History

Pierre Salinger

White House press secretary · 1925–2004

Press secretary to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson (1961–1964). In August 1961 he canceled a planned appearance before the Maryland Press Association at Ocean City's Commander Hotel after learning the hotel — like every hotel in town, per the local Chamber of Commerce — refused accommodations to Black guests, briefly making the resort's segregation a White House story.

In the record (1)

  1. 1961

    JFK's press secretary Pierre Salinger cancels an Ocean City appearance because the Commander Hotel — and every hotel in town — refuses Black guests.

    In August 1961 White House press secretary Pierre Salinger canceled plans to attend the Maryland Press Association's September 8 gathering at the seaside resort. MPA executive secretary Ray Hamby said it was because the Commander Hotel, where the MPA would meet for three days, refused to provide accommodations for Negroes — and that when the MPA asked Ocean City's Chamber of Commerce for another convention site, it was told all hotels in town had the same policy. Salinger confirmed the cancellation at the White House on August 18.

    A one-paragraph wire story that put the resort's whites-only policy on the President's doorstep — three summers before the Civil Rights Act forced the doors open.

    Maryland Press AssociationEdward White

    Source · checked 2026-08-06