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Kenneth ClarkKenneth Clark
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Session:         Page of 763

I would also like to make reference to our brief discussion on the NBC News program, “American Revolution ‘63”. I believe you were

making some references to the media treatment of the race relations issue at the time. And you also had mentioned that you were not in the country during the March on Washington in 1963. You were in Europe. I would like to have it in the record that on a list of key persons to be interviewed for the NBC News three-hour special of about seventy-five, mostly black, which I drew up at their request, you were on that list, but your office said you were in Europe, and therefore we missed having the benefit of an interview with you on that program.

Let's come to your tenure on the Board of Regents. Let's go to the genesis. How did your appointment to the Board of Regents come about?

Clark:

I haven't the slightest idea. I was in my office at City College one afternoon and I received this telephone call from the then Speaker [Anthony “Tony”] Travia in the Assembly, and he said to me, “You just have been elected by the Legislature as a member of the Board of Regents.” I said, “Really?”

I didn't even know I was being considered, and I frankly don't remember what my reactions were, except maybe puzzlement. I was puzzled. I knew that up until that time there were no blacks on the Board of Regents. I knew that, but I knew that as a general point. And he congratulated me and one of my friends--who became





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