Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-04-22
Proud of Minnesota

ATOuu Oh minnesota
gave this state another reason
TO feel pride April 49, the Mime
sofa state senate overwhelming
employment practices act The .enate action followed
closely Of tho bill April
by a @
"Wednesday signed bill making II IA
state law leaders the
Minnesota Council for FErc and other joined
the fight for the legiSlation.
When hs by he Minnesota
state legislature this weTk marked the epoch
Ing campaign of equality
opportunity for a" citizens regardless Of
national worked upnaw
actually began in the early
Philip union leader asked Frank
Boyd and the editor Of this calling
Minnesota discuss pro-
posed wartime lob equality for
Negro Americans Randolph Walter white Lester
Granger q" the National Urban League and the organizations they
represented
to force defense plant employ
Negro workers and they wanted t" dam"1e the unstnesa Of the
Job discrimination
Mnnesoans led group Randolph together
joined the national having
FDR hia
mee for Fair Employment job gov
ernment contractors halt employment
defense and wartime industry,
The group together participated In the
unsuccessful effort to get federal gsa
ton after the World a group
MnnsSoana white Negro Washington lobby
FEfC Returning group
Council for Fair Employment Practices which
ten year light to obtain passage of stat" FErc law.
large number of organization" and individuals and the 80
readcnts Of this state who year
that they were In favor of such legislation
Political credit b,oag. jointly to tn. Freeman prI admins
traiion. the hbcrai
The Inc In
getting the hin trouws In, house mi. Yea, a,,., having h,,
failed
laturc~L
In tho tRepubcanl only
Ae'onse" with couple opposed
bill Privately supporters OF the measure who only $3.50
chance In tho senate ageeaby
was Tailed and the by margin 10 votes
To degree the victory party
The pFl leader asking
legislation called nonp""an measure lie recognized that his
two predecessors the chair
Elmer Anderson had both worked for and tho bill
e term" q" on" u" ais" recognized that tn" hill had to have
support fom both the liberal and conservative factions the eE
lature 10 win Legislative approval,
senate author. and sponsor. Of
the bin majority majority
within tn" Legislature which also "a par
usan Issue
mosty Dill Of this session had the advan
previous being
the FErC bill The Republican controlled
Republicans supporting the who advocated the FEC
and the Old Guard conservative leadership
peeay represented Roy Dunn safely the
pFL dominated liberals the bill
Republicans who had failed enacted
sions OF the Legislature.
speaker A
Langley oil
credit In tho I'll
Thomas vukench
sripping amendments
feature Of this the leadership
Minnesota FEpC pcuEi In
attempts obtain the bill Negr leadership
background
spanked by the Minnesota Conference the MACE Negro
out the which helped bring victory for employment fair
play this state.
Legislators In previous s"ssons had complained this
that the ah~-ncc citizens lobbyists
Legislators the feeding
IN
used" by others who had
10 In nevertheless
prevalent
Aware Of feeling MACE a.
Negroes and whites
FEPC Council the
ing to Council Employment Merit
group clubs churches
mistskng
Negro felt about the
" thus alignment caused
but finally luclShei
prevailed II the h had failed In ras~ag this
the kind bill 20 b. submitted To the
blamed for the failure