Educator Resources

Jackie Robinson, Civil Rights Advocate

DRAFT LETTER
RICHARD M. NIXON TO JACKIE ROBINSON
NOVEMBER 4, 1960


Presidential candidate Richard Nixon wrote this letter 4 days before the 1960 Presidential election. The annotations in black ink are Nixon's. Robinson was pressured into taking an unpaid leave of absence and ending his triweekly column with the liberal New York Post when he publicly endorsed Nixon. Originally the ex-player worked on behalf of liberal Minnesota senator Hubert Humphrey but when Humphrey was eliminated early in the primaries, Robinson's support was up for grabs. Robinson viewed Nixon's civil rights record as more promising than Kennedy's, especially after meeting with both candidates.

 

 

Draft Letter from Vice-President Nixon
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View Pages: 1 | 2

National Archives and Records Administration
Richard M. Nixon
Pre-Presidential Papers


 

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