July 2, 1964…President Johnson Signs Civil Rights Act Legislation
This beautiful photo was taken in The East Room of The White House as President Johnson addressed the nation, just before signing The Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law.
For those of us who are old enough to remember these times, it’s interesting to recall the many famous faces in the front rows. If you take a look at the video clip (below) of this, it appears that there are three pool cameras from CBS covering the event. That center camera is shooting through a very early through the lens teleprompter. The blue part is actually the paper roll script with the black double mirror reflector box on top of it. -Bobby Ellerbee
I see Lady Bird Johnson, Bobby Kennedy, Everett Dirksen(?), Hubert Humphrey … ???
I think I see Elvis, john Lennon, Farrah fawcett, captain kangaroo, Gilligan, and Humphrey bogart…??
Barry Goldwater front row 2nd from right? M.L.K.second row 3rd on the right?
LBJ kept the fountain pen industry going through the 60’s. Multiple pens were used at each ceremony.
I see two RCA BK1A dynamic microphones. I’m told that 25 were made with dual elements in case one failed for the White House. They were slightly larger and it’s hard to tell if these are them. I doubt it as they are using two. By the time LBJ left office they had switched to a pair of Shure 57s mounted one above the other and that model is still in use today. I understand that the White House has over 100 of the 57s.
Ironic how few black faces are seen in this picture.
Amen brother !