The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1950-05-03
EVEN UNTO DEATH?

Many Seattle citizens are quite unaware that racial preju-
problem Of racial discrimination in local cemeteries has had the
attention of organizations over a period OF years; but as they
saw tangible improvements in policy resulting from their years
of communication with cemetery owners, they have concluded
that the incentive for change must come from an informed and
aroused public.
Cemetery owners maintain their discriminatory policies
because they believe that is what the public wants; when they
can be persuaded that our citizen prefer democratic practices,
we believe that they will be able to find a way to bring their
policies into line.
Cemetery discrimination in Seattle follows two patterns.
In the older cemeteries, which were originally open to all peo-
pie without discrimination, there has developed in recent years
the ''unwrtten'' custom Of burying non-Caucasians in segre-
gated areas. One of these cemeteries doubles or triples the price
of plots and demands full payment in advance, In order to dis
courage non-white clients.
The newer cemeteries have had Incorporated into their rules
and regulations such phrases as available to Caucasians only,
and for burial of human dead of the Caucasian race only.
Owners of these cemeteries maintain that whatever might be
their present personal opinion concerning racial restrictions
they are under moral obligation to abide by the terms OF their
contracts, and that if they were at present to change the provis-
ions for burial, they would be subject to law suits on the part
of present lot owners. However, we believe that the spirit OF the
Supreme Court decision on racial restrictive covenants in the
sale of real estate property applies equally to cemeteries. The
are not enforceable in the courts because they are against the
public policy. If a cemetery owner were to become convinced
that racial discrimination in the sale of lots is morally unaccept
able and that he could no longer with conscience support it; and
if he were to sell a lot to a non-Caucasian in order to make a test
render the same judgment as was given in the case OF covenants
in real estate property. The temporary indignation that this
be insignificant when compared with the contribution made
toward the building of an integrated community.
A rather interesting point was brought out in a recent con-
ference with one of the cemetery owners. He indicated that the
cause of objection lies not so much in the buried non-Caucasian
as in the groups of friends who gather in the cemetery for the
interment services and for other memorial occasions. One might
ask whether on this basis it would not follow that restrictions
should be incorporated against non-Caucasians going out to the
cemeteries to visit the graves of non-Caucasian friends.
During the past year organizations have been circulating
petitions urging cemetery owners to change their racial policies
in order that practices within our country might be brought
into closer harmony with our announcements to foreign powers
concerning Justice and equality More recently they have pre-
pared a leaflet which presents actual facts concerning the racial
nn1sofar IF no0iffo unatnr wv are anYI0nc haf both h
petition and leaflet be given as wide a distribution as possible.
Two cemetery owners have been receptive to the possibility
of a comprehensive Civil Rights Law which would include ceme-
teries in its provisions. They have said that if such a law were
passed in the State of Washington they would be happy to sup
port it. This is a lead which will be followed up.
The immediate need is for the public to become fully in
formed about conditions in our local cemeteries; too many people
have no idea of the extent to which discrimination is practiced.
When enough of our citizens become acquainted with the facts,
surely their indignation will lead to some positive program of
correction.