Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-06-08

1Hey are vaguely aware u
have a very high opinion of Ne
who live here manage to exist.
Though he sees no differe
Mississippi bigot in their attitudes
toward racial matters, the average
Negro is inclined to think of the
Mormon as some sort Of human
freak.
He sees the Mississippi bigot and
knows well his handiwork and has
come to recognize him as a human
being with warped mind.
But a Mormon, most Negroes
have never knowingly seen one so
don't know whether to expect a
human being or some other strange
form of animal life.
One of the oldest Negroes in this
city is D. H. Oliver, who has been
pract;cing law here for 80 years.
During that time he's seen the city
and its population grow, and de-
clares that only very few Of the
city's 5000 Negroes are unknown
to him. The total city population is
383,O35.
But he knows many of the
whites as well, is well acquainted
with hundreds of Mormons and is
familiar with the church and its
racial philosophy.
At a recent Washington con-
ference, Atty. Oliver in summing
up the employment opportunities
for Negroes in Utah, gave some
valuable insight about the Mormon
philosophy on the Negro.
Said attorney Oliver:
Different from the general con-
cept of race prejudice, Utah has
a concept, distinctly all its own,
little known and less understood
by people Of the outside world.
Its population is composed,
mostly, of members of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, commonly referred to as
Mormons.
This church maintains a doc
trine that runs somewhat like this;
(1) Negroes are the defendants
of Cain and cursed with a flat
nose and black skin; (2) they are
not eligible for the priesthood in
the church or in heaven and (3)
they are not eligible to hold any
office or position Of authority in
the church.
1.-THE Mormons are congenial,
friendly, hospitable and cordial
people. Negroes are solicited and
accepted as members of the church
and accorded all Of the rights and
privileges of the church on an
equal basic with other members,
without segregation or discrimin-
alton, except, they are denied the
right to hold office or any posi-
ton of authority in the Church,
regardless of what their moral,
intellectual or religious qualifica-
tons might be.
"By reason of their numerical
strength, the Mormons elect most
of the public officials throughout
the state and here Is where con-
flict begins. In most instances
those elected public officials adhere
to their religious doctrines and be-
Iiefs in the performance Of their
public duties and refuse to employ
or appoint any Negroes in any
position Of authority or trust.
Most of Utah's private indus
try is owned, operated or controlled
by members Of this church and Ne
groes are faced with the same bar
riers in private industry, and by
reason Of this practice any Negro
child with ambition and integrity
enough to go through school and
prepare himself for a better and
higher station in life is forced to
leave his home state and 60 else
where to seek employment COM
mensurate with is qualifications.
"Other minority groups in Utah
consist Of Japanese, Chinese, In
dams, Medcans, and last but
not least, whites that do not be-
long to the Mormon Church, all
of whim face discriminatory en-
ployment practices, the only diff
ference being a matter Of degree.
Discrimination exists in other
areas Of Utah's community as
well"