In this silent WALB newsfilm clip from July 28, 1962, several African Americans picket in downtown Albany, Georgia, before they are arrested. The clip begins with the picketers exiting a car parked beside the sidewalk. At least two men, an adult and a student, and three women exit the car and carry signs as they walk up and down the street in the Albany commercial district. Slogans on the signs include, "Oh, Pritchett, open them cells," "Legal to picket in Albany? Police say no," "Freedom of assembly?" and "Revive first amendment in Albany." Later, Edward Dickerson, a white Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) member from Cambridge, Massachusetts, holds a sign with the saying, "No civil liberties, no civil rights" and an African American woman holds her sign, "Freedom to assemble" upside down. Another African American woman holds a sign with the saying, "1100 arrested in peaceful demonstrations;" the number on top of the sign appears to have been changed. Standing with his back to the camera, Albany mayor Asa D. Kelley speaks to an unidentified white man and watches the picketers. Albany police chief Laurie Pritchett, after watching the picket line march in front of city hall, stops the protesters and speaks to them as they are surrounded by officers and members of the media. After listening to Pritchett, the demonstrators resume their procession down Albany sidewalks. In another clip, picketers are arrested by police after they ignore a warning from Pritchett to cease. Civil rights protesters in the Albany Movement who picketed were often arrested for charges including failure to obey an officer, disorderly conduct, blocking the sidewalk, and obstructing traffic.

The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for digital conversion and description of the WALB News Film collection.

Title provided by cataloger.

1 clip (ca. 1 min 40 sec.) : b&w, si. ; 16 mm.

Original found in the WALB newsfilm collection.

Cite as: WALB newsfilm clip of African Americans arrested for picketing n downtown Albany, Georgia, 1962 July 28, Albany Movement compilation, WALB News Film collection, Albany Movement Compilation Roll 2 [Tape 1], Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Award Collection, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Ga., as presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.

Forms part of: Civil Rights Digital Library.