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Burlington Mayors Committee on Civic Unity clippings and correspondence, 1955

1955-10-28 Burlington Hawkeye Gazette Article: "Test Shows No Problems"

BJG 10-28-55

On Discrimination
Test Shows No Problems
The Mayor's Commission on Civic Unity Tuesday afternoon announced that no problems were reported as a result of a trial period here involving eating places and directed toward the problem of racial discrimination. 
The project, carried out in August, consisted of participating eating establishments voluntarily adhering to the practice of serving all alike regardless of race. The idea has worked successfully in other midwest cities, commission members said.
Burlington tavern owners and restauranteurs at a meeting with the commission in July voted unanimously to try the plan during august, commission officers explained. The eating establishment owners directed the commission to list all eating places participating in the plan and make the list known to colored people through St. John's AME and Union Baptist churches.

"We are gratified over the number of eating places that went along with us," said John Klein, chairman of the Mayor's commission.
"Forty-six establishments co-operated with us. This does not mean that their policy changed as of Aug. 1. On the contrary, most of these eating places had been carrying out a policy of no discrimination for years.
"But it did demonstrate to some skeptics that such democratic practices as serving all and all alike do not create the problems they fear. We mailed a request to all participants asking that they report any problems arising during this period. It seems there were none. Not one, at least, has been brought to us in spite of some expressed fears before the trial period started.
"Some thought they would lose white customers or that their business in general would suffer. Others expected a sudden, larger influx of new colored customers. Still others feared trouble between white and colored patrons. None of this transpired.

Another commission member said this is the usual pattern, using experience in Washington as an illustration.
"Anxiety over the abolishment of a traditional discriminatory practice always reaches its height just before the change becomes effective," she said. "Then nothing happens. The fears do not materialize.
"If this can be done without incident in Washington, with a Negro population of over 33 1-3 percent, it should be a simple thing for Burlington to accomplish with only one percent Negro population," she added. 
Commission members were unanimous in their opinion that results of the eating establishment project was encouraging. Members said they felt a gradual change has taken place in Burlington over the past 10 years with Burlington keeping in step with the rest of the country in correcting problems of minority groups.

The commission report stated: "Recent changes in our community which have entirely freed the field of recreation from discrimination, opened new employment opportunities, made available better housing and made Negro citizens welcome in our civic organizations are now reflected in changing, more democratic practices in Burlington's eating places.
"This summer's experiment," the report continued, "should be a convincing demonstration to those eating places which have hesitated to change that it can be done with no ill effects."

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BJG 10-28-55 On Discrimination Test Shows No Problems The Mayor's Commission on Civic Unity Tuesday afternoon announced that no problems were reported as a result of a trial period here involving eating places and directed toward the problem of racial discrimination. The project, carried out in August, consisted of participating eating establishments voluntarily adhering to the practice of serving all alike regardless of race. The idea has worked successfully in other midwest cities, commission members said. Burlington tavern owners and restauranteurs at a meeting with the commission in July voted unanimously to try the plan during august, commission officers explained. The eating establishment owners directed the commission to list all eating places participating in the plan and make the list known to colored people through St. John's AME and Union Baptist churches. "We are gratified over the number of eating places that went along with us," said John Klein, chairman of the Mayor's commission. "Forty-six establishments co-operated with us. This does not mean that their policy changed as of Aug. 1. On the contrary, most of these eating places had been carrying out a policy of no discrimination for years. "But it did demonstrate to some skeptics that such democratic practices as serving all and all alike do not create the problems they fear. We mailed a request to all participants asking that they report any problems arising during this period. It seems there were none. Not one, at least, has been brought to us in spite of some expressed fears before the trial period started. "Some thought they would lose white customers or that their business in general would suffer. Others expected a sudden, larger influx of new colored customers. Still others feared trouble between white and colored patrons. None of this transpired. Another commission member said this is the usual pattern, using experience in Washington as an illustration. "Anxiety over the abolishment of a traditional discriminatory practice always reaches its height just before the change becomes effective," she said. "Then nothing happens. The fears do not materialize. "If this can be done without incident in Washington, with a Negro population of over 33 1-3 percent, it should be a simple thing for Burlington to accomplish with only one percent Negro population," she added. Commission members were unanimous in their opinion that results of the eating establishment project was encouraging. Members said they felt a gradual change has taken place in Burlington over the past 10 years with Burlington keeping in step with the rest of the country in correcting problems of minority groups. The commission report stated: "Recent changes in our community which have entirely freed the field of recreation from discrimination, opened new employment opportunities, made available better housing and made Negro citizens welcome in our civic organizations are now reflected in changing, more democratic practices in Burlington's eating places. "This summer's experiment," the report continued, "should be a convincing demonstration to those eating places which have hesitated to change that it can be done with no ill effects."