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FROM:

TITLE:

AUTHOR:

John Nelson

CODE NAME: "ZORRO" The Murder of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mark Lane & Dick Gregory

PUBLICATION DATE:

PRICE:

$9.95

April 6, 1977

This uncorrected material is the zro,oerty of RIGHTS: PRENTICE-11,1U, I:C. It is for confidential use only -- not for circulation, distribution or publication. ,A11 rilts in this work are controlled by Prentico-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 07632, 9.87-IE1499

Code N

am

e "

Zorr

o"

The M

urd

er

of M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g. Jr

. by

Mark

Lane/D

ick

Gre

gory

C

opyr

ight

C 1

977

by M

ark

Lane

and

Dic

k G

rego

ry

All

right

s re

serv

ed. N

o pa

rt o

f thi

s bo

ok m

ay b

e re

prod

uced

in a

ny fo

rm o

r by

any

mea

ns, e

xcep

t fo

r th

e in

clus

ion

of b

rief q

uota

tions

in a

rev

iew

, w

ithou

t per

mis

sion

in w

ritin

g fr

om th

e pu

blis

her.

P

rinte

d in

the

Uni

ted

Sta

tes

of A

mer

ica

Pre

ntic

e-H

all I

nter

natio

nal,

Inc.

, Lon

don

Pre

ntic

e-H

all

of A

ust

ralia

, P

ty. Ltd

., S

ydney

Pre

ntic

e-H

all o

f Can

ada,

Ltd

., T

oron

to

Pre

ntic

e-H

all

of In

dia

Priva

te L

td., N

ew

Delh

i P

rent

ice-

Hal

l of J

apan

, Inc

., T

okyo

P

rent

ice-

Hal

l of S

outh

east

Asi

a P

te. L

td.,

Sin

gapo

re

Whi

teha

ll B

ooks

Lim

ited,

Wel

lingt

on, N

ew Z

eala

nd

10 9

8 7

6 5

4 3

2 I

Libr

ary

of C

ongr

ess

Cat

alog

Car

d N

umbe

r: 7

7-72

945

3Q

uota

tion fro

m "

Letter

from

Birm

ingham

Jail.

" abridged fro

m p

p. 77, 78, 83-8

4, 92. 100 o

f "L

etter

Fro

m B

irmin

gham

Jail"

A

pril

16, 1963

in W

hy W

e C

an't

Wait

by M

artin

Lut

her

Kin

g, J

r., c

opyr

ight

a 1

963

by M

artin

Lut

her

Kin

g, J

r. B

y pe

rmis

sion

of H

arpe

r &

R

ow

, P

ub

lish

ers

. In

c.

"I H

ave

a D

ream

," b

y M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g, Jr

.,

cop

yrig

ht

19

63

by

Ma

rtin

Lu

the

r K

ing

, Jr

., r

ep

rin

ted

by

per

mis

sion

of J

oan

Dav

es.

Qu

ota

tion

fro

m "

I've

Be

en

to

th

e M

ou

nta

into

p,"

by

Mar

tin L

uthe

r K

ing,

Jr.

, cop

yrig

ht C

196

8 by

the

Est

ate

of M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g, Jr

., r

eprinte

d b

y perm

issi

on o

f Jo

an D

aves

. Q

uota

tion fro

m "

The D

rain

Majo

r In

stin

ct,"

by

Mart

in

Luth

er

Kin

g. Jr

., c

opyr

ight C

1968 b

y M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g, J

r. E

stat

e, r

eprin

ted

by p

erm

issi

on o

f Joa

n D

aves

. E

ulog

y of

Dr.

Mar

tin L

uthe

r K

ing,

Jr.

, Atla

nta,

Geo

rgia

, A

pril 9

, 1968, by

Benja

min

E. M

ays

, re

printe

d b

y pe

rmis

sion

of C

harle

s S

crib

ner's

Son

s fr

om B

orn

to

Re

be

l: A

n A

uto

bio

gra

ph

y. b

y B

enja

min

E. M

ays.

co

pyr

igh

t 0

19

71

by

Be

nja

min

E.

