Box 17, Folder 7, Document 39

Box 17, Folder 7, Document 39

October 24, 1964

Mr. Hank Aaron
Milwaukee Braves
Milwaukee Wisconsin

Dear Mr. Aaron:

Having been born and raised in the South, I can understand your fears
and apprehensions relative to your moving to the south with the Braves
Baseball Team.

But as a Senator from the State of Georgia, and the first of our group
to serve in the Senate in 92 years and as one who has watched Atlanta
and Georgia progress in the last decade, I can assure you that your
fears today may not be well founded. Georgia has made more progress
in the last five years in the area of human relations than any other
southern state. Atlanta has moved in the same span of time from a
segregated city to a eee city. The business community, the
eity administration as well as Negroe and White leadership have join-
ed forces to keep Atlanta moving forward.

It is far from my intentions to convey to you that we have reached
the ultimate in human relations in Atlanta. Frankly, I do not know
of any ea in this country where the ultimate has been reached. It
is not my intentions to infer that there is no room for improvement.
To the contrary, we have a lung way to go as is true in most cities
throughout the country inecludi lwaukee before achieving a society
completely free of prejudice | discrimination. However, we have
come a long way in the city of Atlanta. Our public facilities have
been dese. regated, the golf courses, swimming pools, libraries, trans-
potation feailities, hotels, motels, restuarants, the present ball -
park and the ball park under construction will be compietely de-
segregated.
Mr. Hank Aaron
Page 2
October 24, 1964

The ‘cant thing about Atlanta is that there is a spirit and an
atmos of change, there is a spirit of growth and a determination
on the part of Negroes ond Whites, who have pledged a continued per-
petuation of this atmosphere.

Im my official capacity, as a State Senater, I want to welcome you to
our city. As a southerner and as a great aduiver of yours, my wife
and I want to extend to you and to family the hospitality of our
home and cur friendship as you resolve in your own mind the quesiion
of returning to the south.
With kind personal regards, I remain

Yours truly,

Leroy &. Johnson
Senator, 38th District

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