Minneapolis spokesman., 1962-07-13
Bias In South & North:
chivers Reports On
Trip To Ahanfa
NAACP Convention
BY Curtis G. Chivers

Last week made a trip to At
lanta, Georgia to attend the 53rd
Annual convention of the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People.
While enroute to Atlanta, via
Northwest Airlines, the plane nav
igator announced, as we were
passing over Louisville, Kentucky
that the plane was at an altitude
of $1,000 feet (slightly over seven
miles) and was flying at a rate
of 575 miles per hour. I thought
of the progress which had been
made in scientific development
that has made air travel possible.
I couldn't help but compare it to
the little progress that has been
made in the advancement of hu-
man equality in America. I thought
of conditions of racial injustice
that existed in the very state
over which we were passing. Also
I knew that we were going to a
city where the Klu Klux Klan
and White Citizens Councils made
conditions much worse.
Negroes in Atlanta, are not to
be criticized. They possess a lot
of wealth and are courageous in
their fight for equality.
The city of Atlanta, was born
in 1887, when a railroad surveyor
named Stephen Hirraman Long,
drove a peg into the ground at a
point now called Five Points,
which is presently the center of
the business district in Atlanta.
The city now covers an area of
1,723 square miles and has a pop
ulation of over 5000 people in
cluding more than 100000 Ne
groes.
The NAACP was anxious to in
wade this enemy" territory. But
certainly, Georgia nor can any
Southern state alone be held fully
responsible for lack of equal rights
for its Negro citizens.
Back in the days Of the War
between the states, (Civil War;
when General Sherman marched
into Atlanta, burned the town,
then made his famous march from
Atlanta to Savannah to gain more
ground for the Union army, pro-
gress was to follow so as to as
sure the Negro full freedom.
1t was the hope that slavery,
its conditions and effects would
be quickly banished. But after the
war was won by the Union army,
the Emancipation Proclamation
was issued and Abraham Lincoln
was assassinated, no strong dedi-
Gated leadership was left in the
Federal government, to complete
the job of Emancipation.
The Hayes-Tilden "compro-
mise" Of 1875, after a close presi-
Dental election literally turned
the south over to the Klan, Carpet
Baggers and plantation owners for
exploitation Of the Negro.
Laws which had been passed for
the protection of the Negro were
repealed. Many years passed as
law makers and the Federal gov
ernment itself failed to anything
in the area of civil rights. So,
Minnesota as well as other north
ern states must share the blame
for lack Of full rights for min
ority citizens.
The NAACP realizing this
passed the same kind Of resolu-
tions, condemned the same public
officials, had the convention been
in Minnesota.
On Thursday night Martin Luth-
er King, speaking at the Freedom
Fund banquet, was his usual self
and was very vocal about the de-
merits Of the south and southern
public officials on the racial issue.
The South is making some pro-
gress. One department store in At
lanta has opened up its depart
ment store restaurant to all GUS
toners.
NAACP, nevertheless picketed
some other business concerns
whom it was felt should be picket
ed.
This racial equality question is
quite a paradox when you consider
it in terms of the North and
South. The very restaurant which
recently integrated, was already
employing Negroes in its store by
very high percentage.
We may need to take a good
Iooly of O,Yy y1roorracS hara in Min