Document 51: "A Comment on the Institute," Waveland, Mississippi, [6-12 November 1964], Elaine DeLott Baker Papers, Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.

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Introduction

   The potential for the emergence of new leaders rings through this impassioned testimonial of an anonymous local youth. In my view, the document directly and indirectly makes the case for grass roots organizing. These deeply internalized commitments to grass roots organizing were demonstrated again and again at the local level by two groups normally excluded from power and leadership--Black youth and Black women. Youth were often the paratroopers of protest, while women were the voices of faith and determination, doing the hard work of organizing alongside the men of the community.

   The heading and the last sentence of this document were added to this document after the writing of its main body but before it was distributed at the Waveland conference.


A COMMENT ON THE INSTITUTE

    First of all I want to say that was a grate instiut and I learn alot of things that I didn't no.

1. program what it means

    by program is when you go out in a comminty and work with the people and then you have a program

2. and the meaning orgnize and I often ask myself what do the people mean by use the word orgnize and I kept searching until I found the answer to that question. And the answer that I found is that you don't go out in a comminuty and tell the people what they want. You go and work with the people and see what they want and then by working with these people and see what they want then you go back and ask yourself now where do I go from here and then you began to think now I no what these people want now I got to draw up a program and see that these people get what they want and that is some of the meaning of organizing and whatever they want that is your foundation and their program and ever program they want it can be freedom school (nurse school) intgrat/ sit in/ comminity sinter/ boycot/ walk out

Anyone interested in writing something on the staff meeting or Institute should, and mail it to Courtland Cox, 8 1/2 Raymond Street, N. W., Atlanta, Georgia.


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