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Mr. Nixon and the Negro Community (A Proposal). 8 pages. [Memo], n.d.
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Mr. Nixon and the Negro Community (A Proposal). 8 pages. [Memo], n.d.
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This archival description was reviewed and not revised as part of the NARA reparative description initiative on January 30, 2024. The word “Negro” used in the Scope and Content Note was determined to be part of a publication title. Original archival records have not been altered.
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
White House Special Files Collection
Folder List
Box Number Folder Number Document Date Document Type Document Description
44
8
n.d.
Memo
Mr. Nixon and the Negro Community (A
Proposal). 8 pages.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Page 1 of 1
MR. NIXON AND THE NEGRO
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
( A Proposal)
FOREWORD
MR. NIXON AND THE NEGRO
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
( A Proposal )
FOREWORD
It is now clear, in the light of the finalized work of
the Democratic National Convention, that the Republican
Party's nominee does not now have any escape hatches to the
South. To any Public Relations man that would seem to make
fast the resolution that the campaign must now be fought
north of Washington.
And if that is conceded, it then looms that it must be
won, in the main, in six key spots. These are the industri-
al centers of Philadelphia, New York, Detroit, Chicago,
Cleveland and Los Angeles. As regards these, the victory
does not depend upon carrying these "Command Positions";
rather, in our judgment, it hinges upon the degree to which
these can be made comparatively immobile.
In at least four of these six spots, the Democratic
calculation begins with what it feels to be a solid base of
Negro votes. In the round, that calculation is correct;
subject of course to the exigences that every battle creates
in its unfolding. However, even Democrats do not know how
"solid" this Negro base will be; and even they admit that
its solidity is, for them, crucial.
- more -
Foreword/2
The proposals we make, hereinafter, are based upon some
unfriendly facts: 1) that the regular Republican organizations
in these six spots are all but in shambles, as far as Negroes
are concerned; 2) that the Republican National Committee, as
of this watch, is without either prestige, or impact in this
field; and, 3) that whatever is done must come from the top-
most Negro leadership downward and not from any phoney "grass-
roots" upward.
This means, in all of its starkness, that the Republican
Party, per se, cannot be sold to Negroes with any measurable
success in this campaign. Its record, as an entity, is vulner-
able; its leaders, in too many respects, wholly suspect.
In our thinking, then, this leaves the task of "selling"
the only commodity in sight with any appeal to this Democratic
"solid base": the Vice President himself.
All of what we propose, here, is hitched to this one star.
#
*
*
*
THE PROPOSALS
THE PROPOSALS
In the light of our "foreword", we propose the following:
1) That in each of the "Command Positions" two Negro
leaders be chosen as liaison with the top leadership of
Negroes in that city.
The Role of these persons would be to serve as funnels
for specific information designed for the eyes of the
Negro leadership--that leadership consisting of Minis-
ters, professionals of the healing arts, heads of
organizations and principals of small-business concerns,
such as beauticians, barbers and corner-store owners.
The information, to be discussed later, would go out
from our Firm directly to those people whose addresses
we have, or such as would, in addition, be supplied by
our key leaders.
The object of this would be to make as intelligent as
possible those leaders whose attitudes might be re-
flected by thousands.
2) That a steady flow of sharp, short, information be
maintained to these key leaders who total approximately
40,000 in the "Command Positions". This information would
go from us and would not bear any political stamp, as such.
- more -
The Proposals/2
This would consist of information dictated by the day-
to-day shift in the winds of things and would not, in
great degree, be determined in advance.
3) That a pictorial booklet titled "Of Such As This" be
prepared in a lot of 100,000 showing Mr. Nixon in proximity
to Negroes the world over.
The material for this is appreciably at hand in Mr.
Klein's files and in other places such as newspaper
morgues. In addition, our recent "off-record" dinner
with the Vice President provided additional material.
The objective of this is rooted in the fact that
Negroes, by and large, will not read long and burden-
some tracts on politicians. Moreover, words do not
impress them nearly as much as proof-positive that
the individual does not shy away from physical mani-
festation of his regard.
4) That we be given the task of handling Press
Relations in the "Command Positions".
We ask for this in an effort to be of service in con-
centrating such spending and maneuvering as must be
done in areas where a dividend logically can be ex-
pected. It will be foolhardy to follow an old
- more -
The Proposals/3
National Committee policy of putting a check in an
envelope and sending it to Negro publishers, broad-
side, without any concept of what his paper could
do in the master scheme of things.
5) That subsequent issues of the "Industrial States-
man" be mailed to leaders.
We do not labor this, here, because we feel that
understanding on this point has already been es-
tablished, even if no financial agreement has been
firmed up.
6) That if this Firm is retained, we be given the
prerogatives and the means and allowed to do the job with
a minimum of interference once it is under way.
We put this to paper only because our experience
has taught us that as political programs get under
way every important figure, from the President's
cabinet down, will have plans proposed to them by
their favorite Negroes--ranging from servants to
hangers-on--for which they will press. Once a
machinery like ours is in motion, however, it
does not lend well to precipitate changes.
#
*
*
*