John Vachon
John Vachon, "Carrying a sign in front of a milk company, Chicago, Illinois," July 1941, Farm Security Administration-Office of War Information Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.
The provincial deputies of North Carolina having resolved not to drink any more tea nor wear any more British cloth, etc., many ladies of this province have determined to give a memorable proof of their patriotism, and have accordingly entered into the following honorable and spirited association. I send it to you to show your fair countrywomen how zealously and faithfully American ladies follow the laudable example of their husbands, and what opposition your matchless ministers may expect to receive from a people, thus firmly united against them:
Edenton, North Carolina, October 25 (1774).
As we cannot be indifferent on any occasion that appears nearly to affect the peace and happiness of our country, and as it has been thought necessary, for the public good, to enter into several particular resolves by a meeting of members deputed from the whole province, it is a duty which we owe, not only to our near and dear connections, who have concurred in them, but to ourselves, who are essentially interested in their welfare, to do everything, as far as lies in our power, to testify our sincere adherence to the same; and we do therefore accordingly subscribe this paper as a witness of our fixed intention and solemn determination to do so:
Abagail Charlton,
Elizabeth Creacy,
Anne Johnstone,
Mary Woolard,
Jean Blair,
Frances Hall,
Mary Creacy,
Mary Blount,
Margaret Cathcart,
Jane Wellwood,
Penelope Dawson,
Susanna Vail,
Elizabeth Vail,
Elizabeth Vail,
J. Johnstone,
Elizabeth Patterson
Margaret Pearson,
Sarah Beasley,
Grace Clayton,
Mary Jones,
Mary Creacy,
Anne Hall,
Sarah Littlejohn,
Sarah Hoskins,
M. Payne,
Elizabeth Cricket,
Lydia Bonner,
Anne Horniblow,
Marion Wells,
Sarah Mathews,
Elizabeth Roberts,
Rebecca Bondfield,
Sarah Howcott,
Elizabeth P. Ormond
Sarah Valentine,
Mary Bonner,
Mary Ramsey,
Lydia Bennett,
Tresia Cunningham,
Anne Haughton,
Elizabeth Roberts,
Ruth Benbury,
Penelope Barker,
Mary Littledle,
Elizabeth Johnstone,
Elizabeth Green,
Sarah Howe,
Mary Hunter,
Anne Anderson,
Elizabeth Bearsley,
Elizabeth Roberts.
Dear Sir:
The Women’s Political Council is very grateful to you and the City Commissioners for the hearing you allowed our representative during the month of March, 1954, when the “city-bus-fare-increase case†was being reviewed. There were several things the Council asked for:
1. A city law that would make it possible for Negroes to sit from back toward front, and whites from front toward back until all the seats are taken.
2. That Negroes not be asked or forced to pay fare at front and go to the rear of the bus to enter.
3. That busses stop at every corner in residential sections occupied by Negroes as they do in communities where whites reside.
We are happy to report that busses have begun stopping at more corners now in some sections where Negroes live than previously. However, the same practices in seating and boarding the bus continue.
Mayor Gayle, three-fourths of the riders of these public conveyances are Negroes. If Negroes did not patronize them, they could not possibly operate.
More and more of our people are already arranging with neighbors and friends to ride to keep from being insulted and humiliated by bus drivers.
There has been talk from twenty-five or more local organizations of planning a city-wide boycott of busses. We, sir, do not feel that forceful measures are necessary in bargaining for a convenience which is right for all bus passengers. . . .
Please consider this plea, and if possible, act favorably upon it, for even now plans are being made to ride less, or not at all, on our busses. We do not want this.
Respectfully yours,
The Women’s Political Council
Jo Ann Robinson, President
We, [Martin Luther] King and I, went to the meeting together. It was drizzling; I had been working up until the last minute on the resolutions. I was given instructions: one, to call off the protest, or two, if indicated, to continue the protest until the grievances were granted. We had had a successful "one-day protest," but we feared that if we extended it beyond the first day, we might fail; it might be better after all to call the protest off, and then we could hold this "one-day boycott" as a threat for future negotiations. However, we were to determine whether to continue the protest by the size of the crowds....
When we got about twenty blocks from the church we saw cars parked solid... as we got closer to the church we saw a great mass of people. The Montgomery Advertiser estimated the crowd at approximately 7,000 persons all trying to get in a church that will accommodate less than 1,000. It took us about fifteen minutes to work our way through the crowd by pleading: "Please let us through—-we are Reverend King and Reverend Abernathy. Please permit us to get through...."
Those inside applauded for at least ten minutes.
It was apparent that the people were with us. It was then that all of the ministers who had previously refused to take part in the program came up to Reverend King and me to offer their services. This expression of togetherness on the part of the masses was obviously an inspiration to the leadership and helped to rid it of the cowardly, submissive, over timidity.
We began the meeting by singing Onward Christian Soldiers, Marching as to War ....
Mrs. Rosa Parks was presented to the mass meeting because we wanted her to become symbolic of our protest movement. Following her we presented Mr. Daniels, who happily for our meeting had been arrested on that day.... The appearance of these persons created enthusiasm, thereby giving momentum to the movement.
We then heard the resolutions calling for the continuation of the boycott... unanimously and enthusiastically adopted by the 7,000 individuals both inside and outside the church....