A Proposal to the Southern Elections Fund, Nov 1969

A PROPOSAL TO THE SOUTHERN ELECTIONS FUND

Since 1964, there has been a notable absence of youthful civil rights activists in the South.

They have been absent because of the cry for blackwworkers in the black community; because the anti-war movement and the "urban crisis" have, for some people, eclipsed the rural South as an area of concern; and because the nation as a whole has shifted to the right.

I would like to propose that SEF begin an active program of recruitment of students, black and white, primarily Southern, to work in Southern political campaigns during 1970.

Recent talks with representatives of major foundations and Southern based civil rights organizations have led me to believe that an attempt will be made by some of these groups to recruit students for non-electoral civil rights connected projects in the South during the next few months.

I would like to propose that SEF either join this effort, or establish its own recruitment apparatus.

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This can only be done, of course, as campaigns appear where such help is needed and wanted.

If this effort is undertaken care must be taken to insure proper supervision of the student volunteers, proper allocation of student help in proper areas, and so on.

Student volunteers can, if properly directed, provide a vital tool in insuring SEF's goals.

They can register voters, organize them and help turn them out on election day.

They must, of course, be subservient to local people, but they can make the difference.

Julian Bond November, 1969