#59: Optics Over Social Justice

In 1961, John F. Kennedy was about to be inaugurated into office. Although many fans of JFK laud him for his socially conscious policies and warm demeanor, even he wasn’t immune to racist social pressures of the time. Sammy Davis Jr. was at the height of his fame in the early 60s. He had campaigned hard for JFK, so many assumed the singer would be at the inauguration.

That wasn’t the case. Apparently, JFK and his team didn’t let Sammy Davis Jr. perform, much less attend, the inauguration. Davis Jr. was married to a Swedish actress named May Britt, and JFK’s team feared the backlash over their interracial marriage. Interracial marriage was outlawed in 31 states at the time, according to Far Out Magazine. Dean Martin refused to attend JFK’s inauguration to stand in solidarity with his friend Sammy Davis Jr.