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U. S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Negroes Voting in PrimariesWashington, April 10—The Supreme court today cut the last ground from under Southern Democratic groups which had sought to bar Negroes from their primaries by operating as private clubs outside the legally established election machinery.This is the effect of a decision not even to hear an appeal from Democratic party officials of Richland County, S. C. The decision, from which no dissents were noted leaves in full force the following findings by the federal circuit court of appeals at Richmond, Va.“No election machinery can be upheld in its purpose or effect is to deny the Negro, on account of his race or color, an effective voice in the government of his country or of the state or community wherein he lives.” iIn 1944, after the Supreme Court ruled that Negroes could vote in Democratic primaries in Texas and ; Louisiana, South Carolina repealed all the laws which had tied the party operations to the state election machiner. The 1946 primary then was held under party rule alone.The theory, advanced in the appeal to the high court, was that as a purely voluntary association the party could pick its own members.1 George Elmore sued when he was 1 denied a vote. He won a judgment, in federal district court that he1 was entitled to cast a ballot. That finding has now been upheld all the way up.In South Carolina, state Demo-crattic leaders had no immediate comment; Negro leaders there greeted the Supreme Court decision as a victory. The court ruling came on the eve of a Columbia municipal primary. However, Jas. H. Hammond, a member of the state Democratic executice committee said that Negroes were not eligible to take part in it, because “they were not properly enrolled as required in the 30-day period oefore the primary.”James M. Hinton, president of the South Carolina conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said all Negroes hope that the Democratic party in the state will now welcome Negro voters. He said that Justice Department aid will be sought if “any determent” is placed in the way of a qualified voter.
Newspaper Details
Butler Herald
Butler, Georgia, US
Thu, Apr 22, 1948
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Emily F.
USA 11 Mar 2025
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