Description:

Lyndon B. Johnson
Washington, D.C, April 27, 1964
LBJ Appoints Civil & Voting Rights Act Architect, MLK's W.H. Point Man Who Crafted Selma Response Following "Bloody Sunday" Attacks
DS

Partly Printed Presidential Appointment, dated April 27, 1964, boldly signed "Lyndon B. Johnson" and countersigned by Secretary of State Dean Rusk. The document formally appoints Lee C. White as Associate Counsel to the President. White served as the White House's chief civil rights adviser, and the key White House liaison to Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders during the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Mounted on rigid poster board, some toning, with an intact 3.5" embossed U.S. seal at the lower left. The document measures 19" x 15.25".

Lee C. White was a pivotal architect of civil rights policy in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, serving as the White House's chief civil rights adviser under both presidents. He co-founded and led the Sub-cabinet Group on Civil Rights, coordinating federal enforcement and legislative strategy at the highest levels of government. As the principal liaison between the White House and civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr., White played a crucial role in aligning grassroots activism with federal policy. On a phone call on July 7, 1965, amid the final push for the passage of Voting Rights Act, President Lyndon B. Johnson explicitly instructed King to speak directly with White, stating, "I've asked Lee White to talk to you, and talk to Roy [Wilkins] and talk to any of them that call him" and earlier in the call, President Johnson also states " if I'm not available, in a security meeting or anything, call Lee White," affirming White's role as the administration's key conduit to the civil rights movement.

White had previously advised Johnson to address Congress following the Selma "Bloody Sunday" attacks, an address that proved pivotal in securing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He also helped shape the Civil Rights Act of 1964, particularly its provisions on public accommodations and anti-discrimination enforcement. Earlier, he held advisory roles under President Eisenhower and served as Assistant Special Counsel to President Kennedy from 1961 to 1963. From 1966 to 1969, White brought his legal expertise to regulatory policy as Chairman of the Federal Power Commission. Though largely operating behind the scenes, Lee C. White's strategic guidance and deep commitment to equality made him instrumental in transforming civil rights ideals into enforceable federal law.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 19" x 15.25"
  • Medium: DS

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August 27, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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