Braden, Carl, 1914-1975

Carl Braden was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. Braden left school at sixteen to begin a career in journalism. In October 1954, Carl and Anne Braden were indicted in Louisville under a state sedition law by the Jefferson County Grand Jury after the house they purchased for a Black family (Andrew Wade) was bombed. The charges against Mrs. Braden and five other people were dropped, but Carl was held under bail of $40,000, tried and found guilty of sedition for having incited the bombing. He was fined $5,000 and sentenced to fifteen years in prison. His wife campaigned for his release, and, in 1956, after he had served eight months, the Kentucky Court of Appeals reversed his conviction.

In September 1957, both Bradens became full-time field organizers for the New Orleans-based Southern Conference Educational Fund (SCEF), while continuing to live in Louisville. They also edited the Southern Patriot, the SCEF newspaper. In this capacity the Bradens worked closely with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and the Southern Student Organizing Committee (SSOC).

In July 1958, the Bradens were subpoenaed to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) in Atlanta, Georgia; Carl Braden appeared and refused to answer questions about participation in the integration movement. In 1961 he was indicted for contempt of Congress, and was sentenced to a year in prison; he served 9 months.

In 1966 the Bradens succeeded Dombrowski as co-directors of the Southern Conference Educational Fund. In 1971 Carl retired as executive director. Carl Braden died of a heart attack on February 18, 1975.