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Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, and Sara, dated June 23, 1964. Discusses voter registration canvassing activities, other aspects of his work in and around Clarksdale, Mississippi, as well as the lady with whom he and three other volunteers are staying. Zwerling mentions the summer heat in Mississippi, and his concern about tensions between the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee).
23 June 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, June 20, 1964. Zwerling notifies his parents of his arrival in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and includes his address there. He notes that the community is friendly and that he has yet to experience harassment.
20 June 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, and Sara, dated June 26, 1964. Discusses the positive community response in and around Clarksdale, Mississippi, to voter registration drives, and expresses optimism with regard to the lack of violence and police harassment experienced thus far. Zwerling also writes about his concern for Andrew Goodman. (Goodman was a civil rights worker and friend of Zwerling's from New York who was missing and later found murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippi, along with James Chaney and Michael Schwerner.)
26 June 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, and Sara, dated June 30, 1964. Discusses civil rights work in the community of Riverton, near Clarksdale, Mississippi, and describes the dedication required to continue work through the end of the summer. Zwerling includes some details about the house in which he is staying, as well as his hostess.
30 June 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated July 3, 1964. Discusses a recent meeting that was well-attended, as well as the COFO (Council of Federated Organizations) discouragement of public demonstrations. Zwerling also mentions that Congressman Fitz (William F.) Ryan recently visited Clarksdale, Mississippi.
3 July 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated July 12, 1964. Discusses the change of emphasis in civil rights work in and around Clarksdale, Mississippi, from voter registration to Freedom registration for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and up-coming Freedom vote. Zwerling also mentions evening picnics given at the home of local civil rights leader, Aaron Henry.
12 July 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated July 14, 1964. Discusses the focus of civil rights volunteers in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on registering local people for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) before the up-coming Freedom Vote.
20 July 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated July 20, 1964. Discusses working for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) registering people to vote and the positive response received from this effort. Zwerling also discusses the upcoming Freedom Day, and notes the change in his living quarters.
20 July 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated July 24, 1964. Discusses the success of recent precinct meetings as well as work for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP). Zwerling also mentions the upcoming Freedom Day.
24 July 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated July 28, 1964. In the short note, he mentions voter registration work and the up-coming Freedom Day.
28 July 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated August 3, 1964. Discusses an incident in which Zwerling was arrested for speeding, but not jailed. He also asks his parents for money for the project and car repairs.
3 August 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated August 5, 1964. In this short note, Zwerling informs his parents of the amount of the fine he was charged for speeding.
5 August 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated August 6, 1964. Zwerling updates his parents on his activities, including his efforts to set up contacts in Tunica, Mississippi, for SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) workers who will be arriving the fall. He also thanks them for money they recently sent.
6 August 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated August 10, 1964. In this brief note, Zwerling notifies his parents that he moved to Marks.
10 August 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated August 11, 1964. Discusses work in Marks, Mississippi, the possibility of future work in Tunica, and the recent convention of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in Jackson.
11 August 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated August 17, 1964. Discusses plans to return home from Mississippi.
17 August 1964
Typewritten letter from Matthew Zwerling to his parents, Israel and Florence Zwerling, dated August 26, 1965. Discusses plans to leave Mississippi and offers suggestions for spending time with his family upon his return to New York.
26 August 1964
From the Zwerling (Matthew) Freedom Summer Collection,; Photograph of civil rights volunteers taken at the Freedom Summer Training Session in Oxford, Ohio, in 1964. The training session was held to prepare volunteers for work in Mississippi. Andrew Goodman (third row, fourth from the right) is seated next to Mathew Zwerling (third row, third from the right). Goodman was later murdered in Philadelphia in 1964. This is the one of the last known photographs of Goodman.
[1964]
