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SOUTHERN SCHOOL NEWS-UULY, 1963—PAGE 17
Race Relations Institute
In 20th Annual Session
By ROBERT CHURCHWELL
CHOOL DESEGREGATION Was
among the topics of discus
sion during the 20th annual Race
Relations Institute which opened
a t Fisk University in Nashville
June 24 for two weeks of lec
tures, seminars and clinics.
Sponsored by the Board for Home
land Ministries of the United Church
of Christ, and directed by the Race Re
lations Department of the American
Missionary Association, the institute
was founded in 1943 by the late Dr.
Charles Spurgeon Johnson, sociologist
and president of Fisk University.
Dr. Herman H. Long, head of the
AMA Race Relations Department, is
director of the institute, which was
scheduled to continue through July 6.
Robert Carter, general counsel for
the National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People, told those
attending the institute that “Northern
educators have used segregated housing
to maintain segregated schools.”
Speaking on “Legal Approaches to
De Facto School Segregation,” Carter
declared:
“They do this by having zone lines
going around Negro neighborhoods,
rather than drawing the lines through
segregated neighborhoods.”
Carter also declared that “de facto
segregation has more Negroes going to
segregated schools in the North than
in the South. The problem faces the
whole country and we’d better be con
cerned about solving it.”
Purpose Defined
Dr. Long said the purpose of the in
stitute was “to orientate leaders of local
communities in the problems, processes
and methods of implementing better
intergroup relations.”
He added: “It endeavors to assess the
status of current developments, provide
authoritative information on the psy
chological, sociological, political, eco
nomic and religious aspects of inter
group problems, and to evaluate tech
niques and strategies.”
Institute members this year, em
ployed by either public or private agen
cies concerned with the race relations
field, came from 30 states and the Dis
trict of Columbia. There were 27 con
sultants listed, about equally divided
between whites and nonwhites.
The first week of speakers included
Dr. Long, who gave the keynote ad
dress; Carter, Brooks Hays, special as
sistant to President Kennedy; Dr. Her
bert Barringer, department of sociology,
Northwestern University, who dis
cussed “Race: Recapitulation and Re
definition”; Dr. Harold Bradley, depart
ment of history, Vanderbilt University,
who spoke on “American Race Rela
tions: An Historical View”; Herman
Edelsberg, attorney, National Office
Anti-Defamation League of B’nai
B’rith, who gave his views on “The
Congress and Civil Rights.”
Others were Dr. Robert Johnson, so
ciologist, New York University, who
discussed “The Negro Response”; Dr.
Robert Rietz, director, American In
dian Center, Chicago, whose address
dealt with “The Indian-American:
Problems and Prospect”; and Dr. Max
Wolff, director of research, Department
of Labor, Migration Division, Puerto
Rico, who spoke on “The Puerto Rican
Minority: Issues and Problems.”
‘Personal Conviction’
Hays, U.S. representative from Little
Rock, Ark., at the time of that city’s
school desegregation crisis, said he did
not appear at the institute as a South
erner, or as former president of the
Southern Baptist Convention or as a
representative of the President.
“I am speaking my personal convic
tion on what I think is the nation’s
largest problem,” Hays declared.
Hays also said he had “no apologies
for my participation in the Little Rock
crisis” but added, “I was hurt, bruised
and wounded by my defeat for Con
gress.”
“Economic progress for Negroes does
not meet the problem,” Hays continued,
“neither can the problem be defined
from any standpoint altogether of vio
lence.” He said the Negro’s “dignity is
involved. His personality is the heart
of the problem.”
Dr. Barringer said “the way people
in the United States document Negro
stereotypes is fantastic.” He said that
District of
Columbia
(Continued From Page 16)
jn civil rights but “we still have
‘ong way to go.”
Both officials were given a general!
nendly reception, although there wa
sorrle heckling of the attorney genera
★ ★ ★
( ^ s ® r ies of recommendations designe
.? re ™ c e racial tensions was issued b;
2ft JJ as hlngton Urban League Jun
Pro ^ eague called for “a total ap
bv n *° commun ity’s problems
Congress and city officials.
respect to the Washingto:
jOols, the Urban League urged a
the K^ late rea PP ra isal of curricula b;
ter t ard education to provide bet
^training for available job oppor
-I end more social work an
v ‘dual services to provide indi
'hildren attent * on i° r disadvantage
Committee Assails
Scho °l Segregation
^ ear Military Bases
soioJJ 111 ® and school segregation i
create ommu nities near military base
to b ea J, re ? sures that “prove too grea
ar nied f f ° r “me families of Negr
t »m ln ; t * 0rces Personnel, a presidents
- ttee reported June 22.
^11 r— »vvi wuiic CdU.
rj Pporb! reSic *? nt ' s Committee on Equ
Whiter! ™ the Armed Forces, a]
tort that y f^ r ago ’ sa *d in its first r<
'*0du e i °«-W segregation creat
®cieiw dsnips and impairs the e
“len. and morale of Negro servie
, Th e
the ca iied for new effor
'Tuaf t ense Department to promo
^ders mant ’ end urged base con
° 'kal _? J orm biracial committe
” se S re S a tion practices
lati °ns. eS ad ioining military inst;
0ther eff0rts fail >” 11
• r a services must coi
," cl * v iti es a dment or termination
> Wh er j® rta in military install!
