North Carolina School Integration is Pressed by Legal Defense Fund

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

NAACP 

Legal Defense and Educational F und 
PRESS RELEASE 

resident 

’"Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers FOR RELEASE 

Ce eth 8 January 19, 1965 
Associate Counsel 

Constance Baker Motley 

NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL INTEGRATION 
IS PRESSED BY LEGAL DEFENSE FUND 

CHARLOTTE, N.C,--- The NAACP Legal Defense Fund moved today to end 
segregation in North Carolina's largest school district. 

A complaint has been filed for 25 Negro children asking the 
United State District Court to enjoin the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 
Board of Education from continuing its policy of discriminating 
against Negroes, 

An estimated 73,123 pupils are enrolled in this district, 
20,035 of which are Negroes. 

Legal Defense Fund Attorney J. LeVonne Chambers of Charlotte, 
pointed out that a desegregation plan presently followed by the Board 
has resulted in over 800 Negroes being assigned to white schools. 
However, the plan permits white children in such desegregated schools 

toobtain transfers. 
Naming the Board of Education as defendant, the NAACP Legal 

Defense Fund complaint contends that: 

* That the "defendant maintain school zone lines...which have 
been drawn on a racial basis...limiting racial mixing of 

students." 

* That the defendant permits "those students who reside in an 
integrated school district to transfer...where only students 

of their color reside... in clear violation of the 
Constitution." 

* That the Board of Education "makes assignment of principals, 
teachers and other professional personnel on the basis of race 
and color." Negroes "are assigned to schools reserved for 
Negro students" and whites "to schools reserved for white 
students." 

The plaintiffs are represented by NAACP Legal Defense Fund 
Attorneys Conrad 0, Pearson and J. LeVonne Chambers, both of North 
Carolina, and Derrick A, Bell, Jr. and Director-Counsel Jack 
Greenberg, New York City. = 

The Fund Attorneys state in the complaint that the "Plaintiffs 
are Negroes and bring this action on their own behalf of all other 
Negro children and their parents in the City of Charlotte... affected 
by the policy" of discrimination. 

Parents of several of the 25 Negro children petition the Board 
to take steps to eliminate the conditions of racial discrimination in 
the school system. According to their attorneys, they (the parents) 
did not receive a reply from the Superintendent or the Board of 
Education. 

"Rather", the parents state, "the Board has taken steps to ex- 
tend and to perpetuate its racially discriminatory policies and 
practices with respect to the assignment of students and teachers." 

For this reason, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund is asking the 
United States District Court for the Western District of North 
Carolina to hear arguments to enjoin the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board 

of Education: 

* From maintaining and operating racially drawn school zone 
lines and attendance districts; 

(more) 
Jesse DeVore, Jr., Director of Public ion—Night Number 212 Riverside 9-8487 -— 



North Carolina School Integration <-2- January 19, 1965 
Is Pressed By Legal Defense Fund 

From sanctioning policies and practices permitting students ee 
on the basis of race to transfer from racially mixed Schoen 
and school districts to racially segregated schools; 

And from assigning: teachers, principals and other professi 
school personnel to thespublic schools under the jurisdic 26 
on the basis of race or color. 

The. attorneys further requestedthat the Court require the Boa i 
of Education to submit a plan for integration to be implemented © 
during the 1965-66 school year, under the supervision of the Court. © i : ei Lee 

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