Greenberg Telegram to Keppel on Teacher Firing
Press Release
May 24, 1965

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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 We request that Title VI approvals of school districts using freedom of choice be held up or withdrawn unless genuine teacher integration precedes transfers.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