The Little Hunting Park community was divided.

Twenty Little Hunting Park members signed a petition advocating for the inclusion of the Freeman family as members.[1] After the case, one neighbor told reports that they felt the exclusion was “un-American” and that as a “country built on equality” that equality meant for Black and White individuals. Another agreed that “Paul [Sullivan] was right to do what he did. It was the only right thing to do.”

A homeowner, pool member, and someone who had previously served on the board of directors for the park said, “The community feels that we ought to have the right to accept who we want in the pool. That’s the feeling here.” By this he meant that only White individuals should have access. He clarified he had no issue with Black children participating in sports on county-owned property. It was the pool he personally took issue with. The 1969 Washington Post article that these statements came from acknowledged that the dispute caused rifts between longtime friends.[2]