Plessy v. Ferguson research: Correspondence, 1962 - 1963

The Nils R. Douglas papers consist primarily of items collected or generated by attorney Nils R. Douglas, concerning Louis Andre Martinet and the legal society that bears his name, in addition to those concerning the case of Plessy v. Ferguson and the life of Homer A. Plessy. In addition, the bound personal manuscripts of Nils Douglas reflect his years as a prominent civil rights attorney, representing activists from the Congress of Racial Equality along with his law partners Robert F. Collins and Lolis Elie.

Items of note include a photostatic copy of The Crusader newspaper (vol. 2, no 13; July 19, 1890), which includes editorials by Louis A. Martinet and Rodolphe Lucien Desdunes decrying the separate train car bill whcih led to the Plessy v. Ferguson case; a photocopy of the pamphlet The Violation of a Constitutional Right, published by the Citizens' Committee regarding the case of Plessy v. Ferguson; the death certificate and records of succession for Louis A. Martinet; Douglas' essay "Who was Louis A. Martinet"?; records pertaining to the trials of B. Elton Cox, who was arrested while leading a peaceful protest demonstration in Baton Rouge; an essay jointly authored by Nils Douglas, Lolis Elie, and Robert F. Collins which chronicles their firm's involvement representing CORE activists in cities including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Plaquemine, and Clinton, Louisiana; a speech commemorating the third anniversary of New Orleans’ first sit-in protest by Oretha Castle Haley, written by Douglas; Rep. Charles L. Weltner's speech entitled "The Terror of Bogalusa", which includes a purported listing of all Klan members in Bogalusa as obtained through Federal court records; a letter to Rep. Hale Boggs admonishing him to ensure equal opportunities for his African American constituents; research correspondents concerning Louis A. Martinet, including a nine-page response from Southern University detailing Martinet's involvement as a member of the Board of Trustees of Southern University; and a letter from attorney A. P. Tureaud to Douglas correcting some factual information in Douglas' essay "Who was Louis A. Martinet," demonstrating Tureaud's acute knowledge of African American legal history.