Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1950-10-06

OF American wars nave been u
,,uuUn Of the cemetery,
Protests from veterans groups
lead by Negro American Legion
poSts and tho Spokesman and
recorder newspapers got u prom.
80 In lp47 that after the Jim
Crow section had been filled with
Negro dead the practice would
bc discontinued.
The new policy secured by cor.
respOndcnce between Clifford
Ruckcr Of the Governors Inter
racial Commission and tho
White House In another step and
ono which makes burial In tho
Jim Crow plot voluntary.
QuRrtermaateF GsReraI ReVrrscs
Segregated Burial Policy
Deceased Negro veterans no
longer must be buried In n segre-
gated plot at ~. Smelling Nation.
al Cemetery according TO word
received from Major General
Harry II. Vaughan, Military Aide
to the President,
Replying 10 letter from
clifford 70, Ruckor. International
Representative Of the Governors
InteTracial Commission. General
Vaughan, outlined the Quarter.
matAcr Generals new policy
which viii apply at ~ Smelling,
Prior To January. IsA7, there
was n rigid policy Of segregation
In the burial Of deceased Negro
veterans at Vt. Smelling, AlS
blocks having been set aside for
such burihls. ON that date. the
Army decreed that In all new
sections Of established cemstcr-
les and In all new cemeteries,
burial was 10 be made without
distinction ~ 10 race and rank
Approximately twenty vacant un-
rrserved lots remain al present
In the segregated plot set aside
for Negroes,
The new policy states that
these remaining lots may be- used
for burial 81 Negro veterans but
that upon request u next Of kin,
any deceased Negro veteran may
be- buried In a newly established
section OF the cemetery In which
there In no discrimination ~ TO
race or rank
Fuckers Protest 90 PTsaldsnt
Early in August. Rucker wrote
the following letter Ia Preaidsnt
Truman:
August ,, 1860
Honorable Harry n Truman
Comma ndeT In Chief
United states Army
The white HOuHs
Washington, u, q.
Dear Nj Truman:
II has been brought 10 the Attsn.
ton ~ this Commission. that al
the fort Smelling National Gene
tory IN this state, there 10 policy
of TspuiTiHE that Negro Veterans
are 10 be buried only IN n certain
dsHIEnatsd and aggregated plot
THIS situation has provoked con
siderable unfhVOrabls reaction,
particularly against n" Army ~
time whom our strength and nscuT.
~ depend upon q common thread
81 unity IN our democratic pTin-
rIpiea No other CemetsTY IN this
area maintains such n policy OF
fIaETAnt disTsERTd 81 human dig
nifty such . policy 10 likewise coh.
tTafy 20 the basic ideals for which
this state HtfIVeh
In bringing this matter 20 your
attention N IL our hope that this
BnIIcy will DO discontinued, We
wIII be- grateful for an expression
from you In regard 10 this matter
Nsspsc fully yours,
CiiffoTd " Rocker
International Representative
DovprnoTs IhtsfTArial Commits
WNHty VI ""sN' sA"A
Major General Harry a. Vau-
CHAN. military aide. replied 10
the Governors Commission A. fol-
lows:
Washington. ~ August 1860
Dear Ar HuoksI.
Your letter o. recent date, Rd-
dressed 10 the President. vas re-
fsFrsd 10 me for reply.
Immediately the matter 81 pos
sibIs aggregation In the Port Hnsl.
ling EatI9nal Cemetery vas quaa-
pIy from the QuaTtsFmAHtsr Osn-
sTal. department 81 tho Army
which 10 self explanatory. should
dispFi any doubts In this matter
I%fry Il Vaughan
Asinr GENERAL. q. r. Army
uiiiary AIDE 10 the President
QuAFtsFmastsT's New Ruling
Following IL the new ruling by
the u. 8 QuaTtsrmastsr General:
Memorandum PoT Major General
o. ~ Vaughan, Military AIDE 20
subject. burial Policy. Fort smell.
ling national CsmstsTy.
& This 10 In response 10 your
memorandum % 10 August. 1850,
Addressed 20 Colonel Human, in
which you ask for Information on
which 10 base = reply To a letter
TO the President from NJ. CllffOTd
y Hucbsr tina Governors later
racial Commission, state Of Mime.
sofa NF HueksT states that Me-
gro veterans are buried only IN a
segregated plot In the Fort Smell.
ling National csmetsFy and asks
Z All national csmstsTiss are 0p.
.W.Naa unaaK Nka nF0glal0aa NJ