John H. Calhoun Explained

John H. Calhoun
Birth Date:8 July 1899
Birth Place:Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
Birth Name:John Henry Calhoun Jr.
Death Place:Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Alma Mater:Morehouse College (1937)
Atlanta University (1968)
Occupation:Activist, civil rights leader, politician
Office:Member of the Atlanta City Council
District 1
Party:Republican

John H. Calhoun Jr. (July 8, 1899 May 6, 1988) was an American civil rights leader and politician who served on the Atlanta City Council from 1974 to 1978.[1]

Early life and education

John Henry Calhoun Jr. was born on July8, 1899, in Greenville, South Carolina.[2] At the age of 12, he started apprenticing as a blacksmith; Calhoun graduated high school from the Hampton Institute in 1922, at the age of 23.[3] [4] Calhoun also earned a Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College in 1937, and graduated from Atlanta University in 1968 with an MBA.[3] He also attended Northwestern University.[5]

Political Work

Calhoun worked at the Veteran's Affairs hospital in Tuskeegee starting on July 3, 1923, where he immediately received threats from the Ku Klux Klan.[6]

Calhoun moved to Atlanta in 1934.[3] In 1940, he co-founded the Atlanta Negro Voters League. Calhoun became president of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP in 1956.[4] [1] Throughout Atlanta, Calhoun was known as "Your Man in Community Action".[3] In 1964, he was recommended by Robert Snodgrass to attend the 1964 Republican National Convention on behalf of state moderate Republicans who felt alienated by the nomination of Barry Goldwater.[7]

Calhoun was a member of the Atlanta City Council for District 1 from 1974 to 1978. Calhoun was a Republican.[3] In the October 1973 election, Calhoun defeated John Releford with 75% of the vote.[8] Mayor Maynard Jackson presented Calhoun with an award in May 1981.[9]

Personal life

Outside of politics and activism, Calhoun held a large variety of jobs, working as a bookkeeper, dock worker, janitor, headwaiter, hospital administrator, insurance salesman, real estate agent, and reporter.[3] [4] Businesses he founded included Calhoun Furniture Company and John Calhoun Real Estate.[3]

Calhoun had two children, John Henry Calhoun III and Ninaking Anderson.[3] [4] [10]

John Calhoun Park on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta is named in his honor.[11] Calhoun's papers are housed at the Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, which include a draft of Calhoun's unpublished book Atlanta The Cradle of Black Leadership in America.[12] [13]

Calhoun died on May 6, 1988, in Atlanta.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: West . E. Bernard . Oral history interview of John Calhoun, clip 1 of 2 . Atlanta History Center . 6 April 1979.
  2. Web site: Calhoun . John Henry . John Henry Calhoun Draft Card [No. 1863] ]. National Archives and Records Administration . 24 April 2023 . 1940.
  3. Web site: John H. Calhoun, Jr. papers [1-40, OS 1-27] ]. Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library.
  4. News: John Calhoun, 88; A Longtime Fighter For Rights in South . . 47501. 137 . 10 May 1988 . D26.
  5. New Staff . SCLC Newsletter . April 1962 . 1 . 6 . 1 . Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
  6. Daniel . Pete . Black Power in the 1920s: The Case of Tuskegee Veterans Hospital . The Journal of Southern History . August 1970 . 36 . 3 . 368388 . 10.2307/2206200 . 2206200 .
  7. News: 1964-06-30 . Negro to Go to the Convention . 2024-06-28 . The Atlanta Constitution . 3.
  8. Web site: City of Atlanta Election - October 2, 1973 .
  9. Web site: File Master #575 5/1/81 through 6/20/81: 11. Old Atl; Awards 05-28-81 . The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection . . 24 April 2023.
  10. News: Merriner . Jim . Mayor Picks 30 for Bicentennial . The Atlanta Constitution . 15 October 1974 . 5-A.
  11. Web site: John Calhoun Park (170-176 Auburn Avenue) . The Historical Marker Database . 24 April 2023.
  12. Jones . Stacy . John H. Calhoun, Jr. papers open to researchers . Archivists and Archives of Color Newsletter . June 2014 . 28 . 3 . 5 .
  13. News: Schmich . Mary T. . Blacks Begin Efforts to Revive the Dream of 'Sweet Auburn' . . 22 October 1987.