First Complaint Filed Under Title 6 of Civil Rights Act

    10 Columbus Circle 
New York, N.Y. 10019 
JUdson 6-8397 

NAACP 

Legal Defense and Educational Fund 
PRESS RELEASE 
President 

Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers 
Director-Counsel FOR RELEASE 

Jack Greenberg Monday 
Associate Countel February 15, 1965 

Constance Baker Motley 

FIRST COMPLAINT FILED UNDER 
TITLE 6 OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACT 

Twelve Southern Hospitals Challenged 

WASHINGTON=-Announcement of the first complaint under Title VI of 
the new Civil Rights Act, against 12 hospitals in seven southern 
states was made here today. 

In a joint action, the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund 
listed the racial discriminatory hospitals, six of which are in 
Arkansas, in a letter to Anthony J, Celebrezze, Secretary of Health, 
Education and Welfare, 

An immediate investigation has been requested. 
Jack Greenberg, director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense 

Fund and J, Francis Pohlhaus, counsel for the NAACP Washington 
Bureau, brought the complaint. 

The hospitals in question all receive federal funds for public 
assistance or hospital construction programs, all administered by 

HEW. 
"This discrimination," Messers Greenberg and Pohlhaus say 

"takes the form of segregation of Negro patients and staff members 
from white patients and staff members in rooms, wards, restrooms, 

waiting rooms, cafeterias and other facilities...." 
Some of the hospitals segregate new born babies. 
Negroes are often given inferior facilities and in some cases, 

there have been attempts by hospital personnel to dissuade Negroes 
from requesting or using desegregated facilities. 

"We are informed," Messers Greenberg and Pohlhaus add, “that 
in some cases these practices continue despite the assurance of 
non-discrimination given by the hospitals in question to agencies of 

the Department of HEW," 
Under Title VI, HEW is expected to take affirmative measures 

to end racial discrimination in southern hospitals. 
However, if the hospitals refuse to comply, Title VI authorizes 

“the termination of federal financial assistance". 
Michael Meltsner, Legal Defense Fund assistant counsel 

indicated that one of the hospitals, the King's Daughters Hospital 
in Canton, Mississippi, had refused to permit a Negro to visit a white 

patient. 
At the Huntsville Memorial Hospital in Huntsville, Texas, all 

Negro patients, male and female, must share a single washroom. When 
the Negro section of the hospital is full, additional Negro 
patients are placed in the halls, even if there are empty beds in the 
white section. 

(more) 

Jesse DeVore, Jr., Director of Public Information—Night Number 212 Riverside 9-8487 So 



The full«text of Messrs, Greenberg and Pohlhaus' letter: 

The Honorable Anthony J, Celebrezze 
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare 
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare 
Washington, D. C. 

Sir: 

We have received complaints from a number of persons who 
believe themselves, and Negroes as a class, subject to racial 
discrimination at hospitals receiving funds from the federal gov- 
ernment under public assistance or hospital construction programs 
administered by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. 

: 

This discrimination takes the form of segregation of Negro 
and staff members from white patients and staff members in 

tients 
"OOMmS, 

wards, restrooms, waiting rooms, cafeterias, 
provision of inferior facilities for Negroes 
vices, and attempts by hospital personnel to 
requesting or using desegregated facilities. 

and other facilities, 
using hospital Ser- 
dissuade Negroes from 
We are informed that 

in some cases these practices continue despite the assurance of 
nondiscrimination given by the hospitals in question to agencies 
of the Department. 

We request, therefore, that appropriate action be taken to 
‘ensure immediate compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions 
of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Departmental regu- 
lations on the part of the following hospitals: 

_» Columbus County Hospital--Whiteville, North Carolina 
_ Dixie Hospital~-Hampton, Virginia 

Huntsville Memorial Hospital--Huntsville, Texas 
Jefferson County Hospital--Pine Bluff, Arkansas 
Flagler Hospital--St. Augustine, Florida 
Hempstead Memorial Hospital--Hope, Arkansas 
City-County Hospital--Hope, Arkansas 
Crittenden Memorial Hospital--West Memphis, Arkansas 
Chickasawba Hospital--Blythville, Arkansas 
Mississippi County Hospital--Blythville, Arkansas 
King's Daughters Hospital--Canton, Mississippi 
Baton Rouge General Hospital--Baton Rouge, Louisiana 

As we represent individuals subject to discrimination, we 
desire to receive notice of such action as is taken pursuant to 
this request as well as the opportunity to participate in hearings 
and other proceedings held to effect full compliance. 

We hope that your Department will take speedy action to end 

misuse of federal funds by these medical facilities. 
* 

Sincerely yours, ' 

Jack Greenberg & 
Director-Counsel Ps 
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational 

Fund, Inc. cs 

w
o
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J. Francis Pohlhaus 
Counsel, Washington Bureau 
National Association for the Advancement 

of Colored People £ 

TE ahe.