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    "localId": "321496021",
    "label": "Letter from Charles R. Hollolman to President Harry S. Truman",
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    "title": "Letter from Charles R. Hollolman to President Harry S. Truman",
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    "seq": 2,
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    "ocrText": "If this proposal is opposed by Congressional members from\n\"free\" states, it will make suspect the good faith which they\nhave heretofore appeared to have in advising the south on the\nproblem. It will certainly appear that they do not have the\ngood interest of Negro citizens at heart. If southern Congressional\nleaders oppose it, the opposition will redound to their discredit\nboth in the south and elsewhere in the nation. It is my belief\nthat, by and large, this race prejudice rests on the following\nbases:\n1. It is in proportion, to a considerable degree, to the ratio of\nwhite and black citizens in the locality.\n2. It is in proportion to the low economic status and lack of\neducation in the region.\nMy further opinion is that, as the Negroes immigrate away\nfrom the south in increasing numbers, a severe shortage of labor\nof all kinds will develop. Our leaders will come to the reali-\nzation that the expedient thing to do is to make the south a\nmore attractive place to live in order to induce our Negro\ncitizens to remain here and work. Then we may hope for public\nneed to generate in our southern states that hospitality toward\nNegro citizens that the south has boasted of toward visitors.\nIt can even result in our southern states passing civil rights\nlegislation to induce our Negroes to stay; and then I think the\nlegislation will have the advantage of support of the public\nmajority.\nThere are many people in the south today who believe in the\nsame democratic ideals that prompt those who support your civil\nrights proposals. I count myself among them. I would not\n#\npersonally deny to any other person any right that I claim for\nmyself. But, unfortunately, practical sociology and social\nand political ideals do not always climb the uncharted mountains\ntoward the promised land at an equal pace. An ideal may die or\nsicken dangerously if it becomes pregnant with malice or gives\nbirth to reactionary evil. I wonder if it is not more practicable\nfor us to acknowledge the fact that our democracy--great though\nit is and highly to be defended--is nevertheless still in some\nrespects immature in its development and, in realization of that\nfact, plan to pursue the ideal through more acceptable means.\nPerhaps, my suggestion has less merit than I conceive. If so,\nI freely would discard it in deference to a wiser proposal, for\nthe meetinghouse of democratic minds--the public forum--demands\nthat one must keep an open mind, I believe. But, I do feel, as\nI believe you do, that intellectually honest thinking is required\nin the resolution of this situation; for the present situation is\na contradiction of what America should represent and of what the\nfree world expects of us.\nDemocratically and sincerely,\nCharles R. Holloman\nCharles R. Holloman\n(Ex-sharecropper and an ordinary\ncitizen)"
}