St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-06-06
League And NAAcP
Paid Tribute BY
Conference Speaker

must be the obliteTation of Negro
communities the breaking down
of the ghetto and every vestige of
arbitrary unjust and dehumaniz-
ing racial segregation"
Striking this keynote, DR.. Ken
meth b. Clark, board member of
the National Urban League, and
associate professor Of psychology
Of the College OF the City of New
York, told the 10th annual meet
ing of the National Conference of
Social Work, Tuesday, May 9th
at the Conrad Hilton Hotel that,
I'VE cannot be ComplaCent until
racial segregation is not only
dented, but destroyed"
Speaking on THE Psychological
Impact of Race Upon the Negro
Community" Dr. Clark, who is
also associate director of the
Northside Center for Child De-
velopment, said that during the
past fifteen years, the problem
of relations among peoples of diff
ferent races and religions has be
come an increasingly intense and
acute one.
The myth of racism," he said,
can be so manipulated as to re-
suit in a most profound human
tragedy. The recent intensified
ton of racism by the Malan gov
eminent in South Africa is an
other example of the inhumanity
inherent in the theory and prac-
tees of racism. II man has the
capacity to learn from past exper-
fences some way will be found to
prevent the repetition in South
Africa of widespread human chaos
When we observe the stark
tragedy of racism elsewhere, we
cannot be Complacent about our
native varieties of this destructive
myth"
Americans" Or. Clark con-
tinucd. insist that their form Of
democracy is superior to the
totalitarian enslavement which
Russia has to offer 1t is upon
the basis of Americas ability 10
convince the peoples of the world
of the truth of this, that it can eX-
pect to be successful in this strug'
gle II this cannot be done" he
warned, THE Soviet theology can
be countered only by military
force, which can only destroy both
victor and vanquished.
Charactcrizing raCism as a
form of social disease DIR. Clark
said that riots occur only where
the traditional pattern of seEre'
cation is maintained, and he de.
plurcd the high human costs of the
pcrpetuation of prejudice in
America.
LaudinC the tremendous pro
grcss which has resulted from the
systematic and realistic work OF
such agencies as the National Ur'
ban League and the NAACP, DR.
Clark said the National UrbaT
League has demonstrated that II
is possible TO improve the living
conditions of Negroes; to breai
down rigid patterns of segregation
in housing; and to encourage Ne
gro youths to receive training il
areas which were previously clos
ed to them"
In a tribute to the legal division
of the NAACP, DR.. Clark sale
that its work 'is directed toward
the democratic right of challeng
ing these segregation patterns b!
court action. This approach hai
, been dramatically successful il
many areas of American life. Tn,
current pogram Of challenging IN,
Constitutionality Of segregate,
elementary and high schools ma!
be the most significant of thes,
series Of cases"
Concluding his address. DR.
Clark said that I'VE can remov,
the psychological impact of rae,
upon the Negro community only
by removing the social monstros
ity of the Negro community
II this is done, II will be a majo
contribution to our nation. 1t viii
be the highest type of patriotism
49,. major contribution TO tn,
attainment of stability and peac,
for the whole world"