Oral history transcript, Marjorie Lawson, interview 1 (I), 6/11/1986, by Michael L. Gillette

Title:

Oral history transcript, Marjorie Lawson, interview 1 (I), 6/11/1986, by Michael L. Gillette

Number of Pages:

37

Description:

Lawson's work for John F. Kennedy in 1958-1959; gaining support for JFK among African American delegates; Kennedy's announcement that LBJ would be the vice-presidential nominee; Mary McLeod Bethune's opinion of LBJ; Lawson's recommendation to Kennedy regarding how to present the JFK/LBJ ticket to African Americans; why LBJ was chosen to be the vice-presidential nominee; introducing JFK and LBJ to African American delegates and leaders; how Marjorie Lawson's husband, Belford Lawson, met JFK and recommended her for a job; Lawson's work within the 1960 JFK/LBJ presidential campaign; Lawson's work on the President's Committee on Fair Employment Practice and later, the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity; LBJ's promise to make great strides in civil rights; Hobart Taylor as executive director of the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity; Plans for Progress; Bobby Kennedy's arguments with Taylor and William Schnitzler; the push to move quickly with civil rights; regional meetings in St. Louis and other cities; Dean Sayre; the importance of reporting race-related data so that progress could be measured; minority hiring practices in government agencies; the Kennedys' interest in fair employment versus that of LBJ; Theodore Kheel; the work of committee members and staff; how LBJ and JFK grew in their understanding of civil rights on a national level; Lawson's work as chairman of the civil rights section of the Kennedy-Johnson campaign and people who tried to undermine Lawson's authority; the Kennedys' and LBJ's view of women; work Lawson did for LBJ during his presidency; Lawson's concern that Head Start was not enough for children who live in poverty; LBJ telling Lawson that he would nominate Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court.

Contributor:

Lawson, Marjorie

Collection:

LBJ Library Oral Histories

Collection Description:

Go to List of Holdings

Series:

Transcripts of LBJ Library Oral Histories

See Also:

See all online interviews with Marjorie Lawson

Relation:

Go to Interviewee bio page

Rights:

Possibly copyright restricted: see deed at end of transcript for details