# Amicus Curiae Brief — Brown v. Board of Education

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URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/brief%3Amicro_IA40386408_0043%3A48

## Record

- **Collection:** Supreme Court brief
- **Document type:** Amicus Curiae Brief
- **Published:** January 1, 1954
- **Citation:** 347 U.S. 483

## Text

IN

THE

Supreme Court of the Anited States

Octoser Term, 1952
No.413-—-8

Spotrswoop Tuomas Bo.iine, et av., Petitioners

Vv.

C. Metvin SHARPE, ET AL.

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO 4 HE UNITED STATES COURT OF
APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT

AMERICAN COUNCIL ON HUMAN
RIGHTS

AMERICANS FOR DEMOCRATIC ACTION
WASHINGTON CHAPTER

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE
WASHINGTON CHAPTER

AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS COM-
MISSION ON LAW & SOCIAL ACTION
WASHINGTON CHAPTER

CATHOLIC INTERRACIAL COUNCIL
OF WASHINGTON

OMMISSION ON COMMUNITY LIFE OF
THE WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF
CHURCHES

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA INDUSTRIAL
UNION COUNCIL, C.LO.

D. C. FEDERATION OF CIVIC
ASSOCIATIONS, ING.

FRIENDS COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL
LEGISLATION .

JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS
LEAGUE
WasHINGTON CHAPTER

JEWISH ‘COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF
GREATER WASHINGTON

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
D. C. Brancn

UNITARIAN FELLOWSHIP FOR
SOCIAL JUSTICE
WASHINGTON CHAPTER

WASHINGTON BAR ASSOCIATION
WASHINGTON ETHICAL SOCIETY
WASHINGTON FELLOWSHIP

WASHINGTON INTERRACIAL
WORKSHOP

WASHINGTON URBAN LEAGUE

Y §. Water Sxrveg,

«° TxEopore C. Sorensen,

_¥ Sanrorp H. Bouz,

\ Samvet B. Groner,
Counsel.

INDEX.

i a rr Ce ve ceendeeeneoseneaes
i ee. i. oe cewndeeeee sash wees

The Questions to Which This Brief Is Addressed ....

Summary of Argument ...........-..2sseccececcecs

RIE oo ac ce ncenvscscevesveovesveseveveverses

I. Separation of School Children by Skin Color or
Ancestry Has No Warrant in Twentieth Century
Community Experience, Proper Legislative Pur-
pose, or Scientific Understanding and Is Therefore
a Meaningless Classification Violative of the Fifth
BS oii bc Seed deniind ered ced¥ setkes ee des

A. Community experience demonstrates the in-

C.

validity of racial segregation in the District of
Columbia or anywhere in the United States ...

1. Deterioration of patterns of segregation ....

2. The prophesied community resistance to
BE ah csvenccewabessirbdaevrsns coves

. Declared legislative prohibitions against segre-

gation in other areas of activity in the District
of Columbia demonstrate the further irration-
ality of school segregation ...................

Present scientific understanding discredits tra-
ditional concepts of ‘‘race”’ ..................

II. The Fact That Congress Made Provision for the
Establishment of Schools for Negro Children in the
District of Columbia Before the Adoption of the
Fourteenth Amendment Does Not Justify the
Conclusion That the Fourteenth Amendment Was
Intended to Permit Racial Segregation .........

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17

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ERS is hee a ae a

ii Index Continued.

Table I

List of Cities in Southern and Border States in
Which Some Schools, Colleges and Universities
Have Been Recently Integrated ................

Table II

Schools, Colleges and Universities in the District
of Columbia and Environs Which Will Accept
Both White and Negro Students ...............

A. Nursery, Elementary and High Schools ......

B. Colleges and Universities ...................
Table III ‘‘The School Doors Open Wide”’

Examples of Recent Admission of Negroes to Edu-
| cational Institutions in the South and Border
| RO 6 iss -Siracss toed cro lc ae eR aee eee tans

fe SE, onde a nese eka eke hoeeens
B. In Southwestern, Border and Other Areas ...

