Racial Equality

Hugh Hefner has said that being raised as he was in Chicago, he never fully understood how people could discriminate against others on the basis of skin color. His actions throughout his career have supported these words. Not only did the Playboy Foundation give money to causes working toward social justice on matter of sex, it also supported the Civil Rights cause. African-American men were allowed to become Keyholders in Playboy Clubs across the country, though many detractors were disturbed by the prospect of African-American men looking lustily at the white women who were Bunnies. After his franchised Clubs in Miami and New Orleans refused service to the African-American Keyholders who came to their doors, citing that Jim Crow laws prohibited their entry with white patrons, Hefner bought back the Clubs, at a monetary loss, and ran them himself to ensure that everyone could enter.

Beginning in 1963, Hefner began to publish his views in the series called the Playboy Philosophy. Though much of the Philosophy dealt with things sexual in nature, at its core the Philosohy was about independence for the individual in all areas of life, and that the judgement of society should not impair that individual's happiness, especially in religious versus secular society. This easily translated to his views and activism dealing with civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s. In allowing African-American comedians to perform in his Clubs outside of traditional African-American venues or integrating television on his 1959-1961 television show Playboy's Penthouse, Hefner was able to bring his Philosophy to life in a different way.

As would be expected with Hefner as the ultimate editor, the articles published in Playboy reflected his Philosophy in all ways. The following articles show, on their respective subjects, how the American society needs to change in regards to race.

"The Decent Society: Race Relations" by John V. Lindsay, 1969

This was a collection of eleven different essays written on different problems that faced American society. The purpose behind the exhibit was a critique on what needed to happen before the United States could even think about becoming the Great Society that President Johnson had promised five years earlier. The essays, including the one on race relations featured here, share not only this, but reflect the different ways the Philosophy can be applied accross society.

"Cruising" by Paul Jacobs, 1965

This report written on the racism of police officers in nothern California sheds light on a practice that occurred across the country. The inconsistent reactions to similar situations, only involving different races, shows the hypocrisy and illogic that comes from racist thought.

"A Testament of Hope" by Dr. King, 1969

Published in Playboy in January 1969, after his assasination, this essay was the last published statement written by Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King discusses that the problems now facing the African-American population are related to the poverty that many are stuck in. This essay is a perfect representation of the slight shift in Dr. King's thinking near the end of his life, talking about economic oppression and the government's failures to fix it.

"Uniting The Races" by Julian Bond, 1970

Julian Bond shares much of the same view that King does in this essay, the problem is poverty and the government is not doing nearly enough to fix it. Bond speaks of the problems of all minorities in America, however, not only African-Americans. By challenging the American people, not just the President, to recognize this problem and to try to change it, Bond is reflecting part of the Philosophy.