Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 795 › Conversation 795-008

Nixon, Brown & Palmer on Martin Luther King Jr. and 1972 election

Tuesday, October 10, 1972 · 12:17 PM–12:27 PM ET · Oval Office ·10 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Brown, James;  Brown, Joseph;  Palmer, James F.;  Bobbitt, Charles;  Brown, Robert J.;  Scott, Stanley S.;  White House photographerConversation795-008 onTape 795StartTuesday, October 10, 1972 at 12:17 PMEndTuesday, October 10, 1972 at 12:27 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 795-008 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with entertainer James Brown and his associates to discuss Brown's career achievements and his influence on youth. During the visit, which included a photo session and the exchange of gifts, the participants touched upon potential federal initiatives regarding the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., including the establishment of a national holiday and a monument in Atlanta. Nixon acknowledged the importance of these proposals but noted that any formal action would likely be deferred until after the 1972 election to avoid political complications.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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All right, Bob, how are you?
Mr. James Brown, how are you?
Nice to see you.
Well, Joseph Brown.
Are you the one he told us all about?
Yeah.
That's, yeah.
I just mentioned Charles Brown.
Yes, sir.
There's a man named James Brown.
Where is it?
That's the corporation.
And this is Paul.
Yes, Paul.
Well, I heard with you, that's it.
I, uh, you know, I've seen, uh, follows that comes in here that's got a lot of gold records.
You've got some records.
Thirty-nine.
Thirty-nine.
Oh, that's great.
That's great.
You can get a hundred one day, can't you?
Well, how many years did it take you to get thirty-nine?
How many years did it take you to get thirty-nine?
You're a big selling star.
Now this is some of the literature, some of our literature.
Yes, sir.
I should be here.
We're all here.
We're here.
We're here.
We're here.
I'm sure you're doing well.
I hear it's a success.
Good work.
I like the way you're running around kids, too.
That's great.
Oh, good.
I like it.
I like it.
I like it.
I like it.
I like it.
I like it.
I did one of the best things in the world.
I did one of the best things in the world.
I did one of the best things in the world.
You know, when I first met
It's really great to see the way you do it.
Show us what you're doing.
He has a fantastic effect on the masses of kids.
Oh, I know.
Now let's get a picture with all the, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh.
Now, I need to think about what we call the part of the future of the president.
And also for the wives, for the wives, this is the sealer.
There is the seal in the rug, see?
That's the mark of this room.
Every rubber's changed every four years.
This is a new one.
And here he is in a little pin.
That's your wife.
That's your wife.
That's your wife.
That's your wife.
That's your wife.
That's your wife.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
All right.
You probably got three or four.
But it's not that bad.
There's a lot of offering people that want to see me tonight.
So I have to get it.
I think that means an answer.
I like to speak for a lot of fresh people out here from the country who love sports and country
Dr. King, I want to come in here.
One of the things that happened, I know about this, I don't know.
Another thing, another thing that this is a project in Atlanta to make is the birthplace of a monument, an actual monument.
I've always been talking to you about both of these.
My objective is... That's got to be the greatest thing.
You think that would mean a lot?
That would mean more.
And speaking of the kind of development that would mean more.
So we've got things to get over.
I think the problem is not that.
Let me say that I'm aware of it.
I've talked to our own people, Bob and others, about these things.
uh what could be appropriate because they there's there's about three uh memorial to the doctor i know it of course not well but i've had it done and so i just
You indicated the other day, Mr. President, that we didn't want to do anything until after the election.
I think about it.
If you do it before the election, it's tough.
And he wasn't like that.
The thing we wanted to do is do something that is appropriate.
But I don't know.
I'm involved in it.
You're right.
Well, I am.
You're in the other camp, Rob.
Or should we say he's in the other camp, Rob?
All right.
Thank you.
We wish you five years of success.
There you go.
Oh, I have fun.
Don't you worry about it.
You're a young fellow.
Thank you a lot.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On October 10, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, James Brown, Joseph Brown, James F. Palmer, Charles Bobbitt, Robert J. Brown, Stanley S. Scott, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:17 pm to 12:27 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 795-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 795-8
Date: October 10, 1972
Time: 12:17 pm - 12:27 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with James Brown, Joseph Brown, James F. Palmer, Charles Bobbitt, Robert
J. Brown, and Stanley S. Scott; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of
the meeting.

        Introductions and greetings
             -Robert Brown
             -James Brown
             -Joseph Brown
             -Bobbitt
             -Palmer

        Brown
           -Career
               -Gold records
                   -1961

        Photograph session
            -Campaign literature

        [Photograph session]
            -The President’s well wishes
            -Brown’s career
                -Youth
                     -Opportunities
            -Joseph Brown
            -Sammy Davis, Jr.
                -Performance with father [Sammy Davis] at Copacabana in New York
                     -The President’s attendance

        Gift presentations
             -Cuff links

                                          (rev. Nov-03)

                  -Presidential seals
             -Pin for wife
                  -Rug

         Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
             -Birthday as a possible national holiday
             -Birthplace in Atlanta as a possible national monument
                  -President’s relationship with King
                  -1972 election

         Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns

James Brown, et al. left at 12:27 pm.

Also recorded on October 10, 1972

  • 795-002 11:53 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:53 am and 11:54 am.
  • 795-003 11:54 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Witold Trampczynski, Helmut ("Hal") Sonnenfeldt, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:54 am to 12:02 pm.
  • 795-004 12:02 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:02 pm and 12:09 pm.
  • 795-005 12:09 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:09 pm to 12:10 pm.
  • 795-006 12:10 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:10 pm and 12:17 pm.
  • 795-007 12:10 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:10 pm and 12:17 pm.
  • 795-009 12:27 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:27 pm and 12:30 pm.
  • 795-010 12:30 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:30 pm to 12:49 pm.

All 27 conversations from October 10, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 795-008, October 10, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/795-008 (accessed September 18, 2026).