DOC RELATES TO PROJECT MERRIMAC (MERRIMACK) - SITUATION INFORMATION REPORT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00018093
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: February 6, 2020
• Case Number: F-2016-00496
• Publication Date: December 12, 1968

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SITUATION INFORMATION REPORT
Black Panther Party leaders gathered in Oakland, Cali-
fornia, in mid-November. Among items and policies discuss -
amidst indication of much dissension - were: - What action to
take re Eldridge CLEAVER's being ordered back to prison. One
estimate is that CLEAVER will remain in hiding at various lo-
cations around the country and continue to "direct" Black Pan-
ther Party operations. - All Black Panther Party members
were to arm themselves with heavy caliber weapons and obtain
at least one thousand rounds of ammunition for each weapon.
It was mentioned at the meeting that the "Black Power
Revolution" would probably occur in 1972, when all conditions
were favorable.
It has been alleged that the Black Panther Party is at-
tempting to get a complete roster of all black students registered
in the elementary schools in West Oakland. They are going to
set up a free breakfast program three days per week for these
students. This program will not get started until after Christmas
vacations. The Panthers are also holding meetings in which the
parents of members are invited to learn what being a Black Pan-
ther is about.
The FBI has officially entered the search for missing Black
Panther Party leader Eldridge CLEAVER. An FBI affidavit
seeking a Federal fugitive warrant contended that CLEAVER's
wife, Kathleen, flew to New York City, Sunday, 8 December with
$33,000 she had withdrawn from a San Francisco bank account.
The affidavit said, "It appears she has transported funds which
are the fugitive's property for delivery and probable use outside
the state." The issuing of the Federal complaint gives rise 'to
speculation that CLEAVER has.' left the country.
Reportedly - at a meeting of the Black Panther Party on
7 December in Oakland, California, it was stated thatsshould un-
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attended police cars be located in Oakland and San Francisco
they should be wired with explosives. It was also stated that
revolution will start when Eldridge CLEAVER comes out of
hiding.
The NAACP in Frederick, Maryland,- has asked its
supporters to boycott sixty-three businesses it claims are owned
by people who supported George C. WALLACE in his campaign
for President. The manager of the Frederick Chamber of
Commerce does not believe the boycott will have a significant
economic effect.
As part of a new Movement strategy involving the ag-
gressive use of legal action to defend the Movement and to place
the machinery of the Government on the defensive, representa-
tives of sixteen left groups have joined in a suit filed 19 November
to challenge the constitutionality of the concentration camp; pro-
visions of the McCarran Act. Groups represented include:
Women Strike for Peace, National Mobilization Committee, �
SDS, Southern Conference Educational Fund, Progressive Labor
Party, CPUSA, SNCC, and the DuBois Clubs.
The HCUA hearings on the disorders at the Democratic
National Convention in Chicago have ended for this year. Acting
Chairman Richard ICHORD (D-Mo.) said more hearings may be
held next, year when he hopes his unit's name will be changed to
the House Committee on Internal Security.
Heretofore when the student radical graduated from college
he was faced with the reality of life in the environment. Since no
suitable forum existed the average SDSer was forced to make a
degree of peace with the establishment for the purpose of keeping
bread on the table. Hence, with the few exceptions personified
by "Newleft" hardcore leaders (such as: Tom HAYDEN, Jerry
RUBIN, etc.) the campus revolutionary was neutralized and
forced to play the. game by the -established rules of society.
Signs now emerge that neutralization through graduation
may well be changing. At the 1966 National Convention of the
SDS the question of formation of a new organization was resolved.
The Movement for a Democratic Society (MDS) conceived by
the SDS as a post-student radical repository, fared poorly the
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first year or so. No serious effort was made in 1966 to imple-
ment the MDS and therefore only a few groups were started.
In the past year former SDSers have organized MDS
groups in many parts of the country. Some groups are organ-
ized on occupational. lines; some, residential; and some,
"specific target."
The MDS chapters (the name varies from group to group)
share the anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist philosophy of the
SDS but so far as a national entity, have no universal politic.
No formal coordination has yet been established between chapters
but formation of central policy and planning control can be
anticipated. Most of the MDS chapters are small (20 to 30 mem-
bers) but most feel they are making an important and essential
beginning toward a mass new left insurgency in all areas of the
society.
MDS is located at 225 Lafayette Street, New York City.
The Daily World, east coast Communist Party newspaper,
reported recently the rumor that the Federal Bureau of Investi-
gations (sic) intends to initiate prosecution of Joan BAEZ for
her latest anti-Vietnam War action. During a recent concert
in California, Miss BAEZ interrupted her performance and
called upon her listeners to hand over their draft cards for
forwarding to President-elect NIXON. Forty young men re-
sponded..
