Legal Defense Fund Moves to Consolidate Albany, GA. Cases
Press Release
August 6, 1962

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Press Releases, Loose Pages. Legal Defense Fund Moves to Consolidate Albany, GA. Cases, 1962. f4a20524-bd92-ee11-be37-6045bddb811f. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/a89b65ff-adb1-4004-a1ab-2e76eb7f5ec8/legal-defense-fund-moves-to-consolidate-albany-ga-cases. Accessed July 09, 2025.
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. PRESS RELEASE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND TO COLUMBUS CIRCLE »+ NEW YORKI19,N.Y. © JUdson 6-8397 DR. ALLAN KNIGHT CHALMERS JACK GREENBERG CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY President Director-Counsel Associate Counsel SB 25 LEGAL DEFENSE FUND MOVES TO CONSOLIDATE ALBANY, GA. CASES August 6, 1962 NEW YORK ~ An NAACP Legal Defense Fund motion to consolidate the three federal court actions growing out of the Albany, Ga. protest movement was filed today in Albany by attorney C. B. King before the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Mrs. Constance Baker Motley, chief counsel for the Negro defendants, said that today's consolidation motion was brought because the same issues were present in all the cases. District Judge J. Robert Elliot of Albany is now hearing a motion brought by city officials to enjoin the Negro citizens from demonstrating against segregation, No hearings have been held on two pending Legal Defense Fund suits to desegregate Albany public facili- ties and to stop Albany officials from interfering with peaceful picketing. Judge Elliot on July 20 enjoined Rev. Martin Luther King and other affiliated integration groups participating in the Albany Move- ment from demonstrating against city officials. His injunction was upset by Appeals Court Judge Elbert P, Tuttle on July 24 on the basis that Judge Elliot lacked jurisdiction, The pending omnibus public facility suit asks for desegregation of Albany libraries, auditoriums, parks, playgrounds and other recrea- tional facilities: and buses, bus terminals, taxicabs, theaters and other places of public amusement. Since the Albany arrests of more than 700 Negro citizens began last December, the Fund has spent approximately $10,000 in legal costs it was estimated by Director-Counsel Jack Greenberg this week. Mr. Greenberg said that the real legal work is just beginning, as most of the convictions and the desegregation suit will probably have to be appealed to higher courts. ao NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorneys im the Albany cases are C, B. King, of Albany, Ga.; Donald L. Hollowell of Atlanta, Ga.; and Jack Greenberg and Constance Baker Motley of New York City. seeonas FEDERAL COURT ORDERS DESEGREGATION OF NEW ORLEANS AIRPORT RESTAURANT August 6, 1962 NEW YORK - Federal District Judge Herbert W. Christenberry this week ordered the luxury restaurant and bar at the Moisant Airport in New Orleans, La. to desegregate its facilities. The decision was the result of a suit brought by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in May, 1960. The snack bar and coffee shop at the new municipal airport had been desegregated voluntarily. Judge Christenberry ruled that though the luxury restaurant and bar are leased to a private agency, Interstate Hosts, the lessee is subject to the “equal protection" clause of the Fourteenth Amend- ment. He based his decision on a 1961 Delaware ruling which invali- dated segregated restaurant facilities in a Wilmington parking lot which was leased to a similar private firm. Judge Christenberry added that even if only a few Negroes used the luxury facilities, all Negroes are entitled to its use for "the essence of the constitutional right is that it is a personal one." The case was argued April 11, 1962, by attorneys A. P. Tureaud of New Orleans and Michael Meltsner of New York, Other NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorneys for the Negro plaintiffs were Jack Greenberg and James M, Nabrit, III, of New York City. Cees rer