CONVfCTED OF BREAKING PEACE
HaMD6 that can friLL PPaV
Probe Sought In Beaiing of Han In Courthouse
In Alaliania While Police Locked On As Observers
I NEW YORK — Tho Amcrican|'vhUf* locnl police made no
■ Civil Lihcriics Union today called effort to help him.
:.n tlic lodcral government to in-1 The civil liberties organization
vr Uiiate tjic beatin," of a Negrol urged the Justice Department to
civic leader of Bessemer, Ala, by probe the incident to determine
a mob inside the Bessemer City i if federal civil rights laws had
Peaceful Desegregation of Virginia
Schools Said Tribute To Both Races
PORTSMOUTH, Vt. — Citizens
of Virginia cqn back up the NAA-
'CP fight for school desegregation
and civil rights by paying their
poll taxes and voting, Roy Wilkins,
NAACP executive secretary, de
clared here at a rally sponsored
by the Portsmouth NAACP branch.
“In the last analysis,” the NAA
CP leader said, “political strength
'plays,' perhaps, the deciding role.
If you don’t vote, you can still
protest but few will listen and
regi.stration now will have an ef-
fewer will act. In addition, a large
'feet on the planning and strategy
of the major political parties in
' 19OT. It will have an cffoct on
the fatfe of civil rights bills in
the present Congress.”
The addre.ss, the first which Mr.
Wilkins had made in Virginia
since the collapse of flhe state’s
"massive resistance” program, was
delivered on Fob. 15, before an
autience of 2,500 which packed
tho Ehenezcr Baptist Church.
“Massive resistance,” he told the
Virginians, “is dead. Negro citi
zens of Virginia helped it to its
grave by pressing ever forward,
' by holding to their courage, and
by exercising their rights and
their t>kills, in and out of the
courtroom. Their children helped,
too, by their determination and
by their exemplary behavior. Now
that the funeral is over, it is to
' be hoped that the Governor’s lily-
white commission, in' fashioning
a substitute, will use more wis'
dom than that shown by the first
' architects
“We can rejoice today in the
peaceful vinuicanun ui Liie iia..
No violence has marred desegrega
tion in Norfoflk. Arlington .an
Alexandria . . . These pcacemu
transitions are a tribute to th
communities involved, to whlti
and Negro parents, to church leai'
ers and their congregations, ai’
to school officials. Over the state
indivvidual while memhnrs of •'
NAACP and other white people
who favor obedience to the Su
preme Court stoo^ up and weri
counted, despite slanders and
threats against them and their
families."
The pupil assignment laws, the
NAACP leader asserted, should be
tested throughout the state. Neg
roes should proceed under these
laws, “not by twos and threes, but
by hundreds. The laws can stop
only sc many, else they will be
declared unconstitutional; so the
more who apply, the more who
will buve to be transferred.” Neg
ro parents, who applied to the
NAACP for aid in these eases will
receive it, he assured the audience.
0
Agent's School
LYNCIIBUno, Va.—A school ni
Agency Development was lield in
Lynchburg, Virginia at Virginia
Theological Seminary and Col
lege. This school is sponsored by
North Carolina Mutual Life In
surance Cdmany. The instructors
were Mr. Maceo A. Sloan, CLU
Associate Agency Director of
N. C. Mutual Life Insurance Com
pany, Mr. A. P. Dumas, Assistant
to the Agency Director and Mr.
E. W. Green, District Manager of
the Roanoke area served as Dean,
Class officers were President Mr.
E. W. Mosby, Presidl^nt, Sheriff
Mr. Morris Bryant, Treasurer Mr.
W. Woodbury, and Class Report
er Mr. C. Alexander Rogers.
The school is for the entire
.igency fofree of the Roanoke Dis-
rict, which cmbrases South Bos
on, Lynchburg, Lexixngton, Cov-
ngton, Staunton, Farmville, Dan-
ille and Roanoke, Va. This
ichorl began February 9 and con-
inued through February 13, 1959.
Classes were held daily at the
Virginia Theological Seminary and
'ollege.
Areas being covered by this
chool are as follows: “This I Be-
icve,” Pi’jspecting, Life Insur
ance Knowledge, Self Organiza
tion Phyehology of Selling, In-
orview Preparations, Package
■Vs Preprntation, Closm? the
Sales and Delivery of the Policy.
')o«n violated and “to take all
teps u«ces&ary to see thoi IhH
iffenders arc properly and
rcmptly dealt witli.”
At a press conference here,
VCLU executive director Patrick
Vlurphy Malin made public a let
ter sent on February 19 to Attor-
ley General Roger\ urging a fed
eral inquiry into the Asbury Ilow-
ird case.
Howard, head o( the Bessemer
Voters League, a Negro organi-
■nation which seek to advance tho
right of Negroes to vote, was con
victed on January 24 for seeking
to reproduce a newspaper car
toon expressing the desire of Ne
gro citizens for equal treatment
under law.