Ma

ys.

1

"

Co

nte

nts

PA

RT

ON

E /

NIN

E Y

EA

RS

AG

O

1 O

N T

HE

DE

AT

H O

F G

RE

AT

ME

N

by M

ark

Lane

3 2

NIN

E Y

EA

RS

AG

O B

y D

ick G

regory

5

PA

RT

TW

O /

MA

RT

IN L

UT

HE

R K

ING

AN

D H

IS M

ISS

ION

3 M

AR

TIN

AN

D C

OR

ET

TA

KIN

G B

y D

ick G

reg

ory

12

4

KIN

G A

ND

KE

NN

ED

Y C

AL

L b

y D

ick G

reg

ory

20

5

BIR

MIN

GH

AM

by D

ick G

regory

26

6

"PE

AR

LS

BE

FO

RE

SW

INE

" by M

ark

Lane

32

7 B

IRM

ING

HA

M J

AIL

by D

ick G

reg

ory

42

8

"I H

AV

E A

DR

EA

M"

by D

ick G

reg

ory

45

9"

A F

AR

DE

EP

ER

MA

LA

DY

" b

y M

ark

La

ne

50

10

TH

E L

AS

T C

AM

PA

IGN

by D

ick G

regory

55

PA

RT

TH

RE

E /

CO

DE

NA

ME

"Z

OR

O"

11 H

OO

VE

R'S

FB

I by M

ark

Lane

60

12 O

NE

MA

N b

y M

ark

LA

NE

72

13

TH

E O

BS

ES

SIO

N b

y M

urk

La

ne

14

TH

E D

ES

TR

OY

KIN

G S

QU

AD

by M

ark

Lane

PA

RT

FO

UR

/ P

RE

LU

DE

TO

MU

RD

ER

15 M

AR

CH

28,

ME

MP

HIS

by M

ark

Lane

16 M

AR

CH

29,

ME

MP

HIS

AN

D W

AS

HIN

GT

ON

by M

ark

Lane

17 A

PR

IL 3

, ME

MP

HIS

by D

ick G

regory

PA

RT

FIV

E /

TH

E M

UR

DE

R

18 A

PR

IL 4

, ME

MP

HIS

by

Mark

Lein

e

19 A

PR

IL 4

, AT

LA

NT

A b

y M

ark

La

ne

20

DIR

EC

TO

R H

OL

LO

MA

N b

y M

ark

La

ne

21

AP

RIL

5, M

EM

PH

IS b

y M

ark

Lane

f,

PA

RT

SIX

/ T

HE

ST

AT

E O

F T

EN

NE

SS

EE

VS

. JA

ME

S E

AR

L R

AY

22 T

HE

CA

SE

AG

AIN

ST

RA

Y b

y M

ark

tam

.

23 T

HE

DE

FE

NS

E b

y M

ark

Lane

24 T

HE

AF

FIR

MA

TIV

E C

AS

E b

y M

ark

Lane

25 T

HE

PL

EA

by

Mark

Lane

PA

RT

SE

VE

N /

KA

LE

IDO

SC

OP

E

26 "

TH

EY

/HE

SL

EW

TH

E D

RE

AM

ER

" by

Mark

Lane

27 T

HE

MA

KIN

G O

F T

HE

MA

KIN

G O

F A

N A

SS

AS

SIN

by

Mark

Lane

PA

RT

EIG

HT

/ F

OR

A D

AY

IN

CO

UR

T

28 T

HE

AP

PE

AL

by

Mark

Lane

29 T

HE

BE

GIN

NIN

G b

y M

ark

Lane

Pos

tscr

ipt

by

Mar

k

Ap

pen

dix

I T

HE

FU

NE

RA

L b

y D

ick

Gre

go

ry

2 S

PE

EC

H O

F S

EN

AT

OR

BY

RD

3

FO

RE

MA

N L

ET

I ER

4

TH

E R

IGH

T T

O K

NO

W b

y M

ark

Lane

Ack

now

ledg

men

ts B

y M

ark

Lan

e

Ack

no

wle

dg

men

ts B

y D

ick

Gre

go

ry

Inde

x

Ch

ap

ter

On

e

ON

TH

E D

EA

TH

O

F G

RE

AT

ME

N

by

Mark

Lane

Nin

e ye

ars

ago

Dr.

