News, Why JFK Refused to Let Sammy Davis Jr. Perform at White House (controversial, Kennedy)

[JD59]

Sammy Davis Jr. was at the height of his stardom in 1961 when he and close friend Frank Sinatra campaigned to elect President John F. Kennedy, but after Davis married Swedish actress May Britt, Kennedy refused to let him perform at his inauguration, Davis’ daughter claims in a new book.

Why JFK Refused to Let Sammy Davis Jr. Perform at White House - ABC News

[pollyrobin]

"How Davis Lost an Eye and Became a Jew"
I'm sorry that sounds like the beginning of a joke....

But interesting take on why Davis was uninvited to the WH - probably for JFK's safety as well, though he ended up killed anyways.

[katzpaw]

There was no ball at the White House.

"Frank Sinatra and Peter Lawford organized and hosted a pre-inaugural ball at the D.C. Armory on the eve of Inauguration day, "
"Sammy Davis, Jr., a long-time friend of Sinatra, supporter of the Democratic Party, and member of the Rat Pack, was asked by John F. Kennedy not to attend the gala at the behest of his father Joseph,[4] fearing that his interracial marriage to Swedish actress May Britt was too controversial for the time and occasion, much to Sammy's and Sinatra's dismay.[4][5] Davis had already postponed his wedding to Britt until after the election, also at the request of the Kennedy campaign via Sinatra.[6]"

Inauguration of John F. Kennedy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[pollyrobin]

Originally Posted by katzpaw

There was no ball at the White House.

Then blame ABC - its their title of the article.