WOFFORD: Well, [Angier] Angie Biddle Duke, for instance, at the State Department. I think the funniest occasion on the whole thing was after a year of working on integration of Route 40--and we really worked at it; a lot of us went up and down the damn road. You know, the African ambassadors would be insulted if they drove from New York to Washington. And Angie Biddle Duke, to whom all this did not initially come naturally, who was made head of protocol in the State Department (which was the most unnatural place for civil rights to be advanced anywhere in the government), he becomes head of protocol and it's suggested to him that ought to be the place in the State Department that really works to help African ambassadors by integrating housing, roads, everything. Pedro San Juan, a real fiery guy--have you interviewed him?
HACKMAN: He was Duke's deputy who was involved in it over there?"
WOFFORD; Yes, for civil rights. He'd be worth interviewing.
HACKMAN: Yes.
WOFFORD: He's a very valiant, peppery fellow. He took on this Route 40 and he really piloted that, but he did it in the name of the President--well, he did it in my name in the President's name with Angie Biddle Duke. He got Duke going out and speaking to restaurant owners and issuing statements, and he got me going out. He really pushed it. So one day the newspaper tells about an African ambassador who got turned down for a drink of water or something on Route 40, at about quarter of eight in the morning, and it quoted Angie Biddle Duke saying something about what we're doing. Angie gets a call from the President. The President said, "I just read that hell of a story about that ambassador not being able to drink on Route 40." Angie says, "Yes, Mr. President. We're working very actively. I've made six speeches up on Route 40. We know we haven't succeeded yet, but we think we're really making headway." Duke was talking about all the progress he had made, and Kennedy said, "Well, that's not what I'm calling you about. I'm calling to tell you to tell these African ambassadors to fly." He said, "You tell them I wouldn't think of driving from New York to Washington. It's a hell of a road, Route 40. I used to drive that years ago. Why the hell would anyone want to drive down on Route 40 when you can fly today? Tell them to wake up to the world and fly." And he hung up. Duke called me and said, "Are you sure the President is fully behind our efforts?" I said, "Oh yes." And I conveyed to him the President's deep concern that we proceed with the program, but an ironic laugh still comes over me when I think of this.
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This is a copy of a document on file in the Bard Library. Oral History Interview with Harris Wofford, May 22, 1968, pp. 60-61. Applied Social Sciences Computer Research Lab Comments to Joan A. Andersen, SBS Webmaster: joanaa@umd5.umd.edu Baltimore City Community College Content copyright © 1996 Joan A. Andersen; Revised: 1 August, 1996 URL: http://www.erols.com/bcccsbs