Box 7, Folder 18, Document 39

Box 7, Folder 18, Document 39

-JOMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION

ESTABLISHED BY THE MAYOR AND THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN, NOVEMBER, 1966
1203 CITY HALL, ATLANTA GEORGIA so0sos TELEPHONE 582-4468 EXT. 433

May 9, 1967
Mr. Sterrs Johnson

For the past two years or so, I have been familiar with Mr. Sterrs
Johnsen's efforts to obtain employment in the Civil Defense Organization
of Metropolitan Atlanta. When I worked as Executive Director of the y
Council on Human Relations of Greater Atlanta, Mr. Johnson asked for our
assistance. Mr. Johnson hage documents from his Commanding Officers in
the Army Reserves attesting to his training and experiences in Civil
Defense, and recommending him highly for work in this area.

Mr. Johnson states that upon his early requests about employment
he was not notified that such applications should be submitted to the
State Merit System, he then took the Merit System examination and passed
it. He then preceded with the help of the Council office to contact,
in turn the Department of the Navy, Equal Opportunity Atlanta, the
Department of Defense, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and
the city of Atlanta. He was told in each case that the agency involved
did not have jurisdiction over this. The Department of Defense acknow-
ledge that the Atlanta Metropolitan Civil Defense Organization receives
Federal money, but advised him that employment is through the State
Merit System, which put him back where he started,

By this time, the State Merit System register had expired and it
was necessary for Mr. Johnson to take the examination again. Having
been ill and being under considerable pressure about this matter, Mr.
Johnson did not pass the examination that time but shortly thereafter
took it again and did pass it. (Mr. Johnson points out that there appears
to be no Negrooexaminers at the Gtaté Merit System and that he knows of
no way to find out if the reports of the examiners are without prejudice)

In February upon the establishment of this Commission, Mr. Johnson
again asked for help in his efforts to odtain employment in the Civil
Defense Organization. General Woodward assured us that employees are
selected without regard to race although we know of no Negro employees
in the professional or office staff of the central Civil Defense Organi-
zation.

Then Mr. Johnson requested that I inquire of the State Merit System
about his position on the register several weeks ago. I was told that
that his position at that time was No. 1 on the register, but I was
reminded that this might change at any time if someone else took the
examination and made a higher grade than Mr. Johnson.

cc: Mr. Eugene Patterson, Atlanta Constitution