Exploring American Histories: Printed Page 806

Document 25.4

Ella Baker | Bigger Than a Hamburger, 1960

Soon after the first lunch counter sit-ins, activist Ella Baker called for a conference of student organizers at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Baker had fought for black rights and equality for decades through local and national groups, including the NAACP and SCLC. At the Shaw conference, she helped students establish the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. In the following article, Baker summarizes an address she gave at the conference on SNCC’s goals.

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Source: Ella Baker, “Bigger Than a Hamburger,” Southern Patriot, June 1960, 4.

  • Question

    What is the significance of the article’s title?

  • Question

    What concerns did students cite about cooperating with adults?

  • Question

    According to Baker, what problems do “leader-centered groups” seem to create?

Put It in Context

Question

How did SNCC’s goals as expressed here represent a change from earlier efforts to achieve racial equality?