New York Amsterdam News — 1963-00-00537

1» • N. Y. AMSTERDAM NEWS, Sat., July IS, 1963 Surrounded NSW YORK .* Amsterdam Netos •; C. B. POWELL President lc Editor P. M. H Savory, Secy-Trecu. • J, L. Hicks, Execut h* Editor W. *. BmU Comttraiur; K. A. Was. AdvarUMM DWadWri B. M. J( r» i. B. Walter. CMj Bdtteri J. W. Wa D. Published weekly by the Powell-Savory Corporation at 2340 Eighth Ave., N. Y. Telephone ACademy 2-7800 Brooklyn office, 1251 Bedford Avenue. Telephone ULater 7-2500. rated: 1 year 9IM — • MM Waiting For What? At the present time, New York is naming com­ mittees, making studies, drawing up plans and issu­ ing press releases on what this City is doing to bring about fair and equitable opportunities under the American way of life to its Negro citizens who everyone is willing to admit now have been denied such opportunities for too long a time Frankly speaking, about the only difference in what is happening now and what has happened in the past is that the City is perhaps making more of a fuss in more different areas than it has ever done before. We are not optimistic but neither are we pessi­ mistic. We simply hope that the City Fathers by this time clearly see the necessity for such action, for we know that if such action is not taken this City is head­ ing for trouble. But we would be much more optimistic if the City Administration, instead of issuing a lot of press releases about what it is going to do, would do some of those things which it should have done a long time ago. A case in point is within the City Fire Depart­ ment, headed by Fire Commissioner Edward Thomp­ ~~ son. ■ • Here a Deputy Fire Commissionship vacancy ex­ ists. Virtually everyone we know in the City of New York agrees that the man most qualified for this job, the man most deserving of it, and the man who should be named to it is Fire Marshall Robert Lowery, an Acting Lieutenant in the Fire Depart­ ment. Over and above Lowery’s qualifications for the job stands the bald fact that for too long now the ethnic group to which he belongs is being, and has been, discriminated against at this level in the Fire Department. What is the City whiting for in the naming of Robert Lowery? So Little Time! This newspaper feels that the Saturday Evening Post in an editorial in its current edition, has gone to the heart of the matter in an appeal to Congress for passage of the President’s civil rights bill. We feel the Post in this editorial has shown a greater depth and understanding of just what this bill means to the Negro and to America than many of its sister publications in the magazine field. Describing the President’s civil-rights bill as the “most comprehensive in the past century ... a mod­ erate and minimal program,” the Post editorial said “the Negro revolution will not be put down by a com­ promise bill; it has gone beyond this point.” “Our nation is challenged to accept a new image of the American Negro, to accept the fact that the Negro community is aroused and will resort to as much force as is necessary to win the full privileges of citizenship,” the editorial asserted. “Revolution,” the editorial continued, “is a harsh word 777meaning upheaval and bloodshed . . . con­ fession of failure ... the rule of law has failed . . . yet revolution is the word that is beginning to apply to the Negro demonstrations.” “Southern segregationists plan to defeat or mod­ ify the President’s program by staging their “futile filibuster,” zealous integrationists will stage their “dangerous and equally futile demonstrations . . . and America will be the worse for it.” “It is the responsibility of the nation to accom­ modate the legitimate aims of this Negro revolution with as little violence and damage to our society as possible. There is very little time. The question is: What do we do with these few remaining hours,” the editorial stated. This newspaper wholeheartedly agrees with the Post. There is very little time. It is a pleasure to note the direct and forth­ right action taken by the United Presbyterian Church in setting up a direct action committee to attack segregation and the quick follow-through to such a program shown by the Rev. Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, stated clerk, of the United Presby­ terian Church, who in the highest tradition of Chris­ tianity led a group of integrationists to~a segregated park in Maryland and willingly submitted to arrest when owners of the park refused to admit Negroes. It is an added pleasure to say that Dr. Blake was not alone in this action. By his side were the Right Rev. Daniel Corrigan of the National Council of the Protestant Episcopal Church and Rabbi Morris Lieberman of the Baltimore Hebrew Congregational Church. They had many followers who were willing to, and did, go to jail# for the right of all men to have free access to public facilities supported by city, federal and state funds. , But more important than the fact that there were followers willing to go to jail is the fact that at long last there has appeared on the scene white religious leaders of the stature of Dr. Blake, Rev. Corrigan and Rabbi Lieberman who are willing to lead them. into cell blocks in the Interest of right. This is progress in the field of religion in America and we are happy to note it. Along This Way Ndt As An Observer (The following is an excerpt from a speech delivered by Roy Wilkins at the NAACP’s Chicago Convention, July 1.) Obviously, in a nation formed upon the principles set forth by the Revolutionary founders, the government has a role to play in the civil rights crusade. It