Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-04
VIRGINIA:
2-StutePurk
Will Avoid
Race Issue
VIRGINIA.:
BY ALEX r. PRESTON

ginia Will join Kentucky in
dedicating a jointly operated
public park. go
Strangely enough. this comes
at q time when the Old Do,
minion may be winding UP Its
final season Of running It's own
nine State parks because Of
what Federal courts have said
about segregation Of whites
and Negroes.
Another interesting aspect Of
this new partnership is this:
Virginia is fighting desperately
to preserve segregation in all
phases of its life while Ken
lucky already has demonstrated
q more lenient attitude,
To be dedicated on Labor
Day with an address by Sena-
tor Barley, Democrat Of Ken
lucky. is The Breaks Interstate
Park.
This tract Of about 1000
acres surrounding what some
have called "the Grand Can
yon Of the South" lies mostly
in Virginia.
And segregation, say Old
Dominion officials, is not going
to be allowed to become an
issue there.
Mostly Scenery
There are no cabins, SWIM
ming lakes or restaurant
facilities. such as are MAIN
tanned at the State parks.
About all the area has to
offer are picnic areas and
scenery-and plenty of the
latter.
The Negroes can come and
look, just like anyone else" is
the way one Virginia official
commented.
Chairman Raymond v. Long
of the Virginia Conservation
and Development Commission
has said segregation will con-
stitute no real problem at
The Breaks Interstate Park.
He said the commission had
studied the problem in the
light Of recent Federal Court
decisions prohibiting Virginia
from denying use of its parks
to Negroes.
Negro Rights
First. there was the decision
Of Federal Judge Walter e.
Hoffman at Norfolk, who up
held the right of Negroes to
use SeaShore State Park near
Virginia Beach. SeaShore had
been closed all of this season
because of the suit. It has
remained closed since the de-
cision because the court said.
in effect, that the State could
not circumvent its ruling by
leasing the recreation area to
private operators.
Then there was the opinion
of the Fourth Circuit Court Of
Appeals in Richmond. The
ruling was specifically directed
at a State park in Maryland
and q municipal park in Bal
timore but was regarded as
binding throughout the juris-
diction of the court, which in
cludes Virginia. This ruling
likewise upheld Negroes rights
to free access to public parks.
As a result of this situation,
Virginia Attorney General j.
Lindsey Almond, jr., has adj
vised his States officials to get
out of the park business as fast
as they can because no legal
defense remains for operation
of segregated State parks.
The 1854 General Assembly
appropriated $4,000 and rati-
fed compact with Kentucky
to operate The Breaks. The
Kentucky Legislature put up
a similar amount. No Federal
funds have gone into the un-
dertaking.
Liberal Kentucky
But unlike the Old Domin-
ion, the Blue Grass State has
demonstrated in other ways
that it is more inclined to 60
along with court decisions on
segregation. The State Board
of Education last June ordered
local school districts to move
toward indignation "as rapidly
as conditions warrant"
A month later six Negroes
were admitted to Kentucky's
first desegregated school in
Wayne County. They joined
IS white children in a one
room school.
Elsewhere in that State.
Negro and white parents
voted to begin Indignation in
September.
In contrast, a special COM
mission appointed by Vir-
ginia'S Gov. Stanley has been
wrestling all year with the
problem of how to preserve
segregation in public schools.
Indications point to a re-
port by this body, possibly
next month. and a special ses-
sion of the Virginia General
Assembly being called by Gov.
Stanley shortly after the No
vember 8 general election.
It is with this background
that some have been sur
prised that Virginia would
carry through its plans to
operate The Breaks Interstate
Park, especially with a neigh
boring State that seems to
hold a more liberal attitude
toward indignation.