Evening star., 1952-09-05
Psychologists Vote
To Boycott D. {. Until.
Segregation Is Ended

The American Psychological
Association will not meet again in
Washington because of race dis
elimination against some Of its
members. unless present condi-
tions are corrected.
This was voted unanimously
yesterday by the council. the gov
erning body Of the 10,000-member
scientific society. It is now hold
ing its 60th annual convention
here.
This city will not be selected
again, 1t was resolved, until such
time as additional progress has
been made toward democratic
treatment Of minority groups" )"
The resolution was announced
last night by DR.. j. McV. Hunt OF
the University of Illinois. presi-
dent of the association.
Discrimination Charged.
The decision to boycott the
Capital followed reports of dis
elimination against some Negro
members.
DR.. Hunt said none Of the in
stances was serious enough for an
official protest to city authorities.
He added. though, that "the facts
as reported" would be relayed by
the APA in letters to the conven-
tion bureau and owners Of the
convention facilities.
He cited these examples as lead
ing to the boycott:
"A working committee was de-
layed because one member could
not be served a meal. The other
members did not feel they could
or should meet without the absent
member. and also left the restau-
rant.
"A contractor offering services
to a hotel, which had no control
over the contractors policy, re-
fused to follow the democratic
procedures of the hotel.
Graduate students, wishing to
abide by the association polciy and
unable to afford to stay at more
expensive hotels, could not con-
scientiously use the facilities of
the YMCA because Of the YMCA
segregation policy.
"Plans for an outing for mem
bers Of one subsection of the as
sociation were abandoned after an
excursion boat made clear its boats
followed segregation policy"
In one instance during the pres
ent meeting, DR.. Hunt said, "com-
mittee members working on a.
difficult problem decided to work
through a mealtime. They found
their hotel restaurant was hope
lessly crowded, but at nearby
restaurant they could not be
served as a group. They were
considerably delayed while they
got sandwiches to take back to a
hotel room.
Gas human beings they don't
like to be told they cannot sit
down in restaurant and discuss
their profession with a colleague,
nor do they like to meet an old
friend they have not seen since
they were students and realize
there is no possibility Of inviting
him to a certain concert or some
other event.
Our profession studies human
behavior. We have studied the
damaging effect on race and
minority prejudice in almost every
major field of American life"
ANY scientist knows that there
is no foundation whatever for the
belief that the color of ones skin
or the location of ones national
origin is a determining factor in
a human beings intelligence,
merit or social worth"
All One Color or Another.
Asked how many of the associa-
tion's members were colored, DR..
Hunt said, ut doesn't make any
difference. We are all one color or
another. Socially, we are not an
organization of colors. but of peo-
pie. and professionally we happen
to be psychologists"
The resolution adopted read:
"The American Psychological
Association has a policy of not
holding its annual meetings inI
places where hotels, restaurants
and public meeting places prac-
tice discrimination against minor
ity groups.
"After investigation of leading