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Apologizes for Racial Listing in Police ‘wanted’ Circular

November 3, 1954
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Attorney General William E. Powers of Rhode Island had apologized today for issuance of a police “wanted” circular which contained the listing, “Race – Jew. “and expressed “regret over the unfortunate language.”

The apology was made by letter to Joseph M. Finkle, vice-chairman of the New England Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, a member of the Rhode Island State Commission Against Discrimination. Mr. Powers declared that preparing the circular “was a new experience for us and we followed the form used by other departments.” He asserted that a second printing of the circular eliminated the “offensive terms” and promised that “it is this latter form which will be used by this department in the future.”

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