Wally Nelson facts for kids

Wallace Floyd Nelson (27 March 1909 – 23 May 2002) was an American civil rights activist and someone who refused to pay taxes that supported war. He spent three and a half years in prison because he was a conscientious objector during World War II, meaning he refused to fight in the war due to his beliefs. He was also part of the very first "Freedom Rides" in 1947, which were trips taken to challenge unfair laws that separated people by race. He was also the first national organizer for the Congress of Racial Equality, a group that worked for equal rights.

Wally and his wife, Juanita, received the Courage of Conscience Award for their important work in civil rights. They also helped start the Valley Community Land Trust in Massachusetts. A special loan fund is now held by this trust in Wally's memory. Wally Nelson passed away at 93, after more than 50 years of working for peace and justice.

Wally Nelson's Early Life

Wally Nelson was born on March 27, 1909, in Altheimer, Arkansas. His parents were Lydia and Duncan William Nelson. When he was about six, his family moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. He grew up in a large family of sharecroppers, which are farmers who work land owned by someone else and pay rent with a share of their crops. This experience helped shape his strong values.

Later, he moved north with his brother to Batavia, Ohio. He went to a high school there that allowed both white and black students, which was not common at the time. He even helped make sure that black students were included in the welcoming party for new students, where they had been left out before.

In 1933, after high school, Wally moved to Chicago. He became involved in youth groups and joined the American Youth Congress. He was asked to join the Communist Party but said no because he was committed to nonviolence. He took a special promise called the Oxford Pledge, vowing that he would not support his country in war because he believed war was wrong.

In 1940, he started attending Ohio Wesleyan University. At the same time, he began working with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He helped with campaigns to end unfair treatment, like trying to get served at restaurants to see if they followed local laws against discrimination.

Standing Up for What's Right

Time in Prison

Wally Nelson was a conscientious objector, meaning he refused to join the military because of his beliefs. The draft board first said no to his request, but he eventually won his case. He was then assigned to a Civilian Public Service camp, which was an alternative to military service. However, he soon realized he didn't want to help the war effort at all, even by working for the government at home. So, on July 1, 1943, he left the camp with five other people.

He went to Detroit, Michigan, and continued working on campaigns against discrimination with the Congress of Racial Equality. Soon after, he and his friends were arrested for leaving the Civilian Public Service camp. A judge gave them the longest possible sentences: five years in prison.

Wally spent 17 months in a local jail before being moved to a federal prison. During this time, he met his future wife, Juanita Morrow. She came to the jail as a reporter, writing a story about the conditions there. Wally and his cellmate asked to meet her, and they stayed in touch by mail.

While in prison, Wally went on a hunger strike. This means he refused to eat. He did this when prison officials tried to make him eat at a "Jim Crow" table. "Jim Crow" laws forced black and white people to be separated, which was unfair. He went on another hunger strike when he was moved to Danbury federal prison. This time, he was protesting the entire prison system. He said, "You've got me in jail; you're responsible for this, and I'm not going to eat until I am on the other side of these walls."

During this hunger strike, he went 18 days without eating anything. After that, the guards started to force-feed him. They put tubes through his nose and into his stomach. The first time, they used tubes that were too big, which hurt him badly. He had to go to the hospital because of his injuries and lost a lot of weight. The force-feedings continued for 89 days until Wally was finally released from prison.

The First Freedom Ride

In 1947, Wally Nelson took part in the first Freedom Ride, which was then called the "Journey of Reconciliation." During this journey, people purposely rode in the "wrong" seats on buses. Black people sat in the front, and white people sat in the back. They did this to test a new Supreme Court rule that said it was illegal to separate people by race on buses that traveled between states. Many riders were arrested, proving that the rule was not being followed.

Wally rode with other famous Freedom Riders like Bayard Rustin and James Peck. All the participants were men. They decided that having black men and white women together might cause too much trouble and be too dangerous at that time. Many of the men on this first Freedom Ride had also been in prison for being conscientious objectors, just like Wally.

Other Important Work

In 1948, Wally helped start the Peacemakers. This was a national group dedicated to living a life of active non-violence. He and his wife, Juanita, began to refuse to pay taxes that were used for weapons and war. They continued this practice for the rest of their lives. They did this alongside another civil rights activist named Eroseanna Robinson. The three of them were called the "Elkton Three" after they were arrested together for trying to enter a restaurant in Maryland that refused to serve black people.

Over time, the Nelsons found a way to refuse war taxes by reducing their income. They cut down their expenses a lot. They built a house using old materials and lived without electricity or indoor plumbing. They also grew most of their own food on a small piece of land. Eventually, they lived on less than $5,000 a year.

In 1948, Wally helped organize the Cincinnati Committee on Human Relations. This group worked to end segregation in Cincinnati. In the early 1950s, Wally was the first national field officer for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). In this job, he led many workshops on how to use non-violent actions to bring about change. He left CORE in 1954 when the organization became more cautious.

In 1957, the Nelsons spent a few months at Koinonia Farm in Georgia, which was a racially mixed community. They continued to work with this project for the next ten years.

Starting in 1960, the Nelsons worked with "Operation Freedom." This group helped black Americans who were being punished by white supremacists for trying to register to vote.

In 1968, Wally went on another hunger strike for 21 days. This time, he was supporting the United Farm Workers. This group was fighting for fair wages and better working conditions for farm laborers.

In the early 1970s, the Nelsons started to live a very simple life in New Mexico. They lived "off-the-grid," meaning they were not connected to public utilities like electricity or water. In 1974, they moved to Deerfield, Massachusetts. There, they built a small cabin (about 16 feet by 24 feet) using recycled materials. They lived without electricity or plumbing and grew most of their food on a half-acre of land. They eventually lived on less than $4,000 a year. During this time, they helped start groups like the Valley Community Land Trust, the Pioneer Valley War Tax Resisters, and the Greenfield Farmer's Market.

From 1989 to 1993, the Nelsons helped resist the government's attempt to take and sell the home of other war tax resisters, Randy Kehler and Betsy Corner.

Wally also took part in the annual war-tax protest in front of the Greenfield Post Office on Tax Day.

Wally Nelson's Passing

Wally Nelson passed away on May 23, 2002, in Greenfield, Massachusetts, at the age of 93.