Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-04-22
Minneapolis UrboR
League Hos Served
CRY Since 1925
(COntinued on Page 2-Bl

the Negroes health
RACE RELATIONS - In an
effort to interpret the aspirations
of the Negro to the community the
early League Secretaries have ad-
dressed numerous white audiences.
Inter-racial meetings, symposiums
and discussion groups have been
conducted. Interracial Sunday is
now an annual observance.
A study of Negro crime initiated
by the League because Of an at
tack made by an organization on
crime among Negroes in Mime
apolis resulting in an investigation
of the figures of the Police Records,
The League by this study and an
alysis of arrest and convictions
with its subsequent discovery of
the great error in the police re-
cords rendered a service to the Ne
gro and a service to this communi-
ty.
HOUSING - The League point
ed out to proper authorities the
necessity for better housing facil-
tiles in the Sixth and Lyndale
Avenues district. Recent develop
ments under the Federal Housing
Corporation indicate that this pro-
ject has a splendid chance Of be-
coming a reality.
The League has kept in step
with the times and has worked
with the various federal recovery
programs in attempting to relieve
suffering during the depression. 1t
adjusted the matter of admittance
of colored youths to CCC camps
when the question of separate units
was raised. 1t organized an Elmer
gency Advisory Council to interpret
the various emergency measures of
the federal government to the Ne
gro. The value Of the Leagues po-
sition as a Clearinghouse for the
social ills Of the Minneapolis Ne
gro can be seen through its many
contacts with other social agencies
in the city of problems concerning
Negroes.
From 1894 to 1887 a joint re-
lationship between the Minneapolis
and st. Paul Urban Leagues was
in operation. The Executive Sec
rotary divided his time between
the two cities and the budget was
carried on a fifty-fifty basis by
the Minneapolis Community Fund
and the st. Paul Community Chest
With a view of improving and
expanding the service Of the
League to these two communities
the merging Of the two Board Of
Directors was now under way and
the program was revised so as to
meet the demands of the chang
ing economic and social situation.
This joint operation was ended
by mutual consent in 1887 because
of the expanding problems and
greater demand for league services
A progress report on race rela-
tons in Minneapolis presents a
picture of positive achievement
when reviewed over a period Of
years dating back to the beginning
of World War II. Notable progress
has been made toward eliminating
discrimination in the areas of en-
ployment and places of public &C
commodations. Discrimination in
housing remains the major area OF
blight on the race relations scene
which the Minneapolis community
has not made a fortnight effort
to eliminate.
An analysis of Urban League
annual reports and other agency
records dating from 1888 to 1885
reveals the Minneapolis Urbar
League has had a significant part
in creating the kind Of social elm
ate in which racial minority cit
zens could realize positive gain
in their efforts toward equality o.
opportunity and fuller participa
ton in the affairs Of the tota
community.
The employment status Of tn
Negro has improved steadily dur
ing this twenty-year period. tn,
last ten years however, has beeI
the period of most significant pro
gress. There has been a market
change in employment patterns
Although a wide gap still exist
between the Negro and white work
er. each year experiences a closing
of this gap as the Negro worke
moves at a consistent pace up tn
job ladder to better jobs in tn
skilled, clerical, sales, technical ant
professional job classifications.
In Minneapolis today the Negr,
who has the required qualification
will have almost no difficulty sec
uring employment in such jobs a
teachers, engineers, social workers
architects, nurses, clerk-typists
stenographers, Librarians and tele
phone operators.
Much Of the progress made IL
the field of employment resulted
from the manpower shortage dur
ing the war, wartime FEPC, Min
neapolis and State FEPC and eff
forts Of other local organization