Michael+Simmons

Michael Simmons was in high school during the 1960s, when many Civil Rights protests were going on. The civil rights movement and Malcolm X were early influences on Michael Simmons life. These groups and people helped him make the decision not to fight in war. After he finished high school he registered for the draft but would later regret his doing so. Later on he dropped out of college to become part of the Civil RIghts Movement. It was around this time when the Selective Service started to send him notices stating that he needed to be checked and have a physical. This is when he started defying the draft board by writing extensive letters on black history and sending it back to them.
 * Michael Simmons**

Michael soon realized that a lot of his fellow Civil Rights activists also were facing the draft like he was. That's when he started demonstrating at the Draft Board in Atlanta. Soon after Michael Simmons ended up in jail with 11 others, on charges of disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct. While he was in jail, he heard about other protests of the draft and how big the issue was becoming.

After getting out of jail, Michael was hammered with accusations of refusing to report for induction, damaging a door, and physically not letting someone get into the induction center. These claims weren't true because he did show up at the induction center but wasn't let into the building. To not show up to the induction center means to not show up for a physical and exam to see if your fit to fight. Since he was African American, it was a lot harder to appeal these claims in court, especially since he was also defying the draft too. For refusing to be drafted in Vietnam, he served two and a half years in jail. He could not get help from peace organizations because he was African American. He considered himself a conscious objector which is someone who refuses to fight and usually goes against the draft.

Michael Simmons went to jail, like many others, because he fought for what he believed in. He was an important influence to others who also felt the draft was not right. He was brave enough to stand up and to go against something he did not agree with. Just like Muhammad Ali and countless others, he chose to fight instead of giving in. Today he still talks about his eventful life and his part in the Civil Rights Movement.

Michael H

__**Bibliography**__: "Budapest University." __Veterins of the Civil Rights Movement__. 1995. 26 May 2007 .]

"A Black Man Fights the Draft." __Central Commitee for Conscientious Objectors__. 2003. 29 May 2007 <[|http://www.crmvet.org/comm/draft.htm>].

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