Civil Rights Organizations

 

A: Lynchburg’s NAACP:

Lynchburg’s chapter of the NAACP began in 1913. Its founders included Anne Spencer, Vernon Johns, and Mary Rice Hayes Allen.


In June of 1961, when the Barksdales, the Cardwells, the Jacksons, and the Hughes Family submitted transfer applications to the Lynchburg School Board, they understood that if they were to succeed where Crystabel Harris and her father had not, they would need the support of the NAACP But not Lynchburg's branch, perhaps still healing from nasty wounds and blows received during massive resistance.


In an October, 1961, letter to the local NAACP, O.C. Cardwell outlined his frustrations with the local civil rights organization:

 

. . . [M]y son Owen C. Cardwell, Jr. made the application to the E.C. Glass High School without the solicitations, sponsorship, or assistance of any organization. After making this application, we sought steps to secure the aid of the local staff of the NAACP . . . We contacted the chairman of the local branch and received little cooperation. He stated that he felt that I had "jumped the gun."1
"The NAACP in Lynchburg refused to get involved with the kids who had decided they wanted to integrate the schools. They thought that these kids may not be the right kids as they were looking at them to be the ones that could handle the problem. . . Therefore, we went to Roanoke. There was a lawyer there by the name of Reuben Lawson. We had to drive past our NAACP, and we belonged to this NAACP, to drive to Roanoke to deal with the chapter there." 2

 

 

Lynchburg Voters League

 

The Voters League was organized during [the thirties]. At that time, everybody had to pay poll taxes. Even though three dollars or a dollar and a half may sound like nothing to us now, it was a lot of money then. A lot of Black people were working for three dollars a week during this time. The Voters League would actually pay your poll taxes for you. 1
The Lynchburg Voters League has played a part in many things. We’ve been instrumental in influencing the composition of the Lynchburg School Board; as a result, that has been a help to Black teachers and Black youth here in the City Of Lynchburg. We are playing a great part in getting the best elected officials here in the city. 2

 

C: Alphabet Soup:

 

BLAC: Black Lynchburg Action Committee (1969)

The issues and concerns of BLAC were these: That BLAC should give attention to the old maze of problems and needs of the Black community rather than just one at a time. 1

These concerns included housing, neighborhood improvements, education, health, and the hiring of more African-American police, clerical personnel in City Hall and at Lynchburg businesses which largely served the African-American community.

 

LIA : Lynchburg Improvement Association

Reverend Wood was a brilliant minister. Not only was he a minister, but he was a born leader who believed in the dignity of man. He along with Mr. William Gordon, the owner of a Black dry cleaning firm known as Community Cleaners, organized a group of people and called this group the Lynchburg Improvement Association. . . We invited Dr. King to come to Lynchburg and he accepted. . . After Dr. King came to Lynchburg, the LIA changed its name to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Lynchburg Branch. 1

Lynchburg’s first post-Brown civil rights organization

 

Lyn-CAG: Lynchburg Community Action Group
A federally funded anti-poverty program; Reverend Haywood Robinson, Jr. served as Executive Director

 

SLC:

Abbreviated form of the Southern Christian leadership Conference.

Notes and Links

N.A.A.C.P. Notes:

1. “No Matter How Long,” an unpublished manuscript by O.C. Cardwell, pp. 18, 19
2. Georgia  Barksdale , interview, September 27, 2004

 

Lynchburg Voters League Notes:

1. Virginia Hughes, quoted in “No Matter How Long,” an unpublished manuscript by O.C. Cardwell, p. 63
2. M.W. Thornhill, ibid, p. 38

 

Black Lynchburg Action Committee Notes:

1 “No Matter How Long,” an unpublished manuscript by O.C. Cardwell, p. 21

 

LIA Notes:

1. “No Matter How Long,” an unpublished manuscript by O.C. Cardwell, pp. 8,16