Dateline St. Augustine; Part 1

preparation. They'd line, Seirogustine, and on the spot coverage of the struggled for civil rights in America's oldest city. On Saturday, March 21st, members of the Massachusetts unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference left for Seirogustine, Florida. WGBH FM reporters Leslie Darren and Arnold Shaw

were at the Greyhound bus terminal in Boston to talk with these members of the SCLC. Here is the Reverend William Englund, chaplain of Boston University. We're confronted by the situation of repetitive segregation and denial of human rights in the oldest city in the United States, Seirogustine, Florida. That's where we're going in response to a call on the part of the civil rights leadership of the city. When homes are burned because of family seeks an education for their children, when men are beaten because in public without having protection of the law, then such a situation demands the movement which will seek the remedy the injustice and extend justice to all citizens of a city. And this movement must be supported. And this is why we're going to St. Augustine, Florida. For us to fail to go

to support the people of that city in their struggle, would be a repudiation of our Christian faith. How many people are leaving today? Are you a Reverend Unsworth and Reverend much? And how many students would you say? Are leaving today? There are people have been leaving since yesterday evening for down there. Well, I know I talked to St. Augustine last night and a couple of people had already arrived by then. There will be people arriving from, there will be some a couple at least three people at least arriving this evening and most of the people will be arriving tomorrow evening for a Monday morning. At present count, there will be 28 people. Mostly the ministers of the United States. University chaplains and students, yes. And the students came in response to the chaplains, really, how? The chaplains at the school find students at their school. The Southern Christian leadership conference asked the student

Christian movement in New England at its mid-mitter meeting. Dr. Cox was given speech with what's trying to say, good. Once we get down there, we shall go to work for the people in St. Augustine and do what they say. Sometimes during the week we show tomorrow evening. Do you know what type of demonstrations you put to be participating in? We don't know about the demonstrations at all. What do you anticipate to find down there, actually? Well, town is very tightly segregated, little or no communication between the Negro and white communities and a Negro community that very much wants their rights as American citizens. As the amount of people, 28 people going down from Boston, what is the percentage in this of

Negro and white? Well, I'm not sure. See, all 28 aren't going from Boston. The 28 of us, and this just includes this first week. The second week there will be a good number more of people coming. And I think the second week there will be quite a few more from Boston during the second week as to the integration of the group going down. I just don't know. Is this being a nationally coordinated movement at this point? Are people expected to be there from California, for instance, specifically for the demonstration? No. This is the demonstration. We were asked by the SCLC in St. Augustine via the office in Atlanta, and they asked specifically those of us in New England to come down. And you expect to be there about two weeks to say? Yes, we shall be there two weeks, although some of us may particularly not be

there all of two weeks. We shall be in students and chaplains and people from the New England area will be in St. Augustine to support the civil rights movement there for the next two weeks. What do you think the emotions will be of the people that live in St. Augustine? Well, I should suspect that they should be rather unhappy. This is at least the white people. I see when we talk to another segment of the Negro community there, of course, very eager to see us. They're very happy. We're coming only because they ask us. How most positively do you think this will help the Negro movement at this point? Well, I think it will help the Negro movement primarily as it's just a American citizens joining together and I should say, you know, helping the Negro community, we're going down to do what they want us to do with the civil rights people down there

once. We have no program. We're going to run from up here. We're going to do what they want us to do. And they want us. They think we're going to be helpful to them, so we're going to go down to help them out. As represented as of New England. Well, as American citizens, yes. One of the students joining the SCLC group was a Jana Erskine of Gora Main State Teachers College. And what motivates you to participate in this particular part of the Negro revolution? Well, I was asked to participate. And I have a very different circle. Oh, such a question. And I could actually participate in something like this. Who actually did the asking? Caru, who actually did the asking. At the Northern, the New England meeting of the SCL, Midwinter Conference. Anybody who is available to come to us? Are there any other people participating in this from your school? From my school, with obviously all the one who went to the information

that was given up to the program that was asked for us? When you live in, when you get to sign out this day, I don't know. That's after people in charge. In what way? Aww, why should we imagine it's quite complex? You can expect to demonstrate. I'll go wherever they ask me. Is this part of your Easter vacation? Or are you taking time off from school? No, I have a commission from my dean and this is what happened to me. What positive reaction do you suppose the St. Augustine community will have from us? I hope it is positive in our sense of the word. You are anticipating negative? I don't know, but it is the situation that is missed with that very high feelings. Do you know how long you'll be in St. Augustine?

I expect all of you. If you have any idea yet as to what the actual activities will be once you get there. No, I have a general idea. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

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Thank you very much.