Lyndon B. Johnson

TLS as president, one page, 7 x 10.25, White House letterhead, September 7, 1966. Letter to John W. Douglas, regretfully accepting his resignation as Assistant Attorney General and extolling his achievements with the civil rights division while at the Justice Dept. In part: “It is with regret that I accept your resignation as Assistant Attorney General effective September 16, 1966, as you requested. I wish that you could continue to head the Civil Division of the Justice Department as you have with such distinction… Your leadership…your work in Courts…was of the highest quality and helped set the standards for the colleagues of whom you have such pride. Furthermore, you have demonstrated your willingness to take on collateral assignments through your important contributions in the area of civil rights…Your service and your presence will be missed.” In fine condition, with old mounting residue on the back. John W. Douglas (1921-2010), the son of U.S. Senator Paul Douglas, was part of a four-member committee that arranged for the release of Cuban exiles who had participated in the Bay of Pigs Invasion. In early 1963, JFK appointed him head of the Civil Division at the U.S. Dept. of Justice. Months later U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy tasked him with coordinating logistical and security considerations for the August 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King gave his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

Format: TLS