The Albany Movement 1961-1962

Albany- segregation, very low voter registration, violence against A.A. (sexual assaults at Albany State College), negative treatment of AA in local papers

Full integration- buses, lunch counters, other public facilities (broad attack on every aspect of segregation in the city)

Voter registration campaign

Mobilized thousands of local citizens, NAACP, SNCC (Sherrod, Reagon, Jones- encourage and coordinate activism in the city) Martin Luther King, William J. Anderson selected as the leader

Mass meetings, singing, praying, marches, petitions, boycotts, sit-ins, voter registration drives

Laurie Pritchett- carefully studied the movement's strategy. Engaged in mass arrests but avoided public displays of violence/police brutality which would attract negative press. He avoided filling up jails by utilizing jails throughout the region. He arranged to have King's bail paid so to not allow King to be a magnet for unwanted attention.

Some viewed the limited success of the Albany Movement as coming at too high a price. Others disagreed. Nothing was immediate but change came eventually. Local activism continued long after national attention faded. Hearts and minds changed over time.  Also, important lessons were learned.

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