JFK in Detroit, Sept 4, 1960 by Bob

Since it’s both President’s Day & Black History Month, here’s some of both courtesy Michigan Advance who shared that in addition to President John F. Kennedy’s very public appearance in Detroit’s Labor Day parade in 1960, a little known meeting in June of 1960 with a group of Detroit’s Black leaders may have been what boosted him to victory over Nixon:

Some Detroiters point to a little known June 1960 private meeting that pushed Kennedy over the top with the growing African American demographic in Michigan and throughout the Midwest.

A group of Detroit Black Democratic leaders that included UAW official Horace Sheffield Jr., business owner Forrest Green, longtime Democratic stalwart Joseph Coles and Detroit Common Council member William Patrick Jr. met with Kennedy at his home. The event was set up by Williams, Michigan’s popular governor.

Kennedy flew to the party on a private plane, according to Saul Green, Forrest’s son and future U.S. attorney for Michigan’s Eastern District. “[Kennedy] had an opportunity to gather these respected Black thought leaders to help make his case [for the presidency],” recalled Green, who was a 12-year-old Tappan Junior High student at the time.

There, they urged the Massachusetts U.S senator to adopt a stronger civil rights platform.The Rev. Horace Sheffield III said his father made the case “What are you going to do for Black folks?” said Sheffield III about the question that his father likely had for Kennedy.

Head over to the Michigan Advance for more including a great photo.

Bob says that he was there that Labor Day. See more in his Detroit gallery & follow him on Flickr for his latest.