St. Paul recorder., 1963-09-05


ty with threats dry and eyes mois-
tened, they were witnessing a
dream come true.
A little more than a month be-
fore about a half dozen of them
had huddled over Kool-Aide and
cookies and began to dream out
loud of assembling a representa-
tive delegation to be part of the
March on Washington" So hur-
riedly did the dreams begin to
take form that a tentative plan
was ready for presentation by the
time that an official meeting was
called the following week.
A wide cross-section of human
rights people were sought to be
involved. When the dust was
cleared there evolved working
hard-core of about a dozen persons
with diverse backgrounds Of civil
rights association. They christian
ed themselves the Minnesota
March to Washington Committee,
and embarked on the most ferv-
ent pursuit of a dream imaginable.
Listed below are just a few Of
the Illustrations that at one time
or another beset the committee:
1. Transportation plans changed
rapidly from one chartered bus
to two chartered buses; from a
chartered plane Of 6s capacity to
one Of 81 capacity to the final de-
cdsion of the SO passenger charter
with American Airlines.
2. At one point officers Of the
committee found 1t necessary to
prepare for personal loans in
order to meet the airline's pay
date.
3. Although in the main the COM
nnittee was accorded wide and
cooperative acceptance, 1t was con-
fronted with some degree of mega
hve-ism from some influential
sources. A few had serious reserva-
tfons about the advisability of a
march on Washington; others en-
tertained sl1epticism about the ad
hoe committee itself.
3. With just a week to go, the
committee discovered that the ma
tional committee could not assume
responsibility for making arrange
nents for the Minnesota delega-
ton during it's Washington stay,
as had been previously stated. The
committee would have TO make its
own Washington arrangements.
4. When all obstacles were over
come and the chartered flight as
sured, evidence Of overwork and
tension began to exert itself in re-
lations between committee person
mel.
The national publicity focused
ON the March during the last two
weeks aided committee support
considerably.
However, there were major over
all factors combined to give as
sllrance to the dream coming true:
1. The Minnesota Committee on
Race and Religion issued strong
endorsement and organized sup
port, resulting in a large clerical
representation and a tangible boost
Of contribution from congregations
throughout the area.
2. The work of James Luger
with the Catholic Inter-Racial
Council The strong appeal Of the
Unitarian Universahst. 4. The
Committees door-to-door socci-
tation In the Twin City Negro
community. (This was suggested
and supported by Cecil Newman,
editor and publisher of these news
papers.)
During the final week the COM
mittee was literally swamped with
request for transportation - many
coming long after the established
deadline and date upon which COM
mittments had to be met with the
atrlines. The committee used its
best collective judgement OF all
factors envolved 10 assemble the
most representative delegation
possible.
The entire committee extends its
most sincere thanks and apprecia-
ton to the many persons VINO raj
he'd to its support in providing the
realization Of dream come
true and assurance of Minnesota
having ample representation at the
historic March on Washington for
Jobs and Freedom"
Members Of the active working
committee were: Jesse Bell, Mar
garet Benton, Bob Baum, Carl
Claiborne, Gerald Elliot, zetta
FEEDER, Josie johnson, Larry Boron,
Thomas Johson, Paul and Marilyn
Muller, Rev. Dennis Nyberg. Matt
hew Little, Herta Plane, Connie