[White House Letter to James Lawson]

This letter from the White House expresses concerns about restoring Rev. Lawson’s full citizenship rights following his imprisonment as a conscientious objector during the Korean War. The fact that the White House took interest in this case offers a glimpse into Lawson’s influence and the sway that his community had regarding wartime drafts by the Selective Service. The concern of the government also is interesting when compared to the rigid outward face the President and his administration had constructed.