May 18, 1963
Dear Beth;
Kirk made the enclosed card for you* He says
it had to be homemade because "Hallmark just doesnft have
anything for this sort of situation11 and Ifm afraid tha$
he is right!
In any case, it is an indicator of the interest
and sympathy your recent experience has caused here*
("experience"—-now therefs a nice euphemism!)
We are, as I!m sure you know, very proud of
you and also a littler guilty that you have managed to do
something about a situation that we chiefly talk about*
You have our complete support—«our prayers, our enthusiasm,
and any more concrete help you may need*
fhatfs about all 1 can say as a Friend (and,
I hope, a friend)* As an editor, however, I have a much
more explicit interest* May I ask you to write a complete
account of your experience (therefs that word again) so
that 1 can use it in the Newsletter* I know that all of
our members and attenders—-here and away—would be most
interested in hearing exactly what did happen, why it
happened, how you felt, how others acted and reacted,
what was the outcomes-immediate and longer range*
While this may seem like a chore now, 1 offer
three selfish reasons why I hope you will consider it:
1* I recently sorted over a lot of letters I
wrote to my mother during the war* I have saved many and
am, today, very glad that I wrote down some of those experiences while they were fresh in my experience*
[Letter of support to Beth Taylor from Frank Bjornsgaard & handmade card]
Date
1963-04-18
Creator
Bjornsgaard, Frank
Biographical/historical note
Frank Bjornsgaard was the editor of the Monthly Meeting Newsletter for the Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Quaker meeting, in the hometown of Guilford College student Beth Taylor.
Subject headings
Guilford College;Greensboro (N.C.) -- Race relations;Protest movements -- United States
Topics
Business desegregation, protests, and marches, 1963;Race relations at Guilford College
Place
Greensboro (N.C.)
Description
This letter of support from Frank Bjornsgaard expressed his congratulations and pride in Beth Taylor's participation in the sit-in demonstration at the S&W Cafeteria in Greensboro, NC. This correspondence also included a handmade card by Bjornsgaard's son, Kirk, "because Hallmark just doesn't have anything for this sort of situation" a sentiment with which he agreed. Bjornsgaard, the editor for the Monthly Meeting Newsletter for the Doylestown Meeting in Pennsylvania, Taylor's hometown Meeting, also requested that she write an account of her "experience." Bjornsgaard listed several reasons why this would be beneficial both for Taylor, personally, as well as to quell rumors and perhaps move others beyond talk and towards action with regards to civil rights.
Type
text
Original format
correspondence
Original dimensions
8.348" x 10.862"
Original publisher
[Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified]
Language
en
Contributing institution
Friends Historical Collection, Hege Library, Guilford College
May 18, 1963
Dear Beth;
Kirk made the enclosed card for you* He says
it had to be homemade because "Hallmark just doesnft have
anything for this sort of situation11 and Ifm afraid tha$
he is right!
In any case, it is an indicator of the interest
and sympathy your recent experience has caused here*
("experience"—-now therefs a nice euphemism!)
We are, as I!m sure you know, very proud of
you and also a littler guilty that you have managed to do
something about a situation that we chiefly talk about*
You have our complete support—«our prayers, our enthusiasm,
and any more concrete help you may need*
fhatfs about all 1 can say as a Friend (and,
I hope, a friend)* As an editor, however, I have a much
more explicit interest* May I ask you to write a complete
account of your experience (therefs that word again) so
that 1 can use it in the Newsletter* I know that all of
our members and attenders—-here and away—would be most
interested in hearing exactly what did happen, why it
happened, how you felt, how others acted and reacted,
what was the outcomes-immediate and longer range*
While this may seem like a chore now, 1 offer
three selfish reasons why I hope you will consider it:
1* I recently sorted over a lot of letters I
wrote to my mother during the war* I have saved many and
am, today, very glad that I wrote down some of those experiences while they were fresh in my experience*
