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October 19, 1967 Mr . A . H . Sterne , Jr ., Pres ide nt Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Post Offi c e Box 4418 Atlanta, Georgia 30302 Dear Billy: I am sure that you are aw re of the movement t the national level to develop a st.ong c oalition of ui-ban interest in an effo:rt to exert more influEmce in national progfams and priorities for the benefit of our cities .

Representatives of busin ss , labor, civil rights, religion , education

and Mayors of urban citi s have joined tog ther in an Urban Coalition to provide coordinat d machinery for getting the story of our big city problems cross to the nation. lam tt ching om information materials on the Urban Coalition. The e will explain the b ckground and goals of the nation l st ring c;:ommitte . It h been ~ . cognh:ed from th beginning th t ln ord r to be flectiv • local c:ounter-p rt coalitions muet b dev lop d in p ts of th cou.ntry to Uppol"t thee goal · . It i my belief th t ior ye rs Atlant has be n a.bl to gtow and p\tO p r through ~f! ctiv and inform l coalition rel tlonship of busin s nd gov rn• ment and with th support of th oth r ~e of int rest which r a p n ol th nation co ltion tfort. I bellev • how v i-; that w n ed to r cogni Uttl more formally the co · 1tions which keep our city moving and lso to d v lop a loc coalition r l tion .. ship with th tional Urban Coalition. �Mr. Sterne Page Two O ctober 19, 1967 It is rny thinking that an initial step would be for us to get together the top repre.sentatives of these key interest gJ'oupa to form a local coalition steering committ~e and invite the participation by other organized groups . The initial stee11ing committee could be composed of the Mayor, as chief elected official of the city, the President of the Chambe,: of Commerce ; the President of the Atlanta Labor Council, the President of the Atlant Christian Council, the CoCha.irman of the Summit Leadership Conierence. the Superintendent of public education, and the Chairman of the Citizens Central A dvisory Council, who is the ~lected representative of participants in the Economic Opportunity program. I have dr · fted a statement which might be considered by this group which recogniz s the need for a local coalition nd endorses the declar tion of principles of the national coalition. A copy of the principl s of the nation 1 coalition is also attached for your consideration. By recognizing the existence of a co lition we will be ble to b tter communicate urban problems and focus maximum re ource s upon their solutions . · l:n ord r that w might consider this propoe , 1 have invited th following p opl i o meet with m.e t my offic t City Hall on Wedne y, Octob r 25, t 10:00 • m.: Mr. A. H. Steni , Pre id nt Atla.n C mb r of Commerce Rev. S mqel Willi ma _ C o -Chairman Summit Lead r hip C onference Mr. obert J. Butler, P re s ld nt Atlant L bor C ouncil l �