Calumet Regional Archives

Inventory

3.25 Linear Feet
December 1984
Revised February 1998
Revised January 2003

Introduction

Mr. Clifford E. Minton, of Gary, Indiana, donated the Clifford E. Minton Papers to the Calumet Regional Archives on November 21, 1983.

Property rights in the collection are held by the Calumet Regional Archives; literary rights are dedicated to the public. There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Linear feet of shelf space: 3.25 linear feet
Number of containers: 5 boxes
Processed by: Stephen McShane
Date: December, 1984

Scope and Content

These records document the activities and accomplishments of Clifford E. Minton from 1937 to 1984. Mr. Minton served as the Executive Director of the Gary Urban League for sixteen years (1949-1965). In addition, his career included directorships of the Little Rock and Cleveland Urban Leagues as well as consultant posts with the federal government. The collection traces also the history of the Gary Urban League during Mr. Minton's tenure as Executive Director.

Several record series constitute the collection, including addresses / speeches, correspondence / memoranda, reports, newsclippings, and photographs relating to the Gary Urban League; separate series of similar materials have been created for papers pertaining to the Cleveland and Little Rock organizations.

The addresses and speeches of Mr. Minton (1937-1967) offer insight into his views on topics such as housing, economic opportunity, education, health, crime, and recreation. The series contains a variety of titles: "The Negro Viewpoint in the Civil Rights Struggle", "Housing and Race", "Social and Economic Costs of Racial Discrimination", "Influence of Women on Society" and many others. Similarly, Correspondence and memoranda (1950-1965) detail Mr. Minton's and the Gary Urban League's positions on school segregation, urban renewal (particularly in the Pulaski and Tri-City housing projects), job discrimination in an area bank and department stores, and racial discrimination in the Gary YMCA, Marquette Park and Beach, and in other social and economic areas in the city. Correspondence generated by Clifford Minton, Gary Urban League presidents, local business leaders and public officials (such as Ray Madden, Homer Capehart, and Gary Mayors Peter Mandich and A. Martin Katz), other Urban League affiliates, national leaders, and the National Urban League (including Whitney Young and Lester Granger) constitute this series, documenting not only the above topics but also providing information of planning, strategy, and goals of the Gary Urban League to improve race relations. In addition, the series comprises a number of letters congratulating Mr. Minton for various reports and speeches he had researched and written during his tenure with the Gary Urban League.

Complementing the speeches and the correspondence / memoranda series, a group of Gary Urban League annual reports, manuals, and special studies contain statistics and summaries of the League's accomplishments and plans to improve the social and economic status of minorities and blacks in the city. These reports deal with neighborhood planning, intergroup relations, and the influence of communism among Gary's black population. Finally a comprehensive series of newsclippings (1956-1975) supplements the above records and details the views of the local press regarding race relations.

Researchers should note that while the Little Rock and Cleveland record series embrace types of materials similar to the Gary Urban League portion of the collection, theses series describe the difficult circumstances in race relations particular to those cities and also trace Mr. Minton's growth and development as an administrator concerned with relieving racial tension in the 1930's and 1940's.

A useful source for the study of some of the most crucial periods of racial tension in Gary and elsewhere, the Clifford E. Minton Papers offer valuable information on the history of the Gary Urban League as well as the viewpoints, opinions, methods, and actions of Mr. Minton as he sought to ensure racial and economic equality for all citizens in an urban environment. Researchers should note that detailed historical information on Clifford E. Minton is located in Box 1, File Folder 1. For further information, researchers may wish to consult additional collections in the Calumet Regional Archives, including the Reverend L.K. Jackson Papers (CRA 071), the Jeannette Strong Papers (CRA 079), the Laura Passmore Papers (CRA 123), the Gladys Lucille Comer Papers (CRA 176), and the Thelma Love Majors Papers (CRA 181).

Historical Sketch

Born on July 24, 1911, in Des Arc, Arkansas as the elder son of Frank and Jessie Minton, Clifford E. Minton eventually achieved a record of social service spanning six decades. As a youth, he attended schools in Des Arc as well as Gibbs Elementary and Philander Smith High School in Little Rock. While earning a B.A. in social studies at Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Mr. Minton held various jobs which exposed him to the social and economic problems of blacks in both urban and rural areas of the United States, problems which he would later attempt to alleviate in his lifetime. His later formal education included graduate work at Fisk, American and Indiana Universities, and he earned an M.A. from Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Eventually Mr. Minton received training and certification from the National Academy of Social Workers (community organization specialization), the National Vocational Guidance Association, and the American Personnel and Guidance association, and he earned a certificate as a master investigator while directing a staff of federal professional investigators for the Public Health Service, H.E.W. in the six state Midwest region.

