Florida Memory • Letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens, May 2, 1960

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Letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens, May 2, 1960

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Letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens, May 2, 1960

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Description

A letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens discussing how she is trying to organize a boycott of Woolworth's and Kress department stores after reading about the Tallahassee sit-ins in the CORE-lator and New Republic.

Creator

Vanderbeek, Katherine

To

Due, Patricia Stephens, 1939-2012

Date

1960-05-02

Subjects

Boycotts
Broxton, Barbara
Broxton, John
CORE-lator (periodical)
Carney, Clement
Civil rights movements--Public opinion
F.W. Woolworth Company
Kruize, Priscilla Stephens, 1938-
Larkins, WIlliam
Mass media and race relations
Nance, Angela
S.H. Kress & Co.
Steele, Henry Marion
The New Republic (periodical)

Geographic Term

Plainfield (N.J.)

Mrs. Hoarace A. Vanderbeek

70 Vail Lane, Watchung

Plainfield, New Jersey

May 2, 1960

My dear Miss Stephens

This is a note to express to you and the others who are serving jail sentences because of your courageous action in calling the attention of northerners as well as southerners to the unequal treatment of some American citizens.

We are all to blame for discrimination wherever it exists and we feel beholden to you for suffering in our stead.

We have read the account of your action and treatment in Core-lator as well as New Republic and other magazines.

Title

Letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens, May 2, 1960

Subject

Mass media and race relations

Civil rights movements--Public opinion

Boycotts

Description

Creator

Vanderbeek, Katherine

Source

State Archives of Florida, Collection N2015-1

Date

1960-05-02

Format

letters (correspondence)

Language

eng-US

Type

Text

Identifier

n2015-1_b001_f10_02

Coverage

Postwar Florida (1945-1968)

ImageID

n2015-1_b001_f10_02_01

n2015-1_b001_f10_02_02

n2015-1_b001_f10_02_03

Thumbnail

/fmp/stephens_sisters/thumbnails/n2015-1_b001_f10_02.jpg

Transcript

Mrs. Hoarace A. Vanderbeek

70 Vail Lane, Watchung

Plainfield, New Jersey

May 2, 1960

My dear Miss Stephens

We are all to blame for discrimination wherever it exists and we feel beholden to you for suffering in our stead.

We have read the account of your action and treatment in Core-lator as well as New Republic and other magazines.

Mrs. Hoarace A. Vanderbeek

70 Vail Lane, Watchung

Plainfield, New Jersey

I have written to Woolworth + Kress officials to tell them of my determination to boycott their stores until they change their policy in southern stores. I will do my best to get friends, members of church and other civic organization to sign the pledge card prepared by CORE

Best wishes to all of you -

Gratefully yours

Katherine Vanderbeek

Miss Patricia Stephens

c/o Leon County Jail

Tallahassee Florida

Subject - Corporate

CORE-lator (periodical)

F.W. Woolworth Company

The New Republic (periodical)

S.H. Kress & Co.

Subject - Person

Kruize, Priscilla Stephens, 1938-

Broxton, Barbara

Carney, Clement

Larkins, WIlliam

Steele, Henry Marion

Nance, Angela

Broxton, John

Geographic Term

Plainfield (N.J.)

To

Due, Patricia Stephens, 1939-2012

Chicago Manual of Style

Vanderbeek, Katherine. Letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens, May 2, 1960. 1960-05-02. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/331213>, accessed 22 June 2025.

MLA

Vanderbeek, Katherine. Letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens, May 2, 1960. 1960-05-02. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 22 Jun. 2025.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/331213>

AP Style Photo Citation

(State Archives of Florida/Vanderbeek)

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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Florida Memory is funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Florida's LSTA program is administered by the Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services.

For FY2024-25, 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 $614,955. This program does not receive any non-governmental funding.

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Letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens, May 2, 1960

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Subjects

Geographic Term

Title

Subject

Description

Creator

Source

Date

Format

Language

Type

Identifier

Coverage

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Thumbnail

Transcript

Subject - Corporate

Subject - Person

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Chicago Manual of Style

MLA

AP Style Photo Citation

State Archives of Florida

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Letter from Katherine Vanderbeek to Patricia Stephens, May 2, 1960

Description

Creator

To

Date

Subjects

Geographic Term

Title

Subject

Description

Creator

Source

Date

Format

Language

Type

Identifier

Coverage

ImageID

Thumbnail

Transcript

Subject - Corporate

Subject - Person

Geographic Term

To

Chicago Manual of Style

MLA

AP Style Photo Citation