President Lyndon Johnson, who was struggling to satisfy various factions within the party, reached out to Wilkins. Wilkins (overlooking the MFDP's chairman was his organization's state president) assured Johnson that the NAACP's participation in the challenge was token and a face-saving move within the state. Upon arriving in Atlantic City, the MFDP staged various protests inside and outside the convention hall, the most famous being Hamer's "Is this America?"
President Lyndon Johnson sought advice from Wilkins, who assured him that the NAACP's involvement in the challenge was a superficial move to appease internal party factions within the state. The MFDP staged protests both inside and outside the convention hall, with Hamer's "Is this America?" protest being a notable event.