Sources for information in Table III ............

Table IV ‘‘The Old Order Changeth’’

(Representative Departures From Segregation
PUOUS TO THUD ho. ki chases edecececascs

A. In Public Accommodations .................
. In the Field of Edueation ..................
In Voluntary Associations ..................

IN a cos dea ys waned be ce

on...

ee SE 655 o nti a. kkk ewes Rab awes wes een

|

. In Entertainment and Athletics .............
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APPENDIX Page

97

«l

28
28

28

Index Continued. iii

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES.

CasES: Page
Adams v. Terry, 193 F. (2d) G00 .........---- sees 14
Baskin v. Brown, 174 F. (2d) 391 ...........--+0-- 14
Buchanan v. Warley, 245 U.S. 60, 81 (1917) ...... ve;
Butts v. Merchants and Miners Trans. Co., 230 U. s.

Se Ca so aece rec lanielaenecussergunrssess 16
Carr v. Corning, 182 F. (2d) 14, 33 ...... 4, 15, 19, 20, 2:
Chance v. Lambeth, 186 F. (2d) 879, 881, 882-883 .... 13
Chapman v. King, 154 F. (2d) 460, cert. denied, 327

Se Oc ska deed dw ndekkacatss cuvdawerés 14
Civil Rights Cases, 109 U. S. 3 (1883) ............. 16
Davis v. Schnell, 81 F. Supp. 872, affirmed, 336 U. S.

Fa Rs gc Re Msg A = Boa ore oes eee 14
Dean v. Thomas, 93 F. Supp. 129 ..........es.000- 14
District of Columbia v. John R. Thompson Co., 81

i Cs et eG ek on ey ies aa eesies Westminster.

“6 Time, 2-18-52; Nation,
W.Y.T., 9-7-52, 14:1.

57 N.Y.T., 12-22-49, 1-30-50.

oS W.A.A., 9-31-52.

59 W.A.A., 9-30-52.

60 W.A.A., 9-30-52,

61 N.Y.T., 6-7-47, 9-13-47.

62 The Reporter, 12-6-49.

63 N.Y.T., 6-5-48; J.N.E., Summer,
1952.

64 J.N.E., Summer 1952.

65 J.N.E.. Summer 1952.

66 The Voiee (A.N.P.), 9-4-52.

67 Nation, 9-22-51.

68 W.A.A., 10-21-52.

69 1950 B.S., p. 49.

70 1948 B.S., p. 24.

2-9-52;

a,

TABLE IV

“The Old Order Changeth”

(Representative Departures From Segregation Throughout
the Nation)

A. In Public Accommodations

38

Alabama
1. United Nations Week observed by inter-racial, inter-faith

celebration in Birmingham (1951).

Arkansas
2. Little Rock Publie Library ends entry ban against Ne-
groes (1951).

3. McRae Memorial Sanatorium opens near Little Rock with

inter-racial surgical staff (1951).

Delaware
4. Six movie houses in Wilmington admit Negroes for the

first time (1952).

District of Columbia
5. Refusal to earry Negroes on Potomac River’s Wilson Line

excursion boat is ended by Interstate Commerce Commis-

sion order (1951).

6. Eating places in District of Columbia serving without dis-
crimination following efforts of ** Coordinating Commit-
tee for the Enforcement of D. C. Anti-Discrimination
Laws of 1872-1873" are listed as follows:

1950
April—Greyhound Post House.
July—Kann’'s Department Store.
July—Trailways Depot.
Sept—G. C. Murphy & Co. (Park Road),
Woolworth & Co. (all stores),
F & W Grand (all stores),
MeCrory (all stores),
toldenberg Department Store.
1951
Jan.—S. S. Kresge Co. (all stores).
April—McBride’s.
July—Neisner’s.
1952
Jan.—Heeht Co.
Mareh—Lansburgh & Bro. Dept. Store.
Sept.—G. C. Murphy & Co. (F St. store).
Also listed by the Committee are 27 other eating places
as well as many hotel dining rooms (1952).

