St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1961-07-07

n
80 edition of this
paper but no de-
tails were given
When Mr.. Gun A. Cunningham
ningham returned home this news
paper learned first-hand details of
the discrimination against him.
Mr.. Cunningham who is a men,
Der of the Minneapolis Jaycees
programs and political activities
committees, received an outstand-
ing service and leadership award
from the organization at the April
general membership meeting at the
DyCkman Hotel He is we'll liked
and was elected a delegate to the
National meeting in Atlanta, Ga
He told a reporter for this news
paper he would not have gone to
Atlanta as a delegate if he thought
he would be denied the privilege of
staying with the state delegation
in the Heart of Atlanta where the
Minnesota contingent headquart-
cred.
Cunningham said he had been
assured that the Atlanta Jaycees,
hosts to the national meeting, had
rooJa y-,.a pnap,anfg That H;nno
sofa delegations and other northern
and border state delegations with
Negro members would not be dis
eliminated against in hotel and
motel housing.
Upon his arrival he contacted
the delegation and was told that
the motel had refused to honor a
reservation for him because Of his
race.
He was asked to attend a meet
ing with Atlanta Jaycee officials
and Minnesota officials on Monday
morning. At a conference with
Don Wyant, of Atlanta a past
national president and Joseph
Sheehan of Atlanta general chair
man of the convention arrange
ments committee, Les Watson of
Moorehead, Minnesota president |
and Bill Fox, Minneapolis Jaycee
president, Cunningham was told |
the motel owner or manager re-
fused to allow him a room despite
protests and representations made
by the arrangements committee.
The Atlantians urged Cunning
ham not to make an issue of the
discrimination because of what
they labeled a truce" on the in
tegration issue which they claimed
had been set up by local Negro
and white citizens pending the
scheduled opening of some Atlanta
public schools on an integrated
basis in September
Cunningham was referred to one
of the Negro leaders whom he was
told would provide him with living
Accommodations.
Cunningham said in a phone
conversation prior to the meeting
Minnesota state president Les Wat
son indicated his views on the in
cident by stating: Il wouldn't do
anything that would demoralize
the delegation"
In a letter to Watson who led
the Minnesota delegation but who
is the retiring president Cunning
ham expressed surprise and re-
gret that neither the state presi-
dent or the Minneapolis president
pressed the issue to a showdown
Cunningham said that delega-
tons from the states of Massachu-
sets, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, !
New York and Illinois were pre-
pared to walk-out of any hotel or
motel that did not accumulate any
of their delegates who were Ne
groes.
Cunningham attended the Min
nesota caucases at the motel and
convention sessions. He admitted
he made no issue of the situation
largely because of lack of support
of the top officials of his delega-
ton, and also because he was sold
"a bill of goods" that any protest
might disturb the apparent calm
between the races in the city of
Atlanta. He determined later that
there is no truce" in Atlanta ex-
cept in the school issue and the
department store eating facilities
which is being cleared up rapidly.
He said some groups are con-
tinuing their activity against Jim
GRO practices in public accomoda-
tons in the Georgia metropolis.
lance and investigation should
close a major source of the mar
cotic's supply Detective Kruger
said