Reader-Submitted Stories of Jews and Civil Rights
In honor of the yearlong anniversary of America’s historic Civil Rights Movement, Moment is collecting and sharing stories about Jews' role in the movement. Here are two more, submitted by our readers. Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
The Speech that Spurred the Voting Rights Act
Murray White, son of Lee C. White, advisor to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson
“My father was first and foremost a Kennedy man. After the assassination, a number of JFK’s close personal friends and staffers left, and my father was also considering leaving. But in a meeting with the new president, Lyndon B. Johnson, Johnson said to him, 'I need you more than Kennedy needed you.' Under Kennedy, he had been assistant special counsel; under Johnson he was elevated to the position of special counsel. He was the White House’s...