Mayor Allen was a strong advocate for integration of all business places during an
era where that belief was highly controversial at best and dangerous at worst.
Mayor Allen did not seem phased by the fact that what he believed was against
what some of the more vocal of his constituents believed, and continued to
advocate on behalf of policies that aligned with that belief. One of the most
prominent occasions on which he did so was when he testified before Congress
on behalf of a policy advocated for by the Kennedys. Due to the high profile
nature of this event Mayor Allen received many letters from people across the
country, expressing both support and displeasure with his actions.
Focusing more closely on the letters expressing displeasure a few trends emerge
that allow for the generalization of the many letters he recieved. There appeared to
be two main groups that wrote to Mayor Allen, weathly businessmen who were
concerned about the business implications of his policies who likely had secretaries
type the letters for them, presenting a more professional letter. The second were
those with less skill and gramatical knowledge typing the letters on plain paper,
likely middle class due to the expense of a typewriter, who had less higher education
as seen by their typing and their logical fallacies. These groups had very different tones
in their writing, with the businessmen usually making a more logical argument about
the businbess consequences of integrating businesses and the average person writing
a more hate fueled letter making arguments using flawed and obviously racist beliefs.
era where that belief was highly controversial at best and dangerous at worst.
Mayor Allen did not seem phased by the fact that what he believed was against
what some of the more vocal of his constituents believed, and continued to
advocate on behalf of policies that aligned with that belief. One of the most
prominent occasions on which he did so was when he testified before Congress
on behalf of a policy advocated for by the Kennedys. Due to the high profile
nature of this event Mayor Allen received many letters from people across the
country, expressing both support and displeasure with his actions.
Focusing more closely on the letters expressing displeasure a few trends emerge
that allow for the generalization of the many letters he recieved. There appeared to
be two main groups that wrote to Mayor Allen, weathly businessmen who were
concerned about the business implications of his policies who likely had secretaries
type the letters for them, presenting a more professional letter. The second were
those with less skill and gramatical knowledge typing the letters on plain paper,
likely middle class due to the expense of a typewriter, who had less higher education
as seen by their typing and their logical fallacies. These groups had very different tones
in their writing, with the businessmen usually making a more logical argument about
the businbess consequences of integrating businesses and the average person writing
a more hate fueled letter making arguments using flawed and obviously racist beliefs.
"A man of your stature must surely know that a thin veneer of forced intergration will not solve the underlying problems"
The letter above, written by an Orthodontist from Mississippi, is an excellent example
of the structure that was present among many of the letters written by more successful
and educated people. Though this person as not a constituent of Mayor Allen, he likely
still had connections or did business in Atlanta, due to the fact that Atlanta was and still
is the largest trade hub in the south east. This letter is well structured with proper
grammar, something not seen often in the letters that were received. The letters also
provides a viewpoint on why forced integration will not work, in this case the fact that
it will not solve the underlying issues at hand, that is obviously the product of time
spent observing and reflecting upon what the author saw occuring in society around him.
Though this letter does not provide any evidence to support its claim directly,
the claim it makes can be supported through careful observation of the social climate
surrounding integration as a whole. Though the letter does resort to attacking
Mayor Allen, it does so in a manner that isn't blatantly rude and provides reasons as
to why he believes Mayor Allen is wrong in what he supports.
of the structure that was present among many of the letters written by more successful
and educated people. Though this person as not a constituent of Mayor Allen, he likely
still had connections or did business in Atlanta, due to the fact that Atlanta was and still
is the largest trade hub in the south east. This letter is well structured with proper
grammar, something not seen often in the letters that were received. The letters also
provides a viewpoint on why forced integration will not work, in this case the fact that
it will not solve the underlying issues at hand, that is obviously the product of time
spent observing and reflecting upon what the author saw occuring in society around him.
Though this letter does not provide any evidence to support its claim directly,
the claim it makes can be supported through careful observation of the social climate
surrounding integration as a whole. Though the letter does resort to attacking
Mayor Allen, it does so in a manner that isn't blatantly rude and provides reasons as
to why he believes Mayor Allen is wrong in what he supports.
