1959 Photo of President Eisenhower and Civil Rights Leader

[Civil Rights] [Presidents]. This 1959 AP Press photo depicts President Eisenhower shaking hands with the wife of civil rights leader George M. Johnson. Original photo dated June 9, 1959 with inscription on verso. 9” x 7” inches. Johnson was the newest member of the Civil Rights Commission, an organization created in 1957 to study and advocate for social equality for minorities in America. He was an African-American attorney and academic who was appointed to the commission and had an interracial marriage with his wife Evelyn, which was quite rare and controversial (truncated) in that era. Ike and the Johnsons are pictured in the White House and wear wide smiles. This photo has a 2” x 1” inch white-out patch adjacent to George Johnson’s face. Has AP caption at right side margin. Overall in very good condition. (Inventory #: 17414)