The Detroit Tribune

Lunch Counters In Bus Terminals
In 5 Southern States Open To All
Bus Terminal
Integration Aids
Dime Store Victory
New York City. -
"Integration
of lunch counters in bus terminals
in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida,
and Tennessee will speed the
integration of lunch counters in
dime and drug stores in those
same communities" said Charles
R. Oldham, CORE national chair-
man.
Oldham added "Chief credit for
this victory-the opening of res-
taurants of Bus Terminals Inc.
to all in North Carolina, Vir-
ginia and Tennessee must go to those
in Petersburg,
Virginia who
braved jail and possible loss of
livelihood. Credit should also go
to the south-wide sit-in move-
ment which established the cli-
mate for this change. We in
CORE are proud to have played
a part.
in negotiations with officials of
CORE
representatives
have
and with representatives of the
National Trailways operating
company,
Carolina
There have also been discussions
Coach, in Raleigh, North Carolina.
with
representatives
of
Bus
Terminal Restaurants Inc.
PETERSBURG,
Va., - Co-
operative leadership by the NA-
ACP and other local groups both
here and in Richmond prompted
decision by a bus terminal chain
of restaurants to announce this
week the immediate desegregation
of its facilities in Virginia and
four other southern states where
it operates.
The NAACP was represented in
meeting held by the Petersburg
Improvement Association and the
Richmond Civic Action Committee
with Bryce Wagoner, head of Bus
Terminal Restaurants.
Following two separate meet-
ings with RCIA and PIA, Mr.
Wagoner on August 15 said his
company's policy in the future
"will be to not refuse service
to anyone because of race."
The restaurant here, located in
the Trailway bus terminal, was
the scene of three separate sit-
in demonstrations. As an out-
growth, 55 adults and youngsters
were arrested. They were charged
with trespass under Virginia's
new
anti-trespass law.
The agreement, according to
Wagoner, calls for his company
to ask dismissal of charges when
the cases come up again in Muni-
cipal and Hustings Courts next
Month.
A case involving criminal pro-
secution of a Negro under Vir-
ginia's old anti-trespass law is
now pending, however, before the
United States Supreme Court.
The incident involving refusal of
service took place in one of the
Bus Terminal Restaurants.
In announcing the restaurant's
desegregation policy Wagoner
said that he and the Rev. R. G.
Williams, had agreed to drop
charges of trespass against the
Negroes and civil actions brought
against his company by Negroes
seeking damages.
The restaurants operate
in
Trailway bus terminals in Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, Tennessee,
Florida and Maryland.
The Rev. R. G. Williams is
president of the Petersburg Im-
provement Association. The Rev.
P. B. Walker is chairman of the
Richmond Civic Action Commit-
tee, and is also president of the
Richmond NAACP.