Editing Frank Sinatra (section)

== Political views and activism ==
{{Main|Political life of Frank Sinatra}}
[[File:Eleanor Roosevelt and Frank Sinatra in Los Angeles, California - NARA - 196117 (retouched).jpg|thumb|left|Sinatra, pictured with [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] in 1947, was an ardent supporter of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] until the early 1970s.]]
Sinatra held varied political views throughout his life. His mother, Dolly, was a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] ward leader.{{sfn|Summers|Swan|2010|p=16}} After meeting President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in 1944, he subsequently heavily campaigned for the Democrats in the [[1944 United States presidential election|1944 presidential election]].{{sfnm|1a1=Smith|1y=2005|1p=40|2a1=Summers|2a2=Swan|2y=2010|2p=125}} According to Jo Carroll Silvers, in his younger years, Sinatra had "ardent liberal" sympathies and was "so concerned about poor people that he was always quoting [[Henry A. Wallace|Henry Wallace]]."{{sfn|Kelley|1986|pp=118, 123}} He was outspoken against racism, particularly toward black people and Italians, from a young age. In the early 1950s, he was among those who campaigned to combine the racially segregated musicians' unions in Los Angeles.<ref name="Bryant1999">{{Cite book|title=Central Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los Angeles|last=Bryant|first=Clara|publisher=University of California Press|year=1999|isbn=0-520-22098-6|location=Berkeley, CA|pages=154–159}}</ref> In November 1945, Sinatra was invited by the mayor of [[Gary, Indiana]], to try to settle a strike by white students of Froebel High School against the "Pro-Negro" policies of the new principal.{{sfn|Ingham|2005|p=26}} His comments, while praised by liberal publications, led to accusations by some that he was a [[Communism|communist]], which he denied.{{sfn|Kelley|1986|p=122–123}} In the [[1948 United States presidential election|1948 presidential election]], Sinatra actively campaigned for President [[Harry S. Truman]].<ref name="ws;">{{cite web|first=Steve|last=Pond|url=http://www.sinatra.com/legacy/frank-sinatra-and-politics|work=Legacy|title=Frank Sinatra and Politics|publisher=Sinatra.com|date=July 4, 1991|access-date=July 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515000915/http://www.sinatra.com/legacy/frank-sinatra-and-politics|archive-date=May 15, 2011}}</ref> In 1952 and 1956, he campaigned for [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]].<ref name="ws;" />

[[File:Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan.jpg|thumb|Sinatra is awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] by President [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1985.]]
Of all the U.S. presidents he associated with during his career, he was closest to John F. Kennedy.<ref name=ws; /> Sinatra often invited Kennedy to Hollywood and Las Vegas, and the two would womanize and enjoy parties together.{{sfn|Kelley|1986|pp=298–300}} In January 1961, Sinatra and [[Peter Lawford]] organized the [[United States presidential inaugural balls|Inaugural Gala]] in Washington, D.C., held on the evening before President Kennedy was sworn into office.<ref name=ws; /> After taking office, Kennedy distanced himself from Sinatra due partly to Sinatra's ties with the Mafia.<ref name=irishcentralreports>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/what-s-the-connection-between-john-f-kennedy-and-frank-sinatra|title=What's the connection between John F. Kennedy and Frank Sinatra|first=James|last=Wilson|publisher=Irish Central|date=August 16, 2017|access-date=September 3, 2020|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128112653/https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/what-s-the-connection-between-john-f-kennedy-and-frank-sinatra|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1962, Sinatra was snubbed by the President as, during his visit to his [[Palm Springs, California|Palm Springs]], Kennedy stayed with the Republican Bing Crosby instead of Sinatra, citing FBI concerns about the latter's alleged connections to organized crime.{{efn| Kennedy was strongly advised by [[Henry E. Petersen]], a senior official of the Justice Department, to avoid staying with Sinatra.{{sfn|Kelley|1986|p=334}} }} Sinatra had spared no expense upgrading the facilities at his home in anticipation of the President's visit, fitting it with a heliport, which he smashed with a sledgehammer after the rejection.{{sfn|Thomas|2013|p=169}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/sinatra-snow-storms-smashed-up-helipad-story-behind-john-f-kennedys/|title=Sinatra, snow storms, and a smashed-up helipad: the story behind John F Kennedy's star-studded inauguration|first=Alice|last=Vincent|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=January 19, 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk|access-date=September 3, 2020|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728210413/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/sinatra-snow-storms-smashed-up-helipad-story-behind-john-f-kennedys/|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the snub, when he learned of Kennedy's assassination he reportedly sobbed in his bedroom for three days.<ref name=ws; />{{efn|When Sinatra learned that Kennedy's killer [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] had watched ''Suddenly'' just days before the assassination, he withdrew it from circulation, and it only became distributed again in the late 1980s.{{sfn|Santopietro|2008|pp=151–152}}}} Sinatra worked with [[Hubert H. Humphrey]] in 1968,<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Ol' Red, White, and Blue Eyes: Frank Sinatra and the American Presidency|last=Nelson|first=Michael|year=2000|journal=Popular Music and Society|volume=24|issue=4|pages=79–102|doi=10.1080/03007760008591786|s2cid=159717929}}</ref> and remained a supporter of the Democratic Party until the early 1970s. Although still a registered Democrat, Sinatra endorsed [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Ronald Reagan for a second term as [[Governor of California]] in 1970.{{sfn|Sinatra|1986|pp=224–227}}<ref name="ws;" /> He officially changed allegiance in July 1972 when he supported [[Richard Nixon]] in the [[1972 United States presidential election|1972 presidential election]].<ref name=ws; />

