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Martin Luther King Signing
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118570206
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Martin Luther King Signing
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Records of the White House Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff (Reagan Administration)
Michael Deaver's Subject Files
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual
collections.
Collection: Deaver, Michael
Folder Title: Martin Luther King
Signing
Box: 45
To see more digitized collections
visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories
visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection
Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected]
Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing
National Archives
Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/
h. -839-4370
THE WHITE HOUSE
3 - 767-7092
WASHINGTON
October 21, 1983
Hold
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL K. DEAVER
FROM:
WILLIAM HENKEL
SUBJECT:
Signing Ceremony for Martin Luther King
National Holiday
EVENT CONCEPT
The President will travel to Congress Heights Elementary School
in South East Washington where he would make brief remarks and
sign the King Holiday Bill into law. The event would be staged
in the Resource Room (a combination auditorium/cafeteria). The
room has a normal seating capacity of approximately 450. A
small permanent stage is part of the room. The school
population is 535 students -- kindergarten through 6th grade.
I recommend The President, Mrs. Martin Luther King and her
immediate family be the only persons on the stage (this also is
a physical necessity). I recommend the audience consists of
approximately 300 students -- 3rd through 6th grades. I would
allocate another 50 seats to congressional and other invited
guests. The balance of the limited space in the room would be
required for the press.
As we discussed, the theme of the President's remarks would be
"Opportunity and Future Individual Growth" and be targeted to
the young students. Following the remarks, the President would
move to a signing table on the stage with the King family and
perhaps some selected students invited to the stage to witness
the signing.
Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon around 2:00 pm would be an ideal
time to schedule the event.
An early decision on this would be required in order to invite
the King family and other guests on such short notice.
Approve
Disapprove
RECOMMENDED PRESS COVERAGE
Signing Ceremony: OPEN PRESS COVERAGE
Approve
Disapprove
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
PROPOSED SUMMARY SCHEDULE OF THE PRESIDENT
OCTOBER 25 OR 26, 1983 (TBD)
1:45 pm
THE PRESIDENT proceeds to South Lawn.
1:50 pm
Motorcade departs South Lawn en route Congress
Heights Elementary School.
Drive Time: 15 mins.
2:05 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives Congress Heights Elementary
School and proceeds to holding room.
2:10 pm
THE PRESIDENT proceeds to stage and to the podium.
THE PRESIDENT makes remarks.
OPEN PRESS COVERAGE
2:20 pm
THE PRESIDENT concludes remarks and moves to
signing table.
THE PRSIDENT signs the bill.
2:25 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs stage en route holding room.
2:30 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs holding room en route
motorcade.
2:35 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs en route The White House.
Drive Time: 15 mins.
2:50 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives South Lawn.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
PROPOSED SUMMARY SCHEDULE OF THE PRESIDENT
OCTOBER 25 OR 26, 1983 (TBD)
1:45 pm
THE PRESIDENT proceeds to South Lawn.
1:50 pm
Motorcade departs South Lawn en route Congress
Heights Elementary School.
Drive Time: 15 mins.
2:05 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives Congress Heights Elementary
School and proceeds to holding room.
2:10 pm
THE PRESIDENT proceeds to stage and to the podium.
THE PRESIDENT makes remarks.
OPEN PRESS COVERAGE
2:20 pm
THE PRESIDENT concludes remarks and moves to
signing table.
THE PRSIDENT signs the bill.
2:25 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs stage en route holding room.
2:30 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs holding room en route
motorcade.
2:35 pm
THE PRESIDENT departs en route The White House.
Drive Time: 15 mins.
2:50 pm
THE PRESIDENT arrives South Lawn.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Mr. Deaver:
McManus needs to talk to you
about the attached today.
DB
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 1, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL A. McMANUS, JR.
FROM
JAMES F. KUHN
SUBJECT
MARTIN LUTHER KING BILL SIGNING
Following is an update on the Martin Luther King Bill Signing
Ceremony in the East Room tomorrow:
1. 450 guests have been invited to an event in the
East Room, which can hold 250 seated with open press
coverage. We can stand approximately 100 overflow
guests. However, with open press, I question whether
the room can hold any more that 350 guests.
2. The list of dais guests has grown considerably.
Steve Rhodes has a list of 10 outstanding black
Administration appointees (that have played key roles
in the passing of the bill) he would like on the dais,
in addition to Mrs. King, Mr. King, Sr., The President
and the Vice President. Lynn Skolnick has compiled a
list of 11 congressional members that Duberstein feels
have played key roles in the passage of the bill. That
brings the total number of dais guests to 25. We can
add a section to the dais to accomodate the 25 people,
the signing table & chair and the large blue lecturn.
However, it is going to be tight and it will eliminate
40 seats from the audience.
The King children will be taken care of by meeting with
The President and the Vice President in the Red Room
prior to the event. They will then be escorted to
reserved seating in the East Room.
Following are the guests Rhodes has requested on the
dais:
Sec. Pierce
Mel Bradley
Thelma Duggin (Sec. Dole's Office)
Steve Rhodes (VP's office)
Art Fletcher (Black GOP member)
Legree Daniels (Chairman, Black GOP
Council)
Clarence Thomas (Chairman, EEOC)
Clarence Pimelton (Chairman, Civil
Rights Commission)
Gloria Toot
Wendell Gunnn
Attached is the congressional list.
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 1, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR KAREN GROOMES
STEVE RHODES
FROM:
LYNN SKOLNICK
SUBJECT:
Dais Guests for Martin Luther King Holiday
Signing Ceremony
Following, listed in order of priority, are the Members
of Congress that we strongly feel should be on the
dais with the President tomorrow:
SENATE
HOUSE
Howard Baker (R-Tenn.)