Tye s
a ls ing cee sicians to attend scientific sessions (1950).

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Virginia : ’
135. Thirty young white persons holding N.C.C.J. seminar in

Norfolk decide to invite colored representatives to meet-
ing next year (1952).

New York

136. International Geneva Association, a society of chefs, head- ;

waiters, and hotel and restaurant managers, revokes 75-
year-old ban on Negro membership (1952).

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49

D. In Religious Bodies

South
137. Southern branch of Presbyterian Church in the United
States after 91 years votes to dissolve its one Negro synod
and to absorb it into the general organization (1951).

General
138. National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S. A. re-
nounces all patterns of segregation based on color (1952).

California
139. Methodists at quadrennial general conference vote to per-
mit changes in segregation practices by member churches
(1952).
140. Two San Francisco Presbyterian congregations, one en-
tirely Negro, the other entirely white, merge as a single
ehurch under a Negro pastor (1951).

: District of Columbia
141. Secretary for Social Action of Board of Social Missions
of United Lutheran Church urges end of color bar to mem-
bership.
142. First Washington Negro pastor appointed to head mixed
parish in Northwest section.

Louisiana

‘ 143. Archbishop Rummel issues pastoral letter in New Orleans
calling on all Catholics to break down segregation in
‘‘education, industry, and opportunity’’ as well as in
‘*social and civie relationships’’ and ‘‘in the seating ac-
commodations, at the confessional, at the communion rail,
and in the general reception of sacraments and sacra-
mentals of the Church’’ (1951).

’ Missourt
’ 144. Lutheran Church, Western District of Missouri Synod, to
admit Negro congregations for first time (1949).
145. Report discloses 30 Catholic parishes in St. Louis have
integrated congregations (1951).

New York
146. St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brooklyn be-
comes first integrated Lutheran church in America
(1951).
147. First Negro is elected chairman of Executive Committee
of Congregational Christian Churches (1950).

North Carolina
148. Presbyterians end segregation at church resort at Mon-
, treat, North Carolina (1951).

a

POOR NAS LIE pea ROP ER RE OE ARON. segs cna

50

Ohio
149. World Baptist Congress in resolution adopted at conven-
tion calls on all associated organizations to abandon seg-
regation and discrimination (1950).

South Carolina

150. Negro Baptist churches in Columbia agree te drop color
bar and admit whites (1951).

Virginia

151. Norfolk Ministers’ Association abolishes segregation at
United Preaching Mission.

152. White Norfolk pastor challenges his congregation to
admit Negroes to membership.

153. Augusta County Ministerial Associatien in Staunton, Va.,
and Ministerial Association of Clifton Forge, Va., both
inter-racial, are now headed by Negro presidents. The
pattern had long ago been developed by the Ministers’
Inter-racial Group of Lynchburg, Va. (1952).

E. In Employment

South

154. Southern Regional Council reports 16 major Southern
cities employ about 6,500 Negro municipal workers in
more than 110 different kinds of jobs, including profes-
sional and managerial. Report asserts Negro city work-
ers accepted by the entire community ‘‘as a matter-of-
course,’’ and that only reason hiring of Negroes is not
stepped up seems to be ‘‘fear of criticism for going too
fast.’’ Sixteen cities surveyed were: Atlanta, Birming-
ham, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Jacksonville, Knox-
ville, Little Rock, Louisville, Miami, Nashville, New Or-
leans, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Richmond, and San An-
tonio (1951).

District of Columbia
155. Peoples Drug Stores, largest chain pharmacy in District,
hires three Negro pharmacists.

Florida

156. H. H. Arrington is first Negro member of the Florida
bar.

Illinois

157. Chicago Association of Commerce reports development of
wide utilization of Negroes among its members, some of
whom had formerly resisted even legal action to compel
employment (1952).

