50 Years Ago: Remembering the Man in Black’s White House Visit

Fifty years ago, President Nixon and country music star Johnny Cash met in the Oval Office to discuss prison reform. Earlier that day, July 26, 1972, Cash joined two former inmates to testify before a Senate subcommittee on national penitentiaries. During his testimony, Cash shared personal experiences of his interactions with prisoners and stated, “People have got to care in order for prison reform to come about.”

The President’s Daily Diary shows that the meeting lasted under twenty minutes but Nixon and Cash continued their relationship through correspondence. Less than two weeks later, George Deacon, Sales Manager at Columbia Records, sent the President the latest Cash album with a note stating, “Enclosed you will find the new Johnny Cash album which you recently requested. Johnny would like to hear your comments on his latest effort.”

The politician and entertainer were first introduced two years earlier through their mutual acquaintance Billy Graham. On April 17, 1970, Cash performed a concert in the East Room of the White House, along with his wife June Carter Cash. They were invited by the Nixons as part of the “Evening at the White House” concert series.

 After the performance he and Pat Nixon were the souls of hospitality.  For almost two hours they gave us a tour around the whole White House, including their private living quarters —no other president has done that with me— and pointed out all the things they thought we’d find interesting.