Mar

tin

Lut

her

Kin

g, J

r.. t

he g

reat

est

civi

l ri

ghts

pr

otag

onis

t in

mod

ern

Am

eric

an h

isto

ry. w

as

mur

dere

d in

Mem

phis

, T

enne

ssee

. Sub

sequ

entl

y Ja

mes

Ear

l Ray

was

arr

este

d an

d ch

arge

d w

ith

the

crim

e. R

ay in

sist

ed th

at th

ere

had

been

a c

onsp

irac

and

that

aft

er D

r.

Kin

g's

deat

h he

dis

cove

red

that

he

had

been

an

um; i

ttin

g im

plem

ent o

f th

at c

onsp

irac

y.

No

tria

l, o

r ot

her

publ

ic p

roce

edin

g, h

as o

ccur

red

sinc

e A

pril

4,

1968

, the

day

Dr.

Kin

g w

as k

ille

d, w

hich

per

mit

s us

to

eval

uate

the

ev

iden

ce in

the

case

. Ray

ent

ered

wha

t he

has

refe

rred

to. n

ot w

itho

ut

som

e su

ppor

ting

evi

denc

e, a

s an

indu

ced

plea

of

guil

ty. .

A p

rear

rang

ed

and

rehe

arse

d he

arin

g w

as c

ondu

cted

with

out c

ross

-exa

min

atio

n or

cha

l-le

nge

by t

he d

efen

se.

It ra

ised

mor

e qu

esti

ons

than

it

answ

ered

. Ray

pu

blic

ly c

onte

nded

, muc

h to

the

emba

rras

smen

t of

his

own

law

yer,

the

Ten

ness

ee A

ttor

ney

Gen

eral

, and

the

tria

l jud

ge. t

hat t

here

had

bee

n a

cons

pira

cy to

kil

l Dr.

Kin

g. N

o on

e as

ked

him

wha

t he

mea

nt n

or a

sked

hi

m t

o el

abor

ate.

In

this

boo

k, R

ay's

exp

lana

tion

of

that

pro

voca

tive

ass

erti

on w

ill b

e ex

plo

red. I

hav

e sp

ent

man

y h

ours

wit

h h

im a

t B

rush

y M

ounta

in

Peni

teni

tary

in P

etro

s, T

enne

ssee

. I w

as th

e fi

rst p

erso

n to

vis

it hi

m th

ere

and

I ha

ve m

et w

ith

him

ther

e fo

r se

vera

l hou

rs a

s re

cent

ly a

s F

ebru

ary

1977

. His

vie

w is

pre

sent

ed h

ere,

as

are

the

resu

lts

of m

y ow

n in

vest

iga-

tion

int

o hi

s al

lega

tion

. Ray

is

an i

ntel

lige

nt a

nd a

rtic

ulat

e m

an n

ot

with

out a

sen

se o

f hu

mor

, som

e of

it s

elf-

dire

cted

, som

e of

it p

oure

d up

on

thos

e w

ho h

ave

asse

ssed

his

rol

e in

the

mur

der.

1 th

ink

that

the

read

er w

ill

only

be

able

to e

valu

ate

Ray

's p

artic

ipat

ion

in th

e ev

ents

of

Apr

il 4,

1968

, in

Mem

phis

aft

er h

eari

ng R

ay's

acc

ount

of

the

even

ts a

nd w

hen

that

ex

posi

tion

is p

lace

d in

its

full

con

text

. T

he tr

oubl

ing

even

ts s

urro

undi

ng th

e m

urde

r of

Dr.