FE RIAN ETI ag oe ih | ase ee eR He ee

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,

Maryland
158. Baltimore taxi company hires 14 Negro drivers as experi-
ment at beginning of 1951; ends up year with 161 drivers,
and no ‘‘incidents.”’
159. Baltimore Transit Company employs 5 Negro bus drivers,
first in company’s history.

Missourt
160. St. Louis Post-Dispatch announces hiring of Negro re-
porter, first in 40 years (1949).

New York

161. National Urban League reports 550 ‘‘first’’ jobs were
found for colored workers in 1951 and that significant
improvements in racial situations were found in eleven
cities, including Memphis, Tennessee, Phoenix, Arizona,
and Baltimore, Maryland.

North Carolina

162. The Rocky Mount Sanitarium admits two Negro doctors
to its staff with full privileges. They are the first to be
thus accepted in a Southern hospital (1949).

Pennsylvania
163. Negroes promoted for first time to skilled jobs at Philco
Philadelphia plant, thus ending a long-established depart-
mental segregation (1951).

Tennessee

164. Gov. Browning breaks precedent and appoints two Negro
women to work in state employment service office (1952).

Virginia

165. First Negro fireman in history is employed by city of
Richmond.

s F. In Entertainment and Athletics

Arizona
166. Long Island University assured by University of Arizona
of non-discrimination against Negro basketball players

(1951).
> 167. University of Arizona will no longer play with teams
. which bar Negroes on opponents’ teams. Its teams are

open to all, along with the following Border Conference
teams: Texas Western (El Paso), West Texas (Canyon,
Texas), Hardin-Simmons (Abilene), Arizona State (Tem-
ple), Arizona State (Flagstaff), New Mexico A. & M. (Las
Cruces) (1951).

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California
168. Preeedent set when Professional Golfers’ Association
changes rules and permits Negroes to compete in tourna-
ment at San Diego (1952).

District of Columbia

169. Washington Caps introduce mixed team in National Bas-
ketball Association without incident.

Washington Lions purchase first Negro hockey player
from Canadian team.

D. C. Golden Gloves tournament drops bar to Negro en-
trants.

170. Negro teams participate for first time in softball league
sponsored by District Recreation Board (1952).

171. Dorothy Maynor is first Negro to perform commercially
in D. A. R.’s Constitution Hall (1952).

172. Hamilton Bank sponsors high school musical talent con-
test open to all Washington pupils. Finals held at Con-
stitution Hall (1951).

173. Colored students accepted as matter of course on Ameri-
can and Catholic University teams (1951).

Florida

174. Miami holds mized boxing matches with no difficulties,
though the sports editor of Miami Daily News had warned
‘It’s a backward step, loaded with dynamite’’ (1952).

175. Tampa Smokers baseball team breaks precedent in Florida
league with first Negro player (1952).

176. (1951 colored jockey in Florida rides at Hialeah Park

1952).

177. University of Miami breaks tradition; plays football
against University of Pittsburgh and University of Iowa,
both having Negroes on team (1952).

178. Marian Anderson sings before unsegregated audience in
Miami (1952).

Georgia

179. Despite warning by Pr. Green, K. K. K. head, that 10,000
will boycott Atlanta baseball games if Negroes play, ex-
hibition game is held between Brooklyn Dodgers and At-
lanta baseball club (1949).

180. Southern Association Baseball League officials state their
view that colored players are acceptable to them and to
the public; only remaining obstacle is Birmingham, Ala-
bama, ordinance barring mixed play (1952).

Louisiana

181. State Legislature defeats bill designed to prevent white
and Negro athletes from playing opposite each other
(1952).

Cpa —

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53

New Jersey

182. Precedent set when swank Maplewood Country Club ac-
cepts two colored entrants to play in Eastern Veterans
Championship tennis matches (1952).

