▁of ▁Alabama . ▁He ▁was ▁membership ▁chairman ▁for ▁the ▁Alabama ▁chapter ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van cement ▁of ▁Col ored ▁People ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁featured ▁speaker ▁in ▁a ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁" E man cip ation ▁R ally " ▁spons ored ▁by ▁the ▁NA AC P . ▁ ▁Later ▁that ▁spring ▁Alabama ▁Att orney ▁General ▁John ▁P atter son ▁successfully ▁head ed ▁efforts ▁to ▁ban ▁the ▁NA AC P ▁from ▁conduct ing ▁activities ▁in ▁Alabama . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Sh utt les worth ▁led ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁past ors ▁and ▁lay men ▁who ▁met ▁at ▁A . ▁G . ▁Gast on ' s ▁Smith ▁& ▁Gast on ▁Fun eral ▁Chap el ▁to ▁outline ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁" free ▁and ▁independent ▁Cit iz ens ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁of ▁America , ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Alabama " ▁who ▁would ▁" express ▁public ly ▁our ▁determ ination ▁to ▁press ▁forward ▁persist ently ▁for ▁Fre edom ▁and ▁Dem ocracy , ▁and ▁the ▁removal ▁from ▁our ▁society ▁any ▁forms ▁of ▁Second ▁Class ▁Cit iz ens hip ." ▁The ▁group ▁met ▁on ▁June ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁and ▁draft ed ▁a ▁ 7 - point ▁" Dec laration ▁of ▁Princi ples ": ▁▁ ▁As ▁free ▁and ▁independent ▁Cit iz ens ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁of ▁America , ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Alabama , ▁we ▁express ▁public ly ▁our ▁determ ination ▁to ▁press ▁forward ▁persist ently ▁for ▁Fre edom