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October 20, 1967
Dr. John W. Letson
Superintendent
Atlanta Public Schools
224 Central Avenue, S. W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Dear John;
I am sure that you are aware of the movement at the national
level to develop a strong coalition of urban interests in an effort
to exert more influence in national programs and priorities for
the benefit of our cities.
Representatives of business, labor, civil rights, religion, education
and Mayors of urban cities have joined together in an Urban Coalition
to provide coordinated machinery for getting the story of our big
city problems across to the nation.
I am attaching some information materials on the Urban Coalition.
These will explain the background and goals of the national steering
committee.
It has been recognized from the beginning that in order to be
effective, local counter+part coalitions must be developed in all
parts of the country to support these goals, It is my belief that
for years Atlanta has been able to grow and prosper through an
effective and informal coalition relationship of business and govern-
ment and with the support of the other areas of interest which are
a part of the national coalition effort. I believe, however, that
we need to recognize a little more formally the coalitions which
keep our city moving and also to develop a local coalition relation+
ship with the national Urban Coalition,
Dr. Letson
Page Two
October 20, 1967
It is my thinking that an initial step would be for us to get together
the top representatives of these key interest groups to form a local
coalition steering committee and invite the participation by other
organized groups. The initial steering committee could be composed
of the Mayor, as chief elected official of the city, the President
of the Chamber of Commerce, the President of the Atlanta Labor
Council, the President of the Atlanta Christian Council, the Co«
Chairman of the Summit Leadership Conference, the Superintendant
of public education, and the Chairman of the Citizens Central
Advisory Council, who is the elected representative of participants
in the Economic Opportunity program,
I have dr&fted a statement which might be considered by this group
which recognizes the need for a local coalition and endorses the
declaration of principles of the national coalition. A copy of the
principles of the national coalition is also attached for your
consideration,
By recognizing the existence of a coalition we will be able to better
communicate urban problems and focus maximum resources upon
their solutions.
In order that we might consider this proposal I have invited the
following people to meet with me at my office at City Hall on
Wednesday, October 25, at 10:00 a.m.:
Mr. A, H. Sterne, President
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Rev. Samuel Williams
Co-Chairman
Summit Leadership Conference
Mr. Robert J. Butler, President
Atlanta Labor Council
Dr. Letson
Page Three
October 20, 1967
er ee ee a
IAI rify
Rev. Bevel Jones, President
Christian Council of Metropolitan
Atlanta, Inc.
Dr. John W. Letson
Superintendent
Atlanta Public Schools
Mr. Erwin Stevens, President
Citizens Central Advisory Council
Economic Opportunity Atlanta, Inc.
Sincerely yours,
Ivan Allen, Jr.
Mayor
Dr. John W. Letson
Superintendent
Atlanta Public Schools
224 Central Avenue, S. W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Dear John;
I am sure that you are aware of the movement at the national
level to develop a strong coalition of urban interests in an effort
to exert more influence in national programs and priorities for
the benefit of our cities.
Representatives of business, labor, civil rights, religion, education
and Mayors of urban cities have joined together in an Urban Coalition
to provide coordinated machinery for getting the story of our big
city problems across to the nation.
I am attaching some information materials on the Urban Coalition.
These will explain the background and goals of the national steering
committee.
It has been recognized from the beginning that in order to be
effective, local counter+part coalitions must be developed in all
parts of the country to support these goals, It is my belief that
for years Atlanta has been able to grow and prosper through an
effective and informal coalition relationship of business and govern-
ment and with the support of the other areas of interest which are
a part of the national coalition effort. I believe, however, that
we need to recognize a little more formally the coalitions which
keep our city moving and also to develop a local coalition relation+
ship with the national Urban Coalition,
Dr. Letson
Page Two
October 20, 1967
It is my thinking that an initial step would be for us to get together
the top representatives of these key interest groups to form a local
coalition steering committee and invite the participation by other
organized groups. The initial steering committee could be composed
of the Mayor, as chief elected official of the city, the President
of the Chamber of Commerce, the President of the Atlanta Labor
Council, the President of the Atlanta Christian Council, the Co«
Chairman of the Summit Leadership Conference, the Superintendant
of public education, and the Chairman of the Citizens Central
Advisory Council, who is the elected representative of participants
in the Economic Opportunity program,
I have dr&fted a statement which might be considered by this group
which recognizes the need for a local coalition and endorses the
declaration of principles of the national coalition. A copy of the
principles of the national coalition is also attached for your
consideration,
By recognizing the existence of a coalition we will be able to better
communicate urban problems and focus maximum resources upon
their solutions.
In order that we might consider this proposal I have invited the
following people to meet with me at my office at City Hall on
Wednesday, October 25, at 10:00 a.m.:
Mr. A, H. Sterne, President
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Rev. Samuel Williams
Co-Chairman
Summit Leadership Conference
Mr. Robert J. Butler, President
Atlanta Labor Council
Dr. Letson
Page Three
October 20, 1967
er ee ee a
IAI rify
Rev. Bevel Jones, President
Christian Council of Metropolitan
Atlanta, Inc.
Dr. John W. Letson
Superintendent
Atlanta Public Schools
Mr. Erwin Stevens, President
Citizens Central Advisory Council
Economic Opportunity Atlanta, Inc.
Sincerely yours,
Ivan Allen, Jr.
Mayor