p. 5

The Board of Education of the
District of Columbia

-2- March 9, 1939

group which is denied cultural and artistic advantages in the District of
Columbia by virtue of discriminatory policies. Further, the Board of
Education is inconsistent in singling out such a community project as is
the presentation of Miss Marion Anderson and requesting its sponsors to
agree never to ask a similar use of public buildings, when it has repeated-
ly allowed athletic, and other unquestionable financial or profit-making
ventures to use these same public buildings, without exacting any such
promises or agreements.

(2). Howard University requested the use of the Central High School in an
emergency. The word, "emergency," implies unexpectedness and the hope that
a condition may not recur. Howard University cannot, however, by acceptance
of the use of the public school, become surety to the Board of Education
that another emergency may never occur. Howard University cannot be expected
to agree that it will never again ask public officials of the District of
Columbia for the use of a public building for an educational and cultural
community effort. The right of petition for redress of grievances is the
basis of American democracy, and no institution should be compelled to re-
linquish that right in order merely to use a public building for one occasion.

(3). Howard University gratefully accepts the use of the Central High School
Auditorium for its presentation of Miss Anderson on April 9, but wishes it
plainly understood that it in no wise by acceptance of the use of the building
agrees to the conditions or implications contained in the statement of the
Board of Education on March 3.

Having stated the position of Howard University in reference to this entire
matter, which has become a public question, the Howard University Concert Series
Committee, in keeping with this statement, is completing the formal application
blank submitted to the Committee by Mrs. Peoples, of the Community Center, and
returning it to her today.

Because of the wide, public interest in this question outside of the City
of Washington, as well as in the city, copies of this letter setting out the
position of Howard University with reference to the conditions prescribed by
the Board of Education, are given to each member of the Board of Education, to
the public press, and to the members of the Marion Anderson Citizens Committe
who appeared before the Board of Education at the hearings.

Respectfully,
The Howard University Concert Series Committee

(Signed) Lulu Vore Childers, Director

(Signed) Madeline V. Coleman

(Signed) Charles Cecil Cohen, Chairman

(See reverse side.)