Friends and Fans

Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. is remembered for his testimony in favor of the Bill that became the 1964 Civil Rights Act in the face of hostility from the South around him. With hindsight we applaud Mayor Allen for his courage to do what he believed to be right. While many Southerners at the time disagreed with Allen, some citizens of Atlanta (and beyond) wrote to the mayor to voice their appreciation for his efforts.

One such person was Norman S. Nadel, a drama critic from New York, who wrote to Mayor Allen to say: “Atlanta should be very proud. When an elected official can express himself so clearly and persuasively on a matter of such grave concern to the nation, he is an exceptional man. The incontestable wisdom of what you said before the [Senate Commerce] Committee, the compassion underlying your beliefs, and the uncompromising honesty of your statement, all testify to an uncommon and admirable level of statesmanship.”

Another such letter, this time from Archbishop Hallinan of Atlanta, expressed the same gratitude and admiration for the national character of Atlanta. “Just a note to express my deep admiration and gratitude to you. That night, as we watched and listened and prayed, Atlanta seemed to grow. We have shown the nation a new stature. And you have been the source.”

In yet another letter M. Fern Maddox and Wilma van Dusseldorp too wrote to Mayor Allen to express their gratitude. “Thank you, thank you, thank you for so ably representing Atlanta before the nation in Washington D.C. during the last week,” they began. “Many Georgians who are not Atlantans (we are former Atlantans) depend heavily on the intellect of courageous leadership Atlanta officials give to the solution of our many frustrating problems, and we are everlastingly grateful to you and your co-workers for the grand job you are doing. You have lots of friends in the hinterland – rural parts of the state who value your efforts as much as Atlantans do.” 

Letters like the ones quoted here show the deep national appreciation for Mayor Allen’s efforts. While of course most encouragement came from his home city, some people in Georgia and the nation generally saw and admired what Mayor Allen had done. These letters also serve to work against the simplistic concept that everyone in the South was hostile to civil rights. Those who wrote to the mayor to express their gratitude were genuinely glad to see change coming to the South and the United States at large.