Greenberg Telegram to Keppel on Teacher Firing

Press Release
May 24, 1965

Greenberg Telegram to Keppel on Teacher Firing preview

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  • Press Releases, Volume 2. Greenberg Telegram to Keppel on Teacher Firing, 1965. fe7cd210-b692-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/7bde9d89-3122-4ee4-a98a-d084839fe31d/greenberg-telegram-to-keppel-on-teacher-firing. Accessed May 01, 2025.

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    DOMESTIC SERVICE. 
‘Check the class ofservice desired; 
‘otherwise chis message will be 

sent asa fast telegram ; WESTERN UNIO 
TELEGRAM 

/ 

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE \ 
‘Cheek the class of service dented; 
otherwise the message will be 

sent at the full rate 
FULL RATE 

DAY LETTER 
NIGHT LETTER 

E 
1211 (4-55) 

TELEGRAM 
W. P. MARSHALL, pnraicenr Ex: 

CHARGE TO THE ACEOUN TIME FILED. 
Lo 

NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE 
moe T 

& EDUCATIONAL 
NO, WOS-Cl. OF SVG] Fo.OR COLL. | CASH NO. | 

| | | FUND = 10 COUMBUS CIRCLE May 24 654 
Send the following message, subject 1 the terms on back hereof, which are hereby agreedo NEW YORK 19, N. Y. 

HON. FRANCIS KEPPEL 
U.S, COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE 
OFFICE OF EDUCATION 
WASHINGTON, D. C, 

Immiment prospect of wholesale dismissal of hundreds of Negro teachers “- 
in North Carolina requires immediate action under Title VI of the Civil 
Rights Act. Situation arises out of so called freedom of choice plans As 
whereby the only integration Negro students can obtain is by transfer from 

i.) 

Negro to white schools. In some communities Negro children have transferred 
iw 

out to white schools leaving oversupply of teachers in Negro schools. 
Elsewhere Negro schools have been closed. This creates cruel dilemma for 
Negro parents who to obtain integration for their children must create 
situation in which the Negro teacher who is a mainstay of the Negro community 
faces loss of employment. ‘ 

United States Constitution and Title VI require integration of teaching 
staff as well as of pupils. Staff integration means hiring as well as 
dismissal without regard to race. We request that Title VI approvals of 
school districts using freedom of choice be held up or withdrawn unless 
genuine teacher integration precedes transfers. Once jobs are lost they 
will not be regained. 
as they fire Negroes. 

The offending districts are hiring new white teachers 
The only way to achieve real integration is to assign 

pupils and teachers to schools without regard to race. 
communities where Negro teachers face dismissal include: 

North Carolina 
Asheboro, Randolph 

County, Albemarle, Gaston County, Morganton, Pitt County, Lenoir County, 
Hickory, Transylvania County, Ee City, Asheville, Polk County, Orange 
County, Person County, Buncombe County. Other Districts likely to be affected 
include Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, Pender County, Washington County, 
Carteret County, Yancey County, Pamlico County, Caswell County, Caldwell 
County, Jones County, Rockingham County, Robeson County, Whiteville, Columbus 
County, New Hanover County, Brunswick County. 

LF? 

JACK GREENBERG, D 
NAACP LEGAL DEF EN 

RECTOR-COUNS EL 
E & ED, FUND

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