Master of the Senate (235 page)

“They gave it”:
CCC-T
, Jan. 15.
“There were reasons”:
Kennedy, quoted in
Three Rivers News
, Jan. 20.
Blucher on extension:
Stanford Dyer and Merrell Knighten, “Discrimination After Death: Lyndon Johnson and Felix Longoria,”
Southern Studies
, Winter 1978, p. 415.
“Latin people get drunk”:
“Sworn Statement,” signed Gladys Blucher, Feb. 9.

“The stigma”; “Gray was”;
Connally interview and quoted in Pycior, p. 71.
“Dear Lyndon”:
Chesnut to Johnson, Jan. 14, Box 2, PPCF.
Kennedy issued:
“Statement by T. W. Kennedy,”
CCC-T
, Jan. 12.

Bexar resolution:
“The Bexar County Central Council of the American Legion … passed the following resolutions,” Jan. 27,
Box 2, PPCF;
CCC-T
, Jan. 28.
“Many who”:
DMN
, Jan. 30.
“Became”; “there were”:
Connally interview.
He and Clark:
Clark, Connally interviews.
“They were”:
Oltorf interview.

“Previous”:
Cunningham and Goebel to Johnson,
Three Rivers News
, Jan. 20.
Implored:
Smith to Garcia, Jan. 17, Box 3, PPCF.
“Honored”; “proud”:
For typical letters, see Johnson to Chapter 76, Disabled American Veterans, Jan. 12, or Johnson to Sergi, Jan. 13, both Box 2, PPCF.

“According to”:
CCC-T
, Jan. 16; Connally interview.
Successive drafts:
Johnson to Ramsey, Jan. 21; Johnson to “My dear Friend,” undated, Box 2, PPCF.
“I did not”: Johnson to Rabe, Jan. 26, Box 2, PPCF. “MY ONLY”:
Johnson to Montgomery, Jan. 28. By February 3rd, Johnson would be putting it this way: “I am not, nor have I ever been, personally interested in where the body of Felix Longoria is laid to rest. I received a telegram from a constituent setting out certain facts which I investigated before I replied to that telegram. I told the widow of Felix Longoria his body could be reburied in the Arlington National Cemetery or the National Cemetery at Fort Sam. I did not recommend what Mrs. Longoria should do, and I have consistently maintained that it was none of my business where the boy was reburied, but it was a matter for the next of kin, Mrs. Beatrice Longoria, to decide” (Johnson to Floore, Feb. 3, Box 3, PPCF). By March 15, Johnson would be writing that all he had done was to arrange “for the burial of an American soldier killed in action in the National Arlington Cemetery upon the request of his widow. This is, as you know, the privilege of every soldier. All that I did was to comply with the widow’s request by making this information available to her” (Johnson to Farley, March 15, Box 2, PPCF).

Johnson’s actions during Longorias’ visit:
Busby, Connally, Jenkins, Woodward interviews. Johnson’s Desk Diary, which lists his appointments, has no mention of the Longorias on February 15th or 16th, or indeed at any time during that entire week (“Johnson’s Desk Diaries,” Box 1).
“I don’t”:
Connally interview. Johnson’s aides attempted to put the best face possible on his actions. For example, Busby says that Johnson didn’t stand with the Longoria family and the other dignitaries because “he didn’t want to detract from the family.” Connally said, “He didn’t go because his presence would have been interpreted as he was trying to make political capital out of the incident.” Given the closeness between Johnson and William S. White, and the extent to which the
New York Times
accepted White’s evaluation of the newsworthiness of Johnson’s activities, the contrast between the paper’s coverage of the original story about Longoria and of the funeral may be significant. The original story was on page 1. The paper apparently did not send White, or any other reporter, to the funeral. Its story on the funeral—a small story on page 18—was a UP dispatch. Articles in other newspapers may indicate that Johnson attempted—successfully—to stay out of the public eye at the funeral. The story in the
New York Herald
said that General Vaughan “stood at the head of the two long rows of coffins.” It does not mention Johnson. The Associated Press dispatch on the funeral—the article used by most newspapers—lists persons who attended, and includes Vaughan, Sierra, and the members of the Longoria family. The dispatch does not mention Johnson. (See, for example, the dispatch as carried in the
CCC-T
, Feb. 18.) Exactly where he stood during the service is unclear. The
Washington Post
said that Johnson “was joined at the graveside” by Vaughan, but the
Dallas Morning News
said Johnson “stood not far away as the family gathered at the graveside.” Johnson does not appear to have given a statement to reporters. Many newspapers carried this quote from Vaughan: “I came here because of the stupidity of that undertaker” (see, for example,
WP
, Feb. 18). No newspaper, so far as the author could determine, carried a quote from Johnson.
“Because of”:
Vaughan, quoted in Richard Zalade, “Last Rites, First Rights,”
Texas Monthly
, Jan. 1986.

