Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1956-01-20


later made the calm decision not
to give up their homes and they
set out Ia live amicabIy with their
cOlored neighborS In an interraclal
community. Writing in the De
cembar issue. Mr.. James tells how
this wise move preserved for the
people Of TcanoCk. the market
value Of their homes and their
own integrity as we'll
Until Jay Payne. "a Negro, be.
gan working on his house, this
part 81 Tcaneok was traditionalIy
'all-white." although II housed
members Of various nat1nhlities
and diversified religions. When
the Paynes moved In three years
ago. their white ncIghbors did not
openly voice their resentment
They sat tight, watching and
waiting Property values did not
fail, In fact, the real estate mar
ket rose slightly In keeping with
the national trend Anxietles were
relaxed, and although tho Pnynea
made no lasting friendships with
their white neighborH, they were
not made 10 feel unwelcums
During 1854 other Negro fam.
Hes began To move into the com.
munity, Most Of them bought
homes In few streets on the
frtnges Of the area. only one or
two Negro families moved into the
broad white avenues In the
heart Of the community By the
end Of the year the total had risen
to IN Negro families. with prop,
erty values still intact,
'Thc trouble didn't start until
early In 1865, when a too-enter.
priaing real estate firm IN IA neigh.
boring town. hearing of the inter.
racial trend In Teaneck, began To
Use scare tactics In tho hope Of
forcing sales and collecting com
missions In a sudden invasion OF
the nelghborhood. the company's
agents opened high.pressure
door.to~door campaign, They told
each home owner: YOU are living
In u fringe area. Negroes are
moving In all around YOU Why
not put up your house for sale
now while you can Htill get good
price for ~"
III was then that the selling
began. II soon spread through the
entire community, even 10 streets
seven and sight blocks from tho
house Of the nearest Negro fam.
lily. Before long Msnry Deiasler.
Teaneek's nonpartlaau mayor. quit
the big house ON Shepherd Ave.
uue In which he had lived for
yearA
'"ro keep business booming. the
soliciting realty agents began To
aow diatrust among neighbors. A
these tactics went ON. the Negro
families IN the community sensed
IA growing hostility white neigh
hora began Ia eye one another sua
picioualy The inquiry, Are YOU
selling out became challenging
question. met by silence, hcaitant
deniala. or embarrassed admits.
aions
hut the tide stopped when
some at the residents. reluctant
Ia leave a community they lived,
began TO hold block meetings IN
mn attempt Ia talk IN. thing
through A. Que rrstdcnt aaid At
u meeting. Unless we want Ia
sell NJ loas. there's only one
thing We can do Take II easy Try
To persuade your noighhors to
atop these panic sales and lots
try Ia get those real estate men
10 cut cut scare tactics After
that we ought To- get In touch with
out new Negro nctghhors and get
their cooperation I've notion
they don't want this tn become
run down community any more
than W. do
AT the end or the meeting, the
netEhbors had already decided 20
remain IN their homes and had
promised to try TO persuade others
To do the same Meanwhile an
emergency committee was formed
to track down local rumurs and 90
find out how other communities
were dealing with similar up
heavrls
within a week = PROMISE ha,