Letter to President Dwight D. Eisenhower from Maxine G. Allison Against School Integration

-2- I QUESTION YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, ABOUT KNOWING THE FEELINGS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTHERN STATES. I SAY YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW CLOSELY YOU HAVE STRUCK IN THE HOMES OF THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE. You DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY TEMPERS YOU HAVE STIRRED IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. I, TOO, DEPLORE VIOLENCE, BUT I ALSO DEPLORE MY RIGHTS INFRINGED. THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE WILL NOT ACCEPT "FORCE" ON INTEGRATION. I PREDICT THAT BY CALLING THE TROOPS TODAY YOU HAVE MERELY CAUSED LITTLE Rock TO BECOME THE FIRST STEPPING STONE TO RACE RIOTS AND VIOLENCE NOT ONLY IN ARKANSAS, BUT THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN STATES. YES, I BELIEVE THAT THE UNITED STATES IS A DEMOCRATIC NATION, BUT IN THIS CASE, WITHOUT DIPLOMACY IN THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNING BODY. AFTER YOUR ADDRESS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS PLAYED, AND FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE, I COULD NOT BE PROUD OF OLD GLORY UNFURLING IN THE BREEZE! No, I AM NOT PLEASED WITH YOU TONIGHT, MR. EISENHOWER; NOR DO I UPHOLD THE SUPREME COURT RULING IN LITTLE Rock. IF MY LETTER IS READ BY YOU, I HOPE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT I FEEL---- DISALLUSION, ANGER, PLUS EMOTION; AS I AM A MOTHER OF TWO SMALL DAUGHTERS, WHO IN THREE YEARS WILL BE ENTERING SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME. THIS CRISIS EFFECTS ME AND MY CHILDREN. As YOU WILL AGREE, MOST PEOPLE MEET THE PERSON WHOM THEY LATER MARRY IN SCHOOL. WHETHER IT BE HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE IS OF LITTLE SIGNIFIGANCE, BUT SCHOOL NEVERTHELESS, IS THE MEETING PLACE. IF WE ALLOW INTEGRATION ON ALL LEVELS DOES THIS MEAN WE WILL HAVE TO ALLOW MIXED MARRIAGES? MAY I OFFER SOME SUGGESTION IN CLOSING In MY OPINION THE MOST DIPLO- MATIC THING TO DO IN THE FACE OF INTEGRATION WOULD BE TO SET UP A VOTE IN THE SOUTHERN STATES AS TO WHETHER OR NOT OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD BE INTEGRATED. LET THE PEOPLE OF THE South DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES. ONE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS RIGHTS OF AMERICANS IS THE RIGHT TO VOTE. LET US SHOW THE OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD THAT THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE OF AMERICA CAN VOTE, ELECT, THEN LIVE BY "THEIR" DECISION. GIVE THE NEGROS FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF PRESS, ETC., BUT LET THERE BE PROVIDED ADEQUATE SEPARATE SCHOOLS FOR THEM. THIS IS NOT AN ANONYMOUS LETTER. I WANT IT "READ". I WANT IT TO REACH THE HANDS FOR WHICH IT IS INTENDED I DO NOT WISH IT THROWN IN THE WASTE BASKET. EXPECTING AN ANSWER FROM YOU. SINCERELY, MRS Magine y. Allison MAXINE G. ALLISON