts,apredominantlyblacksectionof
LosAngeles,brokeoutintoprotests,whichquicklybecameriots.Theprotests
wereinresponsetopolicebrutalityduringthearrestofayoungmanwhowas
stoppedfordrunkdriving,andresultedin34deathsand3,900arrests(12).The
senseofdisenfranchisementandangerthatfuelledtheseprotestsiscertainly

14

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
presentintheSouthaswell,buttheorganizationthatSNCCandother
organizationshaveimplementedhasallowedformoreproductiveprotests,even
iftheyhavestillbeenmetwithbrutality.HowSNCCmightincorporatetheNorth
andWestintoitseffortswillbeaveryimportantdeterminantofthefutureofthe
committee.

GuidelinesforResearch
Thesesourcesareintendedtoprovidefurthercontextasyouresearchyour
position,andyouareencouragedtodoasmuchindepthresearchasyoucan.
TheSNCCLegacyProject:
TheSNCCLegacyProjectisdevotedtopreservingandextendingSNCCs
legacy,andhasseveralprojectsonSNCCsoperations,aswellasarchival
resources.Visitathttp://sncclegacyproject.org/

SouthernFreedomMovementDocuments19511968:crmvet.org
TheCivilRightsMovementVeteransdatabasehasextensivedocumentationonthe
structureandoperationsofSNCC,aswellasCOREandtheSCLC.Excellentresource
forprimarysources.Visitathttp://www.crmvet.org/docs/orgsdocs.htm#docssncc
PBS:FreedomRiders
Thissite,whichisassociatedwithaPBSdocumentarybythesamename,hasan
interactivemapandtimelineoftheFreedomRidesof1961,aswellasprofilesof

15

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
theissuesandpeopleinvolved.Visitat
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/watch

PBS:TheRiseandFallofJimCrow
ThisPBSsitehasseveraltoolsandactivitiesrelatingtoJimCrowandthewaysin
whichitrestrictedvotingrights,includingaliteracytestthatwouldhave
preventedAfricanAmericansfromregisteringtovote.Visitat:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/voting_literacy.html

TheBlackPowerMixtape19671975
Thisdocumentary,composedoffootageshotbySwedishjournalistsandnarrated
byTalibKweli,AngelaDavis,andErykahBadu,amongothers,followstheBlack
PowerMovementfrom1967to1975.Itprofilesleadersinthemovementand
providescontextforthecontroversialideology.ThefilmisavailableonNetflix.
Trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXQxyYllXnM

BlackNationalismandtheCallforBlackPower
ByAndrewP.Smallwood,AssistantProfessor,BlackStudiesDepartment,
UniversityofNebraska,Omaha.
ThisessaygivesabriefhistoryofthehistoryoftheBlackNationalistmovement,
aswellasdetailsastohowitinfluencedleaderslikeMalcolmX.Viewat:
http://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/prba/perspectives/fall1999/asmallwood.pdf

16

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965

StokelyCarmichaelsBlackPowerAddressatUCBerkley
Thoughthisspeechwasdeliveredin1966,ayearafterthetechnicalstartingyear
ofthiscommittee,itprovidesacompletebreakdownoftheBlackPower
sentimentswithinSNCC.Visitat:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/stokelycarmichaelblackpower.html

SexismintheCivilRightsMovement:aDiscussionGuide
Tolerance.org,aprojectoftheSouthernPovertyLawCenter,providesauseful
breakdownofthecomplexwaysinwhichgenderwasinvolvedinthestrugglefor
racialequality.Visitat:
http://www.tolerance.org/article/sexismcivilrightsmovementdiscussionguide

Playlist:CivilRightsMixtape
Songsaboutcivilrights,fromBillieHolidayandNinaSimone,toOutKastand
KanyeWest.Visitat:
https://open.spotify.com/user/12162861517/playlist/4UuiwwnZk6uMYpQ2zK7yNz

17

StudentNonviolenceCoordinatingCommittee
(SNCC)1965
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"DigitalHistory."DigitalHistory.2016.AccessedJune10,2016.
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Smallwood,AndrewP.,AssistantProfessor.BlackNationalismandtheCallfor
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We appreciate your feedback about our conference. Please

direct all inquiries and comments to our Secretary-General.
Gary DePalo
Secretary-General
vamun.sg@gmail.com
You can also contact us at the mailing address below:
VAMUN c/o The International Relations Organization at
the University of Virginia
PO Box 400435
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Although this organization has members who are
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employees associated or engaged in its activities and
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University. It is a separate and independent organization
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