THE tragic death of the Negro children in Birmingham last Sunday has given rise to fears and distrust which require the cooperation and restraint of all the citizens of that city.
I have received reports from the leading Negro citizens concerning the situation this afternoon. Next Monday I will confer at the request of Mayor Boutwell with white civic leaders who want to give us information concerning the steps which the city has taken and plans to take to reestablish the confidence of everyone that law and order in Birmingham will be maintained.
In addition, I have today appointed Gen. Kenneth Royall and Col. Earl Blaik as a committee to represent me personally in .helping the city to work as a unit in overcoming the fears and suspicions which now exist. They will go to Birmingham in the next few days to start on this work of great importance.
In the meantime the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the local authorities, is making massive efforts to bring to justice the persons responsible for the bombing on Sunday and previous incidents.
I urge everyone to cooperate with them in this effort and that all citizens of Birmingham and Alabama will give these processes of law enforcement a full opportunity to work. I urge all citizens in these next days to conduct themselves with restraint and responsibility.
Note: For the President's initial statement on the bombing, see Item 360. For his statement following a conference with Mayor Albert Boutwell and other Birmingham civic leaders on September 23, see Item 372•
John F. Kennedy, Further Statement by the President on the Sunday Bombing in Birmingham. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/235813