Letter about S&W Cafeteria

Transcription:

101 Jackson Drive
Charlotte, N.C.
May 2, 1963

Frank O. Sherrill
President
S & W Cafeteria
116 West Trade Street
Charlotte, N.C.

Dear Mr. Sherrill,
I have been intending to write S&W for some weeks now — but procrastination — like compromise with one’s own principles — is an all-too-common trait. The compromise with one’s self — particularly for a democrat (and that is with a small “d”), be he Northern or Southern, in this area — seems necessary for survival.

Perhaps it just seems this way, and if more of us spoke up, the daily call to compromise would be alleviated. Which is why this letter.

I would hope that for logical, and moral, reasons you would do all in your power to see that the S&W cafeterias soon become desegregated. If, however, neither logic nor morality motivate you, I would hope that national interest will. The very recent incident in Raleigh in which a diplomatic representative was refused service in one of your establishments is likely to resound the world over.

During the years I lived in Europe, the question I was asked most frequently by Europeans was to the effect “how do you explain your South?” I hope that some day soon I shall be able to explain it in terms of progress rather than in those of apology. 

In this area, we preach progress. But segregation is still, unfortunately, the norm and segregation in a progressive state is an anachronism.

I am sure there are literally thousands of other people in Charlotte and the rest of North Carolina who would make it a point, like me, to patronize S&W if — and only if — S&W opens its doors to everyone.

Sincerely,
Ellen Tripp

_________________________________________________________________________________________