Hays, Brooks

Description

Speech given at the Statewide Civil Rights Informational Meeting reflecting on the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 3. Fortunately, the image of Arkansas, both in and outside of the United States, has greatly improved and we can attribute this to the vision and the goodwill which has been generated in the State. I am proud of this progress. It is obvious from what I have said that I believe some decisions that we would prefer to make here will, in the future, be made by the entire Nation in Washington, through judicial and legislative processes. Since they will be making policy affecting us, it would be better for us, rather than engaging in futile efforts to prevent decisions from being made, to undertake to participate constructively and see that these will be the right decisions. The problem of civil rights in other words is no longer a regional problem, it is national. From the day I became a member of the Congress, I was told by thoughtful men from the North that the Southerner's unique contributions to the Nation's statesmanship were appreciated. Generally, it has had a conservative impress. At the same time some within the South have misinterpreted the encomiums regarding Southern thought and Southern conservatism. We assumed that the South's traditional racial attitudes were approved. We were in error. I believe that without evidencing a sentimental or sectional feeling, I may say that in the new context, the South may make a tremendous contribution to...

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Brooks Hays Materials

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University of Arkansas