Upon completing his undergraduate work, Mr. Minton commenced a career filled with civic activity and community service by serving as an assistant draftsman and participating in educational and recreational programs of the Soil Conservation Service of the Civilian Conservation Corps at Charlotte, Arkansas. In 1937, he became the principal of Northview Junior High School, Morrilton, Arkansas and later moved on to head the Hillside School in North Little Rock. At Hillside, he developed a summer recreation program, established a community center, and entered into a number of social and civic activities which led him to the Urban League of Greater Little Rock in 1939. Also, he met and married Alma Hawkins, a Little Rock native and teacher in the public schools.

As the executive secretary of the Urban League of Greater Little Rock, Mr. Minton achieved a number of successes in promoting interracial harmony and improving socioeconomic status of the black community. For example, he obtained employment for blacks at Camp Joseph T. Robinson as well as the Arkansas Ordinance Plant, dealt with discrimination in local labor unions and the police department, and generated a study of social and economic conditions among blacks in Little Rock which initiated programs to improve housing, health care, and recreation. A local newspaper commented that "The Urban League of Greater Little Rock has made remarkable progress during the years of Mr. Minton's administration; it has served community welfare needs which would have been unmet and perhaps untouched otherwise." During the Second World War, Mr. Minton was granted a two year leave of absence to serve as a military welfare representative with the American Red Cross in North Africa and Italy.

In 1946, Mr. Minton accepted a post as Director of the department of Industrial Relations in the Cleveland Urban League. In Cleveland, he continued to exhibit exceptional ability in dealing with discrimination and easing racial tension, particularly in employment of blacks in local outlets of National bakery companies, white collar and professional jobs in public utilities, including the telephone, electric, and gas industries. As with his earlier work in Little Rock, Mr. Minton received commendations from Lester Granger, Executive Director, National Urban League for directing the highest ranked Urban League affiliate Job and Economic Development program in the nation. Probably the most fruitful period in his career, however, began with his assumption of the Executive Directorship of the Gary Urban League in 1949.

During his sixteen year tenure with the Gary Urban League, Mr. Minton broadened community participation and support of the League, expanded funding and operations, and developed a thorough program of research into and education about the problems of Gary's black community regarding housing, employment, and the problems of Gary's black community regarding housing, employment, and recreation in a city noted for instances of racial discrimination. The following brief list details some accomplishments of the Gary Urban League under Mr. Minton's guidance: organization of the Gary Urban League Advisory Council to broaden the base of support; increased staff and budget; activation and growth of the Gary Urban League's Neighborhood Improvement and Civic Education Clubs; job placement, especially "pilot placement"; integration of the Gary hospitals and YMCA; achievement of recognition that Marquette Park and Beach were open to all races; recommendations to housing authorities of better operation; and education about interracial relationships.

In several instances, the Gary Urban League caused changes to occur among some of Gary's most long-established entities. For example, after many years of negotiation, the league recruited several black technicians and office workers for positions beyond the laboring classifications at U.S. Steel's Gary Works in the 1950's. At the Post-Tribune, publisher H.B. Snyder hired the first full-time black professionally trained and experienced news reporter, with the encouragement and assistance of the Gary Urban League. In the retail trade, the League persuaded local Sears, Penney's, and other department stores to employ black sales and clerical workers for the first time. Finally, the Gary Urban League promoted the entrance of black officials into the Gary school system at supervisory and administrative levels during the 1950's and participated in the hiring of Dr. A. Blankenship as the superintendent of schools, along with Dr. Walter Riley, and elementary school principal, who became the first black city-wide supervisor. All of these instances served as milestones in Mr. Minton's efforts to promote better socioeconomic conditions for all residents of the city. As a result of these successes, the Gary Urban League became increasingly effective in linking "community leaders of both racial groups with practical community problems involving race relations, for constructive planning and service."

