Two North Carolina Trucking Firms Charged with Bias in LDF Law Suits
Press Release
September 3, 1966
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Press Releases, Volume 4. Two North Carolina Trucking Firms Charged with Bias in LDF Law Suits, 1966. 15391421-b792-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/5dcf14b5-2609-41be-9ca9-52fb8b8838b7/two-north-carolina-trucking-firms-charged-with-bias-in-ldf-law-suits. Accessed December 04, 2025.
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Legal Defense and Educational Fund
PRESS RELEASE
President
Hon. Francis E. Rivers
Director-Counsel
Jack Greenberg FOR RELEASE
SATURDAY
September 3, 1966
TWO NORTH CAROLINA TRUCKING FIRMS. CHARGED
WITH BIAS IN LDF LAW SUITS
CHARLOTTE-----The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
this week filed suits charging employment discrimination against
two North Carolina trucking firms.
The suits were filed against the Pilot Freight Carriers,
Inc. and the Central Motor Lines, Inc. Both the defendant com-
panies are trucking firms operating from Charlotte, N. C. and
are engaged in inter-state commerce.
The Legal Defense Fund attorneys, in their U.S. District
Court complaints, allege that the defendant companies in both
the cases refused to consider the plaintiff's application for
employment. The Negro plaintiffs in the two separate cases are
Charles W. Walker, and Marcus Black, respectively.
Mr. Walker, in his complaint, stated that the Pilot
Freight Carriers Inc. refused to accept his application for employ-
ment as a long-haul truck driver, because of "equipment shortage".
However, subsequent to Mr. Walker's application, according to the
complaint, the company hired five white workers for the same posi-
tion.
In the case of Mr. Black, the Fund attorneys charge the
Central Motor Lines with discriminatory practices against the
plaintiff and other members of his race. Segregated toilet facil
ities, dressing room facilities, and general refusal to consider
advancements for Negroes in job positions, were some of the main
charges listed in the complaint.
A similar complaint was filed earlier with the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission, which found reasonable cause
to believe the alleged violations had eccurred. The Commission
tried to seek a conciliation between the principal parties, but
was unsuccessful. The Legal Defense Fund attorneys then filed
the two civil actions for relief.
Legal Defense Fund attorneys involved in the case are
Director-Counsel Jack Greenberg, Leroy Clark, and Robert Belton
of New York, Conrad Pearson of Durham, N. C., and Julius Chambers
of Charlotte, N. C.
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Jesse DeVore, Jr., Director of Public Information—Night Number 212 RIverside 9-8487 te)