Kin

g en

com

pass

2

much

that

is

hey

ond t

he

range

of

per

cepti

on o

r know

ledge

of

Jam

es E

arl

Ray

. A

min

or

publi

shin

g i

ndust

r d

evel

oped

aft

er t

he

murd

er. M

uch

of

the

work

it

pro

duce

d d

id l

ittl

e m

ore

than

obfu

scat

e th

e es

senti

al t

ruth

,

thro

ug

h t

he

pro

inu

lgat

ion

of

an a

rmy

of

irre

lev

ant

dat

a an

d f

law

ed

reas

on

ing

.

Wit

h th

e ex

cept

ion

of th

e in

cipi

ent i

nves

tigat

ion

of th

e m

urde

r by

the

Sel

ect

Com

mit

tee

on A

ssas

sina

tions

of

the

Hou

se o

f R

epre

sent

ativ

es th

e on

ly e

xam

inat

ion

of t

he e

vent

s in

the

nin

e ye

ars

that

hav

e pa

ssed

is

a se

cret

inq

uiry

con

duct

ed p

rim

aril

y by

a p

olic

e ag

ency

tha

t vo

wed

to

dest

roy

Dr.

Kin

g. S

uch

an in

vest

igat

ion

can

hard

ly b

e ex

pect

ed to

win

the

conf

iden

ce o

f th

e A

mer

ican

peo

ple.

It i

s, th

eref

ore,

not

sur

pris

ing

that

ju

st b

efor

e th

is b

ook

was

com

plet

ed a

nat

iona

l pol

l con

duct

ed b

y G

eorg

e

Gal

lup

disc

lose

d th

at f

ewer

than

one

out

of

five

Am

eric

ans

beli

eved

the

offi

cial

ver

sion

of

the

even

ts

that

Jam

es E

arl R

ay w

as th

e lo

ne a

ssas

sin

of D

r. M

arti

n L

uthe

r K

ing,

Jr.

T

hat i

s w

hy D

ick

Gre

gory

and

I d

ecid

ed th

at th

is b

ook

mus

t be

wri

tten

, no

w. S

o m

uch

new

and

pro

foun

dly

dist

urbi

ng e

vide

nce

has

com

e to

ligh

t si

nce

1968

so

me

of it

unc

over

ed b

y G

reg,

som

e by

me,

som

e by

oth

er

inve

stig

ator

sth

at th

e m

atte

r cr

ies

out f

or r

econ

side

rati

on b

y th

e m

ost

emin

ent o

f al

l jur

ies,

the

Am

eric

an p

eopl

e.

Gre

g an

d I

deci

ded

to d

ivid

e th

e ta

sk o

f pr

epar

ing

the

man

uscr

ipt

alon

g pu

rely

pra

ctic

al li

nes.

Gre

g kn

ew K

ing

was

dee

ply

invo

lved

in

his

wor

k. 1

, on

the

othe

r ha

nd, h

ad r

eady

acc

ess

to e

xten

sive

doc

umen

ta-

tion

thro

ugh

the

file

s of

the

Citi

zens

Com

mis

sion

of

Inqu

iry,

whi

ch I

now

he

ad. S

o it

was

dec

ided

that

Gre

g sh

ould

be

prim

aril

y re

spon

sibl

e fo

r w

ritin

g th

e fi

rst p

art o

f th

e bo

ok, t

he p

art d

ealin

g w

ith M

artin

Lut

her

Kin

g an

d ev

ents

lea

ding

up

to h

is m

urde

r, a

nd t

hat

I sh

ould

he

prim

aril

y re

spon

sibl

e fo

r th

e la

ter

part

s of

the

book

, tho

se d

eali

ng w

ith

the

mur

der

and

its

afte

rmat

h.

