Justice Black Denies Prejudice; Sees Campaign Against Him Leading to Bigotry

DISCLAIMING ANY ANTI-JEWISH, ANTI-CATHOLIC OR ANTI-NEGRO PREJUDICE, HUGO L. BLACK, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT, WARNED THE AMERICAN NATION FRIDAY NIGHT THAT THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HIM FOR HAVING JOINED THE KU KLUX KLAN WOULD, IF CONTINUED, “REINFECT OUR SOCIAL AND BUSINESS LIFE WITH THE POISON OF RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY.”

IN A SPEECH BROADCAST BY ALL MAJOR NETWORKS, MR. BLACK REPLIED DIRECTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO THE CHARGES GROWING OUT OF DISCLOSURES THAT HE HAD JOINED THE KU KLUX KLAN. HE SAID: “I DID JOIN THE KLAN. I LATER RESIGNED. I NEVER REJOINED.”

THE ADDRESS WAS PERVADED WITH DISAVOWALS AND DENUNCIATIONS OF BIGOTRY. MR. BLACK CITED HIS SENATORIAL RECORD TO REFUTE PREJUDICE CHARGES AGAINST HIM AND SAID THE “PLANNED AND CONCERTED CAMPAIGN” LAUNCHED AGAINST HIM WHILE HE WAS ABROAD “FANS THE FLAMES OF PREJUDICE AND IS CALCULATED TO CREATE RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS HATRED.”