cannot be an observer, for its principles, along with the Ne­ gro’s humanity, are being violated. Now a crisis is upon the country, not a dust-bowl cri­ sis, or a hurricane crisis, but a moral human rights crisis. Men and women who have been WILKINS beaten down are straightening up. They are restless and rising. There is a new light in their eyes and a new set to their shoulders. They are marching and demon­ strating and otherwise crying, aloud their petitions and their protests. The things they say sound like the words of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson and Roger Wil- By ROY WILKINS liams and Patrick Henry and John Paul Jones and Frederick Douglass and Franklin D. Roose­ velt. The love they talk about is the love of humanity, the kind that runs from heart to heart around language, over national boundaries and through skins. John F. Kennedy, in an eloquent and moving speech, placed the issue squarely before the Ameri­ can people. It was followed by a message to the Congress trans­ mitting the most comprehensive civil rights program ever submit­ ted by a Chief Executive. “Im­ perative” was the word used by the President to describe the need for enactment. Hardly had he uttered a word before certain Senators were voic­ ing their opposition. From the Southerners one expected little else, although one wonders what manner of men the events of Bir­ mingham and of Tuscaloosa, and of Jackson could not shame and silence. Senator Richard B. Russell of Georgia declared the civil rights package is “unpalatable” to him and his. We submit that the Sena­ tor does not know the full mean­ ing of the word. He and his will never know what “unpalatable” really is until they, like the Negro, have the rotten mess of racial discrimination as a daily diet. But it is Senator Everett Mc­ Kinley Dirksen, Senate Minority Leader, hailing from this “Land of Lincoln,” who opposes the sec­ tion of the President’s bill which w 'ild ban refusal of service to Ne/roes by places of public ac­ commodation. S ;nator Dirksen talks of “property rights.” This was the language of the slave owners a century ago. He would depend on voluntary action to de­ segregate, ignoring the fact that it is the dismal failure of volun­ tary action that has brought on the present crisis. In a very real sense, this strug­ gle will be a test of the raison d’etre of the Republican party. Not of its glibness or of its ability to maneuver, or of its political astuteness, but of its inner being. What is it, spirit or sawdust? If in this human rights crisis, the Republican party has nothing to offer the Negro, then it has noth­ ing of real value to offer the na­ tion. /- - Pulse Of New York’s Public The Amsterdam News welcomes letters on either side of any sublect. It Is preferred that letters not exceed 259 words and **** nut te signed. Names will be withheld on request. No letter« oaw be returned. AU must te to the editor Letter of Week Sir: In reference to your ar­ ticle "Another Angle’’ which ap­ peared recently in The Anwter- dams News, I wish to make the following observations: 1. I a- gree whole heartly with every- ing you suggested in your arti­ cle, however, I would not limit the “sitting down together and agreeing among themselves” to just Dr. King and Mr. Wilkins. I would include the leaders of all national organizations. The Elks, Masons, National Religious Organizations, Black Muslims, Financial Institutions (banks. Fe­ deral Building and Loan Asso­ ciations, Insurance Companies, etc.) The Urban League, Fra­ ternal Organizations, CORE Me dical Organizations, Hisotrical Organizations, etc., in addition to The NAACP and SCLC 2. Although the above organiza­ tions all advocate different meth­ ods of accomplishing the goal of first class citizenship for all Afro Americans. I believe the aim is the same for each organization. With representatives from each combined to create a "National Race Relation and co-ordinating comittee" to coordinate the ac­ tions of all. We could have one person from this committee sel­ ected as spokesman to make our official position known. This would eliminate different indivi- duals, because of their social, financial or educational status, from being selected outside of this committee to give their opin­ ion on what the Afro American is thinking. 3. Each of the above organ! zations would continue to ms tain its individual identify but would let its contemplated ac­ tions be known to The National Committee. Not for approval as such, but for information and constructive criticism with a fin ai coordinated position. I know that this is a very tall -order hut as you know we don't, st the moment have any one organize tiou which can speak forsll Afro Americans thus, the con tinned bickering among all. This I believe is why out of ap­ proximately 20 million Afro Am­ ericans, we have less than one million NAACP memberships a lesser amount in other organizations such as CORE and ACLC, etc. 4. Although The NAACP does not believe In all the teachings of Dr. King, Mr. Malcolm X, etc., I do believe that The NAACP is in sympathy with some of their aspirations. Other wise The NA­ ACP would not be supporting non-violent marches in Mississ­ ippi, Alabama, etc., and the Black Muslims who are being tried in Los Angeles, California on "assault” charges. I also be­ lieve The Black Muslims are in sympathy with the aspirations of other black Americans as ev idenced by the May 24, edition of Muhammad Speaks Newspap­ er which shows food and clothing being distributed to the people of Chicago, during the recent Assistance Program crisis, by Muhammads Temple grocery and market and Muhammads Temple clothing store. 