Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Atlanta Daily World
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
What is this article about?
Justice Department's Civil Rights Division plans 1960 integration of segregated federal elementary school in Huntsville, Ala., for children at Redstone Arsenal; first such effort in state amid broader voting rights actions and pending Texas case; Gov. Patterson threatens closure.
Clipping
OCR Quality
Full Text
WASHINGTON - (UPI) A spokesman for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said Wednesday some move would be made in 1960 to integrate an elementary school on federal government property in Huntsville, Ala.
The school is attended exclusively by children of military servicemen and federal employees working at the Army's Redstone Arsenal.
An attempt to integrate the school would mark the first government effort to end segregation at an Alabama school.
The spokesman revealed the division's plans as Joseph M. F. Ryan, acting head of the division, served notice in a year-end report that the federal government "will take swift and vigorous action to protect the rights of citizens" whenever the states failed to do so.
Ryan described as "most gratifying" the results of his division's effort during 1959 to protect Negro voting rights in the South. He ticked off the court tests he expected would give his division a green light for further action in this field.
The Huntsville school is only one of two schools on government property still segregated. The other is located at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. A court test on integrating the Texas school is pending before the Texas State Supreme Court.
However, the division spokesman said he expected the Texas school to integrate next year without violence.
The division has not pressed the Huntsville issue because its attorneys are involved in several Supreme Court suits that must be argued next month.
But the spokesman said that once the court cases are argued and the Dyess school is resolved, the Huntsville school matter will be given top priority. At present, the Huntsville case is under advisement in the Justice and Defense departments.
Gov. John Patterson of Alabama has threatened to close the school if an attempt is made to integrate it.
What sub-type of article is it?
What keywords are associated?
What entities or persons were involved?
Where did it happen?
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Huntsville, Ala.
Event Date
1960
Key Persons
Outcome
gov. john patterson of alabama has threatened to close the school if an attempt is made to integrate it.
Event Details
A spokesman for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said some move would be made in 1960 to integrate an elementary school on federal government property in Huntsville, Ala., attended exclusively by children of military servicemen and federal employees working at the Army's Redstone Arsenal. This would mark the first government effort to end segregation at an Alabama school. The division's plans were revealed as Joseph M. F. Ryan, acting head, served notice in a year-end report that the federal government will take swift and vigorous action to protect the rights of citizens whenever states fail to do so. Ryan described as most gratifying the results of his division's effort during 1959 to protect Negro voting rights in the South and ticked off court tests expected to give his division a green light for further action. The Huntsville school is one of two schools on government property still segregated, the other at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas with a court test pending before the Texas State Supreme Court. The division spokesman expected the Texas school to integrate next year without violence. The division has not pressed the Huntsville issue because its attorneys are involved in several Supreme Court suits that must be argued next month, but once those are argued and the Dyess school resolved, the Huntsville matter will be given top priority; currently under advisement in the Justice and Defense departments.