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{
    "localId": "40020060",
    "label": "Letter from Attorney General Tom Clark to President Harry S. Truman, with Attached Proposed Executive Order",
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    "id": "40020060",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Letter from Attorney General Tom Clark to President Harry S. Truman, with Attached Proposed Executive Order",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40020060",
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        "Official Files (Truman Administration)",
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        "Executive orders",
        "Civil rights",
        "Executive advisory bodies"
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    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 11,
            "logicalDate": "1946-10-11",
            "month": 10,
            "year": 1946
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{
    "seq": 4,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/201124/727306-01-01.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "Filedlatta\nSEQUITUR DEPA OF\nOffice of the\nPaid\nDOMINA JUSTITIA\n*\n596-A\nWashington, Attorney 11, D.C. 1946. General oner 216 by issued 8-12-47.\nOctober\nThe President,\nThe White House.\nMy dear Mr. President:\nI have the honor to transmit herewith for your consideration\na proposed Executive order entitled \"Establishing the President's\nCommittee on Civil Rights.\"\n#\nThe proposed order was prepared in this Department, and I\nrecommend its promulgation. The work of the proposed Committee\nwould, in my opinion, be of the utmost value in the task of pre-\nserving and implementing our civil rights. I may add, also, that\nthe order has my approval as to form and legality.\nThe proposed order has been discussed informally with the\nDirector of the Bureau of the Budget, and I understand that he\nhas no objection to its issuance.\nRespectfully,\nParcean\nARCHIVES S. NATIONAL TRUMAN AND LIBRARY\nREC US\nSE\nAttorney General.\nU.S.\nGOVERNM\nx10\nx161\nx596\nEXECUTIVE ORDER\nESTABLISHING THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON\nCIVIL RIGHTS\nWHEREAS the preservation of civil rights guaranteed by\nthe Constitution is essential to domestic tranquility, national\nsecurity, the general welfare, and the continued existence of\nour free institutions; and\nWHEREAS the action of individuals who take the law into\ntheir own hands and inflict summary punishment and wreak per-\nsonal vengeance is subversive of our democratic system of law\nenforcement and public criminal justice, and gravely threatens\nour republican form of government; and\nWHEREAS it is essential that all possible steps be taken\nto safeguard our civil rights:\nNOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me\nas President of the United States by the Constitution and the\nstatutes of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:\n1. There is hereby created a committee to be known as the\nPresident's Committee on Civil Rights, which shall be composed\nof the following-named members, who shall serve without compensa-\ntion:\n, Chairman\n2. The Committee is authorized on behalf of the President\nto inquire into and to determine whether and in what respect\n- 2 -\ncurrent law-enforcement measures and the authority and means\npossessed by Federal, State, and local governments may be\nstrengthened and improved to safeguard the civil rights of\nthe people.\n3. All executive departments and agencies of the Federal\nGovernment are authorized and directed to cooperate with the\nCommittee in its work, and to furnish the Committee such\ninformation or the services of such persons as the Committee\nmay require in the performance of its duties.\n4. When requested by the Committee to do so, persons em-\nployed in any of the executive departments and agencies of the\nFederal Government shall testify before the Committee and shall\nmake available for the use of the Committee such documents and\nother information as the Committee may require.\n5. On or before\n, the Committee shall\nmake a report of its studies to the President in writing, and\nshall in particular make recommendations with respect to the\nadoption or establishment, by legislation or otherwise, of more\nadequate and effective means and procedures for the protection\nHARRY RECORDS NATIONAL TRUMAN LIBRARY\nU.S.\nSERVICE\nof the civil rights of the people of the United States.\nGOVERNIC\n6. Upon rendition of its report to the President, the\nCommittee shall cease to exist, unless otherwise determined by\nfurther Executive order.\nTHE WHITE HOUSE,\nOctober , 1946."
}