Federal Court Asked to Rule on Georgia Golf Bias Case

    ‘PRESS RELEASE ® e 

NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND 
107 WEST 43 STREET * NEW YORK 36, N. Y. © JUdson 6-8397 

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN THURGOOD MARSHALL 
President Director and Counsel 

WALTER WHITE ROBERT L. CARTER 
Secretary Assistant Counsel 

ALLAN KNIGHT CHALMERS ARNOLD DE MILLE 
Treasurer Press Relations 

FEDERAL COURT ASKED TO RULE ON 
GEORGIA GOLF BIAS CASE December 3, 195). 

TIANTA, GA.--The Court of Appeals was urged last week to 

reverse an arbitrary lower court rvling which permits the mainten- 

ance ef racial segregation on golf courses owned and operated by 

the City of Atlante, Ga. The Court was asked to issue a clear-cut 

ruling barring all racial restrictions so that Negro players could 

enjoy the perk facilities on the same basis as other citizens, 

The request was made in an appeal filed with the U. S. Court 

ef Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on November 27 by NAACP Legal 

Defense end Educational Fund attorneys on behalf of 150 Nexo olf 

players in Atlanta, 

The appeal asked thet the Court set aside an esrlier court 

ruling which, wnile admitting that Negro golfers are denied taeir 

constitutional right in being barred from the city's seven golf 

courses and issuing an order restreining the city from refusing to 

let the players use the park facilities, postponed the injunction 

in erder that the city might have time to establish a Jim Crow 

regulation for use of the municipal golf courses by Negroes. 

In the appeal, Legal Defense lawyers argue thet while the 

state of Georgia is under no obligetion to provide golf facilities 

for public use “once it does so, St must provide such fecilities 

without discrimination based upon race and color," 

"We take the position that the state has no pewer under the 

Fourteenth Amendment to regulate or condition the use of public golf 

facilities on the basis of race and color," the lawyers argue, 

It is their view thet the 159 Negro players who have or *snized 

into a group are entitled te use the golf courses now and without 

being subjected to any kind of recial segregation, 



This case first came before the U. S. 

when Lilly wilson sought permission to use the 

course and wes refused because of declaratory judzmen 

the commissioners from barri and an injunction ining 

other Negro ayers 

The court issued its finding that adr 

were being discriminated against but :r 

b. @ indefinite postponement, 

NAACP Legel Defense attorneys for the golf 

~irector-Counsel, Legel Defense, Robert Marshall, 

tant, and Jack Greenberg, Associate Counsel, 

E. E, Moore, Jr., S. S. Robinson and R. E. ? 

-3e.