John H. Calhoun | |
|---|---|
| Member of theAtlanta City Council District 1 | |
| In office 1974 (1974) – 1978 (1978) | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Henry Calhoun Jr. (1899-07-08)July 8, 1899 |
| Died | May 6, 1988(1988-05-06) (aged 88) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Morehouse College (1937) Atlanta University (1968) |
| Occupation | Activist, civil rights leader, politician |
John H. Calhoun Jr. (July 8, 1899 – May 6, 1988) was an American civil rights leader and politician who served on theAtlanta City Council from 1974 to 1978.[1]
John Henry Calhoun Jr. was born on July 8, 1899, inGreenville, South Carolina.[2] At the age of 12, he started apprenticing as ablacksmith; Calhoun graduated high school from theHampton Institute in 1922, at the age of 23.[3][4] Calhoun also earned aBachelor of Arts fromMorehouse College in 1937, and graduated fromAtlanta University in 1968 with anMBA.[3] He also attendedNorthwestern University.[5]
Calhoun worked at the Veteran's Affairs hospital inTuskeegee starting on July 3, 1923, where he immediately received threats from theKu Klux Klan.[6]
Calhoun moved to Atlanta in 1934.[3] In 1940, he co-founded theAtlanta Negro Voters League. Calhoun became president of the Atlanta chapter of theNAACP in 1956.[4][1][7] Throughout Atlanta, Calhoun was known as "Your Man in Community Action".[3][8] In 1964, he was recommended byRobert Snodgrass to attend the1964 Republican National Convention on behalf of state moderate Republicans who felt alienated by the nomination ofBarry Goldwater.[9]
Calhoun was a member of theAtlanta 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.[10] MayorMaynard Jackson presented Calhoun with an award in May 1981.[11]
Outside of politics and activism, Calhoun held a large variety of jobs, working as abookkeeper,dock worker,janitor,headwaiter,hospital administrator,insurance salesman,real estate agent, andreporter.[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][12]
John Calhoun Park onAuburn Avenue in Atlanta is named in his honor.[7] Calhoun's papers are housed at theRobert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, which include a draft of Calhoun's unpublished bookAtlanta — The Cradle of Black Leadership in America.[13][8]
Calhoun died on May 6, 1988, in Atlanta.