St. Paul Recorder

Nine Years Of Progress In
Human Relations Fields
Shows Trend For Fairplay

Editor's Note: The tremendous progress towards equality by the American Negro and
the growing climate of fairplay in both the North and South is sometimes lost in the welter
of conflict that surges around the dynamic changes which are taking place.

In this Negro Progress edition we have taken the liberty of printing a chronological
documentation of what has been happening in this field. It is a reprint from the publication,
"People Take The Lead," published by the American Jewish Committee.

This report ought to be of special interest to students o
relations in the U. S. It ought to be of use to speakers on th
civic clubs and leaders, and the ordinary citizen who mlght, In
view of the constant report of conflict feel that no real progress
has been made.

The report covers the period from 1948 until the present.
It is long but is it a report of history in the making and we con-
slder that we should print it as a publie service and in view of
the fact that this is our annual Negro Progress edition.

The People Take The LeadA Record of Progress In Civil Rights,
1918-57Statement by American Jewish Commlttee
January 1957

This edition of the People Take the Lead commemorates 9 years
of nationwide progress since the President's committee on Civil Rights
issued its hardhitting report in October, 1947. It is a record of con-
stantly expanding freedoms and opportunities a testament to this
Nation's unending effort to match America's promises with deeds.

The report of the President's
ly. those areas where freedom was
lagging. It pointed to segregation
in the Nation's Capltal; racial and
religious discrimination in em-
ployment, housing and educatlon:
infringement of the right to vote,
to serve in the Armed Forces, to
enjoy equal justice under the law

The People Take the Lead re-
views the more important steps
taken to correct those abuses:
Presidential orders that paved the
way for integration in the armed
services; State and local laws bar-
ring discrimination on the job, in
public housing, and in tax-support-
ed colleges: court rulings outlaw-
ing racial segregation in the
schools and in a wide variety of
public accommodations; and spon-
taneous actions of private citi-
zens and groups which have help-
ed to realize the American dream.

Of course, all these advances
have not come with ease. Few
Americans indeed few literate
people anywhere in the world have
missed the glaring headlines of the
year just past: Mobs threatening
children on the way to school;
hooded crossburners and would-be
respectable white citizens coun-
cils terrorizing communities; a
handful of governors searching
for ways to evade the Supreme
Court's desegregation decision.

There can be no question that
serious and delicate problems re-
main to be solved. Time and pa-
tience will be required to change
practices that have long been the
only accepted pattern for millions
of Americans. But each passing
year makes it increasingly clear
that the clock will not be turned
back, that America will continue
its ever forward march toward "one
Nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all."

Armed Services
Administrative Measures
Washington, July 1948: Presi-
dent's Executive Order No. 9981
forbids discrimination in military
service: creates Committee
on
Equality of Treatment and Oppor-
tunity in the Armed Services.
United States of America. 1949-
50: Governor's proclamations in
Michigan, Minnesota and Wash-
ington end segregation in National
Guard.
Washington,
1950-55: Army
drops quotas for Negro enlist-
ments: Selective
Service drops
questions on race for draft regis-
trants: Air Force, Army. Marines
and Navy report segregation en-
tirely eliminated. Defense Depart-
ment reports number of Negro of-
ficers and enlisted men has more
than doubled in 6 years.
Washington.October 1954: Vet-
eran's Administration announces
end of segregation in all VA hos-
pitals.
Baltimore. Md.. November 1955:
Maryland is first State south of
Mason-Dixon line to desegregate
National Guard.
Legislation
United States of America, 1947-
49: California. Connecticut, Illin-
ois. Massachusetts. New Jersey.
New York. Pennsyivania and Wis-
consin forbid discrimination in the
National Guard
CITIZENSHIP
Administrative Measures
Mobile. Ala.,
November 1948:
Federal officers invoke rarely used
civil rights statutes; arrest sheriff
and deputy for inflicting physical
punishment on
Negro prisoners.
New Orleans,
La.
December,
1949: Two policemen dre dismissed
for depriving two Negiro youths of
their civil rights.
Olympia. Wash., June 19s5: At-
torney General rules'State law
barring questions on race or re-
ligion from applications for em-
ployment or license includes mar
riage licenses.
Legislation
US A. 1949-51: South Carollna
and Texas adopt anti-lynch laws.
U.SA. 1949-53: Alabama, Flor:
ida, Georgia, North Carolina
South Carolina and Virginia forbid
wearing of masks and burning of
crosses.
U.S A. 1950-53: South Carolina
and Tennessee abolish poll tax;
Alabama reduces cumulative tax
from 24 years to two years.
U.S.A.. 1951-55: Legislatures in
Colorado, Montana, North Dakota
and Oregon repeal ban on inter-
marriage between whites and Ne.
groes, Mongolians or Chinese.
Philadelphia, Pa., January 1952.
New city charter prohibits dis-
crimination in use of city proper-
ty: establishes humanrelations
commission to administer law.
U.S.A., 1953-55: Arizona, Cali-
fornia, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska,
and New Mexico end ban on liquor
sales to Indians.
(Continued on page 5)
finds complainant was denied employment because of race.

U.S.A., 1951: State employment services in California and Illinois announce they will refuse to accept discriminatory job orders and will delete all racial and religious data from records.

Sacramento, Calif., July 1951 Attorney General rules that California Employment Stabilization Commission has many powers of a State FEP Commission.

Salem Oreg.. August, 1951: State labor commissioner orders Brotherhood of Railway Carmen to cease racial discrimination against applicants.

St. Louis, Mo., October, 1951 : State employment service merges Negro and white offices.

Washington, 1951-54: President Truman creates Committee on Government Contract Compliance (December 1951) to enforce prohibition against discrimination in employment by firms contracting or subcontracting Government orders. President Eisenhower creates new Government Contract Committee with Vice President as chairman (August 1953): Committee tightens non-discrimination regulations (April 1954).

Raleigh, N. C., September 1952: Governor eliminates Negro-white salary differentials for staff of mental hospital in Goldsboro.

Washington. October. 1953: Districts Board of Commissioners orders inclusion of anti-bias clause in future contracts.

Louisville, Ky., March 1954: Segregation eliminated in city's fire department.

Sacramento, Calif., September, 1954: Attorney general rules that Negro firemen in Los Angeles may not be segregated.

Washington, September 1954: District Commissioners order desegregation of Negro firemen.

Silver City, N. Mex., December 1954: State fair employment practices commission orders Kennecott Copper Corp., to cease segregating employees in company owned housing, washrooms and on payroll lines.

Washington, January, 1955: President's Committee on Government Contracts refuses to permit Bureau of Indian Affairs to negotiate a contract with Mississippi omitting standard nondiscrimination clause.

(To be Continued Next Week )