Letter to Eleanor P. Sheppard from Lyndon B. Johnson, February 10, 1964
Letter to the Honorable Eleanor P. Sheppard, Mayor of Richmond, Virginia from President Lyndon Baines Johnson. February 10, 1964. <br /><br />This letter accompanied the President's Commission on Registration and Voting Participation "<a href="President's%20Commission%20on%20Registration%20and%20Voting%20Participation" target="_blank" title="Report of the Commission" rel="noreferrer noopener">Report on Registration and Voting Participation</a>." <br /><br />Text:<br />The White House<br />Washington<br />February 10, 1964<br /><br />Dear Mayor Sheppard: <br /><br />Less than two thirds of Americans of voting age cast ballots in Presidential elections. Less than one half vote in Congressional elections. <br /><br />This is a serious void in our free society. <br /><br />Last March President Kennedy appointed a bipartisan Commission on Registration and Voting Particpation. Its task was to study the causes of nonvoting and to recommend remedies. After careful study this Commission has presented its report and I send one to you. <br /><br />More interest in voting can be stressed by local efforts. May I suggest that you might want to consider the appointment of a citizens committee to investigate possible restrictions to reistration and voting -- and to promote greater voter participation in the 1964 elections. <br /><br />At a time when people all over the world cry out for the right to vote, too many of our citizens neglect to use this most precious of all citizen privileges. Our states and our cities, by improving voting laws and voting practices, can help produce increased voting interest by all the people. <br /><br />Kindly give me a report on the situation in your city. <br /><br />Sincerely, <br /><br />Lyndon B. Johnson
Johnson, Lyndon B.
M 277, Box 11, <a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=oai/vcu/repositories/5/resources/591.oai_ead.xml" target="_blank" title="finding aid" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eleanor P. Sheppard papers, 1924 - 1978</a>, James Branch Cabell Library, VCU Libraries
1964 February 10
Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, VCU Libraries
NO KNOWN COPYRIGHT<br /><br />The organization that has made the Item available reasonably believes that the Item is not restricted by copyright or related rights, but a conclusive determination could not be made. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. <br /><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NKC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NKC/1.0/</a> <br /><br />Acknowledgement of the Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries as a source is requested.
Learn more: <br /><a href="https://images.socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/items/browse?tags=Voting" target="_blank" title="primary sources related to voting in the United States" rel="noreferrer noopener">Voting</a>, Social Welfare History Image Portal <br /><br />Discovery Set: Controlling the Vote, Social Welfare History Image Portal <br /><br /><a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/JFKWHP/1963/Month%2005/Day%2008/JFKWHP-1963-05-08-D" target="_blank" title="Photographs" rel="noreferrer noopener">Visit of the Commission on Registration & Voting Participation, 12:25PM</a>, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum <br /><br />Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. White House Staff Files of Lee C. White. General File, 1954-1964. <a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/JFKWHSFLCW/003/JFKWHSFLCW-003-002" target="_blank" title="archival materials" rel="noreferrer noopener">Commission on Registration and Voting Participation, 23 April 1963-30 March 1964</a><br /><br /><span>Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. White House Staff Files of Lee C. White. General File, 1954-1964. <a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/JFKWHSFLCW/003/JFKWHSFLCW-003-001" target="_blank" title="archival materials, 1962-1963" rel="noreferrer noopener">Commission on Registration and Voting Participation, 21 December 1962–30 March 1963</a></span>
Report of the President's Commission on Registration and Voting Participation, November 1963
Report of the President's Commission on Registration and Voting Participation. The bipartisan commission was created by Executive Order on March 30, 1963 by President John F. Kennedy. The Commission was chaired by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_M._Scammon" target="_blank" title="Wikipedia article" rel="noreferrer noopener">Richard M. Scammon</a>, Census Director. <br /><br />The report was transmitted on November 26, 1963, just days after Kennedy's assassination. In February, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson mailed this report along with a <a href="https://images.socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/items/show/475" target="_blank" title="read the accompanying letter from President Johnson" rel="noreferrer noopener">letter to Eleanor P. Sheppard</a>, Mayor of Richmond, Virginia. <br /><br />In its opening summary, the Commission wrote: <br /><br />"One-third of our adults do not vote in presidential elections, and more than half do not vote in congressional elections. The reasons for America's low voter participation are both psychological and legal. <br /><br />Psychological causes of low turnout must be attacked by education and educational programs. Every citizen and group has a responsibility to join in this effort. <br /><br />The Commission endorses the practice of comprehensive register-and-vote campaigns to encourage and inform potential voters. We specifically call for a new effort by our schools in the teaching of citizenship, and we underscore the great responsibility of parents in citizenship education. <br /><br />The Commission strongly believes that effective two-party competition in all areas of the Nation will build and maintain interest in public affairs and lead to greater voter participation. We commend the two party system and all efforts to strengthen that system. <br /><br />Restrictive legal and administrative procedures in registration and voting disfranchise millions. To overcome such restrictions, taking into account the disparity in law and practice amont the States, we recommend the following specific standards: <br /><br />[Twenty-one standards are listed, including the elimination of literacy tests and poll taxes and the extension of voting to persons eighteen years of age.] <br /><br />The implementation of these standards will guarantee the right to vote to every citizen, adduring in fact what we proclain in theory--the supremacy of the individual in American political life." <br /><br /><a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951d029875154&view=1up&seq=3" target="_blank" title="read the report" rel="noreferrer noopener">Complete report</a> available through HathiTrust.
President's Commission on Registration and Voting Participation
M 277, Box 11, <a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=oai/vcu/repositories/5/resources/591.oai_ead.xml" target="_blank" title="finding aid" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eleanor P. Sheppard papers, 1924 - 1978</a>, James Branch Cabell Library, VCU Libraries
Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office
1963 November
Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, VCU Libraries
NO COPYRIGHT - UNITED STATES<br /><br />The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. <br /><br /><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/</a> <br /><br />Acknowledgment of the Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries as a source is requested.
Learn more: <br /><a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/JFKWHP/1963/Month%2005/Day%2008/JFKWHP-1963-05-08-D" target="_blank" title="Photographs" rel="noreferrer noopener">Visit of the Commission on Registration & Voting Participation, 12:25PM</a>, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum <br /><br />Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. White House Staff Files of Lee C. White. General File, 1954-1964. <a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/JFKWHSFLCW/003/JFKWHSFLCW-003-002" target="_blank" title="archival materials" rel="noreferrer noopener">Commission on Registration and Voting Participation, 23 April 1963-30 March 1964</a><br /><br /><span>Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. White House Staff Files of Lee C. White. General File, 1954-1964. <a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-viewer/archives/JFKWHSFLCW/003/JFKWHSFLCW-003-001" target="_blank" title="archival materials, 1962-1963" rel="noreferrer noopener">Commission on Registration and Voting Participation, 21 December 1962–30 March 1963</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://images.socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/items/show/475" target="_blank" title="Letter to Mayor Sheppard from President Johnson" rel="noreferrer noopener">Letter to Eleanor P. Sheppard from Lyndon B. Johnson</a>, February 10, 1964</span>