Seek Investigation of Charleston, S.C. Telephone Service

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- Press Releases
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- LDF
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- d789f3e3-b792-ee11-be37-00224827e97b

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Press Releases, Volume 4. Seek Investigation of Charleston, S.C. Telephone Service, 1967. d789f3e3-b792-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/a8761299-a3d2-4e29-85e0-55ce3c9fde38/seek-investigation-of-charleston-sc-telephone-service. Accessed November 23, 2025.

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    to: Associated Press, United Press International, N.Y.; N.Y. TIMES 

May 26, 1967 

11 a SEEK INVESTIGATION 
Nv Zs OF CHARLESTON,S.C. 

TELEPHONE SERVICE 

Negro Candidates Report Delays 

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) today 

ed the Federal Communications Commission and the American Telephone 

Telegraph Company to investigate circumstances around the reported 

delay of telephone service for Negro Political candidates in Charleston, 

South Carolina. 

Jack Greenberg, LDF director-counsel, said, "It is incredible 

Bell System cannot promptly fill reasonable order placed by Negro 

candidates for election. 

"I request immediate investigation to see whether this order 

can be filled and whether refusal is racially motivated." 

Complete text of Mr. Greenberg*s wire to Nicholas Johnson, 

chairman, Federal Communications Commission, Washington, and Benjamin 

S. Gilmer, president, AT&T, NYC, follows: 

Benjamin C. Cook, Jr., chairman, Legal Redress Committee, 

NAACP, Charleston, South Carolina, informs me southern Bell 

Telephone Company recalcitrant rendering service to committee 

supporting Negro candidates for election to be held June 13. 

He states telephone company first requested $100 deposit 

each line, After several weeks negotiations district manager 

J. K, Livingston accepted $100 deposit for all phones and 

stated phones would be installed May 20. On 20th or 21st 

a phone company representative left message saying company 

had no facilities to fill order. Mr. Cook made further 

inquiry. Thursday this week one phone was installed. 

Mr. Cook inquired of Mr. Stroman, general manager, about 

balance of order. Mr. Stroman said company would make com- 

plete installation immediately. Later Mr. Stroman called 

denying commitment stating order could not be filled. It 

is incredible Bell System cannot promptly fill reasonable 

order placed by Negro candidates for election. I request 

immediate invéstigation to see whether this order can be 

filled and whether refusal is racially motivated.

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Seek Investigation of Charleston, S.C. Telephone Service

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