Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-10-17
Stevenson Continues To
Win Negro Support;
Truman SpeakSIn Harlem
BY Baltic Thomas
Staff Writer

Staff Writer
Reports pour in as to the def
mite swing of Negro voters to
Adlai Stevenson, Illinois governor
in the presidential race. A month
ago although IS per cent OF the
Negro press was extremely critic
al of Eisenhower for his failure
to support fully a civil rights pro-
gram on a federal level there was
considerable support among Ne
groes because Eisenhower was a
popular name. and some Negroes
hoped he would say something
positive and definite about the
problem OF the Negro and other
minoTities.
Senator SpArkman OF AlabamA'H
presence as the Stevenson running
mate also kept the Negroes rather
cool However as the campaign
got started and Stevenson began
to speak interest warmed up.
Negro voters watched and list
ened to Eisenhower on his south
ern tour and found him almost
evading any mention of one OF
the chief issues on the mind Of the
southern voter black and white.
Ike" gained no friends among the
Negroes and appeared 10 gain
some approval Of the whites In
the area. In Georgia, the leading
Negro Republican John Wesley
Dobbs, vCe chairman OF the Re
publican state central committee
was not named 20 the Eisenhower
reception committee or allowed TO
be among the other nOtAbles-Gll
white. on the platform.
This hurt Eisenhower N much
as his silence on the civil rights
Issue but the biggest blow came
when AdlAI Stevenson went 70
Richmond, Va, capital Of the Old
ConfederAcy and told ( he fIrst
unseErrgRted audience In that
city'S history that he was In favor
Of Democratic platform on civil
rights, that he didn't have one
speech for the north and another
for the south.
This frankness. this courage def.
initeIy began the swing among
Negroes TO Stevenson. His already
fine record In Illinois In which
he abolished segregation in the
Illinois National Guard, fought for
a state FEPC which the Republi.
cans killed In the Illinois assembly
after two tries: his prompt action
In the Cicero riot cases; his re.
flIaal to approve school funds for
southern Illinois public schools
which barred Negro pupils rele.
eating them 10 inf nor Jim Grow
schools; his intimate associate
with various Negro leaders like
DR.. Ralph Bunche. John seng.
stanke. Robert Ming. John ~
johnson, all were factors In his
favor before ne ever uttered q
word In Richmond.
Eboay BACKS AdlAI
The FIrSt national puhllcatiOa "a
son was tho 600 900 circuIatiOr
son was the 10000 circulation
magazine EBONY. In . strong
editorial. John w. johnson gave
unqualified endorsement 10 ths
Illinois governor.
Things begin 10 happen fast
Reporters covering the two can
didates noted that Eisenhower
made speech after speech with MOI
even q passing mention of cfvf
rights The NAACP national eH
ecutive board endorsed Steven
sons statement on civil nights ~
fortnight and while pralsinI
Eisenhower A. q man said IL wal
disturbed by his states rtghts'
stand.
When stsVenSDn came 10 Mime
sofa Oct. 2 In the party 10 gree
him was Cecil Newman, nsWs
paper publisher I0ngtims indspen
dent In politics but who this yea
became active in the aII-partl
Volunteers for Stevenson heads,
by George y. Ls0nard. noted EbsT
al attorney, IongtiIns friend Of IN
Negro community. Newman pub
lC0ntinued On Page Four
Doa't HIiss Jimmy wIthsrSpSs,
and his Orehs~tFA saturday might
OetObeF ~. Minneapolis Lab0
rempbs. - A9vt