In 1965, after twenty-seven years of service with Urban League affiliates, Mr. Minton entered into a variety of positions in the federal government, beginning as a field representative for the U.S. Office of Education. He represented the U.S. Commissioner of Education by contributing to policy-making while overseeing five state departments of education. He later assumed the post of Regional Program Director, Office of Equal Health Opportunity, U.S. Public Health Service, DHEW, where he administered a multi-state program to investigate civil rights, desegregation, and equal opportunity in hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, Mr. Minton served as the Regional Contract Compliance Branch Chief for six Midwest states, reviewing Affirmative Action compliance of major universities in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Acting also as a consultant, Mr. Minton contributed to the President's Committee on Manpower and the U.S. Regional Office of Economic Opportunity.

In the words of Clifford E. Minton. "The Urban League and my civil rights work with the federal government were labors of love..." His working life however, encompassed much more activity, including private consultations on personnel administration and labor relations, real estate, speech writing and public relations promotions, and securities investments. Because of these endeavors, Mr. Minton enjoyed a career filled with world travel (all continents except Australia) and contributed generously to special Urban League projects, Philander Smith College, the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha, United Negro College Fund, the ACLU, and Common Cause. He also found time to contribute to two landmark publications, An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy (1944), and the report of President Lyndon Johnson's National Commission on Civil Disorders (known as the Kerner Report, 1968).

Throughout his career, Mr. Minton developed relationships with a number of prominent black and white leaders. In 1939, he worked with future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall on black teacher salary equality lawsuits in Little Rock. He corresponded with and received the assistance of Drs. Robert C. Weaver and Mary McLeod Bethune, the two top black advisors in the Franklin Roosevelt Administration: they were instrumental in aiding Mr. Minton's effort to secure black employment in skilled and closed shop union craft jobs at Little Rock's Camp Robinson (This breakthrough in job mobility was particularly significant, since it led to removal of barriers to skilled occupations for blacks at U.S. Army camps nationwide). Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., the U.S. Army's first black general, investigated the mistreatment of black soldiers in Little Rock during the Second World War. Other Well-Known acquaintances included Winthrop Rockefeller and, of course, Lester Granger and Whitney Young of the National Urban League.

In addition to his career in education, the Urban League, and government, Clifford E. Minton pursued an enthusiastic course in community organizations, such as the Gary School Advisory Board, the Lake County Advisory Committee on Economic Opportunity, the Lake County Advisory Committee on Aid to Dependent Children, the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Human Relations (Gary), and the Lake County Children's Home Advisory Board. Also, he organized a number of influential community organizations, such as the Gary Chapter of the Frontiers International Service Club in 1953 and served as its president and as a member of the international board of directors. The Midtown Citizen's Committee, a group comprising a cross-section of Gary leaders, utilized Mr. Minton's expertise to apply confrontal tactic in community controversies during the late 1950's and 1960's. In 1962, he interpreted the need and encouraged and provided the Gary Chamber of Commerce technical assistance on organizing a viable Human Relations Committee. Regarding his community leadership, Mr. Minton commented, "Some of Minton's most valuable work was done, operating from his Urban League base but not wearing Urban League Coat." Recently, Mr. Minton has served on the Gary Board of Zoning and Appeals--Gary Redevelopment Commission. His views of Hatcher Administration had changed by 1984, however, and he left the Commission (see Box 1, file folder 24). Among the many honors awarded to Mr. Minton for his contributions were the B'Nai B'Rith Citizen of the Year, the Presidential Meritorious Service Citation, and citations from the Gary School Board and the Gary Chamber of Commerce.

From Little Rock to Gary and beyond, Clifford E. Minton aimed to fulfill one major, primary objective: to improve the economic and social condition of less fortunate groups in American Society while easing intergroup tensions through consistent educational and service programs for his particular communities. Through six decades of research, publication, lectures, planning, programming, persistence, diplomacy, and dedication, Clifford E. Minton worked towards achieving the above goal as he sought to create and maintain equal social and economic opportunity for all people during some of the most crucial years of civil rights activity in the United States.

Subject Tracings

• A.F.L.
• African Americans -- History
• Board of Zoning Appeals
• Carpenters
• Chamber of Commerce--Gary
• Churches--Gary
• Education
• Gary
• Gary Redevelopment Commission
• Granger, Lester
• Housing
• Integration
• Joyner, Reverend
• Labor
• Lake County Children's Home
• Lake County Department of Public Welfare
• Marquette Park and Beach Integration
• Minton, Clifford E.
• National Urban League
• Race Relations
• Racial Discrimination
• Racism
• Schools--Gary
• Segregation
• United States Steel Corporation
• Urban League - Gary, Cleveland, Little Rock