PART IV: THE MOON AND
THE RACIAL EQUALITY MOVEMENT
GERMANS LAND ON MOON!
BERLIN, AUG 13-
The Imperial Rocket Force has announced that Rudolph Nollert, Franz
Jager, and Josef Reichmann have landed on the moon. 2 days ago, the three
German Cosmonauts launched fron Peenemünde on an A-16 rocket, the latest in
rocket techonology developed by the team of Werner von Braun. The launch was
broadcast live in the German Empire via KDF, and today the whole nation was
tuned in as Cosmonaut Nollert stepped out of the Lunar Lander and proclaimed,
“For me, this is just a small step, but for mankind, it is a giant leap
forward.”
The
video sent back from the Lunar team has been replaying throughout the German
Empire, and August 13 has been delcared a public holiday. Shortly after Nollert
and the other explorers exited the Lander, the team placed the Imperial German
flag on the surface of the Moon, saying, “In the name of the Kaiser and the
German people, we claim the Moon not only for Germans, but for all mankind.”
President
Kennedy stated this afternoon that “Congragulations are indeed in order for
these brave space explorers, and to the German people as well, for they have
surely accomplished a mighty feet.” The president went on to say that he hoped
that America would soon follow the Reich to the surface of the moon.
-“Germans Land on Moon!”, The New York Times, August 13, 1963.
The
“New Orleans Incident” was just the tip of the iceberg that started the Racial
Equality Movement in the United States. There had been other incidents of
across the south, where the whites attempted to keep those of color from all sorts
of public services and priviledges. What happened in New Orleans just made it a
national issue.
After
the Clarkson’s case becaem national news, other incidents of racial injustice
were brought to light. Men who had served in the Pacific and in Cuba demanded
they be treated with the same respect as their white brothers-in-arms. In April
of 1963, the “sit-in” movement started in Charleston, South Carolina, with
African Americans going into diners and lunch counters and refusing to leave
until served.
Then,
in September of that year, Gloria March of Atlanta refused to give up her seat
on a segregated bus, and was arrested. There was a great outcry from the black
citizens of Atlanta, and very quickly the community and especially the church
leaders organized. The Reverand Maritn Luther King, Jr. and other ministers
called for a peaceful boycott of the Atlanta bus system. This 8 month long
boycott ended in 1964, when the city of Atlanta announced the end of segregated
busses.
In
1966, Marcus Fields sued the Tulsa Public School System when they refused to
allow his son to attend the city’s all-white High School. This case went all
the way to the Supreme Court, and in 1967 the Court Ruled on the Fields vs.
Tulsa case, stating that “separate but equal” policies practiced all over the
country were unconstitutional, and called for action and legislation from the President
and Congress. At the time, President Rockefeller refused to act on a national
level, but stated that “the states should act accordingly, and repeal these
unconstitutional measures.”
-Macon, Dr. Allen. Equality
and America. Atlanta: Southeast Dixie Press, 1998.
STARS AND STRIPS ON THE MOON!
CAPE CANAVRIL, JUNE 9- America has made it to the moon!
Today, Cosmonauts Allen Shepard, Neil Armstrong, and “Buzz” Aldrin stepped out
onto the surface of the Moon, not far from where their German counterparts
landed five years ago. They planted the Stars & Stripes just over half a
mile from where the German Flag still stands. President Rockefeller stated that
“this is indeed a proud day for the American people, and for mankind. For today
we prooved that the people of earth can go back to the moon anytime we want.”
The
Imperial Rocket Force of Germany congratulated the American Space Exploration
Agency (formerly the American Rocket Agency) for their shining achievment, and
“welcomed them to the Lunar club.”
The Germans still lead the Untied States in the “space race”, after
placing in orbit two manned space stations, and 4 trips to the moon since the
first landing in 1963. Furthermore, the IRF is talking seriouslty of attempting
a mission to Mars before 1975.
-“Stars and Strips on the Moon,” The New York Times, June 9, 1968.
