Letters to Jackie (14 page)

Authors: Ellen Fitzpatrick

BOOK: Letters to Jackie

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Although Kennedy worked in the ensuing months of his life toward approval of a civil rights bill, “the fires of frustration and discord” continued to burn. The very evening of JFK’s civil rights speech, Mississippi civil rights activist Medgar Evers was shot in the back by a Ku Klux Klansman as Evers returned home from a meeting with lawyers from the NAACP. He died less than an hour later. The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in late August, organized by an array of civil rights activists and organizations, dramatized the urgency of the issues and demonstrated to the nation the breadth and depth of commitment. Among the speakers was John Lewis, the young president of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, who reluctantly stepped back from branding Kennedy’s civil rights legislation as “too little and too late.” Noting that the “party of Kennedy is also the party of Eastland” (the latter a Mississippi senator outspoken in his support for segregation), he attacked “politicians who build their careers on immoral compromises.” And he asked, “Where is our party? Where is the political party that will make it unnecessary to march on Washington?” The peaceful march drew hundreds of thousands and was a powerful testament to the courage and determination of the civil rights movement.

But the violent resistance from some quarters continued. In September the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, was bombed, in an act of terror organized by the Klan that killed four young girls. Although Kennedy faced civil rights leaders who viewed his commitment to the cause as anemic if not woefully deficient for much of his administration, his assassination in November led many Americans to connect his murder to this climate of violence.

It is impossible to quantify the number of condolence letters written to Jacqueline Kennedy by African Americans. Only those who mentioned their race can be identified with certainty, but there are hundreds of such letters in the collection. The fact that so many letter writers mentioned their race is
itself revealing. “You and yours have suffered a great loss, by my people and I have to endure even a greater one,” read one such message. “You see I am a Negro. For a person to take a stand for what he believes in this day and age, is remarkable. Only a God fearing man would take this stand for the minority.” If civil rights activists clearly saw Kennedy’s limitations, many letter writers appeared to have been deeply moved nonetheless by his stand against segregation and his initiation of civil rights legislation. “I am one person speaking for all of Harlem, men, women and children,” wrote one high school student to Mrs. Kennedy. “This brief, but warm and sympathetic letter is to let you know that Harlem, along with every greatful American shares in your grief.” Noting that JFK stood out as one of the “few presidents that ever lifted a finger to help the American Negro,” she explained, “that is especially why we are heart broken.” This sentiment was echoed in the many eloquent letters African Americans wrote after Kennedy’s assassination. Whites, both sympathetic and hostile to Kennedy’s position on civil rights, likewise noted the centrality of the issue.

TELEGRAM
LSE
310
NSA
233
NS JZA
022
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JACKSON MISS
23 700
A CST
MRS JOHN F KENNEDY

WHITE HOUSEWASHDC

I EXTEND TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MY SINCEREST CONDOLENCE ON THE TRAGIC DEATH OF YOUR HUSBAND. I KNOW WORDS CAN BE OF LITTLE COMFORT NOW FOR I LOST MY HUSBAND ON JUNE 12TH IN THE SAME WAY. THE ENTIRE WORLD SHARES YOUR GREAT LOSS AND SORROW.

MRS. MEDGAR EVERS

WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA

NOV. 27, 1963

Dear Mrs. Kennedy,

There are no words that can adequately express our family’s deep sympathy and feeling for you, your children and indeed all the Kennedy Clan.

We are a middle class Negro family and had of course felt after so long that President was like a beacon—a light in the darkness who would indeed be a second Emancipator.

We saw him last year when he came to U.C. My husband a physician even took off. My daughter was inspired by his ideals + goals. She was in the street and close enough she says to see the strength and courage in his deep blue eyes. That he would carry through in his aims.

Now, because of hate and violence he is gone. One who had so much to give. But you and your children can be so proud that he died for his country.
If
that can bring peace. May God give you the strength and will to go on and live for your children.

If you do ever have time and an extra autographed picture of you two would you please send to my daughter Connie. She is away in Spokane at University. She was so upset she called us.

I think you too inspired the young adults that it is not square to like cultural things. For your excellent example I thank you.

We shall remember you and him in our prayers and Masses. We were so proud of our Catholic President.

With deepest sympathy
Cornelia M. Davis

DETROIT, MICHIGAN
NOVEMBER 29, 1963

Dear Mrs. Kennedy,

I know you have received quite a few letters in the past week. I pray you take just a moment of your time to read one more.

You won’t remember hearing from me, but I wrote to you last October (1962) when my State was getting ready to elect a Gov. and your husband was com’ing to Michigan to make some speaches. I also read somewhere at the same time that he would’nt receive such a warm welcome, and that is the reason I wrote to you and him, asking you to stop by my house for coffee.

At the time that I wrote to you, the President was being bombarded from left and right by everyone and his brother. I told you in the letter I wrote that I had no bone to pick, I was only writ’ing for friendship. I had an answer from your Sectary, saying that you thanked me for my interest in your family. I was so very happy to get that answer.

Mrs. Kennedy, I am colored woman. Your husband made me proud of being colored, by the lov’ing enterest he took in my people, and not only my people, but all the peoples of the world. I wish I had the words, and the knowledge of how to put them down on this peice of paper, to tell you what I really feel. I don’t even know how to spell good, but I hope that you will understand.

GOD bless you and your children Mrs. Kennedy. I will pray every night that HE will very soon heal the hurt that lie in your heart right now. I will bring this letter to a close, hop’ing that you might read it, although I know that you must have received a million letters by now. This is a terrible time for the whole world, but this, for you, is the worst time of all.

This is what I would like to see erected to the memory of our President. It has even been in my dreams.

May the Lov’ing GOD of us all, hold you and your children in HIS hand and carry you though this terrible time.

