Citizens' Council Forum Films Collection, 1955-1966
The first Citizens' Council was formed in 1954 in Indianola, Mississippi, to resist integration. By March 1955, 167 Citizens' Councils were reported in Mississippi; these were loosely affiliated into a state organization. In 1955, the state organization began producing fifteen-minute weekly films under the name Citizens' Council Forum Films. These films consisted of interviews by producer Dick Morphew with American and foreign conservatives and were shown on local television stations throughout the country. The programs were created to persuade public opinion regarding two main issues: integration and communism. Some of the films in this collection were not produced by the Citizens' Council Forum Films, but by similar groups. Contained in the collection are 132 reels of film, approximately 90,000 feet.
Read MoreThe first Citizens' Council was formed in 1954 in Indianola, Mississippi, to resist integration. By March 1955, 167 Citizens' Councils were reported in Mississippi; these were loosely affiliated into a state organization. In 1955, the state organization began producing fifteen-minute weekly films under the name Citizens' Council Forum Films. These films consisted of interviews by producer Dick Morphew with American and foreign conservatives and were shown on local television stations throughout the country. The programs were created to persuade public opinion regarding two main issues: integration and communism. Some of the films in this collection were not produced by the Citizens' Council Forum Films, but by similar groups. Contained in the collection are 132 reels of film, approximately 90,000 feet.
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| MP_198601_0033_ref.mov | Myers G. Lowman, Executive Secretary of Circuit Riders, Inc., an anti-Communist organization, discusses civil rights organizations which he believes are communist fronts. |
| MP_198601_0034_ref.mov | 'Dr. Houston Smith, professor of philosophy, conducts discussions on "'The Search for America"', program, an exploration of the race question from a neutral view point. Among those interviewed are William J. Simmons, leader of the Citizens"' Council, and Harry Ashmore, Pulitzer Prize winning editor of the Arkansas Gazette.' |
| MP_198601_0035_ref.mov | John C. Satterfield, past President of the American Bar Association, discusses the 1963 Civil Rights Act and the extension of federal power brought on by the act. |
| MP_198601_0036_ref.mov | Edward Hunter, chairman of the Anti-Communist Liaison and Psychological warfare expert, discussed the impact of free elections on the development of the United States. |
| MP_198601_0037_ref.mov | 'Representative John Bell Williams (D-MS) and Myers Lowman, Executive Director of Circuit Riders, Inc., discuss the communist infiltration of race activities, Dr. Martin Luther King"'s communist activities, manipulation of the blacks by communists, and the Highlander School as a communist training school.' |
| MP_198601_0038_ref.mov | 'Titled "'White Monday in Mississippi"', this film documents the White Monday in Mississippi festivities at the Mississippi Coliseum highlighted by a speechmade by George Wallace on states rights.' |
| MP_198601_0039_ref.mov | 'Dr. Medford Evans, consultant to the Citizens"' Council, discusses communism.' |
| MP_198601_0040_ref.mov | '"'Hell in the City of the Angels"', a documentary film about the Watts riots in the summer of 1965 in Los Angeles,California. This is not a Citizens Council production, it was presented by the news department of KTLA in Los Angeles.' |
| MP_198601_0041_ref.mov | Representative William Colmer (D-MS) discusses the need for the national political parties to recognize the political desires of the South. |
| MP_198601_0042_ref.mov | Mr. Edward Hunter, chairman of Anti-Communist Liaison, discusses communist activities in the United States. |
| MP_198601_0043_ref.mov | Dr. Robert Kuttner, Professor of Pre-Clinical Sciences at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, discusses genetic and brain differences between Negros and Caucasions. |
| MP_198601_0044_ref.mov | Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC) discusses Vietnam war. |
| MP_198601_0045_ref.mov | Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC) discusses admittance of Red China to the United Nations. |
| MP_198601_0046_ref.mov | 'Representative William Tuck ( -Va) and Representative Watt Abbott (D-VA) discuss integration of Virginia"'s schools.' |
| MP_198601_0047_ref.mov | 'Representative Tom Abernathy (D-MS), Representative William Colmer (D-MS), Representative Jamie Whitten (D-MS), and Representative Arthur Winstead (D-MS) discuss James Merideth"'s integration of the University of Mississippi, Ole Miss, and the federal government"'s actions during the crisis. This film was scheduled to be shown on 9/30/62 but was withdrawn on Senator Stennis"'s request.' |
| MP_198601_0048_ref.mov | Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC) discusses civil rights proposals before the congress. |
| MP_198601_0049_ref.mov | 'Dr. Robert Gayre (Anthropologist), Edinborough, Scotland, and Mr. Carleton Putnam, author of "'Race and Reason"', discuss inferiority of the blacks and the race issue in South Africa.' |
| MP_198601_0051_ref.mov | Representative John Bell Williams (D-MS) discusses the communist infiltration of the Vietnam peace movement and in the civil rights movement. |
| MP_198601_0052_ref.mov | 'Representative Noah M. Mason (R-IL) talks about states"' rights from a northerner"'s point of view, constitutional rights, and federal troops in Little Rock.' |
| MP_198601_0053_ref.mov | '"'Oxford U.S.A."', a documentary film about the integration crisis and riots at the University of Mississippi, Ole Miss, in September 1962.' |
| MP_198601_0054_ref.mov | 'Mr. Edward Hunter, chairmen of the Anti-Communist Liaison and editor/publisher of "'Tactics"', discusses the reasons for the mass murders in the United States, i.e. the Chicago nurse slayings and the Texas bell tower murders.' |
| MP_198601_0055_ref.mov | Senator John C. Stennis (D-MS) discusses James Merideth and the integration of the University of Mississippi and the ensuing riots on the campus. |
| MP_198601_0056_ref.mov | Mr. Myers G. Lowman, executive secretary of Circuit Riders, Inc., Cincinatti, Ohio, discusses communist exploitation of colleges and universities. |
| MP_198601_0057_ref.mov | Mr. John Synon, writer and political analyist, discusses impact of 1963 Civil Rights Act. |
| MP_198601_0058_ref.mov | 'Representative James Davis (D-GA), Representative E. L. "'Tick"' Forrester (D-GA), and John J. Flynt (D-GA) discuss the centralization of power by the Federal Government.' |
| MP_198601_0059_ref.mov | 'Representative H. R. Gross (R-IA) discusses United States foreign policy and the United States"' attitude towards Cuba.' |
| MP_198601_0061_ref.mov | Representative Armistead Selden (D-AL) discusses communism in Latin America. |
| MP_198601_0062_ref.mov | 'Mr. Edward Hunter, Chairman of Anti-Communist Liaison and editor/publisher of "'Tactics"', discusses the Warren Commission Report and aspects of the death of President Kennedy.' |
| MP_198601_0063_ref.mov | '"'Jackson, Crossroads of the South"', a documentary about Jackson made sometime during the 1950"'s. Promotional film made to attract industry and people to Jackson. Footage of various schools, parks, buildings and businesses in Jackson and central Mississippi.' |
| MP_198601_0064_ref.mov | Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC) discusses communist involvememt in the civil rights movement. |