The Trinity: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Civil Rights in African American Memory

A striking triptych once displayed in countless African American households, the Trinity typically features Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F. Kennedy. More than decoration, these portraits were deliberate acts of memory and quiet resistance, a medium through which African Americans asserted their own narratives of hope, leadership, and the fight for justice.

In this provocative history, Sharron Wilkins Conrad traces the Trinity across several decades, showing how African Americans didn't merely remember the civil rights movement; they shaped its meaning. The Trinity reveals why Kennedy's image hung beside King and Christ, while Lyndon B. Johnson, despite signing landmark legislation such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act, remained largely unheralded. Kennedy's charisma, symbolic promise, and perceived martyrdom placed him among sacred icons, while Johnson--seen as transactional and confronted by the era's growing impatience--never secured the same emotional legacy. In a gripping exploration of memory and meaning-making, Conrad reveals how communities create historical truths by elevating some leaders, sidelining others, and preserving their own visions in defiance of the official record.

Author: Sharron Wilkins Conrad
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
Published: 06/09/2026
Series: The John Hope Franklin African American History and Culture
Pages: 272
Weight: 0.84lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.61d
ISBN: 9781469694443