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ECO OM C PPO T ·-v L N A, I C. 101 MAR I E TT A STREE T BLDG . ATLANTA , GEOR GIA 30303 525 - 4262 C. O, E MMERICH ADMINISTRATOR September 14, 1966 Mr. Dupree Jordan Of f ice of Economic Oppo rtun ity 101 Marietta S treet, N. W. Atlanta , Geo~g ig 30 3QJ Dear Dupree: In order to keep y ou pos t ed on o ur prob lems here in the city I would like to sen d y ou th is br i ef report. F rank l y, we feel now since t h e white murder suspe c t has be en pl ac e d in jail things will cool o f f f o r a while . P robably .the - mos t g ratifying thing wh ich h as come ou t o f t his who e situat ion is t h e outs t an ding leade rsh i p which EOA's neighb orhood servi c e c e nter staf f a nd local adv isory committees were ab le to give to our disadv an taged n eighb o rhood s and ou r Ne gro commun iti es . We h ave rec e ived praise f r om the Ma y or ' s Office and fr om th e Negro communi t y leade rs h i p. Th ey are s t i..1 1 work i ng ha r d. Sin c e the begi nn ing o f our r ac e di sturbanc e i n t he ci ty o f Atlant a, EOA th rough its loca l a d vis o ry c ommittees and it s community s erv i ce staf f h a s wo rked long hou rs try i ng to calm t h e d is turbed p e ople in t heir neighb o rhoods. The r e sults hav e b een mo st g r atifying . Th i nking b a ck over all the r ecommend a ti o ns t hat were made it is crystal clear to me t h at our cit izens l iving i n the areas o f the dis adv antaged were trea ting this d i s tu rb anc e a s a spec i al i n ciden t and d i d ,not and )Could no t properly c onnect i t to th e c ommun ity ' s l on g-range needs o r goa ls . I t se ems to be v ery obviou s th at t~2 Neg ro l eadersh i p wa s just a s disturbe d and concerned as the whi teleadersh i p . I n fact, they wo rked j u s t as hard a n d probably harde r to b ring matters �- - - - - -- -- -- - -- - -- - --------~---- - Mr. Jordah -2- ·------- ·-~-~---'--- - ---1 September 1 4, 1966 und er control. They were pleased with the Mayor' s actions but were rather vo cal in their criticism of the police . They did not connect the outbreak with our organizat ion or the efforts being made to help b uild a better Atlanta. If y ou will review the following s ugge stions whi c h were made over and over again, I am convinc e d :re·, ,,,.:_ 1.. 1 als o recognize that the grass . root leadersh i p a s w2 ... ... as t . . e Surnmi t Leadership was trying to advise how to stop the in ci den t and not to cure long-range needs. Recommendation s for E ergeney Actio 1. A number of y outh i n th e Boul evard area d o not approve of some o f the methods being used to call attention to grievan ces , wh ich have resu l ted in violence. Accordingly, they have organized t hemsel ves into the Boulevard Northeast Youth Counci l and would like to me€ t with some responsible City o fficials to discuss t hese gr ievances. 2. Their immediate concern is i n regard t o recreation. Succ esses evidenced . by the Summer Re c r eation Program and Playlots have i n s pired them to seek a ction . Sever al vacant l ot s o n Bou levard offer poss i bil ities o f be ing us ed for such pro grams which s h ould include faciliti es for dances , games and other types of entertainment. 3. There is considerable concern al so a bout funeral a rrangements f or ~ ulet Varner, Jr. , t he y oun g man who was k illed. The y.:::,-:.;;.~1.9 people feel st r o ngly that the public o f fic ials, as well a s the community, s houl~ h ave an opportunity to join the family of the deceased i n a mutual expressi o n of grie f . 4. The positio n o f the family , e specially the deceased y outh's mother, i n being abl e to provide an appropriate burial is in questio n and the interest t aken in. this matte-r is of importance. 5. Th e me mbers of the Youth Council· would lik e to have badg es t o pin on new members and handbills to pass out which wou l d show their interest in non-v i o l ence a nd g ood human relations. �I. -- ,I Mr. Jordan -3- _September 1 4 , 1966 6. It is recommended that integrated police squad cars be used in the area. 7. There should be an investigation of t he Grady Hosp i ta l ambulance service wh ich is reported to have failed to pick up the two Negro y ouths at first but to ok the white policeman. The results of t he investigation should be publicized. 8. Questions are also bJi ng raised a s to why t h e doors of the Georgia Baptist Hospital,wh ich is nearby, were not opened to the Negro victims of t he S aturday n ight shooting. 9. Th ere are also q ue stions as to why there are n o reports on the condition o f the se c ond youth , the y oung man who was shot on Capito l Avenue and continued announ c ements and steps taken to bring about justice in both cas e s. The arrests o f suspect s hav e less ened the tension greatly and especially the fr equent and wide - spread illewscasts in regard thereto. I It took a great deal of digging f o r our local leadership to c ome up with l o ng- range corrective measures. Basi cally they made few emergency r e commendat ions that have not already been di scussed many times by the lo cal adv iso ry commi·c.tees, the Citi zens Centr al Adv isory Council and t he EOA Board. However, it was plain that they stil l believe that their long-range answer to Atlanta's problem is to bu i ld a great city which wil l give much effo rt to accompli sh th e f ollowi ng. 1. coop erat ion o f all majo r employers to bLild a ci ty whe re equal employment opportuni tie s are a matt er of normal c ou rse where every citizen ma y adv ance i n ac cordanc e with his e du c ation, training , experi en ce a n d ability. It wa s clear in every meeting th at a dequ ate jobs and job opportunities were conside r ed probably t h e most important recommendati o ns made. 2. That the number and quality o f job training courses be increa s ed s o that every u nemployed pe rson will have the op po rtu n ity for advancemen t a nd for a good job. 3. Th a t th e Atlanta educat i onal p r o grams co nt i nue to imp rove so th at eve ry p erson wi l l h a ve an opp o r tunity to rema i n in s cho ol and t o rec e ive qu ality education in accordance with his ability . �------ ----::-.:::!...--=·- _________, ,I Mr. Jordan - 4- Septembe r 1 4 , 1966 4. That slum housing b e a b olish ed with speed and that adequate housing be availab l e f or a l l citizen s. 5. That a ll citi z e n s have · f u l l and equ al oppo rtun iti e s to p a rticipate in all o f the c ommuni t y' s p r o g rams and activities. 6. That Atlanta' s services t h rough t h e Un ited Appeal , the county welfare p rog ram, th e county health pro gram, t he st ate e mplo yment s e rvice, EOA and oth ers all b e c o nt inu e d and i mpr o ve s o that oppo~tu nities may be exten ded t o all di sadvan t aged i n t h e city . EOA' s s a ff i s n ow compilL g al l the sugge stions made t o dat e, and t hey will be brough t to the atten t i on of the Citizen s Cent ra l Ad v is o r y Coun ci l this week, probably F ri day, for a fi nal review . Af t er t h i s is done the re commend a t ion s o f the coun ci l wi ll be submitted t o the offi cial EOA Bo ard at i t s n e x t r egul ar mee ting o n S eptemb e r 21 . We are do ing everyth i ng we can t o work with. o ur c ommun ity leaders and wi ll keep y ou informed. As soo n as o ur r e commendation s are in h and I will send them to you. Sin c ere l y y o urs , C. 0. Emmeri c h COE : aw �