Concept Paper for the 50th Anniversary of Freedom Summer
Nov. 2013
I. Rationale
Next summer is the 50th year since Freedom Summer when thousands of volunteers
came to Mississippi to challenge the white monopoly over voting and provide
support for Mississippi’s Black Freedom Movement.
Fifty years later much has changed. Throughout the South an emerging ‘new
majority’ of African Americans, immigrants, trade unionists, and new economy
workers are winning local and statewide elections and beginning the long climb to
transform the regions politics and life.
But much hasn’t changed. Extreme conservatives hostile to democracy and equality
still dominate most of the region’s political and economic life. These extremists have
even managed to make themselves a major power in national politics where they
are leading the cutback on social services and closing down the government. The
recent Shelby Supreme Court decision curbing the Voting Rights Act opens up the
possibility of a region-wide rollback of democracy. Gerrymandering, voter
identification, formerly incarcerated disenfranchisement, onerous requirements to
register to vote, and limited absentee or early voting already make voting in the
South much more difficult than voting in the rest of the nation.
Extreme conservative forces are slamming the door on democracy just as the
political opportunity of a New South is within our grasp.
There is a direct connection between a conservative white voting bloc and the
poverty, limited access to quality public education, restrictions on workers’ and
abortion rights, high incarceration rates, low levels of health coverage, high levels of
environmental degradation that communities of color suffer throughout the south.
II. Overall Goal and Main Events
With this in mind, we have built collaboration among Veterans of the Mississippi
Civil Rights Movement, the Mississippi NAACP, One Voice, Florida New Majority
and Virginia New Majority to honor and celebrate those who gave so much 50 years
ago and, critically, to give significant new momentum to today’s Southern Freedom
Movement through voter education and organizing. Just as the original Freedom
Summer focused on voting rights, our fiftieth anniversary program will challenge
the new voter suppression symbolized by Shelby, the host of voter ID laws, and the
disenfranchisement of former felons as well as racial gerrymandering. We seek to
give new impulse to voter registration, voting rights, voter mobilization and voter
empowerment.
Our work will consist of four interconnected parts.
1. Freedom Summer Commemoration Events: The centerpiece will be the
commemoration and reunion events in Mississippi coordinated by the
Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, Mississippi NAACP, One
Voice and Tougaloo College from June 25 to June 29. The goals of these
events will be to honor the original ’64 Freedom Fighters, to bring massive
public attention to unfinished and expanded ‘business’ of voting rights and
other struggles in the South today and to organize and inspire new
generation of freedom fighters. This piece is already moving strongly and
some build up events have already been held.
2. The Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement Education and Mobilization Tour:
We will organize a speaking tour of civil rights movement veterans to bring
the Commemoration event’s crucial messages about the past and present
Southern Freedom Movement to thousands of people who will not be able to
attend the Jackson events. In addition to significant attendance and media
attention for the tour, the tour will also recruit interns/volunteers to
participate in the Freedom Summer Organizing Campaigns (see below) and
to raise money to support those campaigns. Progressive organizations, college
campuses (especially Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
progressive student of color groups and Ethnic Studies departments) and
youth organizing groups will be the main targets of the outreach. Outreach
will be done within the South and especially in the geographic areas of the
core organizations. We will also be meeting with social/racial justice groups
and unions throughout the country to encourage them to hold
Commemoration events as well as to recruit and fund interns and volunteers
to the Freedom Summer Organizing Campaigns.
3. Freedom Summer Organizing Campaigns. Just as the original Freedom
Summer consisted of the mobilization of interns and volunteers into
organizing campaigns, our program will include six week organizing
campaigns in Florida, Mississippi and Virginia, and probably North
Carolina. These organizing campaigns will be kicked off at the
Commemoration event and begin immediately after. The purpose of these
campaigns will be to give new energy to ongoing voter and voting rights
programs and organizations and to train a new generation of social justice
organizers. We will try to get representation from other Southern
organizations who will organize Freedom Summer campaigns in their states
and communities. Each state will develop their own campaigns that meet the
needs of their states and organizations, but all will center on defending and
expanding the electorate and voting rights.
4. Southern Strategy Summit - In order to deepen the long-term strategic and
practical unity of the Freedom Summer sponsors we hold will a three day
political and skills program for lead organizers, key leaders and Senior staff
of the core organizations including One Voice, Virginia New Majority, Florida
New Majority and other key social movement leaders throughout the South
The purpose will be to strive towards a common analysis of the South and its
role in national politics, to develop common political goals and strategies, and
to work toward joint efforts for building power. This training is set for
Richmond in April and will also help us shape and prepare for the Freedom
Summer Organizing Campaigns.
III. Initial Timeline
March 2013: Begin organizing Commemoration event in Jackson.
November: Begin Fundraising for Veterans Tour, Freedom Summer Organizing
Campaigns and Southern Solidarity Camp.
November: First blast/announcement to begin recruitment of interns
January 2014: Kick off Veterans tour and volunteer recruitment process
March: Selection of interns from colleges
Mid April: Southern Strategy Summitin Virginia
May/June: Complete intern and volunteer recruitment and hold initial orientation.
June 25-29: Mississippi Commemoration Event with Veterans,
June 30- Aug: State-based Freedom Campaigns
Mid- August: End of Freedom Summer Celebration/Evaluation