ROCKEFELLER PROMISES GREATER EQUALITY IF RE-ELECTED
WASHINGTON, AUG 9- Republican President Nelson Rockefeller
told supporters at a campaign banquet in the capital that if he were reelected,
he would seek greater legal equality for “all Americans”. The Democrats have
been hounding President Rockefeller on what they call a “mishandling” of the
Racial Equality issue. Democratic Candidate Hubert Humphry has declared that if
he were elected, “every American, regardless of Race, would be garunteed
equality before the law,” and that he would do all with in his power to bring
and end to segregation. The Democrats are very divided on this issue, and
Humphrey’s nomination was very close.
-“Rockefeller Promises Greater Equality if Re-Elected,” The New York Times, August 9, 1968.
ROCKEFELLER WINS!
WASHINGTON, NOV
5- President Nelson Rockefeller won his reelection bid, narrowly beating
Democratic candidate Hubert Humphry, 51% to 49%. To a crowd of supporters
gathered in Washington, President Rockefeller declared, “America, you have
chosen to continue the last four years of prosperty and growth! America will
continue to advance in science. We will catch up to the Germans in space! And I
have not forgotten the cries of people who cry out for equality. America was
founded as a land of freedom, and freedom must be given to ALL Americans!”
While the President states he will begin to enforce the
Supreme Court decision from 1966 in the the Fields v. Tulsa Board of Education
case that ruled that “separate-but-equal” practices were unconstitutional, he
says he does not support federal level legislation, instead supporting a
state-by-state option.
-“Rockefeller Wins!” The
New York Times, November 6, 1968.
DAIMLER-LUFT GMBH TESTS PASSENGER JET-AIRLINER
STUTTGART, JAN 9- Officials from the Daimler-Benz sub-group
Daimler-Luft have announced that they have successfully test flown their
DF-010, a 70 passenger capacity jet-powered airliner. The craft took off from
Stuttgart yesterday and landed safely in Frankfurt 50 minutes later, before
returning to Stuttgart yesterday evening.
Officials from Daimler-Luft said that they will be doing
more flight tests, including a flight to both London and to Petrograd. The hope
is that by 1970, they will be able to begin mass production of the DF-010.
Officials from Lufthansa have stated that they will purchase several of the
craft. Adolf Reichmann, chairman of Lufthansa, stated that the DF-010
represents a new age in civilian aviation. “No longer will the airship be the only
way to travel long distances quickly. With the advances in military-grade
jet-propulsion that has been made available to civilian developers, it is
conceivable that jet-airliners capable of carrying several hundred people could
be in the air by the early 1980s, and Lufthansa plans to be on the cutting edge
of this exciting new development.”
Fredrich Eckener, grandson of the legendary Hugo Eckener and
newly appointed head of Zeppelin-Goodyear International, stated, “I do not
believe that airship use will be greatly hindered by this new development. If
anything, these new civilian jet aircraft will fill in the gaps in airtravel
that are not econmically viable to be done by airship, providing airtravel to
more people and places.”
-“Daimler-Luft Gmbh Tests Passenger Jet-Airliner,” Berliner Morgenpost, January 10, 1969.
On
February 1, 1969, Presidnet Rockefeller signed an executive order stating that
all states needed to abide by the 1966 ruling of the Supreme Court in the
Fields v. Tulsa case, and that within 10 years, all states needed to repeal
pro-segregation legislation and to affirm racial equality. Rockefeller did not
want to try the federal legislation route favored by Democrats because he
believed that each state’s issues were different, and needed to be handled on a
case by case basis.
The state of Washington was the
first to do abide by this order, passing the Washington State Equality Act in
June of 1969. California did the same in July, followed by Oregon, Idaho and
Minnesotta in August, North Dakota, Montanna, Alaska, Illinois and Michigan in
Septmeber, and Maine in November. In 1970, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and Ohio passed racial equality laws.
In 1971, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Indiana and New Hampshire
joined the list. And in the election year of 1972, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas,
Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey, Deleware, and
Florida all passed racial equality laws.
