The Freedom Information Service (FIS) was established in July 1965 to help meet the political and educational needs of the poor, rural, black population of Mississippi. FIS was originally conceived as a communications clearinghouse where all forms of useful information could be gathered, compiled, organized, and transmitted in appropriate forms to the people who needed to know. As part of its educational program, FIS had as goals “to promote wide sharing of information, ideas, and experiences” in a curriculum largely determined and created by the students. Workshops, particularly in the areas of political education, constituted the major communications tool of FIS. These stressed voter education and citizenship; international politics; economics, such as agriculture and industry; federal programs and how they could benefit groups and individuals; and Negro history. In addition, FIS maintained a news and tape program, library and other files, and research and writing staff. The Service taped documentaries on the Council of Federated Organizations, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, and Mississippi Freedom Labor Union, among others, for news services and networks in the north, FIS also reproduced and distributed literature created by these organizations. The initial costs of FIS were underwritten by the Delta Ministry of the National Council of Churches, which provided an old college campus in Edwards, Mississippi, for the use of the Service. Other sources of income included individual contributions and foundation funds.
FIS was allied with most of the large and small civil rights organizations working in Mississippi during this period. Among them were: Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Medical Committee on Human Rights (MCHR), Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP), Mississippi Freedom Labor Union (MFLU), NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., Poor Peoples Conference and Poor Peoples Corporation, Southern Student Organizing Committee (SSOC), Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
The Freedom Information Service did not dissolve with the waning of the major southern civil rights movements in the late 1960s. The Service continued under the administration of long-time leader Jan Hillegas, with the addition of Ken Lawrence to the staff. During the mid-1970s the base of FIS operations moved to Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, Mississippi, and later to Jackson, and the scope of the organization expanded to encompass women's rights and feminism, black pride and black nationalism, and black political activism. Hillegas became active in the feminist movement, and publications produced by her were so oriented, while Lawrence was involved with the Provisional Government of Republic of New Afrika. Although these activities reflect the interests of Hillegas and Lawrence, some material was issued under the aegis of the Freedom Information Service as late as 1978.
