The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Interviews relating to alleged civil rights abuses in Americus, Georgia

Repository: National Archives and Records Administration. Archives II

Collection Description (Extant): This sound recording contains selections from four witness interviews conducted by Allen Riback on September 9, 1963, regarding the alleged mistreatment and abuse of Civil Rights demonstrators by police in Americus, Georgia during August 1963.

In the first interview, Lorena Barnum, age 11, described the unsanitary conditions of the Leesburg Stockade. She stated that several dozen children were being kept in a one room prison cell, many of whom were sick, with no access to medical care.

In the second interview, Lena Turner, age 18, described conditions in the Americus city jail, including the initial processing of people arrested during Civil Rights demonstrations on August 9, 1963. She stated that many of the people brought into the jail had been injured during the demonstration and were further abused and beaten by prison guards.

In the third interview, James Williams recounted the events surrounding his beating by police on August 9, 1963. He stated that he was stopped by police even though he was not involved in the Civil Rights demonstrations. While talking to a police officer two other officers began beating him without warning.

In the fourth interview, Julian Bond, head of the Communications Division of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, gave a statement concerning his reactions to a newspaper article which stated that the FBI found no evidence of police brutality stemming from the August demonstrations in Americus, Georgia.

Date(s): 08/09/1963 - 08/13/1963

Digital Status: No

Existing IDs: ARC Identifier 4277576
Local Identifier 60-CRa-79

Extent: Sound: 1/4 inch on 5 inch reel
13:59

Finding Aid URL: http://arcweb.archives.gov/arc/action/ExternalIdSearch?id=4277576

Language: English

Interviewees: Lorena Barnum, Lena Turner, James Williams, Julian Bond

Rights (CRHP): Contact the repository which holds the collection for information on rights

Subjects:

Americus (Ga.)
Civil rights demonstrations--Georgia--Americus
Civil rights movements--Georgia
Police brutality

Genres:

Interviews
Sound recordings
Videorecordings