The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1956-09-07
BY THOMAS r. WARING
Editor of the Charleston, S, C
News and Courier

GuisVf VI TIC NudIIeStOn, ,. I.
News and Courier
During lull in the Democratic
Convention. went to take a look
at Trumbuh Park housing project.
This is the place where a handful
of Negroes have lived in a pre-
dominantly white section for three
years in virtual state Of siege.
detail totaling 63 policemen
more than third Of the combined
uniform strength of Charleston city
and county police departments
still is on duty around the clock to
guard the Negroes at Trumbull
Park The police escort some of the
Negroes to their jobs in the indus
trial plants near this southside COM
munity and patrol the area con-
stantly on three-whee motorcycles
Because Of the riOting which ac
companied arrival Of the first Ne
gro tenants July 80. 1858. and the
long duration of tension. Trumbull
Park is known as the most serious
example in the country Of resis-
lance to racially integrated condi-
tons
Eager to Talk
White taxicab drivers. who seem
to be extremely race conscious. are
familiar with Trumbull Park They
were eager to talk about it. 1t is
only fair 10 say that most Chica-
goans@proba know and care lit
tie about the place The location is
remote Metropolitan newspapers
Ct course covered the riotous phases
and occasionally printed follow-up
articles. but the volume of news
was not as extensive as one might
suppose In such dramatic story
One reason for skinny news cover
age. ! was informed in the office
of the Chicago Daily News. is that
the police requested the press to
play down the story as much as
possible. Authorities did not want TO
encourage tourists. curiosity seek
e! anu W pun AAiAc
the emoattled area
At times there were as many as
1900 police on duty to preserve
order. Since only q Negro fami-
lies reside in the 435-unit housing
project the problem seems unex-
plalnable to SouthernerS accuStorn-
ed to high density of mixed resi-
dental areas. even though housing
projects are nomlnally separated.
In Charleston. Meeting Street Man
1 OF for white people and Cooper
River Courts for Negroes. near the
Cope River Bridge, are separated
only by narrow street. No notice
able race tension has occurred
there
FIRST Problem
NV first and most immediate
problem was getting to Trumbull
Park l assumed that rapid transit
lines reached all parts of Chicago,
and that it would be possible to
ride The subWay-elevated train TO
Nlthi;. striking distance Of my deS
tinatiOn. But stories of violence and
police activity caused me to wonder
how safe a stranger would be ven
tnring into an armed camp. | turned
tc q Chicago newspaper for help.
Basil l.. Walters, executive editor
of The Chicago Daily News. former
president Of the American Society
Of Newspaper Editors. and one ot
oui' country's best known journa-
lists kindly offered aid His report
ers Were tied up with the conven-
ton. but | could talk with someone
in the promotion department If We
decided il was desirable. this man
would accompany me to Trumbull
PARK The round trip would take
about half day
On reaching the Daily News Of
flee 'ound that the man to whom
] was assigned already had dug out
from The office library file of
clippings On Trumbull Park. There
We're two envelopes of clipping Con.
sldefing the fact that this topic had
national Importance. 1t seemed to
he that the stack was relatively
small. | glanced through enough Of
the clippings to pick up some dates
and other details, but the story still
was not entirely clear to me. The
pisces did not fit into readily
recognizable pattern l still thought
il would be necessary to have a
first-hand look at Trumbull Park
But ] did not want to take d busy
man away from his office for sever
al hours TO chaperone a visiting re-
porter
l. Miles from Loop
My Chicago helper readily agreed
when suggested that he be re-
lieved OF this chore He set about
explaining how l could get TO Trum-