Biography/History:

Jesse Turner Morris was born February 8, 1941, in Wilmington, Delaware. He received his early education in Delaware, but after moving to California, he completed his education there, finally receiving a degree in 1960 from the University of California in economics.

Jesse Morris became very active in the Civil Rights Movement in California and Florida finally arriving in the state of Mississippi in 1963. He was a victim in four civil rights investigation complaints by the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Jackson Police Department, and the Belzoni Police Department during the period 1963-1967.

He was connected with Community Action Technical Service in Jackson as a consultant, and in 1968, he was office coordinator with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He served as well on the Federal Program Committee of the Council of Federated Organizations, (COFO).

In 1965, Jesse Morris formed the "Poor People's Corporation." More than one thousand people paid twenty-five cents a year to be members of the Poor People's Corporation and to have power in decision making. Many of his fellow workers were skeptical when he decided to open a chain of small cooperative factories to provide jobs for the Mississippi poor. In time the cooperatives grew in size throughout the state.

In 1971, Jesse Morris became a member of the Steering Committee for the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, Inc. He became active as well in the Loyal Democrats, a coalition of young democrats and representatives from the Freedom Democratic Party, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

As of 2012, Mr. Jesse Morris resided in Jackson.

Scope and Content:

This collection consists of papers of the Poor People's Corporation, Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, and audio tapes of the Loyal Democrats and the Jackson Boycott. The papers include administrative papers of Liberty House, including the Articles of Incorporation. The printed materials describe Liberty House's education and training centers, sketches, patterns, catalogs, advertisements and daily worksheets. Included as well are business correspondence, catalogs, customer complaints and compliments, gift shows and schedules of conventions sponsored by Liberty House.

Series and Sub-series Identification:

1. Series 1: Liberty House: Administration, Correspondence, Education and Sales, 1931-1976; n.d.

   Sub-series 1: Administrative Papers. 1966; n. d. 4 folders.

   This sub-series consists of a copy of Articles of Incorporation of Liberty House Cooperative, a proposal for a grant to produce and mail Liberty House catalogs, bi-weekly reports, and information packets about the Poor People's Corporation.

   Box 1, folders 1-4

   Sub-series 2: Education and Training. 1969-1970. 6 folders.

   This sub-series consists of education and training manuals for workers of the Liberty House Cooperatives.

   Box 1, folders 5-10

   Sub-series 3: Sketches, Patterns, and Catalogs. 1967-1968; n.d. 34 folders.

   This sub-series consists of colorful sketches and patterns used to design and make merchandise for sale by Liberty House Cooperatives. Various types of mail order catalogs are included for the sale of other merchandise such as soaps and candle making materials; there are also photographs of co-ops.

   Box 1, folders 11-45

   Sub-series 4: Advertisements, Correspondence, and Daily Worksheets. 1966-1974; n.d. 41 folders.

   This sub-series consists of correspondence both general and specific. The specific correspondence is concerned with the Liberty House Store in Berkeley, California, and the Minneapolis store. Included as well are daily worksheets for sales by Liberty House Cooperatives.

   Box 2, folders 1-41

   Sub-series 5: Requests for materials and supplies. 1965-1973. 48 folders.

   This sub-series consists of description of products of Liberty House Co-ops located in the Mississippi area. The sub-series include list of goods and services delivered to each warehouse and the field reports of these transactions.

   Box 3, folders 1-48

   Sub-series 6: Gift Shows and Cooperatives. 1967-1974, n.d. 15 folders.

   This sub-series consists of records of gift shows planned by the Liberty House Cooperative and various companies involved with Liberty House business affairs.

   Box 3, folders 50-56
   Box 4, folders 1-9

   Sub-series 7: Listing of Customers and Companies. 1931-1973. 55 folders.

   This sub-series consists documentation of companies with which Liberty House did business for all eleven factories. The sub-series include invoices, purchase orders. Guides for successful use of products, and the basic steps for a successful home party are also included. Included as well in this sub-series are customers' complaints and compliments to Liberty House.

   Box 4, folders 10-65

2. Series 2: Sound recordings, 1960-1968.

   Box 5 consist of information recorded on sound tapes during Jesse Morris' involvement with the Loyal Democrats, Poor People's march to Washington, D.C., and other committees and organizations.

   Box 5

Box and Folder List