St. Paul Recorder

Wheaties Radio Announcer Uses Offensive Word

Twin City Negro citizens were incensed Saturday afternoon when over the air during the broadcast of the Olympic try-outs at the University of Minnesota stadium, Byrum Saam, announcer for "Wheaties" and General Mills product used the offensive epithet "nigger" several times. The insult was uncalled for because the star of the track meet was Fritz Pollard, North Dakota "U" freshman, famous son of one of America's football heroes.

Protests poured into the radio station, WCCO, over whose station the insult was broadcast. According to studio officials, Saam was brought here by the General Mills Corporation from Texas to take charge of the broadcast activities of "Wheaties" breakfast food program.

Citizens should protest both to the radio station and to the General Mills Corporation requesting the removal of announcers of Saam's type, who are so ignorant or devoid of good taste as to insult any nationality over the air.

Many citizens who have used the breakfast food "Wheaties" now look askance at the product since their nickels and dimes help pay the salary of a prejudiced radio announcer such as Saam.