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1506 P Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C.
September 16, 1966
Mr. Ivan Allen, Mayor
% City Hall
Atlanta, Georgia
Dear Sir:
State for me just one thing that Stokely Carmichael did wrong.
It is hard to find someone here who can.
Mr. Allen, you have tolerated the leaders of the Kian, and you
have tolerated the Nazis, But you use the first slight opportunity
you have to try to destroy Mr. Carmichael who simply has guts enough
to speak his opinion. Stokely got under your skin; he hit you where
you really hurt--by telling the truth.
I pause here to tell you I am not a racist. I am not a member
of the organization you seek to hurt, But I am a Negro and my home
is the South. When officials in towns like yours try to tell the na-
tion that those towns are perfect, I can disagree because, Brother
Allen, I have lived some of that Hades.
I give Stokely Carmichael credit for being a man, The oppo-
nents of civil rights cry for responsible Negro leadership. Stoke-
ly is a good leader. When it comes to leadership, he could tell the
very Lyndon B. Johnson a thing or two.
Stokely is not a dumb man, You cannot step on his toes and ex-
pect him to keep quiet. Many people admire him for his courage; his
name registers well in the hearts of multitudes, But the majority
could still ask "Who is Ivan Allen?"
Brother Allen, Stokely Carmichael made you jealous~-jealous
that he is an individual who draws more publicity than you. When
you speak of dissension between him and some of the other civil
rights leaders, you know full well that they too are cognizant of