AVIATION: Desegregating the Airlines

A pretty Long Island Negro named Patricia Banks, 20, was among the fledgling stewardesses in Manhattan's Grace Downs Air Career School's graduating class in September 1956. Capital Airlines, which gets first pick of Grace Downs graduates, interviewed Patricia for a job, marked her application "see again." When Patricia tried to see Capital again, she was told that Capital never reinterviewed. She took her case to New York's State Commission Against Discrimination, watchdog of New York's civil rights law, passed at Governor Tom Dewey's urging 15 years ago.

Last week Capital was ordered to hire Miss Banks, after an informal attempt failed...

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