Florida Memory • Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens, March 25, 1960

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Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens, March 25, 1960

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Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens, March 25, 1960

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Description

Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens expressing her negative opinion of the white race and encouraging the students to fight for the rights of African-Americans.

Creator

Vaughn, Minnie

To

Kruize, Priscilla Stephens, 1938-

Date

1960-03-25

Subjects

Civil rights movements--Public opinion
Due, Patricia Stephens, 1939-2012
Mass media and race relations
Solidarity

May God ever bless and keep you.

Is there some way that you and your sister can do your school work, and not be left behind. I know your teacher will find a way for you to study.

Have faith and everything will be all right.

Whatever you and the other students do, leave the white race out because they are our stumbling block. Thanks again. A friend

Minnie Vaughn

Title

Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens, March 25, 1960

Subject

Civil rights movements--Public opinion

Solidarity

Mass media and race relations

Description

Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens expressing her negative opinion of the white race and encouraging the students to fight for the rights of African-Americans.

Creator

Vaughn, Minnie

Source

State Archives of Florida, Collection N2015-1

Date

1960-03-25

Format

letters (correspondence)

Language

eng-US

Type

Text

Identifier

n2015-1_b001_f09_63

Coverage

Postwar Florida (1945-1968)

ImageID

n2015-1_b001_f09_63_01

n2015-1_b001_f09_63_02

n2015-1_b001_f09_63_03

Thumbnail

/fmp/stephens_sisters/thumbnails/n2015-1_b001_f09_63.jpg

Transcript

March 25, 1960

Dear Priscilla,

I read your sister's letter in the New York Newspaper today, and was glad to know that you and the rest of the students are fighting for the Negros and their rights. It takes a great deal of courage and understanding to fight with animals, such as the White People are. They think that you and all the rest of our People are

stupid and ignorant, but they are the ones who are stupid and ignorant, and they are also cowards.

They have you in jail for being more intelligent than they are.

What you and the rest of the Southern Negro Students are doing for our People have been deeply appreciated by everyone. The one thing that is so important is togetherness, and that is what we need to win this battle with the (Devils) White race.

May God ever bless and keep you.

Is there some way that you and your sister can do your school work, and not be left behind. I know your teacher will find a way for you to study.

Have faith and everything will be all right.

Whatever you and the other students do, leave the white race out because they are our stumbling block. Thanks again. A friend

Minnie Vaughn

Subject - Person

Due, Patricia Stephens, 1939-2012

To

Kruize, Priscilla Stephens, 1938-

Chicago Manual of Style

Vaughn, Minnie. Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens, March 25, 1960. 1960-03-25. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/329149>, accessed 16 December 2025.

MLA

Vaughn, Minnie. Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens, March 25, 1960. 1960-03-25. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/329149>

AP Style Photo Citation

(State Archives of Florida/Vaughn)

Florida Memory is a digital outreach program providing free online access to select archival records from collections housed in the State Library and Archives of Florida. Florida Memory digitizes materials that illuminate the state's history and culture.

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For FY2025-26, the percentage of total costs for the Florida Memory program financed with federal money is 66%; the federal dollar amount to be spent on the program is $1,027,650. This program does not receive any non-governmental funding.

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Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens, March 25, 1960

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Letter from Minnie Vaughn to Priscilla Stephens, March 25, 1960

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To

Date

Subjects

Title

Subject

Description

Creator

Source

Date

Format

Language

Type

Identifier

Coverage

ImageID

Thumbnail

Transcript

Subject - Person

To

Chicago Manual of Style

MLA

AP Style Photo Citation