From Julian Bond to Andrew Young, 16 Jan 1970

January 16, 1969

Rev. Andrew J. Young SCLC 334 Auburn Avenue, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia

Dear Andy:

The following are some rather quick reactions to your memorandum on the C.B. King candidacy.

First, let me say that I agree with all your conclusions, if not all of your emphasis. I believe that C.B. King can be elected Governor of Georgia. I believe that this can be accomplished regardless of which party primary he chooses to run in, and regardless of whether or not he chooses to run as an independent.

His victory would, to be sure, require the unusual - and, I might say, unlikely - meshing of a number of circumstances - doubling the number of black voters, strong organization built in every black community in the state, a strong appeal to poor and moderate whites, the infusion of hundreds of black and white college students beginning at spring break, the proper dispersal of several thousands of dollars, and so on and so on - but it can be done.

But, I believe that equal emphasis ought to be put on the candidacies you mention on page IV, paragraph 4 of your memorandum, the (to quote) "potential for hundreds of persons to ride into office at the county, state and congressional district levels as a result of the state-wide effort to arouse a new coalition of voters."

d

Rev. Andrew J. Young - 2 -

Every seat in the Georgia General Assembly - the House and Senate - will be "up" in 1970. Every single one of the legislators who have voted to keep capital punishment, to come down hard on "disturbers" of the peace", to give away land to the utilities, (the list is endless) will be going before the voters this year.

The difference is, of course, that the "voters" are different sets of people than they were in 1968 and 1966, or even in 1946 when some of these men were elected.

Many county commissioners, mayors, aldermen will be elected as well. I think the King campaign ought to see the election of local officials as its number two goal.

I would like to see the Southern Elections Fund, Inc. (SEF) the only organization that presently gives money to rural, Southern, liberal/radical candidates, play a large part in this movement.

And I would like to write two or three pages more but would father pause, and ask for a response from you. If some fund raising ideas I have come through, then SEF will be in a position to help in such races, not just with money, but with other kinds of old aid as well.

At any rate, let me hear from you.

Sincerely,

Julian Bond