Following the conviction, How
ard was assaulted by a mob of
more than 40 men in the City
Hall and received severe head in
juries. A group of 15 local po
licemen in the building did not
Intervene. Howard’s son, Asbury,
Jr., who came to his father’s aid,
was also injured. He was theti
arrested for disorderly conduct
and resisting arrest.
Informing the Attorney Gen
eral that the ACLU is supporting
the Howard case because of the
"serious invasion of civil liber
ties,” Malin wrote, “The beating
of an American citizen by a mob
in the presence of the local po
lice is not only of importance to
the citizen under attack, but to
all Americans who believe in tlu
sanctity of the law and fair Ire/t
ment by law-enforcement oHi-
cials. Whenever necessary, the
federal government should act to
safeguard these principles.”
In urging the federal probe,
Malin declared that at least a
de facto conspiracy had occurred
when, in violation of the federal
civil rights law, the police offi
cers stood by “as two citizens
(were) assaulted in the City Hall
while there under compulsory
process.
"Likewise it would seem there
may be a serious violation . . .
in that Mr. Howard was brought
to the City Hall for violation of
a local ordinance. This compul
sory appearance entitled him, at
a minimum, to police protection
while there; instead he was sub
jected to violent physical assault
in the acquiescent presence of
the police, which would seem to
place the assault under color of
law.”
lOZD, HCLP All AME6ICAM6
TO THAT MDU INTENDED
HUMAN BE1N66 EVERYWHERE
TO HAVE THE 5AME RI6HT5...
'/OU
Miimi
voo
you
f THE CAROLINA TIMES
^ SAT., PZCRUAtY it. 1909 "THE TBUTM UNBHIDtfD" -PA,Ct S
l^ourlh Strategy Conference Since
'55 Decbion ^ Lawyers
This is the cartoon which How-1 by Howard Smith in a scries re-ious Drawings, Inc. of Waco Tex-
ard had reproduced for u.e in anewspaper. ,s, an organiiation of southern
vott*resistration campaign in Bes-
temer. The cartoon was drawn I ♦h'">u9''out the country by Relig /hites.
Man Had Tried To Display Poster In Vote Drive
Now—call long distance
anywhere with a
Telephone Credit Card
You’re welcome tp use anyone’s phone—no
embarraasment with your host - no need
to reverse charges,* either-with a TBle-
phone Credit Card taking care of all
charges on your long distance calls.
It not only makes phoning faster-but the
charge, placed on your home or office
phone bill, is a record for accounting
, purposes.
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anywhere in the country. We’ll be glad to
issue one to you-without charge-if you’ll
phone our Business Office.
^
Amvrlco't Second largeit Telephone System
—The
that the Union’s interest in the
case was heightened by the “fla
grant violation of the First
Amendment” resulting from
Howard’s conviction for seeking
to reproduce the newspaper car
toon. The cartoon, which ap
peared in the December 26 edi
tion of the Kansas City Call,
shows a Negro in chains saying,
“Lord, Help all Americans to see
that you intended human beings
everywhere to have the same
rights.”
Howard, a resident of Bessem
er for 42 years, asked a local sign
painter to reproduce the cartoon
on a large canvass witli the added
words, “Vote Today for a Belter
Tomorrow.” The reproduction
was to be used by the I^eague in
a registraticn-vote campaign.
Since its organization in the mid
dle 40’s, the number ef Ne
groes registere.J io vote in Bes
semer has risen^ from 75 to 2,000
out of a total Negro population
of 17,000.
Just before the poster was fin
ished, Bessemer Police Chief
Oeorge Baron seized it and after
questioning Howard as to its use,
arrested him on January 21 with
out a warrant. Howard was not
informed of the charge against
him until the following day. He
was convicted under a local ordi
nance prohibiting the publication
of “intemperate matter tending
to provoke a breach of the peace,
or any matter prejudicial to good
morals.”
During the trial, the Bessemer
prsoecuting attorney stated, “It is
my opinion that showing a man
in chains is prejudicial to good
order.” Howard was fined $105
and sentenced to five months in
jail. An appeal, which under Ala
bama law amounts to a new trial,
is scheduled to be heard in the
County Circuit Court in Bessem
er yext Monday, February 23.
According to a ststemeat luade
by Howard, when he Ifft the
7{(ai-irobni ts- Iher
first floor of the City Hall, he
was attacked by “40 er more
white men lined up along the
walls of the lobby .... I was
rear which landed upon the right
side of my head. It landed with
great force and knocked me off
my feet. The crowd of men
around tho wall rushed towards
me. They closed in and pounced
oh me. They lashed out with their
feet in an effort to stomp and
mutilate my face, head and body.
I struggled the best I knew how
even though my back was on the
floor. I finally maifSigcd to reach
a corner.
“In the meantime my son . . .
was struggUitg.^ down the stair
way to my rescue. The mob
turned on him. My son put up a
furious battle .... After he re
fused to give up but kept on
fighting back, they gave ground
and began to scatter. There were
about 15“ or TirorT^prcniciemen
and about the courtroohi. The on
ly arrest they were able to make
was that of my son. My son was
charged with disorderly conduct
and resisting arrest. He was
placed under a $600 bond, llis
trial is scheduled for February
21 before Judge Hammonds.”
