Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1961-12-09
A Slogan For Better Race
Relations In Mississippi

One of the wholesome developments, and per-
haps the one of any lasting value result of the
decisions of the United States Supreme Court in
the public school cases, and in other declaring
segregation by law unconstitutional is the wide
spread and growing search after knowledge of, and
discussions of the Constitution of the United States,
it's meaning and interpretation and the widespread
search after knowledge of, and discussion of what
has become known historically as the great Amerl-
can idea and ideal a development perhaps unknown
in any other period in the history of this country,
save during the period Immediately before and
after the adoption of the thirteenth fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments to the Constitution of the
United States originally designed to bestow full
citizenship upon the American Negro following the
Emancipation proclamation.
What appeared as most significant and time
y statement in regards to the the Constitution, Ne
gro citizenship and the great American idea and
ideal in this continuing period of tension and
certainty in race relations in the south, particular
ly in Mississippi, we'll in the rest of the ma
ton, as result of the decisions of the United
States Supreme Court statement by pro-
lessor of the City College of New York who said,
eve need to get across to everybody that you don't
have to be a white man to be an American
It is within the above view that we hold that a
school attended by nothing but Negroes in Missis-
sippi is just much American School
attended by nothing but whites in Maine. The real
challenge to responsibility in this state is the abo
ltion of discrimination in the ALLEGATION of public
money for educational purposes based on the idea
of Negro education.
What has done more in recent years and dur
ing these times than anything in it's past history to
bemish and retard the fullest development of the
great American idea and ideal, and to prevent the
spread and full acceptance of American democracy
throughout the world, and which has contributed
greatly to communist world advancement, is the
preachment of one hundred percent Americanism,
coming from certain groups carrying the studied
implication that only those of the white Caucasian
protestants have the right to the claim of being
hundred percent American This despite the
fact that from it's very beginning the population of
the United States is made up of people of all races,
colors and creeds coming from all over the world,
who answered the call and promise, which is the
very foundation of American Democracy-"equal-
ity under law
The dominance of the idea of one hundred per-
cent Americanism those who do not qualify
and who therefore reject the idea, is directly
sponsibe for the call for Indignation of the public
schools, fact that have given voice to whites,
angered by the court decision demanding that
Negroes be given nothing at all, that the status
quo be maintained at all COST and to Negro leaders
who demanding all or nothing for the Negro
a result of the court decisions. Thus situation has
developed which has already played havoc with Ne
grO-white relations in this state.
1t should be easily evident to very thinking
citizen Negro and white, that what is needed in
Mississippi at this time is about offensive for
better relations, and in view of the conditions
and the times there be no better slogan for
such an offensive in our opinion, than the slogan
You don't have to be white to be
American