April 22, 1960

Mr. Jackie Robinson 

425 Lexington Avenue 

New York, N.Y. 

Dear Mr. Robinson: 

Just this morning, I received a letter from Patricia Stephens dated April 15, 1960 but [postmarked] April 19, 1960. In it she says "I wrote Jackie Robinson and asked him to have the money sent to Tallahassee CORE. We all decided to do this because of the financial strain our group in is". Because the letter to me had arrived so very late, actually 4 days between the writing and the [postmark], it occurred to me that you might not have received her letter, and I did check with your secretary this morning, who said she did not believe such letter had yet come in.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Patricia Stephens. If you do not receive her letter by the time you get this one, possibly we should write her again and ask her to send you another such letter.

You will be glad to know that the students in Tallahassee are scheduled to be released from jail on May 6th.

Merritt Spaulding, whom you met here in New York has been arrested once again, but this time the case was rapidly quashed. He was over at the white institution, Florida State one evening early in April and after meeting with several people there began to walk back to his own campus. One of the white students accompanied him. The police car came along the street, spotted a Negro and white student together, and arrested them both for "night prowling". A local Tallahassee attorney raised Cain about the arrest and the whole thing was dropped.

We certainly very much appreciate your coming to the pledge signing this week. We feel that the pledge campaign is vital in building up the boycott of Woolworth to the point where they will seriously consider making changes in most of their outlets in the South. We also appreciate, of course, the publicity that has been given to the actions in Tallahassee in your column in the New York Post.

The elicited one letter to Pat from Yokohama, Japan, from Mr. Thomas McGregory, an American who is taking a trip around the world. He says "In my travels about the world, I've been approached many times by foreigners, asking about the Negro situation in the United States. They all seem very much concerned. I tried to explain, but it's very hard to explain something to a person who has never been familiar with the American way of life. During the course of the trip I am going to show your letter to all the people who approach me concerning the American Negro. I know there will be many. In the meantime, you and