‘A Negro Could Be President Of U.S.’

Press, Volume C, Issue 29525, 29 May 1961, Page 16

‘A Negro Could Be President Of U.S. ’

(A Z PA.-Reuter—CopvnfliU> WASHINGTON, May 26. A negro could be elected president of the United States in the next 30 or 40 years, the United States Attorney-General (Mr Robert Kennedy) said today in a radio broadcast.

In the broadcast reaching more than 60 countries. Mr Kennedy said that the United States fully admitted that it had race troubles. He emphasised, however, that the Federal Government was trying to take steps to protect the rights of all citizens. United Press International said. He referred specifically to the racial strife of the last two weeks in Alabama, which he said the whole world knew about because the United States had an open society and did not hide its mistakes. But the persons whe caused racial violence in the United States were just u “small minority.” The Attorney-General recalled that only 50 years age

when his grandfather came to the United States he found 'signs in Boston that ths Irish immigrants were not wanted. “Today an Irish Roman Catholic is President of the United States. That progress has been made in 50 years.” Speaking without a prepared text, he said that prejudice existed.in all areas of the world and probably would continue to exist; “but we are trying to make propress. We do not accept the status quo ”