Herbert L. Thomas Explains Arkansas Plan to Daisy Bates

Allow image comparison in viewer

What is IIIF?

Collection:: Land of (Unequal) Opportunity: Documenting the Civil Rights Struggle in Arkansas
Title:: Herbert L. Thomas Explains Arkansas Plan to Daisy Bates
Publisher:: Fayetteville, Ark. : University of Arkansas Libraries
Date of Original:: 1958-04-28
Subject:: African Americans--Arkansas
Civil rights--Arkansas
Race discrimination--Arkansas
Segregation--Arkansas
Location:: United States, Arkansas, 34.75037, -92.50044
Medium:: documents (object genre)
Type:: Text
Format:: application/pdf
Description:: Herbert L. Thomas writes long letter to Mrs. L.C. (Daisy) Bates highlighting points of contention between over The Arkansas Plan
Racism -- Desegregation -- Integration -- Little Rock Central High School -- African-Americans -- Blacks -- Little Rock (Ark.) -- Little Rock -- Pulaski
Mrs. L. C. Bates -5- April 28, 1958 The responsibilities of citizenship as well as the privileges which you claim? If not, I fear it will be a long, long time – in view of my experiences – before another substantial effort is made to bring about an amicable settlement of this matter on the basis of mutual advantage and good will. I have been proud of the achievements of the Negro race. I have been pleased during these past 10 years by the evidence of friendship between the races. I had hoped, along with countless thousands of other members of the white race, that we could build our permanent relationships upon a basis of understanding and mutual confidence. But right now, you are making it impossible for your white friends to be of help to you. And whether you believe it or not, without the friendship and trust of members of the white race you can never enjoy the “acceptance” on merit which you profess to covet. This letter is prompted by your statement to the press that I have misquoted you. I do not believe I have misquoted your words or misinterpreted your attitude. But I repeat the statement I made in the first paragraph of this letter. I should be happy to correct any misstatement of fact or misinterpretation of position if you will be kind enough to provide me with a statement making clear your comments and your position. In fact, since you have accused me of misquoting you in a matter of tremendous importance to both races (after all this is not a matter that concerns just you and me and a few of our friends) I feel that it is your duty to make your position clear by a public statement, just as I have made my position clear. I have said that a fundamental basis of any acceptable plan should recognize progress in accordance with the law. I should like to know from you if the NAACP in Arkansas accepts the principle of gradualism? If you accept different approaches and timing based upon local conditions? I should like to know if you accept a Negro racial responsibility of substantial improvement of education and moral standards before moving into integration in certain areas? These are the matters of the greatest importance in the minds of members of the white race and questions you need to answer to secure in good faith a promise from the white race of a plan of progress. If there is to be peace and good will, the next move is up to you and to other members of the Negro race. Sincerely, Herbert L. Thomas, Sr. HLT:pm
Metadata URL:: http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/ref/collection/Civilrights/id/1272
IIIF manifest:: https://digitalcollections.uark.edu/iiif/2/Civilrights:1272/manifest.json
Additional Rights Information:: Please contact Special Collections for information on copyright.
Contributing Institution:: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Libraries
Rights: