17 march 1968 & patricia roberts harris

“I feel deeply proud and grateful [that President Lyndon B. Johnson] chose me [as U.S. ambassador to Luxemborg] but also a little sad about being the 'first Negro woman' because it implies we were not considered before.”          Patricia Roberts Harris (1965)

#OTD 17 March 1968 Patricia Roberts Harris, a law professor at Howard University, joined Leon H. Keyserling, a white economist, to head a new local group, National Citizens for Johnson-Humphrey, focused on reelecting LBJ and Humphrey in November. The group is partnering with Democrats United for Johnson for the upcoming primaries in May to "draw together leading citizens who are residents of Washington, but are not active in Democratic Party affairs." 

Please comment below. Were you a member of either group? Did you vote in the May primaries? Do you remember Patricia Roberts Harris? Do you remember Leon H. Keyserling? You may comment privately here.

Photo source: Courtesy Library of Congress, 1971.  Patricia Roberts Harris with Meet the Press host, Lawrence E. Spivak. Photo by Reni Newsphotos, Inc..
"City Group to Support LBJ Set," Washington Post, 18 March 1968.
Source for quote.