Defense Fund Wins Desegregation of Florida Detention Facilities

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Legal Defense and Educational Fund 
PRESS RELEASE 

President 
Hon, Francis E. Rivers FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Director-Counsel Saturday Jack Greenberg February 19, 1966 

DEFENSE» FUND WINS DESEGREGATION 
OF FLORIDA DETENTION FACILITIES 

State Reform Schools, Jacksonville Jails Affected 

NEW YORK--Two major breakthroughs in the fight against Florida's 

segregated penal institutions were announced here today by Jack 

Greenberg, director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and 

Educational Fund. 

A decision by the Fifth U.S, Circuit Court of Appeals paved 

the way for desegregation of Florida's juvenile reform schools, 

and a Federal District Court judge in Jacksonville ordered 

desegregation of Jacksonville detention facilities. 

"If we are to have equal justice under law," Mr. Greenberg 

said, "equal treatment must Pe given to the guilty as well as the 

innocent, We will continue to attack racial segregation of 

prisoners, particularly where it involves juveniles who should 

have equal access to rehabilitation facilities." 

Both desegregation suits were brought by Negroes arrested 

during sit-in demonstrations in segregated restaurants in 

Jacksonville and St. Augustine. 

The appellate court ruling reversed a Federal District 

Court dismissal of a suit to desegregate Florida's reform schools. 

The Federal District Court in Tallahassee had dismissed the 

suit, brought in behalf of four juveniles, now 16 to 18 years old, 

on grounds that they are no longer inmates of the reform schools, 

and hence had no right to sue. 

The four juveniles, two boys and two girls, were arrested and 

charged with trespass during July, 1963, demonstrations in St. 

Augustine. They were adjudged delinquents and committed to reform 

school after they refused the juvenile court judge's offer of 

probation if they agreed to stop participating in demonstrations, 

(more) 

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



Defense Fund Wins Desegregation -2- February 19, 1966 
Of Florida Detention Facilities 

They spent nearly seven months in reform schools before beinan 

released in January, 1964, by the Board of Commissioners of 

Florida State Institutions, defendant in the desegregation suit. 

The Board authorized the release after the juveniles agreed 

to accept the probationary terms originally set by the juvenile 

court judge. 

The three-judge appellate panel, sitting in New Orleans, Ua. 

said the juveniles could sue since they are subject to re- 

confinement in reform school because they are still on probation” = 

and, under Florida law, remain under the jurisdiction of the ce 

juvenile court until their 2lst birthday. 

The case was returned to the district court. 

Legal Defense Fund Lawyer Leroy D. Clark said he will ask 

the Board, which supervises the reform schools, to sign a consent 

decree desegregating the facilities. 

Mr. Clark said he will also seek a court order to inspect the 

reform schools to determine what action should be taken to bring 

about desegregation, 

Federal District Judge William A, McRae, Jr. ordered 

desegregation of Jacksonville's jails and prisons. 

Negroes, arrested during demonstrations in March, 1964, 

complained that they were detained in racially segregated jail 

cells while awaiting trial, and after being convicted of trespass 

charges, were transported in a racially segregated police wagon 

to the City Prison Farm, which is also racially segregated. 

City officials defended segregation of prisoners as "in 

keeping with good prison practice...," but Judge-McRae gave them 

six months in which to accomplish desegregation of prisons. 

Legal Defense Fund attorneys participating in dhe case were 

Earl M. Johnson of Jacksonville, and Jack Greenberamead Leroy D, 

“Clark of New York, 

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