St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-10-17
Take A Bow St. Louis Park


housing discrimination in st. Louis Park, Mime
apos suburb which could have easily developed into dis
graceful Cicero type mess apparently settled Sunday when
the landlord agreed allow the WOodfn Lewis family to re-
main in for the six months originally promised them
The landlord Mrs Elaine Emreson who had rented the
family her home for months had been presumed into
nutng eviction proceedings because the Lewis family were
Negro Sunday told family that they could retain the home
for the six month period.
The situation was resolved by the action and cooperation
of many St Louis Park residents St Louis Park pastors
the daily press the landlord the tenants the suburb mayor and
the Minneapolis Urban League
The cooperation of these groups backed by the resources
of various other human relations crystazed public in
dgnaton such point that the bgotry inherent in such
situation, did not dare publicly raise its head
The the reported elsewhere in this
but briefly they these:
Minneapolis Honeywell officials phOned this newspaper
few days ago and reported that employee Woodfn
Lewis research analyst who happened to be an American
of Negro descent had house for his wife and chill
dren who to arrive in the city from New York that
day The landlord due pressure from neghbors mile
away objected the presence of Negro family Mr. Lewis
did not to his family into such situation.
This newspaper suggested that would not cooperate to
obtain Mr. Lewis other housing until it he wanted
that he had legal right to remain in the house
he had rented in good faith.
It pointed out that ACKNOWLEDGEMENT was IN
position because of its standing and value to the community
to protect the rights employee live house he had
rented, especially since the only objection to him and his
family that they Americans of Negro descent The
paper suggested that the services of the Minneapolis Urban
League should be secured to counsel Mr.. Lewis
This procedure followed and the bewldered and
shocked Mr. Lewis given friendly counsel and adyce
which finally led fair and decent solution to his family
problem which had actually developed into community pro
blem.
When Thursday mornings Minneapolis daily paper the
TRIBUNE printed restrained statement of the facts in the
case there widespread Indignation yes revusOn the
spectacle of fine young American family being denied hOs
ing simply because of and color prejudice 1t
freshng that large part of that Indignation originated
in St Louis Park.
Very the landlord who had been prcSSured
and abused by bgots for renting her property Negro fam
y receiving letters asking her to change her plan for
instituting eviction proceedings
This outpouring the best deccncy from per
sons in defense the Lewis family reached resccndo after
the appearance of editorial in the Minneapolis Morning
TRIBUNE which did babour the misguided persons who
did the Lewis family in St Louis Park, but did
forth the moral implications of the and put up the
conscience of the people of the vicinity.
By this time pastors of the seven leading Protestant
churches in St Louis Park had taken definite stand in be
half of the family pointing hopefully that they did
slider that the sentiment against the family living in the
represented either the majority a mind of the people
ST. Louis Park whole the people the mmC
late neighborhood The pastors urged that snce
1.-THE case involves basic religious principles residents
of St Louis Park and members of respective congregations
discenment and Christian charity passing judgement
the matter"
This action by leaders of the organized church sgn
and helpful resolving the situation There syna
gogue involved since there in St Louis Park The
Catholic church represented The Jewish Bna Birth
organization in that coOperaed in the effort protect the
Lewis famiy's right to live in the district
One St Louis Park business Melvin Cooper operator
of hardware store matter of principle and without
gestion from anybody Immediately when the revealed
began to circulate counter petition in favor of the family
We repeat all of these factors here because this
paper proud of the in which the people of this
to protect the basic human rights of family who
community who needed help and
in the way they face face with of the
situations which exhibits nation at its
The credtabe participation by hundreds of persons whom
this know and the rang of the forces of
good ream position that nowhere in this broad land of
ours there such fine people found in Minnesota St
Louis Park take salutel