The Trinity: John F. Kennedy,
Lyndon B. Johnson, and Civil Rights in African American Memory
The portraits on our walls tell a history all their own.
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Why has John F. Kennedy’s image graced the walls of African American homes, alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus Christ—while Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed landmark legislation like the 1964 Civil Rights Act, remained relatively unheralded?
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At the heart of this provocative history is the Trinity: a striking triptych once displayed in countless African American households. More than decoration, these portraits were deliberate acts of memory and quiet resistance, a medium through which African Americans asserted their own narrative of hope, leadership, and the fight for justice.
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Conrad traces the Trinity across decades, showing how African Americans didn’t merely remember the civil rights movement; they shaped its meaning. Kennedy’s charisma, symbolic promise, and perceived martyrdom placed him among sacred icons, while Johnson—seen as transactional and confronted by the era’s growing impatience—never secured the same emotional legacy.
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In a gripping exploration of memory and meaning-making, this book reveals how communities create historical truths—elevating some leaders, sidelining others, and preserving their own visions in defiance of the official record.
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Pre-orders of The Trinity are available now at Webster's Bookstore Cafe, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers.
Coming May 2026
The University of North Carolina Press
Discounted pre-orders available.
Use CODE 01SOCIAL30 at checkout to save 30%
