Box 17, Folder 11, Document 114

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Box 17, Folder 11, Document 114

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December 23, 1962

Mx. Kaliph Moore

Chairman of the

Committee on Appeal for Human Rights
Atlanta University

Atlanta, Georgia

Dear Mr. Moore:

May L acknowledge receipt of your wire of December iZnd, which
reads as follows:

“The Students of Atlanta University feel as if you have made a
great mistake in supporting the establishment of an Atlanta Wail
across Peyton and Marlen Roads. In reply to a request of the All
Citizens Committee on Better Citisens Planning we supply 175
pieketers per day for the Westend Business area. We will aise
stage several mass demonstrations at the Atianta City Wall with
no less than 1500 students. This action will focus the eyes of the
worid om the Atlanta City Wall. We do not want Atianta io have this
type of publicity. Thereiore we encourage you to remove the Wall
ané@ salle the good image of Atianta while there is still time."

Piret, this is te advise you that at the request of Mr. Virgil Copeland,
President of the Southwest Civic Association, 1 have asked repre-
sentatiage of the following four groups to form a dlizens committee
to discuss the problems confronting the Peyton-Marlan Read area
situation. Mr. Q. V. Williameon has advised me that the Citlsens
Committee for Better Planning will repreeent him in his capacity ae
Ge-Chairman of the Atlanta Negro Voters League. I would think that
any action prior to the deliberations of this committee and its
recommendations would be precipitous and harmful to our beat efforts.

Second, i would like for the stadente of Atianta University to have full
knowledge and acquaint themeelvea with the everail preblem and with





ol
Mr. Ralph Moore December 23, 1962

the complete record to date which is aa follows; The Peyton-Harian
Road problem is the fifty-second area or street to undergooneighber-
heed expansion, penetration or encroachment since the firat of this
year. The record is flawless insofar aa the protection of the rights
of the Negro citizen ia concerned. I am enclosing a lbet of the fifty=
one streets on which this problem has been satisfactorily handled to
date. I hepe that the students, with their ability to analyze factual
conditions, will study carefully this record, and 1 would hope that
they would express their complete satisiaction and accord with the
record of this administration.

i am certain that the matter having been handled se as te protect the
rights of all persons im the first fiity-one instances would raise the
question of why it is not being handled the same way in the Peyton-
Harlan Read instance. The answer, again, can be factual and
definite. The Peyton Road incident, consisting mainly of agitation
on Fielding Lane, is an artificial, wnnatural condition created by
unscrupulous parties, both white and Negro, who have attempted
through uncthical, disloyal and fhise misrepresentations to panic the
residents of that community.

Te prevent this condition, I have previously worked with the Empire
Real Estate Board and a citizens committees, composed of the West end
Businessmen's Associationsmnad the Empire Real Estate Board. in spite
of a previous record of excellent cooperation from these two bedies, it
was impossible to stop thie artifical bargaining ef land.

May I invite your attention to the fact that the closing of Peyton and
Marlan Roads is an inconvenience mostly to white citizens and to very
few Negro citizens. it dees not prevent access or egress into aay
area of town, nor dows it limit any rights of the individual citizen
from purchase or sale, or other fundamental liberties. it merely
serves a2 a warning to unscrupulous real esiate dealers that Atlanta
will not tolerate under the guise of “race descrimination™ the des-
truction of fundamental values among any of its citizens.

I would hope that you would study this problem carefally and I would
aise assure you that if there ia additional information which you
deire, 1 will be glad to supply it.

od-
Mr. Raiph Moore December 23, 1962

he record as outlined above shows that the rights of all citizens
have been protected without question in fifty-one out of Alty-two
instances, and, now, you place a question mark by the filty-second.
Atlanta's reputation haa been built by these who have carried out
the aforegone record. li is my sincere hope that the students of
Atlanta University will aot injure this record.

Should you ignore the above request and feel that you must picket
for the sake of picketing, then be assured that the rights of the
individual in picketing will be zealously guarded by the law enforce-
ment body of this city.

You stated that you plan to stage several mass demonstrations with
1,509 students at the Atlanta City Hall. If, for parposes of national
publicity you feel this is abeciutely necessary, and if you will advise
me of the time of your arrival, 1 should be giad tc receive you on the

City Hall steps.

I hope you will inform the students of Atlanta University that Atianta's
record is outstanding, and that I hope they will not injure it with any
unnecessary or overt action.

Sincerely,

Ivan Allens, Jr.

iAsrwad


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