Reading Room Document

Racial Segregation at Airports Developed with Financial Assistance Under the Federal Airport Act

The OLC was asked whether airports built using federal grant money were required to integrate given a clause in the grant agreement requiring accessibility without “unjust discrimination” but the agency declined to provide an answer, citing “a long-standing departmental policy” against weighing in on “judicial questions.” The OLC did advise, however, that the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics could include a grant agreement term explicitly prohibiting discrimination for future grantees.

August 28, 1952