The African American Community Responds: Telegrams and Letters to the Mayor

Much like the wall itself, the responses to the wall were mostly divided along racial lines. More often than not, white community members wrote to Mayor Allen to thank him for his perceived courage in putting up the wall, while black community members wrote to condemn it.

For example, a black student organization wrote to Mayor Allen saying: “the students of Atlanta University feel as if you have made a great mistake in supporting the establishment of an Atlanta Wall across Peyton and Harlan roads. In reply to a request of the All Citizens Committee on Better Citizens Planning we supply 175 picketers per day for the Westend business area. We will also stage several mass demonstrations at the Atlanta City Wall with no less than 1500 students. This action will focus the eyes of the world on the Atlanta City Wall.” Another telegram from Dr. R.C. Bell, Special Project Director of the Atlanta Southern Christian Leadership Conference, similarly took Mayor Allen to task. He wrote: “The terror and direct intimidation inflicted upon the negro and white families involved in the normal transaction of purchasing and selling of real estate property beyond your now arbitrary and unconstitutional “Berlin Wall” are a result of your misguided actions.”

On the other side of the wall, white citizens wrote to Mayor Allen to thank him. For example, one Mrs. Rex Wilson wrote to Allen saying, “Thank you for the firm stand you have taken in the “Peyton-Harlan” controversy. My husband used his G.I. loan in 1947 on our home. We have almost paid for our home. If we had to sell it at this time we would have to buy another home in an inflated market, and still not equal to what we have in home and land here on Peyton road.” Another more explicit letter from a man named Eugene Shirly read: “We can’t give our wonderful home city to the blacks. Why can’t they build one hospital with their money, [but] they could build a television station.” Mr. Shirly ended his letter with the words “I am with you today.”

 Despite clear alignment with the sentiments of racists, Mayor Allen initially defended his stance to black voters that had in no small part contributed to his election. Allen defended his actions by asking black leaders to “…make a careful investigation of all the unnatural circumstances surrounding this action,” claiming, “I am convinced that after you do, you will agree with me that this is a practicable solution.”  Later, he said “The closings exercised the same restraint on all citizens and discriminated against no one.”

Click on the documents on this page to see other reactions to the Atlanta Wall.