Howard operates a ga« station
in Bessemer and is aslo employed
by the International Union of
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers
of which he is Eastern vice-presi
dent. His son is a Korean War
veteran and graduated from
Morehouse College. Howard’s
daughter, Cleopatra, is a student:
at Howard University in Wash-1
ington, D. C. In addition to his
work with the Bessemer Voters
League, which he has headed fori
eight years, Howard serves on j
the Deacon Board of the Star
light Baptist Church. He has been j
jtruck a terrific blow from the'
years and was superintendent of
the Church School for 27 years.
NKV/ YORK ■ lawyer•> active,
I in sch«*i si^^esatioii coMS fnooi
; 83'ifhem Staten hobl am alMay!
s'rate"y confercnce h«»c Friday ^
lwlt!i civil rights .ittorrey Thur-j
£00.1 Marshall, DirfctorCoansel'
jEconomic Action I
I Opened Against I
Virginia Parents |
FRO.vJT ROYAL. Va.—Econom
ic reprisaU have been iiivo'.kcd
a"ainst NA.\CP members and
parents of children enrolled in
the reti'nlly rc-iipemjd Warren
County liigh school l^ere. Herbert
Hill, NAACP labor secretary, re-
venlcd after an on-tl'.e snot in
vestigation.
In December. Mr. Hill reports
six NAACP mennt)ers cmployetl
at the local plant of tlie Ameri
can Visco.so Corporation were dis
missed and Local 371 of tiic Tex-
tile Wrrkers of America, AKL-
CIO, of fwhicb they are also
m,''ml)crs, has rcfusod to take up
•heir nrtcvanccs.
Moreover, the NAACP labor
secretary discovered, the presi
dent of the Association's branch
in Warren County, Charles Deane,
has been threate.'ied with dismiss
al despite his 20 years of seniori
ty. Mr. Deane was a plaintiff in
the case and is the father of.
three of the 23 children enrolled
in the county’s public high school. |
Also threatened with dismissal |
is another plaintiff. James Wilson
Kilby, with. 14 years of seniority,'
and father of three of the school
children.
of Ike NAACP Lcial Drf- iis' an.t
EJucational Fu.id.
Th* con*ereii*e wsj iteltl •>-
hind cl«3«d door.i ia a
hotel. AUcndinf vere ta'«>eri
who are or will kc imrolverf in
casc.i deatiat vMh tkaagagatiow
of Khools sapportari kr pabiic
fanda.
It was diseleeerf that the major
item.i on the af'enda iiieiii0e«i;
A review of the statiM of pres
ent esses in v.hich the NAACP
Legal Defense and Eiiuestiofial
Fund has given legal suppert and
assistance.
Tlie evaluation of legal tactiM
preiently employed by I.egal I»e-
fense Fund a'.tomey.s and t h’>s*
uppo!te(l to inti-."ration of piiblic
schojl.r.
Nfw IcTal str3t4>i;y an«( tech
niques in the^ handlin" of future
cases involving the conjtUution-
al rights of .Ve"ro citizen.t.
A state by-state roporf on the
progrcs.s of court !>rdere:l and
voluntarj- dese;;rer;ation of public
schools.
Marshall revealed at the meet
ing that the NA.VCP I.e«al In
tense Fund had l)oen able to
"give legal support and assijt-
ance in every instance where re
quests had come from .Negroes
being denie.i their con.stitutionai
rights.”
He also diGclosed that cases
against segregated schools are
now pending in every sauthem
state except Mississippi.
It was disclosed that today's
meeting was the fourth such le
gal strategy conference held in
New York since the Supreme
Court entered its 1955 implemen
tation decree in the School Segre
gation Cases outlawing separation
of the races in public education.
Youth Petition On Schools
NEW YORK —A call for a
“massive petition campaign and
for integrated schools,” was is-
youth march on Washington, D.C.
sued today by 15 national Negro
and white leaders. Signers of tne
appeal includc Harry Belafonte,
fackic Robinson, the Rev. EJwin
T. Dahll^r.?, Itabbi Joachim
Prinz, prc!si(Jent cf the Amcrjtan
Jewisi}i (^grjpss, ,Ai ' Philip itan-
dolph. President of the Brother
hood of Sleeping C^r Porters,
Roy Wilkin." an:l the Rev. Marlin
Luther King, Jr.
The Petition Campaign and
March, scheduled for April 18(h,
I was also endorsed by AFL-CIO
i President George Meany.
j Thousiands of Petitions, catling
for speedy integration of the
! schools, are now being distribut
ed throughout the country, ac
cording to a committee spokes
man, and . will be presented to
President Eisenhower and Con
gress during the March.
Intfividualsand orgmizations
wishing to participate in the Pe
tition Campaign and March were
•tirged to contaet^Aheir local com
mittees or write to Youth March
for Intergrated Schools, 312 West
125th Street, New York 27, N. Y.
Seagram’;^
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