The Omaha guide., 1956-02-10
Leadership Conference On
Civil RIGHTS Meeting

New York, Anticipating a showdown fight for enactment of
civil rights legislation in this session of the 84h Congress, the Leader
ship Conference on Civil Rights has issued a call for a national dele
gate assembly for civil rights in Washington, March e, Roy Wilkins,
chairman, announced today.
MI. wilkins, who is also executive secretary of the National Associ
alton for the Advancement Of Colored People, heads the Leadership
Conference composed of fifty national church, labor, fraternal, civic
and minority group organizations. Arnold Aronson of the National
In making the announcement, Mr.. wilkins stressed the need for
wide geographical distribution of delegates. "The influence of the as
sembly on the Congress" he pointed out, will depend less upon the
number of Individual delegates in attendance than upon the number Of
states and congressional districts represented"
The participating organizations were urged to send delegates from
as many different congressional districts a possible. The conference
anticipates an attendance of about 1000 delegates. Registration for
the assembly is scheduled for Sunday, March 4, at the Willard Hotel
The opening session will be held that night in the Interdepartmental
Auditorium. Monday and Tuesday, March 5 and {, the delegates will
visit their respective representatives and senators and attend a night
session Monday at the Willard. The assembly will close Tuesday after
noon with a report session in the Interdepartmental Auditorium.
Citing the breakdown of "law and order in some parts of the
South, the call charged that the Constitution and the Supreme Court
are being fouted openly. Citizens are being denied their constitution
al rights and prosecuted for demanding them. To permit these viola
tons to continue is to sanction lawesness and defiance of the
Government of the United States"
ut is essential" the call declared, "that Congress enact legislation
in this session to safeguard the civil rights of American citizens and
the process of orderly government"
The conference seeks enactment of an eightpoint legislative pro-
gram including job equality through the establishment of an effective
federal FEPC, Withholding of federal funds from any institution which
dehes the constitutional prohibition against segregation in public
facilities, making lynching and other raceinspired acts of violence
federal offenses, abolition of the poll tax and protection Of the right
to vote, establishment of a civil rights division in the Department Of
Justice with authority to protect civil rights in all sections of the
country, creation of a permanent Federal Commission on Civil Rights,
elimination of remaining segregation and other forms of dscrimina
ton in interstate travel and provision for majority rule In the Senate
and the House Of Representatives
The supporting organizations include the following; AMEZOn
Church, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, American Civil Liberties Union,
American Council on Human Rights, American Federation of Labor
and Congress of Industrial Organizations, American Jewish Commit
tee, American Jewish Congress, American Veterans Committee, Amer
leans for Democratic Action, Authorization League of Bnai Birth,
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, Catholic mterracial Council,
Coored Methodist Episcopal Church, Congress of Racial Equality, Del
ia Sigma Theta Sorority, Hotel, Restaurant and Bartenders Interna
tonal Union of America, Improved Benevolent and Protective Order
of E1ks of the World.
Also the international Ladies Garment Workers Union, Interna-
tonal Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers, japanese
American Citizens League, Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish War Vet
Grams, National Alliance Of Postal EMPLOYEES, National Association for
the Advancement of Colcred People, National Association of Colored
Women, Inc, National Baptist Convention, USA, National Bar AS
ISOLATION, National Catholic Committee on Race Relations, National
Community Relations Advisory Council, National Council of Jewish Wo-
men, National Council of Negro Women, National Frontiers Club,
National Negro Business League.
Also the National Newspaper Publishers Association, National
Religion and Labor Foundation, National Supreme Council Scottish
Rite Masons. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa Sorority,
Textile Workers Union, The Americn Ethical Union, The Workmens
Circle, Transport Workers Union of America, Unitarian Fellowship
for Social Justice, United Automobile Workers of America, United
Hebrew Trades, United Rubber Workers, United Steelworkers of
America, United Transport Service Employees of America, Workers
Defense League, and the Young Women's Christian Association.