In this WSB newsfilm clip, Georgia governor Ernest Vandiver answers reporters' questions about the Albany Civil Rights movement at a press conference held on Monday, July 30, 1962. As governor from 1959 through 1963, Vandiver opposed public school integration with the campaign motto "no not one." In response to questions in the press conference, Governor Vandiver asserts that former governor Marvin Griffin demonstrated his financial ignorance by imposing an $80 million tax increase for state operations. Vandiver then condemns civil rights demonstrators as "instigators" and criticizes the nonviolent movement for disregarding the law. To illustrate his position, he states that comments made the day before on "Meet the Press" by Dr. William G. Anderson, president of the Albany Movement, show the movement is looking to incite unrest and violence. Vandiver affirms that local authorities and the seventy-to-seventy-five state troopers in Albany are keeping the peace. If there is violence, he will send in the Georgia National Guard to remove the agitators from the area. His comment in response to a question about New York governor Nelson Rockefeller's request for federal intervention in Albany is not recorded; Vandiver does confirm that there have been no inquiries from Washington regarding the situation. When asked, Vandiver implies that no federal or state intervention will be needed because the Albany Movement is losing its influence; only three people participated in Sunday's demonstrations. After intermittent protests since November, 1961, the Albany Movement announced on August 16 that they would no longer organize demonstrations and would instead focus on voter registration efforts. Vandiver concludes that people in Georgia and the nation are growing "sick and tired" of Dr. Martin Luther King, whom he considers to be a self-aggrandizer, troublemaker, and opportunist who is exploiting the situation in Albany for his own personal gain and political capital. Political leaders, both within Georgia as well as around the nation, viewed civil rights activists, especially King, as "outside agitators" who provoked violence and encouraged disorder and "subversive activities." On the other hand, movement activists defined their activities as "passive resistance" and worked in communities with strong local support.

Title supplied by cataloger.

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 WSB-TV Newsfilm Collection.

1 clip (about 9 min.): black-and-white, sound ; 16 mm.

Original found in the WSB-TV newsfilm collection.

WSB-TV newsfilm clip of Georgia governor Ernest Vandiver speaking to reporters about the civil rights movement in Albany, Georgia from a press conference in Atlanta, Georgia, 1962 July 30, WSB-TV newsfilm collection, reel 0946, 51:01/59:48, Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Ga, as presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.

Forms part of: Civil Rights Digital Library.