National Reports
QUINN, RALPH LEE SMITH, T. K.
NATIONAL REPORTS Jim Crow in Levittown, New Jersey By Ralph Lee Smith WILLIAM LEVITT, who built two all-white cities in New York and Pennsylvania, is encountering stiff resistance in his attempt...
...On July 1, more than 300 persons, representing some 35 civic and religious organizations, held a protest meeting in Trenton...
...At this meeting, a permanent New Jersey Committee Against Discrimination in Housing was organized...
...Thus far, no Negro has ever made an original purchase of a Levittown home in any of his three gigantic city-building projects...
...Senator Clifford Case denounced the statement and urged strong action to prevent Levitt from carrying out his intentions...
...Many courses of action are open to him...
...This June, under the protection of the court order, a second Negro family moved in without the slightest difficulty or disturbance...
...He can hold emergency meetings with Levitt and with the FHA, and if Levitt refuses to state his willingness to obey the law, the Governor can ask FHA to withhold mortgage insurance on Levittown homes...
...The New Jersey Committee Against Discrimination in Housing is urging rapid handling of the complaint, and, if a finding of discrimination is made, the Committee urges that FHA be requested by the state agency to withhold mortgage commitments until the requirement of the New Jersey laws are met...
...The state has a Division Against Discrimination, an administrative body charged with receiving and investigating complaints arising under the law...
...The new Committee sent a delegation to confer with Governor Meyner, who subsequently issued a statement that he will act to prevent the establishment of a segregated Levittown...
...Meanwhile, Levitt is selling his homes to white persons only, with FHA-guaranteed mortgages...
...Protests against Levitt's policy mounted within hours after his statement had been made...
...The sale of homes in the new Levittown began early in June, with the Federal Housing Administration insuring the mortgages...
...His public announcement that he intends to ignore New Jersey laws in refusing to sell Levittown homes to Negroes has crystallized civic opposition and made a showdown with state and Federal authorities inevitable...
...One of the Negroes who was refused an application form at the Levittown sales office filed a complaint with the State Division Against Discrimination, and this complaint is now being processed and investigated...
...All three have received FHA mortgage guarantees...
...Governor Meyner is now being urged to take a strong stand, and to initiate action that will have the practical effect of preventing Levitt from making good on his intention of building another white Levittown...
...For nine days William Myers, a Negro engineer, and his family were threatened by a mob that surrounded the house...
...The case now rests with Governor Meyner...
...The New Jersey Legislature unanimously adopted a resolution rebuking Levitt, and stating that "discrimination will not be tolerated within the borders of the state...
...Substantial peace did not return to the community until the issuance of a firm court injunction against the rioters several months later...
...But, when it became clear that the state intended to enforce law and order, the disturbances did cease...
...Governor Robert Meyner is the man-of-the-hour as Negroes are being turned away at the Levittown sales office...
...It is expected that he will be building 100 homes a week by September...
...NATIONAL REPORTS Jim Crow in Levittown, New Jersey By Ralph Lee Smith WILLIAM LEVITT, who built two all-white cities in New York and Pennsylvania, is encountering stiff resistance in his attempt to build a third Levittown on a similar basis in New Jersey...
...If Levitt remains intransigent, Governor Meyner can also instruct the State Attorney General to explore the revocation of Levitt's corporate charter...
...When discrimination is found, voluntary cooperation on the part of the builder or realtor is sought...
...Last year, civic violence broke out in Levittown, Pennsylvania, when home in that development was resold by a private owner to a Negro family...
...if this fails, the violator may be prosecuted...
...New Jersey is one of five states that have passed laws prohibiting discrimination in housing that is assisted by the FHA or the Veterans Administration...
...At that time Levitt stated publicly that these homes were available to white persons only, despite New Jersey law banning discrimination in Federally-assisted housing...
...Levitt can also be enjoined from continuing to build until he states his willingness to observe the laws of the state...
...Local police, unable to cope with the rioters, called for state aid, and it was necessary to dispatch a large contingent of state police to the scene...
...Levitt said: "It is neither applicable nor enforceable as far as we are concerned, and we are standing pat...
Vol. 41 • October 1958 • No. 32
