Memorandum, Maxwell Rabb to Sherman Adams Regarding Vice-President Richard M. Nixon and Reverend Martin Luther King

O.F. 142-A THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON MEMORANDUM FOR GOVERNOR ADAMS to 5 1957 PILERS June 24, 1957 FROM: Max Rabb MMR With reference to your question about the Vice President and his meeting with Reverend Martin Luther King, I find that he did not promise to make a speech in the South. As a matter of fact, the Vice President refused to comment to the press on his meeting with King. The story which appeared in the press was given out after the conference by Reverend King. Here is what happened: At an informal meeting at the Capitol which was, attended by Vice President Nixon, Secretary Mitchell, XOF.6 Irving m. and Senator Ives, Reverend King stressed the desirability of having the President and Vice President speak in the South, which, as you know, is the current line urged by Negroes everywhere. The Vice President rejected this and came up with an alternate suggestion that the President's Committee on X OF /02-I-2 Government Contracts visit a large Southern city, specifically mentioning New Orleans and Atlanta. This Committee has recently gone outside of Washington on two other occasions -- to Dallas and to Chicago with great success and with no noses out of joint at the conclusion. This was what was given out by Martin Luther King. Incidentally, the Vice President was very much impressed with Reverend King and thinks the President would enjoy talking to him. He is not, he says, a man who believes in violent and retaliatory pro-Negro actions, but sponsors an evolutionary but progressive march forward. the negro matters #