In the [[1980 United States presidential election|1980 presidential election]], Sinatra donated $4{{nbsp}}million to Ronald Reagan's campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3673018/Frank-Sinatra-how-the-myth-was-made.html|title=Frank Sinatra: how the myth was made|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=April 30, 2008|access-date=October 4, 2015|author=Smart, Alastair|archive-date=October 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007174636/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3673018/Frank-Sinatra-how-the-myth-was-made.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Sinatra arranged Reagan's Presidential gala, as he had done for Kennedy.<ref>{{cite journal|title=New York Magazine&nbsp;– Is Reagan Gala a Kennedy Snub?|website=Newyorkmetro.com|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_eQCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA12|date=December 8, 1980|page=12|issn=0028-7369|access-date=October 20, 2015|archive-date=April 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429112753/https://books.google.com/books?id=_eQCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA12|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Sfn|Farris|2013|p=196}} In 1985, Reagan presented Sinatra with the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], remarking, "His love of country, his generosity for those less fortunate{{nbsp}}... make him one of our most remarkable and distinguished Americans."<ref name=ESSAY />

In June 1984, Sinatra performed at the State Dinner in the White House honoring [[President of Sri Lanka|Sri Lankan President]] [[J. R. Jayewardene|J. R. Jayawardena]] at the invitation of Reagan.

[[File:Frank Sinatra visit to Israel (997009326703605171).jpg|thumb|Sinatra watching an [[Israel Defense Forces|IDF]] military parade during a visit to [[Israel]], 1962]]
Santopietro notes that Sinatra was a "lifelong sympathizer with [[Frank Sinatra and Jewish activism|Jewish causes]]."{{Sfn|Santopietro|2008|p=376}} He was awarded the [[Hollzer Memorial Award]] by the [[History of the Jews in Los Angeles|Los Angeles Jewish Community]] in 1949.{{sfn|Sinatra|1986|p=301}} He gave a series of concerts in Israel in 1962 and donated his entire $50,000 fee for appearing in a cameo role in ''[[Cast a Giant Shadow]]'' (1966) to the Youth Center in Jerusalem.{{Sfn|Santopietro|2008|p=376}} On November 1, 1972, he raised $6.5{{nbsp}}million in bond pledges for Israel,{{sfn|Sinatra|1986|p=231}} and was given the Medallion of Valor for his efforts.{{sfn|Sinatra|1986|p=307}} The Frank Sinatra Student Center at the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] was dedicated in his name in 1978.{{sfn|Sinatra|1986|p=309}}

From his youth, Sinatra displayed sympathy for black Americans and worked both publicly and privately all his life to help the struggle for equal rights. He blamed racial prejudice on the parents of children.{{sfn|Summers|Swan|2010|p=138}} Sinatra played a major role in the [[Desegregation in the United States|desegregation]] of [[Nevada]] hotels and casinos in the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{cite book|title=Casino Journal: National ed, Volume 18&nbsp;– Desegregation of Nevada hotels and casinos|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DWUsAQAAMAAJ|year=2005|publisher=Casino Journal of Nevada, Incorporated|pages=14–26|access-date=October 20, 2015|archive-date=April 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429140713/https://books.google.com/books?id=DWUsAQAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> On January 27, 1961, Sinatra played a benefit show at Carnegie Hall for [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] and led his fellow Rat Pack members and Reprise label mates in boycotting hotels and casinos that refused entry to black patrons and performers. According to his son, Frank Jr., King sat weeping in the audience at one of his father's concerts in 1963 as Sinatra sang "[[Ol' Man River]]", a song from the musical ''[[Show Boat]]'' that is sung by a black American stevedore.<ref>{{cite news | work=Chicago Tribune | date=June 8, 1998 | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/06/08/race-relations-sinatras-way/ | title=Race Relations Sinatra's Way | access-date=January 10, 2015 | archive-date=September 23, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923181934/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-06-08/news/9806080001_1_frank-sinatra-sinatra-fan-billie-holiday | url-status=live }}</ref> When he changed his political affiliations in 1970, Sinatra became less outspoken on racial issues.{{sfn|Kelley|1986|p=544}} Though he did much towards civil rights causes, it did not stop the occasional racial jibe from him and the other Rat Pack members toward Davis at concerts.<ref name="LAT99" />{{sfn|Sinatra|1986|p=133}}