DOWNTOWN SCRUGGS TARGET OF PICKETS

The downtown store of Scruggs Vandervoort and Barney was picketed yesterday by members of the youth council of the St. Louis chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in protest against the store's alleged practice of not hiring Negro clerical and sales workers.

Members of the council carried placards which read: "Negroes Need Better Jobs at Scruggs," "Swigging a Mop No Longer Appeals to Us. We Want Clerical Jobs," and "We Want Job Justice".

Leaflets passed out by youths at each of the store's enterances stated: "Unlike the other large department stores in downtown St. Louis, Scruggs Vandervoort Barney still does not hire Negroes for clerical and sales positions. Help us secure wider job opportunities by giving the attached slip to your sales person when you make your purchase."

The attached slip, on which a signature was requested, stated the signer had no objection to being served by any person, regardless of race.

Arthur Shaw, president of the youth council, said the protest demonstration would continue daily this week and then every Saturday.

Shaw, a senior at Vashon high School, said the demonstration was a protest and not a boycott. He said the council, consisting of high school and college youths, decided on the action after a conference Tuesday with Laurence E. Mallinckrodt, president of the department store.

Mallinckrodt said he had a friendly meeting with representatives of the council last week and the youths told him what they thought. He said later his office was notified the demonstration would be held. Mallinckrodt declined to make any other statement.

Source: St. Louis Globe Democrat, August 14, 1960