Was Ray Wells a Civil Rights Leader?

A Denver Post article on Monday said "Wells battled the segregationist mind-set of the late '60s to build the first public pool in Lawrence, Kan." and "as city manager, Wells turned street protests into action. A fear of mixing blacks and whites had kept Lawrence, Kan., without a public swimming pool.have them. [sic] But after a protest turned into an ugly confrontation between blacks and police, Wells suggested that a pool could help begin to bridge the divide." I contacted history professor Rusty Monhollon for comments on this characterization. Dr. Monhollon is the author of "Black power, white fear: The "Negro problem" in Lawrence, Kansas, 1960-1970", "This Is America? : The Sixties in Lawrence, Kansas" and most significantly "Taking the Plunge: Race, Rights, and the Politics of Desegregation in Lawrence, Kansas, 1960" which deals specifically with the issue of the swimming pool in Lawrence (in Kansas History the journal of the Kansas State Historical Society.) Here is what Dr. Monhollon said:

"My own opinion--based upon my research--is that city officials had to be pushed into supporting an integrated public pool."
"the public record does not suggest a very large role for him in this matter."
"I think it's going too far to say that he alone was responsible for getting the city an integrated pool, or took the lead in lobbying for it."
"the biggest factors in the construction of a municipal swimming pool was the consistent efforts of civil rights activists in keeping the issue alive and lobbying for the pool, as well as the growing anger and resentment among the black community, in particular young African Americans."
"The perceived threat of violence was significant in garnering greater support for the pool bonds."

Looks like Ray's been inflating the old resume!

Here are Dr. Monhollon's complete comments: Monhollon

For more about Ray Wells career see:

Home