Subject: PROSPECTUS INVITING MISS JOSEPHINE BAKER TO PERFORM AT A BENEFIT ENTERTAINMENT IN ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO FORCE LEGAL RELIEF FORM INTOLERABLE CONDITIONS EXISTING IN THE SCHOOLS FOR COLORED CHILDEREN THERE AND ELSEWHERE.
From: CITIZENS PROTEST COMMITTEE ON OVERCROWDING IN NEGRO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Date: DECEMBER 15, 1951


THE CAUSE

  1. The St. Louis public school system is
    1. Rigidly separate, racially but
    2. Grossly unequal in
      1. Facilities, viz: classrooms, building, labs, etc.
      2. Pupils per room and teacher (overcrowding is notorious)
      3. Supervision - one principal administers 3 schools
  2. During past 31 years school enrollments have
    1. Increased for colored by 220% (up from 9000 to 29,500)
    2. Decreased for whites by 30% (down from 83,000 to 59,000)
    3. Proportional school facilities have remained constant
      1. South St. Louis children including kindergarden must travel as much as 10 miles roundtrip to school
      2. Sumner High School capacity, 1200, enrollment, 2100
        Vashon High School capacity, 1700, enrollment, 2400
  3. Gradually worsening conditions, now CRITICAL, well known to officials with
    1. General lack of discipline highlighted by frequent eruptions
      1. Gun play 4 weeks ago growing out of In-school Dice game at Sumner High, no casualities
      2. In-school murder, Nov. 26 of one 15-year-old by another at Wheatly Grade School
  4. Repeated appeals and petitions for relief have been fruitless
    1. Mass student demonstration before Board bldg., Sept. 27
    2. Mock funeral demonstration, Nov. 28
    3. Public Mass Meetings, St. Paul AME Church, Dec. 4
    4. Appearance at regular Board Meetings, Dec. 11
  5. Only recourse now is law suit to test and force
    1. Federal Constitutionality of Jim Crow schools as practiced
    2. 'Equalization' of systems if found constitutional
  6. Local and National organizations and persons including NAACP, have threatened court action for three years past but no suit filed because
    1. Primary, fundamental fund shortage is chief handicap because
      1. Extensive compilation of data including possible comparative photographs in 116 schools, is essential preliminary
      2. Comprehensive suit very costly requiring presence of national and international educational authorities
      3. Preliminary costs have been estimated as high as $5,000


THE PROPOSAL

  1. Benefit Performance at Kiel Auditoriums, capacity 10, 539
    1. Feature to be Miss Josephine Baker with total Net earned to Protest Committee in trust for All-out effort against Jim Crow schools in Missouri and immediate relief in St. Louis, whether,
      1. Miss Baker donates her services or not, and,
      2. Overage if any, after suit concluded, to some selected charity or public organization, to be selected by Miss Baker or sit her direction
  2. Date of performance to suit convience of Miss Baker and availability of Auditorium - suggest at least 3 weeks for preparation.
  3. Local gratuitous cooperation already provided by
    1. Musicians Local
    2. Promoters and theatrical entrepreneurs


THE PLAN

  1. A $25,490.00 gross after taxes, is obtainable as follows:
    3633 seats @1.25 (net) $4,541
    1254 seats @1.50 (net) $1,881
    2896 seats @2.50 (net) $7,240
    1866 seats @3.00 (net) $5,598
    890 seats @1.25 (net) $4,541
    Totals
    10,539 seats $25,590
    1. The $7.00 net seats will retail at $10.00 and will carry sponsorship publicity.
    2. Expenses will be minimal because of local talent and other gratuities
  2. Miss Baker is only personage able to suport an entertainment project this ambitious, and
    1. International attention already attracted to Miss Baker's uncompromising domestic stands, would focus and further intensify because of appearance under unique circumstances outlined.
    2. Being native St. Louisan, but never having appeared here since world-wide acclaim, force and meaning would be added.
    3. The mere lending of her tallents to such a cause would be a fitting ADIEU by Miss Baker, and,
    4. If the law suit destroyed American Jim Crow at elementary school level, an everlasting moment and tribute to her memory would inevitable erect.
The Protest Committee implores deep and full consideration to the matters here set forth and hopes that Miss Baker can find a way to lend the aid we seek. We thank her even for the consideration of an audience.

Respectfully Submitted,
Citizens Protest Committee On Overcrowding In Negro Schools
______________________, Chairman
______________________, Attorney




Source: Western Historical Manuscripts Collection