"Black Poll Set on Vietnam War."
New York Times, February 1, 1970, p. 43.
A group of African-American's planned for a national referendum on the Vietnam War by the
African-American community. Supporters of the referendum included the National Committee of
Black Churchmen, Julian Bond, LeRoi Jones, Ossie Davis, and SNCC. The organizers of the poll
hoped to show that African-Americans were not indifferent to the war despite low turnout of
African-Americans at anti-war demonstrations and the predominance of whites in the anti-war
movement. As one SNCC official put it, "This is a call to black Americans to say that they
are not a part of that silent majority Nixon talks about." The poll was set for Holy Week
(March 22-29).
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