Katie Hall (D-Indiana)
Robert Dole (R-Kansas)
Robert Michel (R-Illinois)
Ted Kennedy (D-Mass)
Julian Dixon (D-Calif.)
Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.)
Jack Kemp (R-N.Y.)
Charles McC Mathias (R-Md.)
Augustus Hawkins (D-Calif.)
Joseph Biden (D-Del.)
Robert Garcia (D-N.Y.)
Please keep me posted!
Thanks.
all
Stevene.
following g want to
goont.
OFTHE vice PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON
of
MEMORANDUM FOR lise fore MICHAEL DEAVER
verify
list
October 31, 1983
monor
All
FROM:
J. STEVEN RHODES
Steve
SUBJECT:
MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY BILL SIGNING CEREMONY
Four areas are keenly important in making this a successful event.
I. CORETTA S. KING MUST BE BROUGHT ON BOARD AND SATISFIED FROM A
PUBLIC RELATIONS POINT OF VIEW.
To satisfy this aspect, we should talk to Mrs. King and
explain to her that the President felt that because of
the nature of this bill, we should share the moment with
as many people in person as possible.
II. THE PRESIDENT'S REMARKS ARE CRITICAL FOR LONG-TERM BENEFITS
OF THIS EVENT.
Landon Parvin wrote the President's remarks for the Martin
Luther King birthday reception held here at the White House
on January 14, 1983. Some variation on that theme and tone
written by Landon would be most appropriate. We will there-
fore contact him to make sure that this happens.
III. THE PICTURE THAT WILL BE SHOWN IN RESPONSE AROUND THE COUNTRY
MUST SHOW PROMINENT BLACK APPOINTEES, KING FAMILY AND CONGRES-
SIONAL LEADERS.
Black appointees in this Administration have undergone serious
criticism due to a perceived lack of access to the President
and Senior Staff. White House and Senior Staff Reagan appointees
should be clearly visible in a photo opportunity of the signing
ceremony.
IV. LIST OF INVITEES IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
We should invite black supporters as determined by the offices
of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs, as well as by
the Office of the Vice President. I will be in contact with
Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs as soon as the
event is finalized.
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON
October 31, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL DEAVER
FROM:
J. STEVEN RHODES
Hine
SUBJECT:
MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY BILL SIGNING CEREMONY
Four areas are keenly important in making this a successful event.
I. CORETTA S. KING MUST BE BROUGHT ON BOARD AND SATISFIED FROM A
PUBLIC RELATIONS POINT OF VIEW.
To satisfy this aspect, we should talk to Mrs. King and
explain to her that the President felt that because of
the nature of this bill, we should share the moment with
as many people in person as possible.
II. THE PRESIDENT'S REMARKS ARE CRITICAL FOR LONG-TERM BENEFITS
OF THIS EVENT.
Landon Parvin wrote the President's remarks for the Martin
Luther King birthday reception held here at the White House
on January 14, 1983. Some variation on that theme and tone
written by Landon would be most appropriate. We will there-
fore contact him to make sure that this happens.
III. THE PICTURE THAT WILL BE SHOWN IN RESPONSE AROUND THE COUNTRY
MUST SHOW PROMINENT BLACK APPOINTEES, KING FAMILY AND CONGRES-
SIONAL LEADERS.
Black appointees in this Administration have undergone serious
criticism due to a perceived lack of access to the President
and Senior Staff. White House and Senior Staff Reagan appointees
should be clearly visible in a photo opportunity of the signing
ceremony.
IV. LIST OF INVITEES IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
We should invite black supporters as determined by the offices
of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs, as well as by
the Office of the Vice President. I will be in contact with
Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs as soon as the
event is finalized.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
CC: Ken
Duberstein
Date 10-14-83
TO:
Mike Deaver
CC: J.A.Baker III
FROM:
THE VICE PRESIDENT
RE: Martin Luther King Holiday
I received a call today from Coretta Ki
King. She told me there was tre-
mendous interest in the Martin
Luther King Bill signing. She asked
what arrangements would be made if
the bill passed and was signed.
Many people want to come from all over
the nation ,she said. I would appreciate
knowing what the plans are on this
when they ar finalized. Coretta will 1
be out of the country from early
November til Nov 19th. If there is a
signing ceremony, in my view, it
should be coordianted with her.
THE WHITE HOUSE
DIS Howfa
meeter 130
WASHINGTON
October 21, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL K. DEAVER
FROM:
WILLIAM HENKEL
SUBJECT:
Signing Ceremony for Martin Luther King
National Holiday
EVENT CONCEPT
The President will travel to Congress Heights Elementary School
in South East Washington where he would make brief remarks and
sign the King Holiday Bill into law. The event would be staged
in the Resource Room (a combination auditorium/cafeteria) The
room has a normal seating capacity of approximately 450. A
small permanent stage is part of the room. The school
population is 535 students -- kindergarten through 6th grade.
I recommend The President, Mrs. Martin Luther King and her
immediate family be the only persons on the stage (this also is
a physical necessity). I recommend the audience consists of
approximately 300 students -- 3rd through 6th grades. I would
allocate another 50 seats to congressional and other invited
guests. The balance of the limited space in the room would be
required for the press.
As we discussed, the theme of the President's remarks would be
"Opportunity and Future Individual Growth" and be targeted to
the young students. Following the remarks, the President would
move to a signing table on the stage with the King family and
perhaps some selected students invited to the stage to witness
the signing.
Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon around 2:00 pm would be an ideal
time to schedule the event.
An early decision on this would be required in order to invite
the King family and other guests on such short notice.
Approve
Disapprove
RECOMMENDED PRESS COVERAGE
Signing Ceremony: OPEN PRESS COVERAGE
Approve
Disapprove