^ 1 ^Preva 1 ent Criminati0n iS
C(1 iarly iti° Cat ^ on °i activities is pa
“nportant at bases that pli
an important role in the training of
new officers or in the orientation of
representatives of foreign govern
ments,” the report said.
The seven-man committee, headed
by Washington lawyer Gerhard A.
Gesell, said some discriminatory prac
tices persist within the armed forces,
but focused primarily on off-base seg
regation that “adversely affects service
morale.”
President Kennedy asked Secretary
of Defense Robert S. McNamara to re
port within 30 days on steps being
taken to cope with the problems cited
by the committee.
In a letter to McNamara, the Presi
dent said:
“Discriminatory practices are morally
wrong wherever they occur—they are
especially inequitable and iniquitous
when they inconvenience and embar
rass those serving in the armed ser
vices, and their families.
“Responsible citizens of all races in
these communities should work to
gether to open up public accommoda
tions and housing for Negro personnel
and their dependents. This effort is
required by the interests of our nation
al defense, national policy and basic
considerations of human decency.”
★ ★ ★
Chairman Emanuel Celler, D-N.Y., of
the House Judiciary Committee an
nounced June 23 that he is keeping
“a watchful eye” on federal judges who
delay decisions in civil rights cases.
Celler’s committee has authority to in
stitute impeachment proceedings against
federal judges.
“There have been too many instances
of unconscionable delay in hearing and
deciding civil rights cases,” Celler said
in a television interview.
“In some district courts, judges have
apparently played the dilatory game
of those who continue to resist the
clear mandate of the Constitution,” he
said.
“It is imperative that the federal
judiciary assigned to civil rights litiga
tion join the rest of the nation in the
recognition that justice delayed is
justice denied. . . .
“I shall keep a watchful eye on these
delayed cases and the judges who may,
in part, be responsible.”
LOUISIANA
East Baton Rouge Plans
To Desegregate in 1964
There Must Be A Logical
Explanation
Alley, Memphis Commercial Appeal
“biological race is unimportant—there’s
really no such thing,” and declared that
studies of the different ethnic groups
“have knocked a lot of wind out of the
racists.”
Dr. Bradley told the institute that
fear and jealousy, or both, are the two
most significant ingredients of preju
dice. “When we fear or are jealous of
groups of people we have a prejudice
against them,” he said, adding that
“most prejudices arise from misunder
standing.”
Edelsberg said he believed the House
of Representatives will get a chance to
vote on President Kennedy’s civil rights
bill and said he thought the House will
pass it “unscathed.”
Edelsberg also described a filibuster
as “a form of force, a form of parlia
mentary sit-in.” He expressed the opin
ion that on this basis, no Southern sen
ator has the right to disparage the
Negro’s right to demonstrate peace
fully in the street.”
Institute topics for the second week
included “Race and Housing,” John
McDermott, director, Catholic Interra
cial Council, Chicago; “Federal Initia
tive to Secure the Right to Vote,” John
Doar, Civil Rights Division, U.S. De
partment of Justice; ‘Voter Registration
in the Deep South,” the Rev. Andrew
Young, Southern Christian Leadership
Conference; and “The Role of the
Southern White Liberal,” Attorney
Marion A. Wright, vice president,
Southern Regional Council.
It Grew Up
Brooks, Birmingham News
(Continued From Page 10)
on June 10. The judge approved the
other provisions of the plan, which was
filed June 3 in compliance with an
earlier order of Judge Ford (SSN,
February.)
The all-Negro Rosenwald High
School will be closed and its students
will attend Jessamine County High. At
the elementary level, one building will
be abandoned and another remodeled
to provide for desegregation. School
buses also will be desegregated.
The suit, Mason v. Jessamine County
Board of Education, was filed Sept. 19,
1962, by attorney James A. Crumlin of
Louisville.
RICHMOND—Judge Ford on June
13 at Lexington struck from the Rich
mond plan a provision which would
have allowed students to transfer out
of their assigned attendance districts if
the districts’ student bodies were pre
dominantly of another race.
He also directed the school board to
employ and assign teachers without
regard to race. The rest of the plan
was held to be satisfactory and Louis
ville attorney J. Earl Dearing, who
filed the complaint on May 17, 1962,
said he saw no “gerrymandering” in
the attendance zones.
(Continued From Page 15)
The case was filed as Nweze v. the
L SU Board of Supervisors. Judge
Christenberry issued the temporary re
straining order June 12.
Legal Action
Citizens’ Council
Sued For $455,000
Thirteen faculty members of Louisi
ana State University at New Orleans
filed suit for damages against the Citi
zens’ Council of Greater New Orleans.
