The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1957-12-14

NAACP? The information used
Is from a weekly pamphlet SER
vice published by the Bureau Of
Research and Survey Of the Ma
tional Council of the Churches of
Christ In the u. S. A.
One of the widely discussed
organizations in the United States
is the NAACP, with headquarters
At 20 West 40th street, New York
rs. It was organized in 1909 by
both white and Negro leaders.
This column will tell why the as
ISOLATION was organized, what II
has done; and how 1t has worked.
Nearly 200 years after h e
adoption of the Declaration Of
Independence, proclaiming shat
all men are created equal" The
American social scene Of mid
Twentieth Century is marked by
a turbulent struggle between
those striving toward basic hui
man rights for all Americans and
those who oppose such rights.
Generally considered. as one of
the leaders Of the former forces
is the NAACP, which has as its
goal the establishment Of equal
rights for citizens of all races and
religions with respect to security
of the person, housing, education,
employment, voting and various
public accomidations.
THREE-FoLp APPROACH
in working to achieve its goal,
the NAACP makes a three-fold
attack on racial discrimination:
legal, legislative, and educational.
In brief, the NAACP plan of ac-
ton consists of court tests, es-
pousal of anti discrimination laws
and a public information program.
The NAACP does not propose
10 await the enlightment Of all
members Of given locality be-
fore proceeding with positive
work to bring about equality Of
citizenship rights in the area.
This view of the association re-
ceived unsolicited support in
recent article summarizing pub
lie opinion surveys conducted
throughout the United States
during the past IA years by the
National Opinion Research Gen.
ter at the University of Chicago,
which concluded that at is not
necessary to wait until major
ity of whites are ready, to grant
the Negro equal access to schools,
buses and residential neighbor-
hoods"
The article publihhed in the
December, 1856, issue Of Scien-
tific American, New York, noted
that in southern localities which
have desegrated that public
schools since the 1854 Su creme
Court decision "two-thirds Of
the white public continue to NUT
ter that Negro children really
should go to 'separ tie schools,
although "the fact of migration
has been accepted" This situa-
ton, the article states, illustrates
that it is not necessary to wait
for "a majoriy mandate from the
people" before desegregating To-
cal facilities.
Despite its consistent efforts to
inform the public (by means OF
pamphlet, press releases, an an
nual report, radio, and television
programs, and other materially
about the racial situation in the
United States and also In its
views on the situation, the
NAACP is convinced that most
Americans have only dim, dis
torted idea of the total civil
rights picture and Of the assoc
iation's work. At least two rea-
sons for this state of affairs may
be found. First, the NAACP can
not give information to the pub
lie in continuous "saturation"
campaign such as that used by
mass media advertising, even
should the association officials
agree on the ethics Of such
scheme. Second, its officials be-
ieve that the workings Of the
NAACP have been distorted de-
tberately by many OF its bitter
enemies In the South, resulting
IN much confusion In that region
within recent years.
MEMBERSHIP AND