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This pamphlet, authored by Mrs. Julia Brown and distributed by the nationwide network of TACT (Truth About Civil Turmoil) Committees associated with the John Birch Society, presents a fiercely critical view of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. under the banner of anti-communism. Julia Brown, who identifies herself as both “anti-communist” and an African American, claims to have formerly infiltrated the Communist Party in Cleveland, Ohio, on behalf of the FBI. In this publication, she contends that Dr. King was manipulated or supported by communist forces and warns readers against what she describes as the “Communist program” behind civil rights activism.
Principal Claims and Themes
- Alleged Communist Ties: Brown references FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s condemnation of King and highlights what she calls “proof” that King attended a “Communist training school,” received funding from supposed communist front organizations, and was part of a broader effort to stir racial unrest.
- Warnings About “Glorifying” King: The text implores Americans not to elevate King to “sainthood,” suggesting that doing so furthers communist objectives. Brown asserts that King’s public stance of nonviolence hides a covert strategy to foment civil turmoil, backed by communist sympathizers.
- Promotion of Anti-King Literature: The pamphlet’s closing pages advertise a range of additional materials—“The Civil Rights Packet,” “The TACT Packet,” Mrs. Brown’s autobiography I Testify, and The Sandersville Story—all designed to advance a narrative that the civil rights movement was infiltrated or orchestrated by communist interests.
Historical Context
- John Birch Society Influence: By the mid-1960s, the John Birch Society was well-known for promulgating anti-communist conspiracy theories, often focusing on prominent civil rights leaders like Dr. King. TACT Committees functioned as local affiliates that helped distribute literature opposing the mainstream civil rights movement.
- Hoover’s Investigations of King: J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI did surveil Dr. King extensively, though these efforts were largely discredited in later decades as attempts to discredit civil rights leadership. Brown’s pamphlet aligns with such accusations, reflecting a climate of fear and suspicion that intertwined racial issues with Cold War anxieties.
- Contrary to Mainstream Civil Rights Narratives: While Dr. King was frequently lauded for his leadership in desegregation and nonviolent protest, this tract takes an isolationist, hardline stance—downplaying or dismissing King’s mainstream achievements and focusing instead on alleged communist infiltration.
Tone, Language, and Efficacy
The pamphlet employs stark language, branding King “one of the worst enemies [her] people ever had,” accusing him of promoting strife for communist ends. It uses a grainy photograph purportedly of King at a “Communist training school” in Tennessee and reproduces a check from the Southern Conference Educational Fund—identified here as a communist front—as evidence of his supposed funding source. By blending anecdotal testimony, sensational language, and repeated warnings about “race consciousness,” the pamphlet seeks to sway readers who might be wary of communist influence during the Cold War era.
However, many historians and contemporaries viewed such claims as conspiratorial or lacking credible substantiation. While it is an artifact of its time—reflecting the suspicions and propaganda of the 1960s—it stands in sharp contrast to the legacy of King, who remains broadly revered for his advocacy of civil rights and racial justice.
Legacy and Relevance
This piece of literature is emblematic of the backlash civil rights activists faced from segments of the American public who believed the movement was subversive. Brown’s pamphlet reveals how misinformation and fear of communism could be weaponized to undermine civil rights goals. This document is a reminder of the powerful influence anti-communist sentiment had on domestic debates over race and equality, and how figures like Dr. King were targeted by organized campaigns seeking to discredit them.
Special thanks to the USC Digital Imaging Lab for their support in digitizing this item.
