EXHIBIT
Welcome to the
IVAN ALLEN ARCHIVAL
PAGE
By Nicole Frey
Who was Ivan Allen?
Ivan Earnest Allen Jr., was an American businessman who served two terms as the 52nd mayor of Atlanta, during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Allen provided pivotal leadership for transforming the segregated and economically stagnant Old South into the progressive New South​.
​
In July 1963, Mayor Allen risked his political career to support President John Kennedy's efforts to end segregation throughout the nation. Allen testified in favor of the Civil Rights bill before a Senate Committee in Washington, D.C. He was the only southern elected official to endorse the bill, which became what we know as today as the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
​
https://www.nps.gov/features/malu/feat0002/wof/Ivan_Allen.htm
​
This page focuses on artifacts from box 19, folder 17, pages 135-179. Displayed below are five letters that demonstrate the various positive reactions Mayor Allen's testimony received during the various months after its deliverance.
​
Archive section: http://allenarchive.iac.gatech.edu/items/show/9192
The first letter displayed from the archive was written by Mrs. Elisa R. Tow. Mrs. Abraham Tow gives her congratulations from the perspective of a "non-constituent," proposing that if every major from every city, town, and village would display the same admirable qualities as Mayor Allen, then she would consider it to be a, "wonderful day." Mrs. Abraham Tow's positive reaction to Allen's testimony reaffirms her support of his political mentality to stand against segregation during this time period.
letter listed as page 143
letter listed as page 167
The following letter from the archive is from a Miss. Loretto Chappell. Her positive reaction of Allen's testimony is highlighted not only through her recognition in the political risk accompanied by the testimony given in regards to Allen's political career, but also her gratitude for the progression it brought towards achieving, "equal justice to our Negro citizens." She implies that Allen's testimony was a very forward way of not only supporting the public accommodations act, but the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. Miss. Loretto ends her message with a statement that highlights the urgency of the current situation, and speaks to Allen's political action, referring to it as a much needed way of directly progressing the movement that was already one hundred years too late.
These letters displayed to the right are from Miss Lucille Lazar. She expresses her respect as well as admiration for the bravery Allen demonstrated in front of the senate, and in front of their country. She emphasizes that Allen's testimony was one of honesty, decency, and dignity. She writes to him about her hope that his testimony is largely and widely publicized in order to encourage those men of good will to stand and follow his example.
letters listed as pages 140 and 141 respectively
Another letter from the archive was sent from a hotel in New York from an individual with the initials M.M. Their positive reaction to Allen's testimony focuses more on the impact it had on them personally. The individual initially explains to Allen that they had read the testimony through an issue put out by The New York Times. M.M associates themselves as an, "ethical culturist", and reveals that this is why Allen's testimony meant so much in personal regards. M.M juxtaposes the City of New York to Atlanta in it's state of handling segregation, admitting that Atlanta was in better shape, despite its status as a southern state.
letter listed as page 163
These two pages displayed to the right are two of three written by C. Enocho from California. The letter shares genuine gratitude in regards to Allen's testimony. Enoch describes the testimony to be an opinion that, "...shines as one of the too few lights in the darkness among leaders in the South." Enocho realizes that there are very few who have the opportunity to stand up for what they believe in, and what Allen did was considered to be a "sledgehammer attack on discrimination." Lastly, Enocho looks at Allen's action through the backlash it must be receiving due to the racial climate of Atlanta during this time. Enocho encourages Allen to not give up through the negativity, because his testimony makes those of smaller effort (like Enocho's) all the more worthwhile in their shared endeavor to eliminate segregation throughout America.
_PNG.png)
letter listed as page 169