New York

183. First Negro woman is accepted as entrant in National
Amateur Tennis Championship (1950).

184. Negro team breaks precedent when allowed to compete in
American Bridge Association national tournament (1951).

185. Amateur Fencers League of America votes to accept all
members, regardless of color (1949).

186. Metropolitan Opera breaks precedent by having Negro
ballet — Janet Collins and Negro singers in chorus
(1951).

North Carolina
187. First Negro plays football in North Carolina against a
Southern Conference team (1950).

Oklahoma
188. Negroes play for first time on Oklahoma College foot-
ball field in game against University of Tulsa (1948).

Tennessee
189. Negro singer Mary Robbs is first Negro ever to appear as
soloist with Chattanooga Orchestra; mixed audience
mingles freely (1951).

Texas

190. Dallas baseball team to use Negro players, first in Texas
League. Ty Cobb, native Georgian, voices strong ap-
proval (1952).

Virginia
191. Ralph Thomas, Negro baritone, sings with all-white group
in play at Salem, Va. (1952).

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Sources for Table IV

» P-

1950),

1950),

1. W.A.A., arty 56. 1949 B.S., p. 34.
2. N.Y.T., 1-14-51, 73:4. 57. 1949 B.S., p. 34
3. W.A.A., 11 27 1, 58. 1950 B.S., p. 51
4. N.Y.T., 3-10-52. 59. W.A.A., 8-12-52.
5. W.E.S., 11-13-51. 60, W.E.S., 10-10-52.
6. Report of Committee Secretary, 61, W.A.A., 8-12-52.
11-52. 62. 1949 B.S., a 34.
7. W.A.A., 9-22-51; W.A.A., 63. N.Y.T., 9-6 , 19:8.
7-3-51, 64. W.P., 11-2 26-53.
8. W.ES., 9-6-51 65. 1951 BS, p- 67
9. N.Y.T., 6-18-49, II, 1:4; 66, N.Y.T., 9-13-51
N.Y.T., 9-11-49, II, 3:8 67. N.Y.T., 4-1-51, 34:1
10. W.A.A., 12-1-51. 68. W.E.S., 1-5-52.
11. W.A.A., 7-1-52. 69. 1950 B.S., p. 51.
12. W.A.A., 7-5-51 70. 1951 B.S., p. 68.
13. W.P., 11-52. 71. 1951 BS., p. 68.
14. 1951 B.S., p. 96. 72. N.Y.T., 2-7-49, 17:1
15. N.Y.T., 5-25-52, VII, 9, 30. 73. 1949 B.S., p. 34
16. N.Y.T., 3-30-52, 60: * 74. W.A.A., 2-19-52.
3. Bees 1-19-52, 19:1 75. Colored Harvest. 52
18. 1948 B.S., p. 17. 76. 1951 B.S., p. 21.
19. W.A.A., 2-26-52. 77. W.A.A., 3-4-52.
20. W.A.A., 10-30-51. 78. 1949 BS., p. 36.
21. 1951 BS., p. 91. 79. 1950 B.S., p. 51.
22. 1951 BS., p. 85. 80. 1949 B.S., p. 31.
23. 1951 B.S., p. 89. 81. N.Y.T., 8-25-50.
24. W.A.A., 7-5-52. 82. N.Y.T., 4-23-49, 9:8
25. W.A.A., 4-5-52. 83. 1950 B.S., p. 51.
26. W.ES., 1-4-52. 84. 1951 B.S., p. 68.
27. N.Y.T., 2-5-52, 23:8. 85. 1951 BS., p. 21.
28, W.P., 5-11-52 86. 1948 B.S., p. 23.
29. 1951 B.S., p. 90. 87. 1951 B.S., p. 68.
30. 1951 B.S., p. 88. 88. W.E.S., 11-6-52.
31. 1951 B.S., p. 89. 89. N.Y.T., 6-18-52, 31:4
32. W.A.A., 6- a4. 52. 90. W.A.A., 9-52.
33. N.Y.T., 7-18-51. 91. N.Y.T., 6-7-52, 15:3
34. N.Y.T., 5-25-50. 92, 1950 B.S., p. 51.
35. W.A.A,, 2-26-52. 93. W.P., 3-2- ‘51.
36. Crisis. 94. 1951 B.S., p. 108.
37. N.Y.T., 4-24-48, 7:3. 95. W.P., 10-16-52.
38. 1951 B.S., p. 89. 96. W.P., 9-24-52.
39. 1951 B.S., p. 89. 97. 5 New South (July, 1950)
40. 1951 B.S., p. 92. p. 2.
41. W.A.A., 4-10-51. 98. N.Y.T., 5-15-52, 31:1.
42. N.Y.T., 10-20-49, 31:5. 99. W.A.A., 8-12-52.
43. W.A.A., 1-52. 100. W.A.A., 11-20-51
44. 1951 B.S., p. 96. 101. N.Y.T., 3-29-49, 17:2
45. W.A.A., 10-30-51. 102. 1951 B.S., p. 108.
46. Colored Harvest, 9-52, p. 15. 103. 5 New South (July
47. N.Y.T., 5-49, 56:5. p. §
48. N.Y.T., 5-15-49, 56:5. 104,
49. Crisis, 8-9-51, p. 473. 105. = E.S., 12-26-51.
59. 1948 B.S., p. 17. 196. N.Y.T., 1-27-51.
51. W.A.A., 12-8-51. 107. N.Y.T., 5-9-50.
52. W.A.A., 9-52. 108 5 New South (July,
53. 1951 B.S., p. 92 4.
54. Life, 10-16-50. 109 NY. T., 12-6-49, 33:7.
55. 1950 B.S., p. 51. 110. 1951 BS. +» p. 105.

