Description:
Ruby Frank founded this Friends of SNCC chapter on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1963. They raised money for SNCC workers in the South and established a “rest stop” at the university for SNCC workers to come and take a two-week break. Frank developed relationships with other civil rights organizations. They recruited volunteers for the Mississippi Freedom Democrat Party election. This chapter turned its attention towards local race issues as well. They allied with the NAACP and others to speak publicly and to protest of housing segregation in Champaign-Urbana. In 1965, Ron Kennedy, a senior enrolled at the university, formed another chapter for non-student members that operated under the same name. This chapter, along with other leftist and liberal student organizations, formed a new campus newspaper, Spark.
Members:
- Ruby Frank, 1964 Chairman (arrested in Mississippi)
- Liz Krohne, 1964 Vice-Chairman
- Annette Blaford
- Vicki Packer
- Pat Cunningham
- Merijean Morrissay
- William Keillor
- Ron Kennedy
- Rick Soderstrom
- Kay Moller (traveled with SNCC to Georgia in Jan. 1964)
- Gene Willard
- Gene Woodward (traveled with SNCC to Georgia in Jan. 1964)
- George Tessaro (arrested in Mississippi)
- Carol Stevens (traveled with SNCC to Georgia in Jan. 1964)
- Jacqueline Flenner (University Library staff members) (worked in Freedom School)
- Bill Stafford (Freedom Summer volunteer)
- Kathy Logan (Freedom Summer volunteer)
- Phil Curry (Freedom Summer volunteer)
- Pat Tan (Freedom Summer volunteer)
- Gerald Huntley (Freedom Summer volunteer)
- Jean Wasmann (Freedom Summer volunteer)
- Larry Hansen (Freedom Summer volunteer)
- Taylor Jones (Freedom Summer volunteer)
Archive:
SNCC Friends Launch Drive, Daily Illini, February 14, 1964
Form Campus Group to Help SNCC, Daily Illini, September 25, 1963
Friends of SNCC Planning C-U Rest Stop, Daily Illini, February 19, 1964
SNCC Initiates Clothing Drive, Daily Illini, May 23, 1964
SNCC to Stage Sit-in, Daily Illini, May 19, 1964
Friends of SNCC Plan Blues Party, Daily Illini, November 17, 1965
Write-ins Announce NSA Candidacy, Daily Illini, April 28, 1964
Reporting Illini Activities, Daily Illini, October 29, 1963
SNCC Plans Chanute Demonstration, Daily Illini, March 4, 1966
SNCC Official to Speak, Daily Illini, November 20, 1963
Frank to head Friends of SNCC, Daily Illini, April 13, 1965
SNCC Officers Declare Opening of Membership, Daily Illini, October, 22, 1963
SNCC to Present Freedom Singers, Daily Illini, March 25, 1966
SNCC Friends Plan Furlough, Daily Illini, March 12, 1964
UI Delegates, Daily Illini, May 23, 1964
Asks Support for SNCC, Daily Illini, September 26, 1963
Liberal Groups Publish ‘Spark’, Daily Illini, October 5, 1965
Workers on SNCC Protect to Give Report, Daily Illini, September 22, 1964
SNCC to Protest Arrests in Selma, Daily Illini, February 19, 1965
SNCC seeks Mississippi Workers, Daily Illini, October 1964
Students from UI Find Selma Conditions Bad, Daily Illini, March 13, 1965
To Organize Freedom Vote, Daily Illini, October 24, 1964
More Students Arrested for Sit-in, Daily Illini, May 23, 1964
SNCC Official Speaks Here Today, Daily Illini, October 17, 1963
SNCC Stages Blues Party, Daily Illini, November 20, 1965
UI Students Join Rights Workers, Daily Illini, July 2, 1964
SNCC Holds Freedom Rally, Daily Illini, May 19, 1964
Arrest Two UI Students, Daily Illini, January 29, 1964
Panel to Discuss Local Segregation, Daily Illini, July 23, 1964
Senate Discusses Civil Rights Agent Okays NSA Plan, Daily Illini, October 22, 1964
SNCC Raises Drive Funds, Daily Illini, May 14, 1965
SNCC Telegraphs LBJ, Daily Illini, September 24, 1964
Brief Memorial Sponsored Today for 3 Slain Men, Daily Illini, August 6, 1964
Viet Nam Protest Begin at Noon, Daily Illini, March 25, 1966
SNCC Members, Friends Discuss Integration Projects, Daily Illini, March 24, 1964
To Protest McMullin Arrest, Daily Illini, November 22, 1963
SNCC Friends to Bring Dick Gregory to Campus, Daily Illini, March 28, 1964
Gregory Varies Performance by Commenting Seriously, Humorously on Race Issue, Daily Illini, May 5, 1964
Coed with Atlanta Groups, Daily Illini, January 30, 1964
Gregory ‘Makes Good’, Daily Illini, May 1, 1964
SNCC Hold Book Drive, Daily Illini, May 22, 1964
1963-64 Presents Campus with Important Local News, Daily Illini, August 1, 1964
Circle Students Hold Sit-in, Daily Illini, February 28, 1967
Student Tells About SNCC Work, Daily Illini, February 1, 1964
Letter to the Editor, Daily Illini, May 6, 1965
Letter to the Editor, Daily Illini, May 8, 1964
Bending towards justice, John Doar and the Mississippi Burning Trial, n.d.