"How would you like to see the White Women of your great City swim in the same swimming pools with black Negro Men."
"YOU ARE OLD AND SHOULD KNOW BETTER"
The letter above, written by a concerned southerner from South Carolina,
is a good example of a letter written by a less educated and less prominent person.
There are numerous mistakes in the typing, something common when wiritng personal
correspondance, as typing mistakes were common among those who did not type
for a living. The gramatical structure of the letter is also rather inconsistent and incorrect,
even when considering the changes that have occured in grammar since the 1960's.
This letter also provides very little in the form of valid concerns, mostly refrencing
outdated and racist beliefs such as the fact that African Americans are unclean and that
if they swam with white women it would be absolutely disgusting. This letter is also quite
rude and insulting to the mayor, refrencing very little in terms of why he should feel
shame for his views, instead apparently calling him names just for the sake of calling
him names to make themselves feel better and to express their frustrations.
is a good example of a letter written by a less educated and less prominent person.
There are numerous mistakes in the typing, something common when wiritng personal
correspondance, as typing mistakes were common among those who did not type
for a living. The gramatical structure of the letter is also rather inconsistent and incorrect,
even when considering the changes that have occured in grammar since the 1960's.
This letter also provides very little in the form of valid concerns, mostly refrencing
outdated and racist beliefs such as the fact that African Americans are unclean and that
if they swam with white women it would be absolutely disgusting. This letter is also quite
rude and insulting to the mayor, refrencing very little in terms of why he should feel
shame for his views, instead apparently calling him names just for the sake of calling
him names to make themselves feel better and to express their frustrations.
"There is no law against him establishing his own integrated eating places, hotels, theaters, etc.,
and then the public would have the choice of integrated or segregated facilities.
This letter is somewhat of a rarity in that it appears to be written by a truly middle
class citizen, one who is educated but might not posses a college education,
one who appear not to be rich but also not struggling for money, and makes
both logical and flawed arguments in the same letter. This letter is almost the
perfect middle ground between the two predominant groups, a middle ground
that is sparsely populated by these letters. In this the person is also the middle
ground in terms of location. They are not technically a constituent of Mayor Allen,
but they are very close to Atlanta, just outside of it in what would nowadays be
considered a close suburb. In this letter this person makes a very solid argument that
African Americans do not have a stake in the businesses that they want integrated,
and are not prevented from establishing their own businesses and making them
integrated by their choice as the business owner. This person also makes the argument
that Mayor Allen and the City of Atlanta have not fully integrated all of their positions
and businesses, and that until they do so they should not comment on the need for
others to do so. However, there is also a certain naivety to this letter in that they
do not understand the hidden things preventing African Americans from opening
their own businesses, or the social requirements preventing the City of Atlanta from
fully integrating. Overall the letter is not rude but rather provides what the authors
believes to be solid arguments as to why Mayor Allen is wrong,
though it does have a rather strong negative tone to it.
class citizen, one who is educated but might not posses a college education,
one who appear not to be rich but also not struggling for money, and makes
both logical and flawed arguments in the same letter. This letter is almost the
perfect middle ground between the two predominant groups, a middle ground
that is sparsely populated by these letters. In this the person is also the middle
ground in terms of location. They are not technically a constituent of Mayor Allen,
but they are very close to Atlanta, just outside of it in what would nowadays be
considered a close suburb. In this letter this person makes a very solid argument that
African Americans do not have a stake in the businesses that they want integrated,
and are not prevented from establishing their own businesses and making them
integrated by their choice as the business owner. This person also makes the argument
that Mayor Allen and the City of Atlanta have not fully integrated all of their positions
and businesses, and that until they do so they should not comment on the need for
others to do so. However, there is also a certain naivety to this letter in that they
do not understand the hidden things preventing African Americans from opening
their own businesses, or the social requirements preventing the City of Atlanta from
fully integrating. Overall the letter is not rude but rather provides what the authors
believes to be solid arguments as to why Mayor Allen is wrong,
though it does have a rather strong negative tone to it.