Memorandum, A Minimum Civil Rights Program for the Eightieth Congress

January 8, 1948. MEMORANDUM A MINIMUM CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM FOR THE EIGHTIETH CONGRESS The leadership of the Democratic Party has only one task on civil rights in the second session of the 80th Congress: to prove to the country that in all fields it stands for aggressive action to safeguard and extend the civil rights of everyone regardless of race, creed or color. Two things make this task difficult. First the traditional split in the Democratic Party Congressional representation on all matters affecting Negroes; and second, the skillful way in which the Republican Party has covered its own bloody tracks in the murder of civil rights bills by getting Southern Democrats to front for them. For a host of reasons, which I am sure I do not have in detail here, it is more important than ever Бе- fore that these obstacles be overcome within the next six months. I be- lieve that they can be. Responsible Party leadership must make every effort to persuade Southern Representatives and Senators that it is essential that they ac- dept (or at least do not kill by filibuster) a minimal program which I will outline below. The appeal to them should be put on three grounds: (1) political necessity; (2) "if you don't accept this willingly, some- thing you like even less will be forced on you;" (3) unless the South makes progress in this area, it can not make the kind of advances in regional economic development for which every Southerner fights. Should this appeal to reason fail, only one recourse will be left to progressive Democratic leadership. The responsible Party heads will then have to announce in public their advocacy of this legislation and their willingness and ability to deliver an adequate number of Democratic votes THEASE in the Senate to break any filibuster. If necessary, they should get behind the proposal to change the rules in the Senate.