The guardian., 1941-06-07
CALL TO coLoRED AMERICANS

Continued from Page u
power, can cause PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT TO ISSUE AN EX-
ECUTIVE ORDER ABOLISHING
DISCRIMINATION IN ALL GOV
E R N MEN T DEPARTMENTS,
ARMY, NAVY, AIR CORPS AND
NATIONAL DEFENSE JOBS.
The task is not easy. It will cost
money. 1t will require sacrifice. It
The Colored Americans stake in
national defense is big. 1t consists of
jobs, thousands of jobs. 1t may repre-
sent millions, yes, hundreds of millions
of dollars in wages. 1t consists of new
industrial opportunities and hope
This is worth fighting for.
But to win our stakes, it will require
an "all-out," bold and total effort and
demonstration of colossal proportions.
To this end, we propose that ten
thousand MARCH ON WASHING
TON FOR JOBS IN NATIONAL DE-
FENSE AND EQUAL INTEGRA-
TION IN THE FIGHTING FORCES
OF THE UNITED STATES.
An "all-out" laundering march on
Washington, ending in a monster and
huge demonstration at Lincoln's Monu-
ment will shake up white America 1t
will shake up official Washington 1t
will give encouragement to our white
friends to fight all the harder by our
side, with us, for our righteous cause
We believe in national unity which
recognizes equal opportunity of black
and white citizens to jobs in national
defense and the armed forces, and in all
other institutions and endeavors in
America. We are loyal, patriotic
Americans, all.
But, if American democracy will not
defend its defenders; if American
democracy will not protect its protec-
tors; if American democracy will not
give jobs to its toilers because Of race
or color; if American democracy will
not insure equality of opportunity,
freedom and justice to its citizens, black
and white, it is a hollow mockery and
bellies the principles for which it is sup
posed to stand
We summon colored Americans to
form committees in various cities to
recruit and register marchers and raise
funds through the sale Of buttons and
other legitimate means for the expenses
of marchers to Washington by buses,
train, private automobiles, trucks and
on foot.
We summon colored Americans to
stage marches on their City Halls and
Councils in their respective cities and
urge them to memorialize the President
to issue an executive order to abolish
discrimination in the Government and
national defense.
Crispus Attucks marked and died as
martyr for American independence.
Nat Turner, Denmark Vesy Gabriel,
Harriet Tubman and Frederick Doug
lass fought, bled and died for the eman-
cipation of black slaves and the pre-
servation of American democracy.
Abraham Lincoln, in times Of the
grave emergency of the Civil War,
issued the Proclamation Of Emancipa-
ton for the freedom of slaves and the
preservation of American democracy.
Today, we call upon President
Roosevelt, a gerat humanitarian and
idealist, to follow in the footsteps Of
his noble and illustrious predecessor
and take the second decisive step In
this world and national emergency and
free colored Americans of the stigma,
humiliation and insult of discrimination
and jim Crowism in Government de-
partments and national defense.
The Federal Government cannot with
clear conscience call upon private IN
dustry and labor unions to abolish dis
elimination based upon race and color
as long as it practices discrimination
itself against colored Americans.
Remember, our valiant and heroic
forbears won the right for us to enjoy
the priceless gifts of freedom, justice
and equality in America today. They
won it through tears, toll, sweat and
blood. 1t is a challenge to us to follow
the glorious traditions of our forbears
and struggle to bequeath to our children
of today and tomorrow the right to
participate in the economic, political
and social institutions and life of
America upon basis of absolute
equality, and thereby make American
democracy what its founders and de-
tenders intended it to be.
Committee to march on Washington
for equal participation in National
Defense, 2289 Seventh Avenue, New
York City.
WALTER WHITE
REV. WILLIAM LLOYD INES