Document 81B: Photo by Elayne DeLott, Panola County Co-op Meeting with Mr. Miles Speaking, Batesville, Mississippi, [March 1965], Elaine DeLott Baker Papers, Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.

   Mr. Robert Miles was a courageous local civil rights worker, community leader, independent farmer, and president of the Panola County Farm co-op. He was a natural leader who had been active in the local NAACP. He and his wife Mona hosted a revolving group of civil rights workers in their Batesville farmhouse throughout the summer and subsequent year. After local whites shot into his house at night, neighbors took turns protecting the house with rooftop patrols. Mr. Miles did not grow okra himself, but much of what coalesced as the Panola County Cooperative was related to his efforts. At this first county-wide community meeting we outlined the co-op charter, modeled on the representative principles of the U.S. Congress.