Changes

In the 1960 presidential election, Reggie was a leading Kennedy supporter in Louisiana. In 1959, he invited Kennedy and his wife, [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]], to attend the International Rice Festival in Crowley as honored guests. This afforded Kennedy the opportunity to address a crowd of 130,000 people.<ref>[http://www.reggiefamilyarchives.com/Crowley-Rice-Festival-1959.html Crowley Rice Festival, 1959]</ref> The Kennedys were greeted by enthusiastic crowds — the largest JFK addressed prior to his presidential nomination in July 1960. Working with Reggie in the campaign was the former Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Sidney McCrory of Ascension Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepineywoods.com/ABarefootBoy.htm|author=W. C. Abbott, Jr.|title="A barefoot boy from Home Villa had a hand in history"|publisher=thepineywoods.com|accessdate=May 2, 2013; no longer on-line.}}</ref>​

In the 1960 presidential election, Reggie was a leading Kennedy supporter in Louisiana. In 1959, he invited Kennedy and his wife, [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]], to attend the International Rice Festival in Crowley as honored guests. This afforded Kennedy the opportunity to address a crowd of 130,000 people.<ref>[http://www.reggiefamilyarchives.com/Crowley-Rice-Festival-1959.html Crowley Rice Festival, 1959]</ref> The Kennedys were greeted by enthusiastic crowds — the largest JFK addressed prior to his presidential nomination in July 1960. Working with Reggie in the campaign was the former Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Sidney McCrory of Ascension Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepineywoods.com/ABarefootBoy.htm|author=W. C. Abbott, Jr.|title="A barefoot boy from Home Villa had a hand in history"|publisher=thepineywoods.com|accessdate=May 2, 2013; no longer on-line.}}</ref>​

Reggie was nominated as a [[Electoral college|presidential elector]] in Louisiana for the Democratic ticket of John F. Kennedy-[[Lyndon B. Johnson]] and cast his vote when Kennedy handily prevailed in the statewide popular vote. Other national Democratic electors that year were Louisiana Attorney General] Jack Paul Faustin Gremillion (1914-2001), former interim [[U.S. Senator]] William C. Feazel, former state Senator Frank Burton Ellis of Covington, and [[Leon Gary]] of Houma, later director of the Louisiana Department of Public Works.<ref>''Minden Press,'' November 7, 1960.</ref>​

Reggie was nominated as a [[Electoral college|presidential elector]] in Louisiana for the Democratic ticket of John F. Kennedy-[[Lyndon B. Johnson]] and cast his vote when Kennedy handily prevailed in the statewide popular vote. Other national Democratic electors that year were Louisiana Attorney General [[Jack P. F. Gremillion]], former interim [[U.S. Senator]] William C. Feazel, former state Senator Frank Burton Ellis of Covington, and [[Leon Gary]] of Houma, later director of the Louisiana Department of Public Works.<ref>''Minden Press,'' November 7, 1960.</ref>​

Following his inauguration, President Kennedy sent Reggie on a 1961 [[State Department]] cultural exchange to the [[Middle East]],<ref>[http://www.reggiefamilyarchives.com/279-6/20/1961.html Reggie Called JFK Emissary]</ref> where in Lebanon he was given a hero's welcome in his parents' hometown of Ihden.<ref>[http://www.reggiefamilyarchives.com/1196-In-Lebanon-Carrying-Daddy.html Photo of Reggie on shoulders of Lebanese crowd]</ref> Reggie continued to serve the president as liaison with then Louisiana Governor [[Jimmie Davis]] from 1961 until the [[Kennedy Assassination]] in 1963.<ref>{{cite news|first=Mark |last=Schleifstein|title=Reggie a player in politics|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=May 25, 1989|page=A-1}}</ref>​

Following his inauguration, President Kennedy sent Reggie on a 1961 [[State Department]] cultural exchange to the [[Middle East]],<ref>[http://www.reggiefamilyarchives.com/279-6/20/1961.html Reggie Called JFK Emissary]</ref> where in Lebanon he was given a hero's welcome in his parents' hometown of Ihden.<ref>[http://www.reggiefamilyarchives.com/1196-In-Lebanon-Carrying-Daddy.html Photo of Reggie on shoulders of Lebanese crowd]</ref> Reggie continued to serve the president as liaison with then Louisiana Governor [[Jimmie Davis]] from 1961 until the [[Kennedy Assassination]] in 1963.<ref>{{cite news|first=Mark |last=Schleifstein|title=Reggie a player in politics|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=May 25, 1989|page=A-1}}</ref>​