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Today in History: Robert Kennedy meets James Baldwin, race talks fail

5/24/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On May 24 1963, U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy convened a New York apartment meeting with novelist James Baldwin and other Black cultural leaders to address racial injustice. The discussion turned hostile, the participants reached no agreement, and the delegation accused Kennedy of misunderstanding systemic racism, prompting a shift in his civil-rights stance.

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Story summary

On May 24 1963, U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy convened a New York apartment meeting with novelist James Baldwin and other Black cultural leaders to address racial injustice. The discussion turned hostile, the participants reached no agreement, and the delegation accused Kennedy of misunderstanding systemic racism, prompting a shift in his civil-rights stance.