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[Letterhead content]:
COMMITTEES
EDUCATION Transportation INSURANCE Surety & Title STATE INSTITUTIONS & PROPERTY
[Image]: Inner circle: Three pillars supporting an arch, underneath which stands a soldier with musket and bayonet. The text on the arch reads: CONSTITUTION, while the banners wrapped around the pillars read, left to right: WISDOM, JUSTICE, MODERATION. Outer circle: STATE OF GEORGIA 1776
The House of Representatives Atlanta, Georgia
May 5, 1968
Dear Friends:
Once again I am pleased to send you a copy of my newsletter to give you a progress report of what I have been doing as your Representative. I hope that through this newsletter you will know what I am doing and you will begin to let me know how you want me to serve you. We got many responses from the last newsletter, and I hope that each one of you will send me the name and address of someone in the 136th District you think would like to receive future issues.
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With this issue of the newsletter, I hope to include more information that will help you help me make decisions about how all our lives will be. If you like the newsletter, or if there is something you would like to see in future issues, please let me know.
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I am pleased to report that Governor Maddox did veto the welfare bill I mentioned in the last newsletter. You may remember that this bill would have let the State of Georgia sue to collect money from the children and heirs of welfare recipients after their deaths. This would have meant that if a person on welfare had managed to save a few pennies and buy a home or some furniture, the state could have taken these things away. I asked Maddox to kill this bill and he did. It was one of the few nice things he has done since he became Governor. Incidentally, the Republicans in the House said this bill was the one they were proudest of. We should remember that during this year's elections.
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[First box: image]: illustration of buildings surrounded by smoke in the background on the right side of the picture. Left side of picture is a high rise apartment building with a couple lounging on the patio (woman reading; man sitting and smoking) furnished with umbrellas, chairs and tables. Text above the box reads: "WE'RE to Blame for the Riots?! . . . Why, I've Never Been in a Ghetto in My Life!"
[Second box]: Text inside the box reads "Race prejudice has shaped our history decisively; it now threatens to affect our future."
The comment above is from the Commission that investigated last year's riots in America's big cities. The cartoon explains the attitude of too many people about doing something for America's poor people. I hope that Dr. King's death will finally begin to make people realize that changes must come quickly before the entire country explodes. We can be thankful that Atlanta was quiet during the dark days after Dr. King was killed.
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Some of you may know of an elderly person who wants a job. If you do know someone over 50 who would like to work, have them contact the Golden Age Employment Service, 793 Piedmont Avenue, N. E., or call 876-4482.
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I was recently honored by being named to the NASH-Washington Technical Advisory Committee for 1968 - 1969 and was selected Assistant Secretary of the group. Rev. Samuel Williams is Chairman. This body will meet with and provide assistance and guidance for the Economic Opportunity Program in our neighborhood. I have been chosen Chairman of the Voter Registration Committee also.
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I met recently with a group of ladies who are interested in cleaning up their neighborhood. They want to establish a small playground and park near the corner of Jeptha and Parsons Streets, and I have tried to get the city to help them in their clean-up campaign.
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Let me remind you all again to register to vote. You can register easily at the Fulton County Court House. You may know someone who cannot read and is ashamed to admit it. Even people who cannot read can vote, so encourage your friends and neighbors to go down and register.
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My wife has presented me with a 6 pound, 15 ounce baby boy on April 12. We now have three sons and one daughter.
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I have enclosed two maps that show where the proposed Rapid Transit system will come through the 136th District. At the top of the colored piece of paper I have enclosed in this newsletter is a street map that shown how the new line will run South of Lena Street to a station near Ashby and Lena Streets just below Mayson Turner Avenue. From the station, the line will run almost underground under Mayson Turner, under Taliaferro Street, under Leach Street, under Raymond Street and under Chestnut Street and Griffin Street until it gets to Sunset Avenue where it will be level with the street on up past Electric Avenue. I say "almost underground" because it will be in what is called a "cut", a small valley which will help cut down the small amount of noise the system vill make. Those of you who live in this neighborhood may want to attend a public hearing on the Rapid Transit routes and station locations either at the West Side YMCA on May 16th or at the AME Zion Church on Hightower Road on May 22. At either of these meetings you will have a chance to make any objections or suggestions you have about the line.
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If any of you want to make a contribution to the Martin Luther King Memorial Fund, to honor Dr. King's memory and to support the work of the organization he headed, Mrs. King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy have asked that contributions be sent to:
The Martin Luther King Memorial Fund c/o The Southern Christian Leadership Conference 334 Auburn Avenue, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Sincerely, [signed] Julian Bond Julian Bond
[Quote in box]: Title reads: I have a dream. Text reads: I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. MARTIN LUTHER KING