Atlanta Daily World

Tallahassee's Airport Ordered To Desegregate
TALLAHASSEE - (UPI) - Federal District Judge G. Harrold Carswell Tuesday ordered an end to racially-segregated facilities at the Tallahassee Municipal Airport.

Carswell gave the city three days to tear down "white" and "colored" signs over waiting rooms and rest rooms.

The ruling was a victory for three Negro ministers who went to court after they were refused service at the airport restaurant operated by American News Company under lease from the city.

The judge refused an injunction against the news company on the basis of its "unequivocal averments" that it will serve customers on a non-racial basis at the fancy glassed-in restaurant overlooking the leading field.

Company officials testified it was its policy to serve all persons regardless of race or color.

The company maintained that the person who turned away the Revs. David H. Brooks and A. Joseph Reddick. Tallahassee. and Theodore Gibson. Miami, last April was a brother-in-law of the manager and had no authority or orders to do so.

The restaurant served several Negroes earlier this month without incident.

The company said a group of 10 white and Negro clergymen. here at the tail of a "freedom ride" through the South, were not served because the restaurant was closed for repairs.

Carswell put the full blame for segregation at the airport on the city. He said signs designating use of facilities on the basis of race were erected and maintained by the city and the American News Company had no voice in the decision

Such signs are a violation of law, Carswell said

He enjoined the city from making any distinction based on color at the restaurant, lunch counter, waiting rooms or rest rooms.

In "findings of act and conclusions of law" accompanying his order. Carswell said the Tallahassee Airport is a publicly-owned airport facility.

He said the lease under which the

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Tallahassee's
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news company operates the restaurant contains no requirement that service be denied or made on consideration of race and the policy of the company has been to serve all persons at airport restaurants it runs in Miami, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg and the company's "stated purpose" is to operate the same way in Tallahassee.