Educator Resources

Jackie Robinson, Civil Rights Advocate

LETTER
JACKIE ROBINSON TO PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
FEBRUARY 9, 1961


During the 1960 Presidential campaign an angry exchange occurred between JFK's "kid brother" Bobby Kennedy and Robinson after it became clear the latter would not support John Kennedy for election. Robinson, still a Chock full-o' Nuts executive, publicly stated that John Kennedy courted bigoted southerners while also claiming to support sit-ins and blacks' civil rights aspirations. In turn, Bobby accused Jackie of being anti-union. At the time he wrote this letter, Jackie believed he saw evidence that the administration was moving in the right direction, but he regarded the pace as too leisurely.

 

Letter to President Kennedy
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View Pages: 1 | 2

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library
Harris L. Wofford Papers
File: Jackie Robinson
7/28/61-9/5/61


 

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