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President Roosevelt Calls for a United States Free of Prejudice and Bigotry

December 24, 1944
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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President Roosevelt in a message to the National Conference of Christians and Jews made public today declared: “It is a solemn duty for us to keep our country free of prejudice and bigotry so that when our fighting men return they may find us living by the freedom for which they are ready to give the full measure of devotion.”

The President’s message contained the call “In peace as in war—Teamwork” which will be used as the rallying slogan for the 1945 Brotherhood Week observance February 18th to 25th. “We worship at different altars,” President Roosevelt wrote, “and express this faith in many ways. But deeper than the differences is the spiritual unity that makes us one people.”

In making public the President’s message, Dr. Everett R. Clinchy, president of the National Conference, said that thousands of service clubs, schools, colleges, business organizations, fraternal orders, youth organizations, veterans posts, farm country will hold Brotherhood Week observances. Suitable programs, Dr. Clinchy announced, will also be held in army and navy camps and stations, while in many cities community-wide celebrations are planned under the direction of committees composed of leading representatives of all religious and racial groups concerned.

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