For all the good this had done, the
primary areas where African Americans suffered from segregation had yet to
enact any legislation, save for Florida. And in the south, only the states of
Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland were even considering bills when the
1972 election came in November.
The Democrats again nominated
Herbert Humphry, who decried President Rockefeller’s plan for racial equality
as “totally useless and ineffective.” In two televised debates, Humphry
repeatedly slammed Rockefeller’s handling of the demand for racial equality,
and Rockefeller was left stammering for a come back. In the end, Rockefeller
lost his bid at a third term, Humphry winning 54% to 46%.
-Macon, Dr. Allen. Equality
and America. Atlanta: Southeast Dixie Press, 1998.
HUMPHREY: President Rockefeller, how can you sit there and
tell the American people that your plan for the end of segregation has made
great leaps and bound?
ROCKEFELLER: It’s simple, Mr. Humphry. 35 of the 50 states
have passed racial equality laws, and they still have 6 years to comply.
HUMPHREY: You toss out these numbers, yet you fail to point
out that of the states in the South, the only region where segregation and
racial inequality is really an issue, only Florida has passed any legislation
confirming racial equality. That’s ONE state, Mr. Presidnet. For all these
other states, it’s as important as a land-locked state passing regulations
concearning ocean-going ships!
ROCKEFELLER: Now that’s..
HUMPHREY: And furhter more, the states of Mississippi,
Alabama, and Arkansas are all vowing to ignore your executive order. Alabama
has gone so far as to pass amendments to their state consititution making
segregation a part of their state government! If anything, that’s a step
backward, not forward!
ROCKEFELLER: Well that situation is a tense one and must be
dealt with carefully, and my administration is still working…
HUMPHREY: Your administration doesn’t have a clue how to
handle these renegade states, or to force the rest of the south to enact racial
equality by law. You have failed, Mr. President. You are unable to bring about
the racial equality that this country needs, equality that you promised to
give!
-Televised Presidential debate between President Nelson
Rockefeller and then-Presidential candidate Herbert Humphrey, broadcast on NBC,
September 19, 1972; Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.
CONGRESS PASSES RACIAL EQUALITY ACT
WASHINGTON, OCT 15- The House of Representatives has passed
the President’s Racial Equaltiy Act, which was approved last week in the Senate
with a vote of 61-39. Today’s vote was much narrower, with 52% of the vote in
favor, 48% against. Presidnet Humphrey is expected to sign the bill into law
within the next few days, following through on his promise ot enact
federal-leval racial equality legislation before the mid-term elections.
The Racial Equality Act of 1973 states that the practice of
segregation will not be tollerated in this country, and that all states with
such laws are to repeal them within one year of the passage of the new federal
law. Furthermore, the Act places punative fines on all businesses that
discriminate based on race, and also places fines on state and municple
governments that continue to enforece segregation after January 1, 1975.
Schools are required to integrate by the beginning of the 1976-1977 school year
or face fines as well.
The clock is now ticking on the remaining 12 states that
have yet to do away with segregation. Currenty, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana,
Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina,
Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee have yet to comply with the 1969
executive order demanding compliance with the 1966 Supreme Court ruling on the
Fields v. Tulsa case.
The States of Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi are still
vowing to fight the federal legislation, stating that they belive it to be
unconstitutional and violating the rights of the individual states.
-“Congress Passes Racial Equality Act,” The New York Times, October 16, 1973.
DISASTER FOR IRF
BERLIN, MAY 3- Tragedy has struck at the IRF launch site at
Peenemünde, Germany, where the first A-19 rocket, designed with travel to Mars
in mind, exploded on the launch pad. The explosion was destructive and forcefull,
and so far 12 casualties have been confimred by Imperial authorities.
Dr. von Braun, head of the German space program, stated that
this was a serious set back to Germany’s plans for putting a man on the moon by
1980. It is expected that the repairs to to the launch facility will take
months, and will probably prevent Germany from launching any space craft for
the rest of the year, which will also hamper plans of putting up a fourth space
station in orbit, or the planned construction of a permanent base on the
surface of the Moon.
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