Hulan Jack – Manhattan Borough President

Hulan Jack – Manhattan Borough President

The following are excerpts from the remarks made at the Local 6 Better Race Relations award meeting by Hulan Jack, president of the Borough of Manhattan.

I wish to thank the Civil Rights Committee of the Hotel & Club Employees Union, AFL-CIO, for the invitation to participate in this memorable program of paying tribute to these nine students who exhibited great heroism, courage and determination to get an education under the Supreme Court decision of 1954.

What happened in Little Rock reverberated over the entire world. We can never compromise where justice is concerned, nor can we condone any attempt to deny our children an equal opportunity to an education. Any violation, therefore, of their rights must be met firmly and resolutely. This recognition of the valor of these students by your Union, so richly involved in the awards made to them, is worthy of high praise and commendation.

Let us resolve tonight that in the tradition of our democratic ideals, we will never relax our vigorous efforts in the continuing fight for full and equal rights under the law for all of our citizens, wherever they may be, regardless of race, color, creed or national origin.

May the hearts and minds of all of our citizens here in New York be permeated with the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship to the end that following the pattern of our open city policy, we will always lead the way in ending discrimination and segregation and that we will ever be in the forefront of carving out a better life for all.

And to these nine children, our adorable children, we hail them, we adore the nine of you representing the spirit and the conscience of the new America.