Christmas cards are being sold this season by the follow-
ing organizations: Women Strike for Peace, CORE, Women's
International League for Peace and Freedom, Fellowship of
Reconciliation and the NAACP. Most have a special theme or
motif which corresponds to the organization's ostensible aims.
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Calendar of tentatively scheduled activities of Possible
Interest for the remainder of 1968.
"Asterisked" items are either reported for the first time
or contain additions or changes to previously reported activities.
December 13
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*New York City - The National Emergency Civil Liberties
Committee (the old cited Emergency Civil Liberties
Committee under a new name) is to hold its annual Bill
of Rights dinner at the Americana Hotel.
December 12 8E13 *Kingston, Rhode Island - An unidentified group of stu-
dents at the University of Rhode Island plan to hold demon-
strations which will be directed against DOW Chemical
Company recruiters.
December 15
*A one-hour documentary supporting the views of dissenters
at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will be
televised on WNEW-TV (Channel 5) in New York City,'
Sunday at 9 p.m. It will also be carried by the Metro-
media Stations in Washington, Los Angeles, Kansas City,
and San Francisco. Stations in areas served by Metro-
media stations will be permitted to rebroadcast the pro-
gram twenty-four hours after its original thlecast on the
Metromedia outlet.
The program will be divided into two segments - the
first forty-five minutes of which will be presented by the
American Civil Liberties Union and the National Mobiliza-
tion Committee, and the final fifteen minutes by the
youth International Party (YIPPIES).
December 13 & 20 *Pullman, Washington - The Pullman Citizens for Peace
in Vietnam were to hold silent vigils at Pullman, Washing-
ton, on 6, 13, and 20 December to protest the war in
Vietnam.
December 15
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*New York City - The Atnerican Committee for Protection
of Foreign Born is sponsoring a "Stop Police State -
Fight Back" rally at the Penn Garden Hotel. This date is
the 177th anniversary of the Bill of Rights.
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.raan x-ranciaco - The tilal of loftiat attorney Terence
HALLINAN on a battery charge, arising from his
part in earlier disturbances on the strife torn San Fran-
cisco State College campus.
December 16-19 *Northridge, California - Members of SDS and the Black
Student Union (BSU) have announced that they will hold
daily rallies on the campus of San Fernando Valley
State College in support of seven students arrested on
4 November for seizing a building.
December 20
On 19 December, SDS and BSU will march to the Los An-
geles Municipal Court to give support to the seven
students during their preliminary hearing.
*Rufus (Catfish) MAYFIELD, former leader of Pride, Inc.
at Washington, D. C., has been indicted in connection
with the April riots. The indictment-included two counts
of interfering with a police officer and one count of
engaging in a riot. Maximum penalttr on all three counts
is eleven years in prison and $11,000 fine. MAYFIELD
will be arraigned in U. S. District Court, on or about
December 20.
There have been 260 indictments in connection with the
April riots in Washington.
At a recent speech given by MAYFIELD at George
Washington University, a spectator reports that during
an altercation, MAYFIELD's shirt was torn open
revealing a concealed pistol carried in a shoulder
holster.
December 20-27 *Included in the "Declaration of Montreal" (the statement
issued by the, 1800 delegates and participants in the three-
day Hemispheric Conference to End the War in Vietnam)
was an action program including:
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Organize a week bf solidarity with the Vietnamese people
in all countries of the Western Hemisphere on 20 December,
the anniversary of the founding of the National Liberation
Front of South Vietnam.
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December 23 *U, Eldridge CLEAVER, Black Panther Party leader cur-
rently a fugitive as a parole violator, fails to appear in
Alameda County Superior Court for the setting of a trial
date on charges growing out of the shoot out in Oakland
in April between Black Panthers and the Oakland police,
the $50,000 bail put up for hirrr could be forfeited.
The $5,000 premium fee for his bond was paid for by
various donations but six of his supporters signed affi-
davits promising payment of the $50,000 if he does not
appear.
Included are: Godfrey CAMBRIDGE, the Negro Comedian;
Edward KEATING, lawyer and former publisher of
RAMPARTS magazine; and Dr. Philip SHAPIRO, a
San Francisco physician and an active supporter of the
Black Panther Party.
December 27-29 *Chicago, Illinois - The Socialist Workers Party (SWP)
is sponsoring an anti-war conference calling it a "GI-
Civilian Conference." At the Conference a date will be
set for a massive spring demonstration led by "thousands
of GI's in many cities."
SOURCES: Government and news media reports
RELIABILITY: Probably true
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