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m 1951 BS., p- 110.
. Official Statement and Resolu-

General
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tion adopted by
Board of N. C.

1950),

1950),

1950),

U. 8. A. a 11, 1952.

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150. W.P., 11-27-51

151. W.A.A., 2-19-52.

153. W.A.A., 6-10-52.

154. 1951 BS., p. 52.

155. W.A.A., §-30-51.

156. N.Y.T., 4-29-49, 14:6.

157. W.A.A., 2-19-52.

158. N.Y.T., 5-25-52, VI, 9, 26.

159. W.A.A., 5-24-52.

160, 1949 BS., p. 27.

161.

162. 1949 B.S., p. 27.

163. W.A.A., 6-3-51.

164. W.A.A., 7-29-52.

165. 1950 B.S., p. 39.

166. N.Y.T., 1-20-5%:, 11:2

167. W.A.A.

168. W.A.A., 1-19-52.

169.

170. W.A.A., 8-9-52.

171. N.Y.T., 2-18-52, 15:4

172. W.P., 5-18-51.

173. W.A.A., 11-10-51.

174. People Today, 2-4-52; E.v..
2-§-52, 32:1.

175. W.A.A., 4-8-52.

176. N.Y.T., 11-28-51; W.A.A.,
2-26-52.

177. N.Y.T., 5-25-52, VII, 9, 30.

178. WES. 1-25-52.

179. N.Y.T., 4-9-49, 13:5

180, W.ALA., 2-12-52

181. W.A.A., 6-25-52

182, W.A.A., 8-9-52.

183. N.Y.T., 8-16-50.

184. W.A.A., 3-1-51.

185. N.Y.T., 12-9-49, 40:3; 12-1-49,
47:4.

186. 1951 B.S., p. 54; Pittsburgh
Courier, 12-1-51.

187. N.¥.T., 10-1-50.

188. N.Y.T., 10-24-48, V, 6:7.

189, N.Y.T., 3-29-51, 23:7.

. W.ES., 1-29-52.
. W.A.A., 8-5-52.

+ OR

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