STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR LEROY COLLINS
February 2, 1956
The people of Florida overwhelmingly desire a continuation of our long established traditions of segregation. I stand firmly and squarely with them in this position, and I have never equivocated about it. I will continue in this position and continue in my determination to provide effective leadership to maintain segregation in Florida.
Thus far no integration has occurred in our state, and our leadership has been far more effective than has been the case in many other states in which a great deal more noise and confusion have been generated. Actually, when the issue is agitated in such a manner as to arouse intense emotional feeling and furor, the State's ability effectively to maintain its position is substantially weakened. This I have sought to avoid in Florida.
Furthermore, I have appealed to the public to deal with the matter soundly because this is a period in our history when I think it extremely advisable for our people to be united and to concentrate their energies and efforts in fields other than those in which one class or group or race is arrayed against another.
I am against defiance of constituted authority. I am against any effort to make political capital out of segregation. I am for the orderly and effective assertion of our rights under authority of law.
This is the course our state has been following. It has proved advantageous and effective. I hope we will stay on this course. If we don't, I fear we will actually lose ground in our efforts to maintain segregation and to carry Florida forward.
Listen: The Folk Program
