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Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RFK-02
In this interview Robert F. Kennedy [RFK] discusses the 1961 Berlin crisis; American forces, military and diplomatic, in Germany; John F. Kennedy’s [JFK] recommendation for Americans to have fallout shelters; nuclear testing; problems with the Department of State; the start of the conflict in Vietnam, 1961; the Department of Justice under RFK and organized crime; RFK’s difficult relationship with J. Edgar Hoover; the wiretapping bill; new federal judgeships in 1961 and other presidential appointments; the Alliance for Progress; Red China; crises during JFK’s presidency and how he was an optimist; RFK’s move for an income tax increase during the Berlin crisis; RFK’s disagreements with President JFK; indecisiveness over picking JFK’s running mate, 1960; the missile gap; fighting and UN operations in the Congo; Nikita S. Khrushchev’s speeches; RFK’s 1962 trip to Japan, Indonesia, Germany, and other countries; the release of Allen L. Pope; Dutch disputes in Southeast Asia; the 1961 crisis in the Dominican Republic and the assassination of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina; the 1962 disarmament conference in Geneva; Edward M. Kennedy’s 1962 campaign for U.S. Senate; the Kennedy family national and political reputation; the Justice Department under RFK and civil rights; and the 1962 steel crisis, among other issues.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-295-017
This folder contains a Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) News transcript of the “Washington Report” concerning President John F. Kennedy’s radio and television address on civil rights, desegregation, legislation to protect the rights of all Americans, President Kennedy’s upcoming visit to Germany, the Cold War, the Soviet Union, and the space race.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-MTG-116-003
Sound recording of three meeting. First is a meeting held on October 23, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Presidential Advisor on Foreign Affairs Dean Acheson. For most of the meeting, Acheson discusses the political climate in Europe, especially in Germany. President Kennedy speaks mainly near the end of the meeting.Next are two brief meetings on civil rights held on October 24, 1963. These consecutive meetings concern the timing of civil rights legislation and discussions with leaders in the House of Representatives on the bill and amendments. Participants include President Kennedy, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Special Assistant to the President for Congressional Relations Lawrence F. O’Brien, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives John McCormack (Massachusetts), Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach, Representative Emanuel Celler (New York), Representative William McCulloch (Ohio), Representative Carl Albert (Oklahoma), Representative Charles Halleck (Indiana), and Representative Leslie Arends (Illinois). Please note that these meetings were opened in 1984 as part of the Kennedy Library’s Civil Rights tape opening. The recording of the second meeting ends abruptly and continues on Tape 117/A53.
This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 116/A52, which contains additional sound recording(s) preceding this one. See Related Records to access Tape 116/A52 in its entirety or the end of this recording on Tape 117/A53.