(CIVIL RIGHTS) Roy Wilkins Telegram to a senator urging agai

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(CIVIL RIGHTS.) Roy Wilkins. Telegram to a senator, urging against last-minute amendments to the Civil Rights Act. Telegram from Roy Wilkins to United States Senator Jennings Randolph of West Virginia. 2 pages, 5½ x 8½ inches, on Western Union telegram blanks; folds, inked date stamps, ink and pencil notations. New York, 8 June 1964

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The executive director of the N.A.A.C.P. urges a key Democratic senator to vote down proposed amendments which would have watered down the Civil Rights Act of 1964: "One would deny encouragement to desegregating school districts. The second would provide jury trials . . . and thus practically guarantee freedom to discriminate in some areas without deterrent of possible conviction in court. The third would give no relief to great numbers of victims of employment discrimination by exempting all employers of fewer than 100 persons. Approval of these amendments will so restrict effectiveness of the bill as to leave it open to charge of being minimal only. Please vote them down and then vote for cloture on bill."

The Senate's supporters of the Civil Rights Bill could not get enough support to bring it to a vote without the amendments. The next day, Randolph's fellow West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd concluded the weeks-long filibuster, and the amended bill was passed into law soon after.