5. In addition to acting as National Spokesman for our or­ ganizations, the above oommit- tee would act as the focal point for establishing and supporting Afro American business, receiv­ ing and distributing financial as­ sistance to Afro American dis­ aster areas, such as the situa­ tion in Chicago, the recen^ situa­ tions in Mississippi and Alabama and the "tent city" situation in Tennessee, getting Afro Amer­ ican History to the public through use of the vast Amer- communications net work and the establishment of Nation­ al Scholarships. These are just a few of the. items this com­ mittee could accomplish. I be­ lieve there are many more. 8. We. as a group, are spend­ ing billions of dollars each year as consumers, yet producing concerns within our group are very few, if not totally non­ existent. A committee as metn- fionerP above could eliminate this situation. Because of the r ud lca“ never ending high percentage oi unemployed among our group, we should strive through a co­ ordinated effort to provide at least 20 percent employment tor our own. I don’t believe this Is too tall an order to achieve, if the prop­ er emphasis is placed at a Nat­ ional level. A sufficient number of financial institutions and qual­ ified people are now available to accomplish this goal. As a business man myself, I have tried to accomplish this on a local level. But Afro American Financial Institutions, in this area, capable of providing the necessary capital to accomplish such a goal are non - existent. Sir, I have read all of your articles, with interest and antlci pation since I started reading the Amsterdam News over five years ago, and being a member of the NAACP, Senior Partner and Chief Accountant in a local Accounting "Firm and Treasurer of The Harrisburg, Pennsylvan­ ia Club of the Frontiers Inter­ national Inc., I am very much interested in Afro Americui un- way. ity and progress. delusion, to further put off giving the Negro bis rights now. For example, the Constitution of the United States, which is part of the body of existing law, provides that when a state denies the right to vote to its citizens it shall have its representation in the Congress proportionately wield a disproportionate influence In the Congress of the United States are guilty of denying the right of the vote to millions of Negro citizens. If and when the much touted civil rights bill ever gets through Congress even in watered down form they will only take their place alongside of other legisla tion that is not enforced. I repeat, never mind more leg islation, firX let’s get enforce­ ment of what • is on the books now. LEROY M. McLZAN Brooklyn, N. Y. Editors Note: We agree with your complaint. And have so stated. We get these laws passed now by Congress, and keep np our effort, we will be on our In this regard, I would appre­ ciate very much being kept ad­ vised on the progress of the suggestions made In your art­ icle "Another Angle" together with the suggestions which I have made elsewhere in this letter. John E. Coy, Jr. Harrisburg, Va. Another View Sir: Allow me to disagree vig­ orously with you on your front page editorial last week, the point of which was that “The executive branch of the govern­ ment has done all that it can do and it’s now uptotheieglslature." Nothing could he further from the truth. The fact is the execu­ tive branch of government has done only as little as It possibly could get away with doing and talk of need for more civil rights legislature is only a farce and a Clean City Sir: There is an urgent need to step up the clean-city cam­ paign to counteract a sohstan tial drop In the number of clean streets In upper Manhattan. The enclosed public service announce­ ment tells of the Intensive en­ forcement campaign the police are conducting. If we’re to make real prog rest, however, we must also keep the public alert through educa tiou. We must continue to sell the idea that a clean New York is a personal responsibility. For years, the Amsterdam News has given generous support to the clean-city program. The program — and the city — have benefited greatly. We are looking forward to your continued support. A. J. Pappas Citizens Committee to Keep New York Clean New York 7, N. Y A Letter On My Country - ' ' . . .4> . How does a Negro war veteran react to racial conflict in the U.S. today? How does a Negro war veteran who is also a paraplegic feel? The article below was written by such a man, Lt. William Edwards. The Amsterdam News publishes Lt. Edward’s letter in the hope that those who may have never given it any thought may come to better understand what effects some of the imperfections our democracy has upon the Negro. I was bom some twenty five years ago in Syden­ ham Hospital in New York City. I doh’t remember much about my first five years. They were spent in a house on Manhattan Avenue which, at that time was the street that marked the beginning of black Har­ lem. Across from us was a park with a tall green spike fence, and inside the park there was swings and a black tar roadway where a child could ride his tricycle, ladder back seats for tired parents, and a wonderful water spigot in the shape of an animal that spewed cool water in the summer’s heat. , I had fun there. I can remember playing follow the leader and tag and many other games which four and five year olds play when they play together — but 1 can’t re­ member the other children’s faces. My mother has since told me that there were white as well as colored