February, 1937, 1937

The Mississippi River overflowed its banks at the beginning of the month, and much of the correspondence concerns flood relief for union members. Following the Muskogee convention, union activity in the Southwest accelerated, and there is a great amount of communication with such leaders as Odis Sweeden and John M. Denney in Oklahoma and Fred Matthews and J.R. Freeland in Texas. Much of the correspondence with Sweeden and Denney concerns the supposed Mitchell-Fowler-Jackson bargain at Muskogee (4,12,15). About the middle of the month, two black union members in Forrest City, Ark. were murdered and the lawyers sent to investigate were run out of town.