Community Responses to the Campaign

As a principle organizer and implementer of the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign, Mr. Dale Bailey is a prominent figure around whom perspectives on the campaign- including residential and professional supporters as well as opponents- converge. In this study, Mr. Bailey’s financial records and personal correspondences are analyzed to gain a better understanding of the diverse viewpoints of the campaign within Tacoma. It is important to note that the documents that are reviewed present a picture of the campaign that is far from complete, since Mr. Bailey’s documents seem to primarily reflect the perspectives of white Tacoma residents. Whether supporters or denigrators, the authors of these letters are concerned with the campaign’s impact on African Americans. An unknown in this study is whether Mr. Bailey did not receive letters from African American correspondents or they were not preserved in the archives. Regardless, what remains is a record base that reflects the history of black Tacoma in the late 1960s through an overwhelmingly white lens.

Letters written by Mr. Bailey to residential and professional supporters

1. In January 27, 1969, Mr. Bailey writes to the president of the Pierce County Medical Society named Wayne Zimmerman. He refers to previous conversations in which Zimmerman indicated interest in, and presumably support for, the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign. Mr. Bailey thus encourages him to find information published in the Tacoma News Tribune. Mr. Bailey mentions how direct donations and fundraising dinners are used to raise money as seed capital loans for the Black Businessman’s Association. He asks Zimmerman to consider contacting local doctors as prospective hosts of these dinners, as he lists the names of individuals who have done the same for the dental, business, and military communities. This letter indicates Bailey’s strong ties to business and professional organizations in Tacoma who have previously shown support of the campaign by hosting these dinners [A&SC 2].
2. On January 30, 1969, a month before the fundraising dinners are held, Mr. Bailey writes to John Ketter to explain the structure of the dinner and the responsibility of the hosts. He refers Mr. Ketter to the University of Puget Sound administrative offices for further guidance on his responsibility as a host, including arranging for an African American guest to attend his dinner, if that is something the host desires. This letter demonstrates Mr. Bailey’s commitment to successfully organizing fundraising events for the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign. In addition, this letter suggests a social disconnect between donors of the campaign and the African Americans they aim to “help,” since they require assistance in arranging and inviting the African American guests to dinner [A&SC 3].

In spite of evidence showing strong support for the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign, not all residents of the Tacoma area displayed enthusiasm for promoting black business initiatives. Two letters from a local branch of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) that were analyzed criticize the campaign, its supporters, and its overall purpose. Although the author of one letter claims to be the “publisher of our thoughts,” indicating a larger group behind this message, it is unclear how widespread was local support for the views of this racist organization and others during the campaign.

Letter written by campaign opponents to Mr. Bailey:

1. The author of this vitriolic and hateful letter criticizes Mr. Bailey for the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” ads that appeared in the Tacoma News Tribune on February 1969. The author attributes the average lower socioeconomic position of the Tacoma African American population to natural, rather than social and cultural causes. Specifically, the author claims the average African American “is so damn lazy not because the white man made him go on welfare.” This letter demonstrates the fact that not all white residents of Tacoma were supportive of the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign. Moreover, there were members of the community who voiced racism in its most blatant forms, despite the fact that this letter was sent anonymously and without a return address [A&SC 1].

The letters written to Mr. Bailey from Tacoma residents also provide valuable insight into the community’s response towards the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign. The letters analyzed here revealed strong support for Mr. Bailey’s project from individuals with business or political affiliations as well as typical Tacoma residents. These letters convey the sympathetic feelings of the letter writers towards Mr. Bailey’s mission to aid African American entrepreneurs, where few decide to donate money or offer their services to help the campaign. Although, one must note that the letters analyzed here do not represent the entire Tacoma population. These letters are presumably written by white individuals, as determined by the absence of comments recognizing the impact of Mr. Bailey’s campaign on themselves or other African American entrepreneurs. The optimistic and praiseworthy tone of these letters towards the campaign can thus not be taken to represent the perspective of the entire Tacoma community.

Letters written to Mr. Bailey by individuals with business or political affiliations

1. An individual named Ed associated with the Puget Sound National Bank writes a letter to Mr. Bailey on March 28, 1969. Ed compliments Mr. Bailey’s creative efforts in the campaign, where he alludes to Tacoma residents hosting dinner parties to raise capital for African American entrepreneurs. Ed’s business affiliation and his acknowledgment of the positive implications of Mr. Bailey’s campaign on the community reveal that at least one person associated with a business in the financial sector of Tacoma supported the campaign [A&SC 5].
2. A personnel manager at Weyerhaeuser Company named George E. McPheeters writes a letter to Mr. Bailey on February 24, 1969. Mr. McPheeters praises Mr. Bailey for how the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign informs the Tacoma community of the struggles of local African American entrepreneurs. McPheeters’s comments are notable because he claims that his fellow rotary club members equally support the campaign. McPheeters’s letter thus highlights support for Mr. Bailey’s campaign from an organized collection of individuals in Tacoma, who share Mr. Bailey’s mission for community outreach. Moreover, McPheeters exemplifies support for Mr. Bailey’s campaign from an individual associated with the Tacoma business sector [A&SC 8].
3. Tacoma City Manager David D. Rowlands writes to Mr. Bailey on March 7, 1969. In his letter, Mr. Rowlands congratulates Mr. Bailey for a successful “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign, which he claims is due to Mr. Bailey’s extensive advertising and promotion strategy as well as the efforts of Mr. Bailey’s aides Harold Moss and Ed Sheldon. Mr. Rowlands ends his letter in an optimistic tone by anticipating that the outcome of the campaign will be successful, given his observations that many people in the Tacoma community expressed desire to help Mr. Bailey’s project. Mr. Rowlands’s support of the campaign is significant because it shows that support of the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” campaign was not only exhibited by Tacoma residents, but was also expressed by a local government official [A&SC 9].

Letters written to Mr. Bailey by Tacoma residents

1. Mrs. Melissa Huff writes a letter to Mr. Bailey on February 18, 1969. Mrs. Huff explains that she has enclosed a three dollar check to donate to the campaign. Although wishing to donate more money, she admits to living on a pension and thus lacking funds. Mrs. Huff then reveals that her donation is motivated by sympathy for Mr. Bailey’s cause, where she remembers her mother’s recount of the continued suffering of African American slaves even after they were freed. Mrs. Huff describes her mother’s criticism of the government for not providing freed African Americans sufficient provisions to care for themselves, such as being able to purchase bread. Overall, Mrs. Huff’s letter provides an example of support for Mr. Bailey’s campaign from a low-income, female Tacoma resident [A&SC 7].
2. Mr. and Mrs. Fud Rose write a letter to Mr. Bailey on February 17, 1969. Although regretting not being in Tacoma at a time to participate in the “Now, Mr. Lincoln?” project, Mr. and Mrs. Fud Rose offer to send a check in the amount of twenty dollars to support the campaign. Mr. Fud Rose attributes the small donation to the fact that he is a full-time student with insufficient funds to donate more. This letter showcases support for Mr. Bailey’s campaign from a low-income couple in Tacoma, consisting of a man seeking higher education [A&SC 6].
3. A German refugee and pianist named M. V. Brederlero writes a letter to Mr. Bailey on February 17, 1969. Mr. Brederlero explains that he wants to help Mr. Bailey’s cause and thus offers to provide free music lessons to a talented student who does not have money. This letter highlights how support for Mr. Bailey’s campaign was not exclusive to Americans in Tacoma, but included at least one foreigner in the area [A&SC 4].