Lehman Family Aids Integration Via NAACP Legal Defense Fund

    By Her job is one of community organization. She informs Negro 

10 Columbus Circle 
- New York, N.Y. 10019 

JUdson 6-8397 

NAACP 

Legal Defense and Educational Fund 
PRESS RELEASE 
President 

Dr. Allan Knight Chaimers June 5, 1964 
’ 

Director-Counsel 

Jack Greenberg 
Associate Counsel 

Constance Baker Motley 

LEHMAN FAMILY AIDS INTEGRATION 
VIA NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND 

NEW YORK, N.Y.--The family of the late Senator Herbert H. Lehman has 

started a drive to gain integrated educations for more Negro youth, 

it was announced here last week by Jack Greenberg of the NAACP Legal 

Defense Fund. 

Director-Counsel Greenberg said that the initial grant of $60,000 

will be administered by the Fund under the direction of Dr. John W, 

Davis, former president of West Virginia State College and Director 

of the Department of Teacher Information and Security of the Fund. 

The Lehman Education Fund seeks to promote good-will and under- 

standing through education by providing scholarships and financial 

assistance to students to enter desegregated schools, colleges and 

universities. 

It seeks also to inform Negro parents of opportunities for their 

children to attend newly desegregated elementary and high schools. 

The program, after a brief experimental phase, has just commenced 

functioning on the elementary and secondary levels. The Legal Defense 

Fund is about to launch the higher education phase for the forth- 

coming school year, Mr. Greenberg pointed out. 

Miss Betty Stevens, southern school coordinator, joined the Fund 

staff in February of this year. 

She visits southern Negro communities which request her services 

through local civil rights organizations or through the 120 cooperat- 

ing attorneys of the Legal Defense Fund. 

ee
. 

>. 
/ families of their right to attend schools desegregated by court 

“actions won by the Fund, 
3 : F 
"». She publicizes enrollment dates, assists in filling out application 

‘ "forms, helps allay fears that parents may have that their child will 

be the only Negro child in a newly desegregated ‘school. 

(more) 
Jesse DeVore, Jr., Director of Public Information—Night Number 212 Rlverside 9-8487 Boe 



(GY 
© Aehman Family Aids Integration -2- June 5, 1964 

Via NAACP Legal Defense Fund 

Miss Stevens' task is made difficult by the fact that the usual 

means of communication--radio, TV and press--are invariably denied. - 

Miss Stevens works through church and community groups..,organizes 

door-to-door teams.,,makes mailings...and arranges for sessions to ex- 

plain the mechanics of school application and transfer. “~z 

These procedures stress to Negro parents of elementary and second- 

ary school youngsters the value of nonsegregated education, She 

~ attempts to show 

*Negro parents how their children are being shortchanged as 

matriculants in inferior and segregated schools, 

*how segregation curtails the Negro child's motivation to study ~ 

and learn, 

*how Negro parents can enroll or transfer their children to 

previously all-white ORcois. $ 

In short, this program seeks to fill the gap between court edhet & 

and the reality of follow-through in the daily lives of citizens. é 

To date, Miss Stevens has conducted campaigns in the states of 

Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia and Alabama. > 

The dramatic results of Miss Stevens' work document, Mr. Greenberg 

said, the willingness of Negro citizens to take advantage of deseg- 

regation decisions if they are properly informed how to do so and know 

their children will not be isolated as lone Negro students in for- © 

merly all-white schools. 

She signed up 80 youngsters in Albany, Ga. in a single week; 50 in 

Jackson, Tenn. in two weeks; and 100 in Richmond, Va. in two weekam 

She has also launched campaigns in Tampa, Fla., Lynchburg, Va. and 

Huntsville, Ala. z 

All these children will enter their new schools this September.) 

The Lehman Fund will also allow the Defense Fund to work on a cé1= 

lege level, by providing scholarships and financial assistance to 

make possible a flow of Negro and white students into desegregatedh 

colleges and universities. 

chieAphase of the program is still in formation. 

The Fund will shortly have er ada ientiecit hash school boordina- - 

tors, Mr. Greenberg added. Judging by the response received thus fore 

there is a vast need for this service, which will be expanded as 

rapidly as funds allow. 

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