Remarkable archive of ephemera from the 1960 Democratic National Convention held in Los Angeles from July 11–15, 1960, highlighted by three ink signatures of leading candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination—"Best wishes, John Kennedy," "Lyndon B. Johnson," and "Stuart Symington"—on individual 2.5 x 3.75 cards, each annotated on the first day of the convention, "7-11-60." All are encapsulated in Beckett authentication holders.
Includes several pieces of ephemera from the DNC: ticket stubs for the First Session, Second Session, and Third Session; a "Distinguished Guest" ticket stub for the acceptance speech rally on July 15th; a Democratic National Convention acceptance speech program voucher, stamped "Young Democratic Clubs of America"; a ticket stub from the Democratic National Convention Dinner at the Beverly Hilton on July 10th; a 1960 Democratic National Convention directory; a 1960 Democratic National Convention "Demonstration" badge; a "Kennedy/Johnson" pin; and a detached "Delegate" ribbon. Also accompanied by a 10K gold-filled pendant from the 1961 inaugural ball, housed in its original box. In overall fine condition, with creasing to the wrappers of the directory.
Consignor notes that these items originate from the collection of his great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Bernard Sklar, a co-founder of the Young Democrats of Allegheny County in the 1930s. He became a powerful behind-the-scenes man in the Democratic Party, familiar with everyone from local council members to presidents, and was invited to be a special guest at the 1960 Democratic National Convention.
Three signers in this lot were leading candidates heading into the 1960 DNC: the young, upstart John F. Kennedy, who had emerged as a strong candidate in the Democratic primaries; Lyndon B. Johnson, the seasoned Senate Majority Leader; and Senator Stuart Symington, a Truman acolyte and former Secretary of the Air Force. On July 13, 1960, the third day of the convention, Kennedy gained a narrow majority on the first ballot, with campaign manager Robert F. Kennedy securing critical delegates at the last minute. The final tally had Kennedy with 52.99% of the vote, Johnson with 26.89%, and Symington with 5.65%, with nine other vote-getters filling out the remaining 15%. Kennedy reportedly preferred Symington as his vice president, but offered the position to LBJ as a courtesy; surprisingly, he accepted.
In JFK's acceptance speech, delivered on July 15th, he outlined his vision for America and 'The New Frontier,' remarking: 'We stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfulfilled hopes and threats…The New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer the American people, but what I intend to ask of them.' He would mirror this sentiment in his inaugural address five months later, famously saying: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.'