They charged that they had been held
up to “disrepute, ridicule and con
tempt” in statements made by the
council’s secretary after they and 20
others had signed a petition protesting
a controversial presentation over the
New Orleans educational television sta
tion.
Filed in civil district court, the suit
asked $35,000 damages from George
Singlemann, secretary, and the Citizens
Council, for each of the 13 professors,
for a total $455,000.
Plaintiffs include J. A. Brent III, Dan
iel E. Anderson, Donald R. Gannon,
Perry H. Howard, Leonard J. Krimer-
man, John P. Green, William L. Blach-
man, Joseph A. Slechta, Henry R. Hut-
tenback, Earlean M. McCarrick, Roger
D. Forseth, David A. Whitney and I. F.
Tucker.
The complainants had objected to a
March presentation over station WYES-
TV of an “Americanism” seminar
shown 15,000 school children in the
New Orleans area. They criticized use
of the facilities owned and operated by
the public school system “for the prop
agation of the special views of the radi
cal rightists, untempered by any differ
ence of opinion or provision for the
presentation of alternate views.”
Singleman, speaking for the council,
said the statement of the professors
“was nothing short of treason.” He said
further: “These same professors refer
to the children as a captive audience
for ‘special views of the radical right
ists,’ but what greater tragedy could
befall a college student than to be a
captive audience to the unpatriotic
views of these professors.
“It is self-evident the students could
not disagree with their vitriolic left
wing diatribe for fear of failing. Need
less to say this is where the word
brain-washing would fit into their col
lege vocabulary.”
★ ★ ★
Priest Drops Charge
Against Belle Chasse Man
Charges have been dismissed against
a Belle Chasse man accused of striking
a Catholic priest in the eye during an
The high school at Richmond was
previously desegregated and this case,
Walker v. Richmond Board of Educa
tion, sought to extend it to elementary
pupils and the faculty. (SSN, March
and previous.)
Miscellaneous
More Desegregation
Of Faculties Seen
A substantial increase in faculty de
segregation in the 1963-4 school year
is foreseen by Galen Martin, executive
director of the State Human Rights
Commission.
He cited recent court rulings order
ing employment of teachers without
regard to race in Jessamine County,
Fxankfort, Richmond and Bowling
Green, and school board action to de
segregate faculties in Jefferson and
Warren counties.
In the meanwhile, Martin said, his
office is continuing to look into any
complaints from teachers who feel
their jobs are in jeopardy because of
their race. (SSN May)
argument over a desegregated religious
instruction period.
The Rev. Frank Ecimovich, pastor of
Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in
Belle Chasse, withdrew the charge of
simple battery he had filed April 20
against Leonard H. Mackenroth.
In asking that the charges be with
drawn, an attorney for the priest said
that the complainant “in no way wished
to imply that any of the charges or
statements (which he had made against
the defendant) were not fully substan
tiated or truthful.” He said the dis
missal was asked by the priest in con
sideration that “a certain amount of
Christian charity had to be exercised
toward this man.”
An attorney for Mackenroth entered
into the court record a statement saying
that he had come into court “ready to
go to trial . . . because I know from the
facts of the case and the sworn evi
dence that would have been submitted
on trial that I would have been vindi
cated because . . . Father Frank Eci
movich was the aggressor.”
Plaquemines Parish Commission
Council President Leander H. Perez
watched the proceedings from the
empty jury box. After the case was
disposed of, the parish political leader,
who has been excommunicated from
the Catholic Church because of his op
position to desegregation of the paro
chial schools, said the church hierarchy
“made these false charges against Mr.
Mackenroth to reflect against Plaque
mines Parish.”
Political Action
Three Enter Primary
Race For Governor
Three candidates announced during
June they would seek the Democratic
party nomination for governor in the
Dec. 7 primary.
They are U.S. Rep. Gillis Long of
Alexandria, State Rep. Louis Michot of
Lafayette and State Sovereignty Com
mission Chairman Frank Voelker Jr.
of Lake Providence.
Previously announced candidates in
cluded State Public Service Commis
sioner John McKeithen and former Lt.
Gov. C. E. (Cap) Barnham. Other hope
fuls said that they would announce at
appropriate times. Included in the latter
group are former Gov. Robert Kennon,
U.S. Ambassador to the Organization
of American States deLesseps S. Mor
rison, former mayor of New Orleans;
and State Supt. of Education Shelby
M. Jackson.
Of the three who launched their cam
paigns last month, only Rep. Long
touched directly on the race issue.
Stressing the economic and education
needs and potentials of the state, he
told a fund raising dinner in New Or
leans, “We cannot realize any of the
goals if our state is tom apart by racial
strife.”
Long previously had mentioned one
of the principal issues of the campaign
by stating his opposition to the “un
pledged electors” bill while it was un
der consideration in the state legisla
ture. Passed by a 57 to 45 vote in the
House of Representatives on May 29,
the measure suffered two defeats in the
Senate on June 5 and 6, each time by
a vote of 20 to 18.
It’s Not All True What They
Say About Dixie
Dowling, New York Herald-Tribune
Kentucky