“Impressive ceremony”:
Johnson to Hector Garcia, Feb. 16, Box 2, PPCF.
Texas House resolution:
CCC-T
,
DMN
,
AA-S
, Feb. 18.
“Truth or”:
DMN
, Feb. 17.

Clark’s role:
Clark, Oltof interviews.
“Without Clark”:
Oltorf interview.
Oltorf understood:
Oltorf interview, confirmed by Clark, Connally interviews.
“He would ask”:
Oltorf interview.
Hearings:
Pycior, pp. 72–73;
DMN, HP, AA-S, CCC-T
, March 10–12.
“We don’t serve”:
Sworn statement of Juventino Ponce, before notary public Hector de Pena, March 12, Box 3, PPCF.
“Every time”; “no one ever”:
Oltorf interview.

“Your name”:
Gus Garcia to Johnson, March 16, Box 2, PPCF, confirmed by Oltorf interview.
“John”:
Nichols to Connally, undated;
“I trust”:
Johnson to Gus Garcia, March 18, Box 2, PPCF.

Majority, minority drafts:
“Reports of the Committee Pursuant to H.S.R. No. 68, April 7, House Journal, pp. 1510–15.
“A slap”:
CCC-T
, April 8.
“I could not”:
“Reports of the Committee, Minority Report,” p. 1514.
“The two dissensions”; “a catalyst”; “into”:
Richard Zalade, “Last Rites, First Rights,”
Texas Monthly
, Jan. 1986.;
CCC-T
, April 9.
Before that:
Hector Garcia, quoted in
AA-S
, Dec. 15, 1985.
“He never”:
Connally interview.

“He hated”:
Connally interview.

Recounted:
Pycior,
LBJ and Mexican Americans
, p. 80.
“Olé”:
Pycior, p. 92; Reedy interview.

“He addressed”; Corpus Christi boy; “I’m the helpful”; “He (Johnson)”:
Hector Garcia OH.
Adroit:
Pycior interview.
“Garcia thought”:
Pycior, p. 76.
“He answers”:
Pycior interview.

Garza’s judgeship:
Garza OH.
Bravo’s job:
Quezada,
Border Boss
, pp. 194–95, 201–05.
“Johnson had”:
Reedy OH VIII, p. 104.

“Bracero” program:
Goodwyn,
Lone Star Land
, pp. 35–38.
“Exiled”:
Goodwyn, p. 35.
“Something must be done”:
Torres to Johnson, Mar. 10, 1952, Box 233, JSP.
“Delighted”; “The people”:
Johnson to growers, May 29, 1951; Looney to Johnson, July 13, 1951, Box 233, JSP. Looney was to recall that Johnson “abided by what you told him pretty much” (Pycior, p. 76).

In 1951 and 1952:
Ronnie Dugger, “Johnson’s Record—I,”
The Texas Observer
, June 3, 1960.

“Flooded”; “Whereas”:
Ed Idar Jr., “To Whom It May Concern,” July 6, 1952, Box 20, LBJA SN.
“I am sorry”:
Johnson to Idar, Nov. 14, 1952, Box 20, LBJA SN.
“Opposed”:
Brownell interview.

“Where else”:
Clark, Connally interviews.
“Johnson was aware”:
Dyer, pp. 87, 88.
“Disappointed”:
Pycior, p. 93.
“Believe me”:
Johnson to Garcia, July 31, 1954, Box 66, JSP.

Bryant and Milam’s story:
William Bradford Huie, “Approved Killing in Mississippi,”
Look
, Jan. 24, 1956.
Pride of their lawyers:
J. J. Breland, quoted in Whitfield,
Death in the Delta
, p. 54; Halberstam,
The Fifties
, p. 434.

“Day”:
Autherine Lucy, quoted in “Alabama’s Scandal,”
Time
, Feb. 20, 1956.
“Chased”; “murder”; Folsom’s orders:
“Where Responsibility Lies,”
New Republic
, Feb. 20, 1956.
“I could still”:
Lucy, quoted in “Alabama’s Scandal,”
Time
, Feb. 20, 1956.
Trustees’ action:
“Miss Lucy of Alabama,”
Commonweal
, Feb. 24, 1956.
“God knows”:
Time
, Feb. 20, 1956.
At Moore’s home; “All I could do”:
“South Worries over Miss Lucy,”
Life
, Feb. 20, 1956.
At La Guardia:
“Round Two in Alabama,”
Time
, March 12, 1956; “Segregation Victory,”
Newsweek
, March 12, 1956.
Riot “worked”:
Dennis Holt, quoted in
Time
, March 12, 1956; Branch,
Parting the Waters
, p. 181.
“Woke”; “They filed”:
Quoted in Martin,
Deep South
, p. 39.
“Solid once more”:
Martin, p. 41. Also see “Where Responsibility Lies,”
New Republic
, Feb. 20, 1956.

