DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Dorothy Schramm newspaper clippings, 1949-1955 (folder 1 of 2) | 1951-11-01 The Catholic Messenger Article: ""Citizen 2nd Class"" Page 4

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Dorothy Schramm newspaper clippings, 1949-1955 (folder 1 of 2)

1951-11-01 The Catholic Messenger Article: ""Citizen 2nd Class"" Page 4

The League for Social Justice, after reporting the findings of its survey of Negro life in Davenport, addresses a note to "Mr. and Mrs. Davenport." The pattern of race discrimination and segregation, says the League, is maintained for two reasons: "ignorance and fear."
Many people are actually ignorant, and believe the myth that the Negro is a basically different (and inferior) sort of man, simply because his skin is not white but black. The League tells these people they can find out the truth that the Negro and the white race are both human beings if they will talk to their "minister, parish priest or rabbi."
A great many other people are afraid to treat the Negroes decently bcause they believe such decency will cause them to lose the business of their white customers, clients, patients and patrons. Advises the League for Social Justice: "Summon up a little courage and make the break from an out-dated practice (of discrimination). Others have done it and to their surprise they've found they're still in business..."
[[bold]]And all the white customers of stores, patrons of hotels, bars and restaurants, patients of doctors and dentists, bowlers and roller-skaters -- all who wish to change this pattern of inhuman discrimination against God's colored children in Davenport, all can do so by assuring their store managers, hotel-keepers, bar-tenders, restaurant owners, physicians and dentists that they will continue to patronize them if they will accept Negro customers and patients on the same basis as white customers and patients. [[end bold]]
The people of Davenport owe the League for Social Justice a vote of thanks for the League's survey of racial injustice in our community--a survey conducted and reported politely but firmly. It is up to the white people of Davenport whether they will give the city's 2,500 Negroes the opportunity to live and laugh and love as first-class citizens.
--D.M.

[[Header in bold]]How the Survey Came to Be[[End header in bold.]]
An idea, four months of interviewing people and collecting data, the mechanics of assembling that information into a readable format--that's the story of [[italics]]Citizen 2nd Class,[[end italics]] the League for Social Justice's booklet on Negro discrimination and segregation in Davenport.
The idea came from Michael Lawrence, founder and president of the league. He wanted, first of all, to throw the spotlight onto the Negro situation in Davenport--to find out in what areas Negroes are getting a fair deal, and in what areas they're not. And he wanted to let the people of Davenport themselves know how and why racial prejudice exists here.
Members of the League took care of the remaining items. Volunteering their time, they visited or called employers, doctors, dentists, restaurant owners, hotels, teachers. They "spot-checked" Negro housing for first-hand information of housing for Negroes. In interracial groups, they visited restaurants to see what sort of service is extended to Negroes.
What they found is in the booklet. Copies today have been circulated throughout the city -- to city government officials, employers and civic leaders. If the demand warrants it, League members have indicated they will issue another printing of the booklet, so that all may receive a copy. The league's mailing address is 1506 West Ninth st., Davenport.

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The League for Social Justice, after reporting the findings of its survey of Negro life in Davenport, addresses a note to "Mr. and Mrs. Davenport." The pattern of race discrimination and segregation, says the League, is maintained for two reasons: "ignorance and fear." Many people are actually ignorant, and believe the myth that the Negro is a basically different (and inferior) sort of man, simply because his skin is not white but black. The League tells these people they can find out the truth that the Negro and the white race are both human beings if they will talk to their "minister, parish priest or rabbi." A great many other people are afraid to treat the Negroes decently bcause they believe such decency will cause them to lose the business of their white customers, clients, patients and patrons. Advises the League for Social Justice: "Summon up a little courage and make the break from an out-dated practice (of discrimination). Others have done it and to their surprise they've found they're still in business..." [[bold]]And all the white customers of stores, patrons of hotels, bars and restaurants, patients of doctors and dentists, bowlers and roller-skaters -- all who wish to change this pattern of inhuman discrimination against God's colored children in Davenport, all can do so by assuring their store managers, hotel-keepers, bar-tenders, restaurant owners, physicians and dentists that they will continue to patronize them if they will accept Negro customers and patients on the same basis as white customers and patients. [[end bold]] The people of Davenport owe the League for Social Justice a vote of thanks for the League's survey of racial injustice in our community--a survey conducted and reported politely but firmly. It is up to the white people of Davenport whether they will give the city's 2,500 Negroes the opportunity to live and laugh and love as first-class citizens. --D.M. [[Header in bold]]How the Survey Came to Be[[End header in bold.]] An idea, four months of interviewing people and collecting data, the mechanics of assembling that information into a readable format--that's the story of [[italics]]Citizen 2nd Class,[[end italics]] the League for Social Justice's booklet on Negro discrimination and segregation in Davenport. The idea came from Michael Lawrence, founder and president of the league. He wanted, first of all, to throw the spotlight onto the Negro situation in Davenport--to find out in what areas Negroes are getting a fair deal, and in what areas they're not. And he wanted to let the people of Davenport themselves know how and why racial prejudice exists here. Members of the League took care of the remaining items. Volunteering their time, they visited or called employers, doctors, dentists, restaurant owners, hotels, teachers. They "spot-checked" Negro housing for first-hand information of housing for Negroes. In interracial groups, they visited restaurants to see what sort of service is extended to Negroes. What they found is in the booklet. Copies today have been circulated throughout the city -- to city government officials, employers and civic leaders. If the demand warrants it, League members have indicated they will issue another printing of the booklet, so that all may receive a copy. The league's mailing address is 1506 West Ninth st., Davenport.