Letter from Helen Gahagan Douglas to David Niles

CRC HELEN GAHAGAN DOUGLAS COMMITTEE 14TH DISTRICT CALIFORNIA FOREIGN AFFAIRS TRUMAN Congress of the United States the of Representatibes and Washington, D. c. NILES Mr. David Niles The White House May 14, 1947 Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Niles: I am writing you a bout the Civil Rights Commission. As you are well aware, my district is the third largest Negro district in the country, follow- ing closely on the heels of Chicago and New York. Despite this fact, there have been no appointments to the Civil Rights Commission from the West Coast. I am well aware that this Commission will shortly wind up its work, but I call this to your attention because the situation with regard to the Commission represents a pattern which is highly disheartening to the third largest Negro district in the country. Moreover, the President has made no outstanding Negro appointments that I know of from the West Coast. Believe me, the Negroes on the West Coast are well aware of this. They feel very resentful over the fact that they are continuously passed over in the matter of appointments. They feel that the problems of the West Coast are seldon thoroughly considered. I have mad communications and letters and phone calls on the matter. I think this is a valid and complaint. It is bad enough when the Wept Coast is treated as a colony in the matters of steel, transportatio and reclamation; but when we are treated as a colony in matters of basic human relations, the results can be politically disastrous. C We should remember byat ...P.C. was passed in New York State and is operating there, also that Governor Dewey has made many major Negro appointments. Just to cite a few, may I mention the following three: lir. C. B. Powell, the publisher of the Amsterdam News, a Negro publication which has the largest concentrated circulation, to the Boxing Commission; Judge Francis E. Rivers, Justice of the City Court; and Mr. Grant Reynolds appointed to the Commission of Corrections. You might say that Negroes overstress this matter of appointments, but for people who have long suffered in their relations with the community and who are still denied the basic rights of citizenship in many states-wnot to speak of discrinination in job opportunity in all states--Negro appointments are to them proof of the sincerity on the part of the party or individual making the appointment of their desire to play fair with the Negro people. I must say I sympathize with this point of view. Sincerely yours, Helen Gahagan Douglas CO: Mr. Phileo Nash