Minneapolis spokesman., 1963-08-08
Civil Rights Breakthrough
Offers Opportunities Plus
Large Responsibilities

The break-through on civil rights for Negroes
which is now in process the country over is going
to face the average Negro with tremendous new
opportunities with equally tremendous respon-
Sbihties.
The new situation is not going to be easy. In
deed it is going to be most difficult It Is going to
test the seK-discipne and the sef-restraint of all
What up against Is possibly unique in
human history. We suddenly confronted with
the prospective removal Of barriers of discrimina-
ton that have been ingeniously built up over a per
iod of century or two These barriers have imposed
upon the Negro people as a whole handicaps which
will require a generation to overcome And quite
suddenly for most Negroes, the barriers are off,
New job opportunities are opening up-or at least
the barriers to them are being rapidly removed The
prospects Of rapidly rising standard of living are
before u.s. and with these prospects, the promise of
greater opportunities to take part in the civic social
and political life of the community.
Fortunately for us Minnesotans we have had
the benefit Of a long period Of improvement in our
status long period during which discriminatory
practices have been gradually removed, and during
which adjustments could be made. In most parts Of
the country this process has been going on If at all
very slowly. In such the trials and errors of
rising to the new opportunities and new responsible
tiles will be painful They will be difficult enough
here in the Twin Cities.
mere Will De plenty OF errors, and not only by
Negroes. For example, some Of our well-meaning
friends talking about job quotas in certain fields
based upon the percentage of Negroes to the total
population This is something we have never asked
for do not want and regard as potentially harmful.
1t Is possible that in individual instances Negroes
have overemphasized the prejudice and discrimina-
ton factors in job placements and promotions but
they have never asked to be considered for jobs and
promotions on anything more than their own merit
the same as any other Americans.
We have to be sure, measured the prejudice and
discrimination Of employers and Of labor unions
by their record Of employing and admitting Ne
groes but this is quite different thing from asking
employment quotas.
What we are faced with today is the problem of
preparing and training more Of our people for the
more highly skilled employment that is beginning to
open up and encouraging those in skilled fields to
work and train for advancement that previously
been closed to them
The problem begins with the young people who
frequently drop out Of school early because Of the
dscouraging job picture, and who have become re-
signed to a future Of casual employment at low
sldlls and low pay We would expect these young
people, in the light of present promise to finish high
school and go to technical and vocational train
ing-and, wherever possible, to college. And we
below their training to seek upgrading quite per-
sistently.
The years ahead going to be difficult. But
they going to be exceedingly interesting, and
they hold out bright promise.