kids in that park, and that we all played together- without regard to what or who we were . . . but I don’t remember. u- Edward# My first real recollection of childhood.is.of.Prince­ ton where we moved during the war years. My father worked in New York at the Rationing Board, he left early every morning to catch the train and didn’t arrive home until late . . . long after I’d gone to bed. Mom worked in the Grumman defense plant. Every monung she bundled me off to school and told me “be good and stay near Mrs. Hall’s. I’ll be home as early as possible”. So, most of the day my family was out working as a part of America’s gn at defense effort. Those were wonderful years, years filled with fragmentary news of the great war, with movies about our valiant troops, tfie pledge of allegiance recited everywhere, save your scraps, victory gardens, tin- foil balls ... it was a wonderful time to grow up in, feeling the war yet not knowing what it meant. We played, transforming sticks into guns and trees into planes ... our enemies; each other, changing daily as one or another chose as leader. His Gang We were all one Bobby McClintoc, the Irish- American red-head from down the street; Ritchie Hall, the fair skinned Negro from around the corner; Jean, our tomboy scapegoat who was always the last to get picked; Phil, the white Protestant who lived around the corner from Albert Einstein; and me. We knew no race other than good and bad: the . good. Germans and Japs weiTW the Americans I shall always remember the slogans of that time: Save V- Bonds, a slip of the lip, land of the free—home of the brave. Princeton was patriotic — you would see them everywhere; in the schools we went to, the mo­ vies we attended, the stamp books we all bought by saving bottles and collecting rags. As I said, those were wonder­ ful days. Our parents never stop­ ped us to say "don’t . . . he’s white, or black, or Catholic, or Protestant," and if they did we never heard about it. We kids stuck together; we were friends. The Four Muske­ teers we called ourselves, and Jean was the fifth . . . wheneve? we "men" allowed her to Join us in our play. We ate at each others houses, all of us went together to Ball’s candy store on allowance day, W« climbed together into the crabap- ple orchard behind Jean’s house, and every Saturday we met be­ fore the Playhouse Theatre for six cartoons, a Western, and the double feature preceded by the National Anthem. Five years I lived there, five long and wonderful years — and then we moved. The war was over, pop had a job with the Unit­ ed Nations and after a short Jaunt to Greece to visit him, we moved to New York: thus I ended my life in Princeton. The year was 1948. Te PS 1M I was sent to P.S. 188, an en tirely Negro school serving cen tral Harlem around 145th Street. I had my difficulties in that school. I was too bright, too sas­ sy, and proud of my light skin, so when I wasn’t differing with teach era I was fighting the local bul­ lies who used my color as a taunt­ ing jibe. I got my licks too, I could fight, but there is always someone who is better or strong­ er. So for those or some other rea­ sons, I was transferred out of my district to public school 152 ... a school located on 200th Street In Inwood, a predominant­ ly Jewish neighborhood. There were (to my recollection) only two Negroes in the entire school myself and one other whom I never got to meet because he was four grades below me. I had my fights . . . every kid entering a new school has them until he can establish a place in the pecking order for himself ... but on the whole I found myself accepted without the malice I had expect­ ed from listening to my neighbor­ hood friends and their "truths" about how Jews act. To Fieldston From there I went to Fieldston, a private school run by the Ethi­ cal Culture Society, and then to college. In both places I found I could make friends without re­ gard to color or race or creed, but the older I got the more I realized some people come into a relationship with well defined pre judgments. The problem was to break down these judgments and not accepL them as my own: to become friends not as a Negro but as an American. I thanked my God that I had had such good training in Princeton, training that stopped me from closing my mind as so many in my neighborhood had done. I felt I could open it instead, understanding the prejudice, ac­ cepting . . . despite It ... tht" man and his deeds, changing hiir as I felt chaiiged. I felt myself the first voyager on * new fron­ tier of Americanism. I was ths first immigrant in the new Amer lean, an America of people . . . not races or religions . . . Just people. I entered the military. I could defend my America ... it waa my duty and I wanted to do it This wss the country that gavt me my education, my 'religion, my language, my nationality. Wherever I went, at home os' abroad, I was pr>ud to call my­ self American ... not Negro, not Protestant, Just American. I thought that we are a country of laws, that our history starter, with the immortal words: "We holds these truths to be self-evi­ dent, that all men are created equal. . ." I thought why democracy ii good and Communism is not. how our laws are made and how they’re changed, about meltiaj| pots and equal righto for all. 1 thought, in short, about the Amer- ica I knew. The events of recent months (Continued on Page 43) Untitled Document file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Desktop/hello.html2/18/2007 11:01:03 AMThomas M. Tryniski 309 South 4th Street Fulton New York 13069 www.fultonhistory.com