After Mayor Allen comes forward with his support of President Kennedy's public accommodations bill, initial reactions of the public are divided and passionate. Supporters and harsh critics interact with Mayor Allen immediately after news of his testimony breaks. The Ivan Allen Digital Archive provides significant evidence of the array of commentary that Allen receives. From praise to damnation, the public's opinion on Allen's support of a civil rights bill is demonstrated by the archive's many documents.
Voices of Support and Opposition
Here are four excerpts from the digital archive that we recorded ourselves reading them. As you listen to the recordings, reflect on various responses that different individuals or groups of people had on Mayor Allen's testimony.
To find the sources in the digital archive, click on the button below the descriptions.
To find the sources in the digital archive, click on the button below the descriptions.
Alumni from various universities, such as Georgia Tech, Yale, Vanderbilt, and Emory sent letters to Allen, commending him for his statement. A friend from Georgia Tech emphasizes: “I don’t know when I have been as proud of anybody as I am of you— and of the city where you and I were born." (Box 19, Folder 19, page 94)
|
Newspapers from different parts of the country denounced Allen’s support of President Kennedy's bill. For instance, E. English Thornwell, President of the Young Republicans, wrote: “I can only wonder why the mayor has become so civil-rights minded all of a sudden.” It was apparent that the mayor’s decision to highlight Atlanta as a center for progressive change had placed a target on his back. Evidently, Atlanta really wasn’t “a city too busy to hate.” (Box 20, Folder 1, page 19)
|
|
|
In the midst of public scrutiny and scorn, Allen revealed his emotions in his correspondence. In his reply to Dr. J. McDowell Richards, Allen admits: “Your note and encouragement helped me through a very difficult period." (Box 19, Folder 19, page 1)
|
Ralph McGill, editor of the Atlanta Constitution, was one of the few Southern advocates for the Civil Rights Movement. He predicts: “Many of the people who now oppose you [Allen] will be grateful to you by the time two more years have passed." (Box 19, Folder 19, page 74)
|
Narratives of Conflicting Responses
Below are four additional excerpts from the digital archive that portrays the people's views on Mayor Allen's testimony. The narratives are positioned in alternating sequence to contrast the supportive and opposing reactions.
Click on the button with box, folder, and page number to go to the archive.
Click on the button with box, folder, and page number to go to the archive.
“Many leaders of the NAACP Have Communist Connections.”
When sending routine hate mail to Allen was shown to be inefficient, white supremacists and segregationists alike focused their attention on linking black-run organizations to communism.
This began the anti-Civil Rights Movement of turning the Red Scare against civil rights organizations. A forward-moving development began when mail was sent to Allen to accuse organizations such as the N.A.A.C.P, SNCC, and SCLC of associating with Communist forces. The above propaganda reads: “Wanted for impeachment Mayor Ivan Allen of Atlanta, GA. Many of the leaders of the N.A.A.C.P have Communist connections. The truth hurts only the offender. Mayor Allen are you a communist? Shall it be Americanism shall it be communism?” This document illustrates the progressively drastic measures taken by segregationists to hinder Allen’s reformist policies. |
A Letter of Commendation
|
“How much n*gger blood do you have in you?"
Of the several pieces of hate mail that Allen received during his time in office, most of which depicted him as "embarrassing" and "unworthy of his position", one particular postcard from Kentucky had clear sentiments of disappointment and hatred.
While hate mail was nothing new to Allen, this letter in particular had a drastic influence on his role as mayor. For Allen to continue passing successful legislation in Atlanta, he would need to accommodate for both blacks and whites. With letters such as the one mentioned above, Allen strove to help integrate black and white communities together to coexist in harmony. |
The New York Times celebrated Mayor Allen’s actionsThe New York Times and other publishers celebrated Allen’s actions, stating: “On rare occasions the oratorical fog on Capitol Hill is pierced by a voice resonant with courage and dignity. Such a voice was heard when Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. of Atlanta testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of President Kennedy's bill to prohibit racial discrimination in stores, restaurants and other public accommodations."
|
Who wrote to Mayor Allen about his testimony?
The graphs shown above depict the frequency of local and national letters of resentment and appreciation sent to Mayor Allen. The data is quite interesting to analyze as the majority of letters received were from out of the state of Georgia. Therefore, it is evident that Allen’s testimony created discord that reverberated throughout the nation.