Supreme Court Destroys Jim Crow Ballot in LA.
Press Release
January 16, 1964

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Press Releases, Loose Pages. Supreme Court Destroys Jim Crow Ballot in LA., 1964. 471c26b4-bd92-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/cecdd076-a726-4133-864f-60716cbf3ef4/supreme-court-destroys-jim-crow-ballot-in-la. Accessed July 30, 2025.
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‘ PRESS RELEASE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND TOCOLUMBUS CIRCLE + NEWYORK19,N.Y. © JUdson 6-8397 DR. ALLAN KNIGHT CHALMERS JACK GREENBERG CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY President Director-Counsel Associate Counsel SUPREME COURT DESTROYS JIM CROW BALLOT IN LA. January 16, 1964 WASHINGTCN---The Supreme Court unanimously struck down a Louisiana law requiring publication of the race of candidates for public office on nomination papers and ballots this week, NAACP Legal Defense Fund atterneys, who won the decision, had pointed out that "designation as a Negro (in Louisiana) identifies the candidate with a group that is...by state policy, unfit for office," Justice Tom Clark, whe wrote the unanimous ruling, concluded that "race is a factor upon which the statute Operates, and its involvement promotes the ultimate discrimination, which is sufficient to make it invalid," Jack Greenberg, director-counsel ef the Fund said the ruling "makes it clear once more that ours is a nation in which Government cannot classify citizens according to race, "This decision also makes it clear that our constitution is colorblind, This Louisiana law is the closest thing we have had to the Nazi edict that Jews be required to wear yellow armbands," Legal Defense Fund attorneys argued the case in behalf of Dupuy H. Anderson and Acie J. Belton, Negro citizens of East Baton Rouge parish, Both were candidates for nomination to the school board in their home parish during the June 8, 1962 Democratic party primary election. NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorneys participating in the case included Mr, Greenberg, who argued before the Supreme Court, James M. Nabrit, III and Johnnie A. Jones who were of counsel, =c0me SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ATLANTA SCHOOL CASES WASHINGTON---The U.S, Supreme Court this week advised the NAACP Legal Defense Fund that it will hear arguments on the Atlanta school inte- gration cases March 30th, Jack Greenberg, the Fund's director-counsel, said the caurt's announcement "demonstrates its concern with the pace of school de- segregation," "The cases involve validity of a twelve year plan and a pupil assignment plan. Desegregation of teachers is also a major issue, "We are grateful for the opportunity to present our arguments before the next sehool term," he said. Atlanta Negra} parents began petitioning their local school authorities for desegregation of that city’s public schools in 1955, one year after the Supreme Court's Brown decision, ( ) more Ss Supreme Court To Hear Atlanta School Cases -2- Yet today, “Atlanta's segregated school system is still essentially intact," Legal Defense attorneys pointed out in their petition to the Supreme Court, They added that "Atlanta now has a total public school popu- lation of approximately 106,000---about 57,500 whites and 48,000 Negroes. "Although Negroes constitute 45 per cent of the total, they have been alloted only 33 per cent of the school buildings and 40 per cent of the teachers and principals. "They also suffer serious overcrowding in certain schools and higher pupil-teacher ratios," Legal Defense attorneys stated, The lawyers appealed the judgment of the Court of Appeals, entered in June of 1963. 2302