“Come”:
Gayle, quoted in Halberstam, p. 556.
“To a largely”:
Branch, p. 145.
“I’m not walking”:
Quoted in Oates,
Let the Trumpet Sound
, p. 76.
“Every member”:
King, quoted in Branch, p. 116.
“That’s where”:
King, quoted in Halberstam, p. 554.
“Just happened”:
King, quoted in Halberstam, p. 561.
“Never given”:
King, quoted in Oates, p. 78.
“Hate begets”:
King, quoted in Oates, p. 79.
King’s arrest:
Branch, p. 160; Oates, p. 86.
“Get up”; Johns dropping his dime:
Halberstam, pp. 544, 545.

“In every stage”:
Eastland, quoted in Oates, pp. 91–92.

Grand jury and indictments:
Branch, pp. 168, 176–78.
“We have walked”:
Abernathy, quoted in Branch, p. 173.
King in Atlanta:
Oates, pp. 92–94.
With a number:
Branch, p. 178.

Bombing of King’s home:
Branch, pp. 164–66.
“The remote calm”:
Branch, p. 165.
“I owe”:
Oates, p. 90.
A Gandhi:
“Many of the Negroes would liken the sight of King with his hand raised to the famous poses of Gandhi or to Jesus calming the waters of the troubled sea” (Branch, p. 166).

Press coverage of bus boycott:
Halberstam, pp. 555 ff.; Oates, pp. 97 ff.; Branch, pp. 185 ff.
“The more coverage”:
Halberstam, p. 560.
“Are you afraid”; “the kind of welcome”:
New York Amsterdam News
, March 31, 1956, quoted in Branch, p. 185.
“I went directly”:
Edita Morris to King, Aug. 10, 1956, quoted in Lamont H. Yeakey, “The Montgomery Alabama Bus Boycott, 1955–56,” unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University, 1979, Vol. II, p. 606.

Injunction and King’s trial:
Oates, p. 102; Branch, pp. 192–94.
“I’m afraid”; “clock said”:
King, quoted in Oates, p. 102.
“Yes, I am”:
Halberstam, p. 562.

Heightened fury:
Oates, pp. 108–09.
“Lord”:
King, quoted in Oates, p. 110.

Dawson’s political power:
Lemann,
Promised Land
, pp. 74–75.
“Just one step”:
Dawson, quoted in White,
Making of the President, 1960
, p. 232.

Train and bus stations:
Lemann, pp. 15, 43.
Black migration to North:
Lemann,
passim;
Halberstam, pp. 442–55; White,
Making of the President, 1960
, pp. 203, 230–37.
“They went north”:
Halberstam, p. 443.
“Money and dignity”:
Lemann, p. 65.
Twenty thousand, etc.:
Lemann, p. 70.
Ninety percent:
White, p. 231.
A better job:
Reston, quoted in Halberstam, p. 442.

Kennelly and Dawson:
Lemann, pp. 76–77.

“A new kind”; “these men”:
White,
Making of the President, 1960
, pp. 232–36; Carl Rowan, “Who Gets the Negro Vote?”
Look
, Nov. 13, 1956.

Democratic strategists:
Branch, p. 192; White,
Making of the President, 1960
, pp. 232–34; Watson,
Lion in the Lobby
, pp. 355–56; Richard L. Neuberger, “Democrats’ Dilemma: Civil Rights,”
NYT Magazine
, July 7, 1957; Cabell Phillips, “Civil Rights Pose Hard Choice for Democrats,”
NYT
, Sec. IV, April 18, 1956. Also such 1956 newspaper articles as
Amarillo Globe-Times
, Nov. 1;
WSJ
, April 6;
WP
, April 1; Stokes,
WS
, April 3.
Thirty-five districts:
Reston,
NYT
, July 24, 1957.
“We Negroes”:
Rowan, “Who Gets the Negro Vote?”
Look
, Nov. 13, 1956.
Republican strategy:
NYT
, Dec. 2, 1956;
WP
, May 14, 1955;
USN & WR
, July 26, 1957; Brownell interview.