Sincerley Yours,
Ethel C. Williams

WD
310

NL PD FLINT MICH
23

MRS JOHN F KENNEDY

THE WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU IN YOUR SORROW BECAUSE IT IS MY SORROW TOO WHEN THE NEWS FLASHED ACROSS THE TELEVISION SCREEN OF YOUR HUSBANDS DEATH I CRIED MY HEART OUT MY LITTLE GIRLS SAID DONT CRY MOMMY BUT I COULDN’T HELP IT HE HAD GIVEN ME HOPE AND MADE ME BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY AGAIN BEING A NEGRO I HAD BECOME DISALLUSIONED BUT TRUE TO MY COUNTRY WHEN YOUR HUSBAND SPOKE TO THE NATION AND SAID A NEGRO HAS A RIGHT TO VOTE HE IS A HUMAN BEING HE IS ONLY ASKING FOR THE RIGHTS THAT THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON EQUALITY FOR ALL MANKIND I STOOD IN MY LIVING ROOM IN UTTER DISBELIEF AND SAID TO MYSELF WHY A MAN LIKE THIS WITH WEALTH BACKGROUND LOOKS PERSONALITY RISKS EVERYTHING FOR A NEGRO I SHALL NEVER FORGET HIM BECAUSE HE WAS A MAN OF COURAGE THERE IS ONLY ONE OTHER MAN LIKE HIM AND THAT WAS EX GOVERNOR WILLIAMS UNLESS THE SOUTH STANDS UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND JUST I FEEL THAT THEY WILL DESTORY US AS A NATION I WILL PRAY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU COURAGE SINCERELY YOURS MRS E SCOTT FLINT MICH

NEW YORK NY

NOV
22 409
P EST

MRS JOHN F KENNEDY

THE WHITE HOUSE

MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN THE LOSS OF A GREAT AND BELOVED AMERICAN FOR WHOM I AMONG MILLIONS GRIEVE

LANGSTON HUGHES.

SHELBY, N.C.

JAN 17, 64

Dear Mrs Kennedy,

You & your family have our sorrow of the death of your husband not
only
because he tried to help us as negro but all so he was human but we feel that Oswald didnot do it it was someone larger than he such as Mr. Goldwater. We loved your husband because he thought negroes was Gods love and made us like he did white people and did not make us as dogs. Mrs Kennedy we are praying for you and your family

Yours truly
Mrs Frank Borders
Shelby, N.C.

WHITE CASTLE, LA

Dear Mrs Kenndy,

I am a color house wife age 49 years of old mother of 10 children 6 Boys 4 girls

I am writting to let you know that my family & I share our heartfelt sympathy to you & your little ones

I feels so hurted I was left in 1940 with 4 small tots & a baby to Be borne 3 months later. But you havent only lost a Husband & Father But a Hero, a man, the only man was Bringing our Race of peoples to the light. We have lost a Dear friend our hearts [hurt], our homes are Sadden By the hands of Death I couldent Beleve the News, we cryed, the great man is sleeping in Jesus.

Mrs. Kennedy you are a Brave Lady. I Pray God through your dark & Sad hour you finds comfort in him who does all things well. In the great judgement, I’ll meet my president. May God Bless you & your little ones always

Daisy H. McKenney

CHATTANOOGA, TENN

DECEMBER
17, 1963

To: Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy

I just want you to know how much your husband President Kennedy meant to me.

I would like to have one of the True Fact Books that is now being published.

I was born in Clark County, Ga about 1893, and my Father was sold to this Country as a slave. His father was bought by Bill H. Talmadge and later the Allen Talmadge family.

I live in Chattanooga and I have been here since 1922.

My heart and my prayers go out to you and your family in the name of the Lord and your trust in God.

Wishing you much consolation.
Susie Oglesby

MATTOON, ILLINOIS
NOV. 22-64

Dear Mrs. John F. Kennedy—

It is with regrets and sorrow that has been in my heart and mind the past year that I write you this letter in memory of Dear Husband and Father of your children. Our heart was also broken and torn assunder over the great tradgedy that happned to him one year ago today.

The reason that I have not written you was because I am poorly educated and was ashamed to write you altho down in my heart my prayers + thoughts were with you and your family.

I am colored and 65 years old and John F. Kennedy is the only man that fought a mighty battle for the freedom of my race of people that they
might have their equal rights here in America, which has been lacking since Abraham Lincoln But I consider John F. Kennedy much greater than Lincoln.

Because he was going all the way out for my people. That is why he is sleeping in Arlington National Cemetary to day. The Enemys of my people slew him, because he was fighting and working that we might have our just rights and freedom too live and dwell like all the rest of Americans, and I can truthfully say that the Negro race of people are yet Bowed in sorrow for this Great President who was not afraid to speak his mind + thoughts also to work too carry them out, + he gave his life for us. We bow our heads in shame and sorrow, and wish that we could bring him back to finish the task he started, our world would be such a happy place to live in if we had more men and leaders like him may God rest his weary soul + may he arise to meet the great King whom shall be comming back to earth again to geather his people unto him, and all sorrows and tears shall all be wiped away. Mrs. Kennedy I have been ill eighteen years with a serious heart condition. I am not able to get around much but God has so wonderfully blessed me and spared my life When the Doctors said I would not live till morning

I try to comfort others in writting letters and praying for them and doing good to all both foes + friends and scattering deeds of kindness every day and I only wish that there was some way for me to help lift the terrible burdan and heart ache that I know that you are still carrying

May God bless you +

Your dear little ones is my prayer for you + may

God ever lead You in his

Paths of rightiosness is my Prayer

And I believe if President

Kennedy could speak to us

He would say

I shall pass through this

World but once

If therefore there be

Any kindness I

can show