Minneapolis spokesman., 1963-07-04


Since its founding in 10.
operated as a quasi-pubhc agency
supported almost solely by private
contributions.
Some Of the necessary work fol
the commission has been done by
city FEPC director Louis Erwin
who has served as a volunteer non.
paid executive for the group.
The Commission has to its credit
in its early days of operation under
Mayor Hubert H. Humphrey and
succeeding mayors, such accomp'
lishments as the Minneapolis Self,
Survey, cooperation with the Min
neapolis Board of Realtors, Great.
ing larger area Of interest in the
community on human rights prob
lens.
Mayor Naftalin assigned to the
Human Relations problem his first
Of a number Of tasks facing the
Minneapolis city government.
His full statement on human
relations was as follows:
Our future as a city and as a
community will be shaped by what
we do in the critically important
field of human relations, by what
we do with respect to social plan
ming that augments and gives
deeper meaning to the vast strides
we have taken in physical renewal
and redevelopment, by what we dc
to improve our programs Of public
health, public welfare and public
safety, by the extent to which we
achieve effective and meaningful
intergovernmental cooperation, and
by our willingness to improve the
general overall effectiveness OF
our city government.
ut is to the first Of these that
we must direct our primary and
most determined attention, because
every facet Of our community'I
future is related to the achieve,
ment Of equality, justice and de.
cency in the relations among ouI
citizens.
To-day there is surging through
out our nation an undeniable de-
mand that the rights and privileges
and opportunities that are the en-
bodiment of our heritage be grant
ed fully to everyone. A fire Of
protest against indignity and dem
ial is burning here as 1t Is else
where and it will not be exiting
uished by promises or pledges that
are not translated into action
action that provides equality in
opportunities for education, for
employment, for housing, and for
equal treatment by all our civic
and public agencies.
1T is imperative that we heed
President Kennedy's warning when
he said in his recent message to
Congress:
"a rising tide Of discomfort
threatens the public safety
The events In Birmingham and
elsewhere have so increased the
cries for equality that no city or
state or legislative body can
prudently choose to ignore
them"
"The crisis our nation faces with
respect to human rights may well
be the most serious that we have
ever faced. It is a crisis that must
be met on all levels of government,
by all segments Of the community,
and in the hearts and minds of
every citizen. AS public officials
we have a responsibility not only
to manage the affairs Of city gov
ernment so that fairness and equal
ity is afforded at all times but
also to lead the community itself
to a complete awareness Of the
seriousness of the problems we
face.
Now, without disconting for a
moment the seriousness Of this
problem, we should, in fairness to
ourselves, note that our city and
our state, relative to the rest Of
the nation, have demonstrated a
rather unusual willingness to face
our responsibilities In the field Of
human rights.
Minneapolis was one Of the
first cities to adopt a fair employ
ment practices ordinance and to
establish a Mayors Commission on
Human Relations.
Minnesota was one of the first
states to establish an FEPC and
to outlaw discrimination in hous-
ing.
To-day Minnesota is one Of only
nine states in which all forms OF
discrimination - in public accom-
modations, employment, public
housing, and private housing -
are legally outlawed. These laws
were adopted in significant meas.
ure because Of the unflagging ef-