Honorable Sargent Shriver
Director
March 8, 1965
Office of Economic Opportunity
Dear Sarge:
i·
After considerable thought, I have decided to
accept the Attorney General’s invitation to take on the
reaponsibilitiea of First Assistant in the Civil Rights
Division.
The decision was most difficul? for the past 11
months here have provided the beat job and the most challenging
experience of my career. I have enjoyed an excellent working
relationship with Don Baker and feel that we have built a
strong and capable .law office.
The Civil Rights job is but another part of the
war to open opportunity. It presents a special challenge
to me personally and as an attorney because it offers the
chance to participate directly in the development of the
law in this field which ia so senaitive and so central to
the United States. In addition, it offers unlimited scope
for creative trial and appellate advocacy and a chance to
achninister a large and complex legal staff.
The participation in the creation of OEO under
your leadership has been a thrilling experience. Thank you
for asking me to join the staff. I have enjoyed the work
immensely.
Although this means the end of my formal tie to
OEO, I hope that informally we will meet frequently and that
you will call upon me professionally often, either for povertyor civil rights problems. My personal conmitment to the OEO
programs will continue. I would like to think that another
formal association with you ia· in the cards.
When con1idering thia job, you aaid, “Come along,
there will be lots of tough problems but it will be fun.”
It’s been all of that.
Sincerely,