Carbondale family active in civil rights

By Gus Bode

There are several things not mentioned in the Oct. 28 DE article about my civil rights activism (Local civil rights activist honored). The integration of the restaurants in Carbondale was brought about by teams of black and white high school students including my daughter Jane visiting each restaurant and asking them not to discriminate.

Eight SIUC students went to Mississippi in the summer of 1964 to take part in the effort to register voters and set up Freedom Schools. My son and daughter were among them, and a large group of adults raised money to defray their expenses and buy school supplies.

Several SIUC students, including my son Jim, went down to Cairo to help local black students integrate the swimming pool, which had just been opened for whites only. All the young people were arrested. My husband and I pledged our farm as bond to have them released. The case was later thrown out of court.

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