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Box 4289, Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
P.P.F.
March 12, 1948
President Harry S. Truman
200
White House
Washington, D. C.
2/2/48
Dear Mr. President:
H
I am submitting the proposal in this letter to you for
several reasons: First, I am deeply concerned about the present
dissention that bids fair to ruin the Democratic Party and to
interrupt its liberal administration of our government. Second,
I am deeply concerned about the status of our Negro citizens
in the south and, while idealistically I agree entirely with
your civil rights proposals, I suggest a query as to its effect
if adopted.
There are several premises which I advance as a basis for
the proposition to be suggested to you. First, a majority of
white people in the south are strongly prejudiced against the
civil rights proposal and against our Negro citizens. That is
a sad but true statement of fact, I believe. Second, the mere
suggestion or offer of such legislation has given rise to an
increasing crescendo of racist discussion and anti-Negro
activity, both of which we can expect to increase to no-one-knows-
what bounds if the legislation is enacted. Third, where a
majority or even a large minority strongly opposes a law, such
a law can be enforced only by unusually strong police measures
which may amount to measures of a police state. Fourth, many
bigoted people will blame the Negro for any civil rights measures
that are passed in the face of southern opposition. On the basis
of these premises, which I believe to be true, the present civil
rights program may harm the Negro citizens in the south more than
it will help.
May I offer a suggestion as to another approach for your
consideration. It seems to me that this approach will accomplish
eventually the purpose which you had in mind while avoiding
some of the stronger objections. I propose that the Congress
appropriate funds to assist Negroes who wish to immigrate
voluntarily from the south to other regions where equal or more
nearly equal civil rights and opportunities are at present afforded
members of the race. As you know, even now large numbers of
Negroes leave the south every year; but, because of a lack of
assistance, guidance, or even information, they tend to concentrate
in places like Harlem and Paradise Valley, creating "southern"
conditions there to their disadvantage. They deserve something
better, and the federal government would do well to render them
such assistance.
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"ocrText": "Box 4289, Duke University\nDurham, North Carolina\nP.P.F.\nMarch 12, 1948\nPresident Harry S. Truman\n200\nWhite House\nWashington, D. C.\n2/2/48\nDear Mr. President:\nH\nI am submitting the proposal in this letter to you for\nseveral reasons: First, I am deeply concerned about the present\ndissention that bids fair to ruin the Democratic Party and to\ninterrupt its liberal administration of our government. Second,\nI am deeply concerned about the status of our Negro citizens\nin the south and, while idealistically I agree entirely with\nyour civil rights proposals, I suggest a query as to its effect\nif adopted.\nThere are several premises which I advance as a basis for\nthe proposition to be suggested to you. First, a majority of\nwhite people in the south are strongly prejudiced against the\ncivil rights proposal and against our Negro citizens. That is\na sad but true statement of fact, I believe. Second, the mere\nsuggestion or offer of such legislation has given rise to an\nincreasing crescendo of racist discussion and anti-Negro\nactivity, both of which we can expect to increase to no-one-knows-\nwhat bounds if the legislation is enacted. Third, where a\nmajority or even a large minority strongly opposes a law, such\na law can be enforced only by unusually strong police measures\nwhich may amount to measures of a police state. Fourth, many\nbigoted people will blame the Negro for any civil rights measures\nthat are passed in the face of southern opposition. On the basis\nof these premises, which I believe to be true, the present civil\nrights program may harm the Negro citizens in the south more than\nit will help.\nMay I offer a suggestion as to another approach for your\nconsideration. It seems to me that this approach will accomplish\neventually the purpose which you had in mind while avoiding\nsome of the stronger objections. I propose that the Congress\nappropriate funds to assist Negroes who wish to immigrate\nvoluntarily from the south to other regions where equal or more\nnearly equal civil rights and opportunities are at present afforded\nmembers of the race. As you know, even now large numbers of\nNegroes leave the south every year; but, because of a lack of\nassistance, guidance, or even information, they tend to concentrate\nin places like Harlem and Paradise Valley, creating \"southern\"\nconditions there to their disadvantage. They deserve something\nbetter, and the federal government would do well to render them\nsuch assistance."
}