Steering Committee MINUTES May 24, 1965

Contents: Attendance • 1. George Houser reported on his trip to St. Louis for a meeting to form a St. Louis Committee on Africa. • 2. It was agreed to add James Baldwin to the National Committee of the ACOA. • 4. The American Negro Leadership Conference on Africa was discussed. • 5. Regarding adding a Negro executive to the ACOA staff, it was agreed that the Executive Director send a memorandum to the next Steering Committee as soon as possible about possible procedures and problems with hiring an additional staff person. • 6. It was decided to invite additional trustees for the African Aid and Legal Defense Fund. • 7. Houser reported that the Subcommittee on Africa of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs was holding hearings soon on African students in the U.S. • 8. A "teach-in" on American relations with South Africa was proposed for next fall. • 9. The Steering Committee approved creating an ACOA study commission on South West Africa. • 10. It was noted that the African-Asian Conference would take place in Algiers beginning June 29. • 11. Houser reported on the formation of the Alexander Defense Fund. • 12. Elizabeth Franklin has begun to do some part-time work with the ACOA. • An evening meeting will be held on June 4 at the home of William Scheinman with Kotsho Dube of Southern Rhodesia. ACOA is helping with the schedule of Canon L. John Collins, Chairman of Christian Action and of the London Defence and Aid Fund, in New York June 6-10. His schedule will include a luncheon meeting at the UN Church Center, an evening meeting with Committee members to discuss the relationship between our Defense and Aid Fund and the British Fund, a session with the UN Special Committee on Apartheid, and meetings with non-government and government people in Washington, D.C. David Grenfell, formerly of Angola but now working with Angolan refugees in the Congo, will be in the U.S. the end of June. The decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding South West Africa is expected by the end of 1965; the ACOA should consider what the U.S. can and should do to implement what is hoped to be a decision that South Africa has violated its mandate in its administration of South West Africa. The minutes mention Professor Alvin Wolfe of Washington University in St. Louis, the Executive Board, member-contributors in the St. Louis area, a Committee of 15, Roy Wilkins, Allan Morrison, Johnson Publications, Dr. George Wylie, CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), Cora Weiss, the African-American Students Foundation, Professor Thomas Franck of NYU (New York University), Robert Browne, Dr. Neville Alexander, opposition to apartheid, the South Africa Bulletin, Peter Weiss, Elizabeth Landis, Nelson Bengston, Stanley Levison, Andrew Norman, Hugh Smythe, Mary-Louise Hooper, Collin Gonze, and Jim Robinson. A cover memorandum discusses Bayard Rustin, James Robinson, and Roy Wilkins.