dinsdag 3 april 2018

Lyndon B. Johnson -- 4 april 1968

• Het dagelijkse doen en laten van de Amerikaanse president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) werd tamelijk minutieus opgetekend in een 'diary'. Ook de moordaanslag op Martin Luther King en de formele reactie van de president daarop zijn erin vermeld. De fragmenten die over de aanslag gaan, zijn hier opgenomen, de overige activiteiten van de president zijn weggelaten.

April 4, 1968
7:24 pm - Tom Johnson with news that Martin Luther King shot in Memphis.
7:40 pm -8 pm - President signing mail and listening to dinner TV news reports about King's assassination.
8:20 pm - Message from George Christian that Justice Dept. advised King is dead. President decided not to go to Congressional Fund Raising Dinner.
8:25 pm - George Christian, Tom Johnson, Joe Califano [Special Assistant to the President] - to say that TV was almost ready for President's talk. Then Christian and Johnson out through mdjr's office to say tonight's trip to Hawaii cancelled.
 8:56 pm - President, accompanied by Joe Califano, went to the barber shop, and while there called Mrs. Martin Luther King in Atlanta at her residence - - flowers also sent to Mrs. King for funeral,
9:05 pm - President en route from barber shop to Press Room for talk on TV about Martin Luther King, his assassination, violence, devisiveness, about working together in unity.
9:10 pm - To Oval Office - dictated telegram to Mrs. King.  Signing mail and official business papers while listening to TV news reports from Memphis, Tenn.
 9:36 pm - [telephone call] Governor Buford Ellington, in Memphis, Tenn, who said he wanted to let the President know that he had called the Atty. Gen, right away and was keeping him informed of everything that was being done in Memphis; that it was a real rough situation, and he was putting in as much protective strength as possible including the Guard.  President continued to sign mail, listen to the newscasts, and talk to office staff that arrived.

April 5, 1968
11:00 am - The President approved and dispatched a telegram to Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King. Sr. - condolence on the death of their son.
11:10 am - To Cabinet Room for meeting with  civil rights leaders.
11: 2 am Joe Califano wrote memo to the President-- "McKissick just came to gate of WH w/ two other negroes whom he demanded be allowed to attend the meeting. McKissic k was invited to the mtg and other two could wait in the basement . McKissick said unless he could bring them to the meeting he was leaving ... and he left."
 1 l:59 am -  12:10 pm - The President departed the White House - via motorcade - [...]  for Memorial Service for Dr. Martin Luther King.
12:54 pm Departed National Cathedral ibb c w/ same group.
1:00 pm - To Fish Room - for statement - televised.
1:56 pm - President to little lounge with Harry McPherson. McPherson said Mayor Washington came in & said rioting in D.C. getting out of control and troops would be needed.
5:40 pm - [telephone call] Mayor Richard Daley - Chicago.  The President just wanted to see how things were going. The Mayor said that he had called out 6,000 guardsmen as a precautionary measure, they were having window breaking and some fires. The President said that there were fires and window breaking and general "hell raising" in Washington and he had called out army troops and guardsmen. The President said he just wanted to keep in touch and wanted the Mayor to know that anything he needed to keep law and order would be at his disposal.
7:59 pm - [telephone call] Mayor Joseph Alioto of San Francisco - returning his call [...] The Mayor told the President that they had a - 10,000 people rally for Dr. King on the City Hall steps, and "took the steam out of them."
10:40 pm - Tom Johnson.  The President asked Tom for a report on how things were going with the press, and Tom replied that he thought they had handled themselves well today. They were still in the lobby, and were waiting for some sort ending. Tom began drafting a statement for him to read to the press saying that the President was keeping in close touch with the situation and talking on the telephone to his advisers.
10:58 pm - Dinner. During dinner the President turned on the television and watched televised reports of burning and looting. He said that he had information which indicated that Mayor Daley of Chicago was marked for assassination, and asked JAC to see that the FBI got this information to Daley's police people.

April 6, 1968
10:40 pm - [telephone call] The Attorney General - "What is going on in Chicago, and have you heard about Jimmy Brown the soul singer who spoke to the negro people this afternoon on television."

April 7, 1968
11:47 am - The President decided to go to 12:15p Mass at St. Dominic' s Cathlic Church in view of this being the day he declared as the official day of mourning for Dr. Martin Luther King.  He asked that Joe Califano and Jim Jones accompany him.
1:15 pm - The President departed St. Dominic' s Catholic Church (after a very touching departure from the Church. After the final hymn, each person in the church kept his seat, and stood as the President walked up the aisle with his family. . . . smiles and warm eyes and hearts seemed to reach out to the President, and a feeling of love and understanding was on each face.)

April 9, 1968
4:35 pm - The President returned to Aspen Lodge and sat in the living room where staff members were watching coverage of the funeral of Martin Luther King.

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