Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1961-08-11


confronted discriminatory housi
listed by the University of MINI
Miss Jenkins of Henderson
rich east Texas, recently gradr
in Pittsburgh, Pa. She plans to
enroll as a student in law at the
University of Minnesota in Sep
tember. ..........
Shortly after arriving in Mime
apoliA Miss Jenkins contacted
Fidelis N. Umeh, %, an engineer
ing student at the University who
had secured addresses Of apart
ments listed through the Univer-
sity's Student Housing Bureau.
MIR. Umeh is a Nigerian student.
After contracting various land
lords and rental agencies, Miss
Jenkins made an appointment to
visit an unoccupied apartment at
212 Walnut st. According to H.
Halstrom, So, caretaler employed
by the Noble Realty Co.., the
apartment 203 was available for
rent. He instructed Christine to go
to the rental office, 318 Harvard
St., Monday morning to complete
arrangements. 4
, Monday for Miss Jenkins and
Umeh was a day of boredom and
establishment. The morning was
spent waiting, checking. and re-
checking at the Mobiles rental Of
flee, Finally, at 1:12 pm. Miss
Jenkins and Umeh talked to Mrs.
Gertrude Gray 81, Noble Realty
employee in charge Of rental apart
ments. At this point Christine had
expected to make the necessary
financial transaction for the $685.
a-month apartment which would
almost complete her before prep
aration for school
The couple was told that there
were no apartments available and
that apartment 20S had been rent
ed Monday morning only a few
hours before. 'My suspicion was
aroused" said Umeh, But we
walked out Of the office and met
q white couple entering"
Standing few feet from the
office doorway, Umeh began dis
cussing with Christine, where
shall we go now" While they
meditated over their next move"
Umeh could hear Mrs. Gertrude
Gray talking on the telephone.
What do you have in mind" were
Mrs. Gray's words according to
Umeh. Suddenly, she told the
couple who entered as we were
leaving, wait a moment" and
come to the door, but quickly re-
turned to her desk"
Puzzled from the information
that they had received, Umeh Just
couldn't believe what he had been
told. The two then left the build
ing, but Umeh returned to the
rental office at 8 pm
II Just want to know II the
apartment we asked about was
rented to someone this morning as
you said" Umeh asked Mrs. Gray.
The maids were cleaning 1t and
it was rented by an out Of town
phone CALL" replied Mrs. Gray.
Mrs Gray became more fid-
getty as I talked to her and what
she said became more inconsis-
tent" said Umeh." We have to re-
eeive a 30 day notice before there's
q vacant apartment, she said and
began checking the apartment
roster. Come back about Aug. 10
and there may be a vacancy. ]
hope you understand, I hope you
understand" she repeatedly told
Umeh.
Mrs. Gray exhibited state Of
fright when I went back to the
office for the second time which In
usually indicative Of guilt" said
Umeh. He continued: ..s.-
TT goes to point out that how
ever much we deny the fact, that
element Of segregation does exist
and it pops its head out from time
to time. It's not q wonderful i'm
precision to leave In the minds Of
foreign students on which the
United States foreign service may
depend on in the future" concmd-
ed Umeh ...
Still a few weeks before school
starts, Miss Jenkins plans to visit
friends in several states. She's
lust about ready for the opening
school year-except for a place to
Iive-and plans to stay in Mime
apolis at least until housing Is
secured before leaving to return
in September.
Choosing not to live in a dormi-
tory, Mss Jenkins has confronted
what the Univeraity's Student
Housing Bureau personnel has
spent endless never firing hours to
correct while many Minnesotans
continue To add spontaneous fuel