The Mercer Cluster. (Macon, Ga.) 1920-current, May 24, 1968, Image 3
May 24, I'MH
THE MERCER CLUSTER
Poor Peoples March Visits Macon
Arriving at Vineville Baptist Church via two buses chart
ered by the Concerned Citizens of Mercer (CCM), approxi
mately fifty students and a dozen administrators and faculty
members from Mercer University prepared to welcome to
Macon the Southern arm of Ur. Ralph Abernathy’s Poor Peo
ples March on Washington. During the three hour wait for the
marchers from Atlanta, the welcoming committee increased to
over two hundred in numlier and Mercer Students had an op
portunity to speak with local representatives of organizations
supporting the march such as the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, the Southern Christian Lead
ership Conference, and the Council on Human Relations of
Macon. Initiating the effort to encourage Mercer students to
participate in the march were Will King and Ed Bacon,
President of the SCA, l>oth members of the Concerned Citi
zens of Mercer. Will King on behalf of the C.C.M. presented
a check for $11 l..'J0 to the SCLC leaders of the march, money
which had been collected from the Mercer student body prior
to the march.
Earlier in the day, several Mercer students (identifiable
in the pictures by their white hard hats) had been deputized
by Mayor Ronnie Thompson to act as parade marshalls.
Upon the arrival of the marchers from Atlanta and amidst
the shouts of “We Want Freedom Now” and verses of “We
Shall Over-come” the local marchers and the SCLC marchers
formed their ranks, and with a police escort in front and a CBS
newsmohile in the rear, proceeded down Vineville to Central
City Park. At times, as the Marchers passed through the city
proper, the ranks increased to over 1000 as Maconites joined
the march for a short distance.
Several Mercer studepts remained with the marchers in
the City Park and helped the SCLC group rr.akc camp for the
night.
Taking notes at an organizational meeting of the Con
centred Citizens of Mercer (C.C.M.) is John Neidig. Members
of C.C.M. were responsible for initiating support on the Mer
cer campus for the Poor Peoples March.
Pictured awaiting the arrival of the S.C.L.C. marchers
from Atlanta are Dean Trimble, Dr. Bond. Dr. Cox, and sev
eral Mercer students who 45 minutes later participated in the
march.
ide Dr. Ebey, Dr. Otto, Dr. Cox, L»r. Jean nenanexs, iw.
rry, Mr. Miller, Dean Trimble, and a group of students.
Joining hands to sing ‘We Shall Over-Come” are Mer-
cerians Martiel Babbitt, Betty Jean Walker and Ed Bacon,
President of the SGA.
In the confer ranks of the S.C.L.C. marchers Ed Bacon
and Carol Aime Kelley join in “We Want Freedom Now”
chant
With the march underway, Mercerians John Freehling (L.)
and Will King (R.) escort an unidentified Maconite down
Vinevile Avenue. Th? white hats designate those Mercer stu
dents deputized by Mayor Ronnie Thompson to act as parade
marshalls.