The Wit & Wisdom of Harry Truman, by Ralph Keyes: on Civil Rights

South is living 80 years behind the times

Racial discrimination is contrary to American ideals

"Whether discrimination is based on race, or creed, or color, or land of origin, it is utterly contrary to American ideals of democracy."

"When I was president, many people advised me not to raise the whole question of civil rights. They said it would make things worse. But you can't cure a moral problem by ignoring it. It is no service to the country to turn away from the hard problems-- to ignore injustice and human suffering. It is simply not the American way of doing things."

"We can no longer afford the luxury of a leisurely attack upon prejudice and discrimination. There is much that state and local governments can do in providing positive safeguards for civil rights. But we cannot any longer await the growth of a will to action in the slowest state or the most backward community. Our national government must show the way."

The treatment of Indians was a disgrace and always will be

"The treatment of the Indians by the white settlers of both South America and North America was a disgrace and always will be."

"They weren't an inferior race at all, of course. They were wonderfully wise people, and there were Indian setups in the western hemisphere that were almost ideal systems of government."

"I have always felt that the Indians should have been allowed to maintain themselves on the lands and improve their position, and eventually would have become friendly to us."

Endorsed concept of Equal Rights Amendment