Thr

ough

the

wor

k of

Dic

k G

rego

ry, M

arti

n L

uthe

r K

ing

beco

mes

al

ive

agai

n fo

r th

e re

ader

s of

this

boo

k. G

reg

stoo

d w

ith D

r. K

ing

in B

ir-

min

gham

and

in a

sco

re o

f ot

her

citie

s th

roug

hout

the

Dee

p So

uth,

and

in

the

Dee

p N

orth

of

Chi

cago

as

wel

l. D

r. K

ing'

s as

sass

inat

ion

was

a

mom

ent o

f hi

stor

y th

at tr

aum

atiz

ed th

is c

ount

ry, f

or in

his

life

he

was

for

a m

omen

t th

e co

nsci

ence

of

man

kind

. Gre

g's

wor

k an

d M

arti

n's

wor

ds

rem

ind

us a

gain

that

not

just

a s

ymbo

l die

d th

at d

ay in

Mem

phis

. A m

an

who

cou

ld th

ink,

and

insp

ire,

and

lead

, and

love

, and

be

hurt

was

kil

led.

M

y ta

sk w

as d

iffe

rent

fro

m G

reg'

s. I

hav

e un

dert

aken

to te

ll th

e st

ory

of s

ome

part

icul

arly

sig

nifi

cant

eve

nts

that

pre

cede

d th

e m

urde

r, to

rel

ate

the

evid

ence

that

we

have

unc

over

ed a

bout

the

mur

der,

and

to d

escr

ibe

the

effo

rts

to s

uppr

ess

info

rmat

ion

that

lead

s in

exor

ably

tow

ard

the

prim

e su

spec

ts in

the

mur

der.

3

If the A

merica

n p

eople

are

not sa

tisfie

d w

ith the o

ffic

ial r

enditi

on o

f

the e

vents

. th

en they

evi

dently

spurn

as

well

the q

uasi

-offic

ial e

ffort

s by

write

rs R

ay r

efe

rs to a

s "

novelis

ts."

Who a

re these w

rite

rs. and w

hy

mig

ht

the

y h

ave

ch

ose

n t

o ig

no

re s

om

e o

f th

e r

ele

van

t e

vid

en

ce?

Th

e d

ea

th o

f g

rea

t m

en

oft

en

lea

ves

be

hin

d a

tu

mu

ltuo

us

wa

ke t

ha

t

may

inundate

those

who h

ave

sto

od too c

lose

to the e

vent, o

r w

ho m

ay

ha

ve in

ad

vert

en

tly s

ee

n t

oo

mu

ch.

In t

his

ca

se w

itne

sse

s w

ho

live

d in

th

e

room

ing h

ouse

fro

m w

hic

h the s

hot w

as

pre

sum

ably

fired w

ere

unin

ten-

tion

al w

itne

sse

s to

th

at

mo

me

nt

of

his

tory

. T

he

ro

om

ing

ho

use

wa

s, if

no

t

what unki

nd fic

tion w

rite

rs r

efe

r to

as

a flo

phouse

, so

meth

ing a

kin to it

.

Those

who w

ere

forc

ed b

y eve

nts

to li

ve there

were

, fo

r th

e m

ost

part

. ill

pre

pa

red

to

with

sta

nd

so

cie

tal p

ress

ure

s d

esi

gn

ed

to

alte

r th

eir t

est

imo

ny.

to f

org

et

the

ir u

nm

ista

kab

le o

bse

rva

tion

s, a

nd

to

re

ma

in s

ilen

t a

bo

ut

offic

ial d

iscr

epanci

es.

One o

f th

em

, perh

aps

pote

ntia

lly the m

ost

impor-

tant w

itness o

f all,

rem

ain

s today

nin

e y

ears

after

the e

vent

in a

Tenness

ee m

enta

l inst

itutio

n w

hic

h s

he s

aid

she w

as

pla

ced in

as

punis

h-

ment fo

r se

eki

ng to tell

the tru

th.

In li

fe a

s in

dra

ma, m

inor

chara

cters

may

be s

wept aw

ay

by

gre

at

eve

nts

th

ey

do

no

t u

nd

ers

tan

d a

nd

ca

nn

ot

eve

n b

eg

in t

o c

om

pre

he

nd

. T

he

real a

ctors

in the d

ram

a o

f M

em

phis

, m

ess

engers

who felt

calle

d u

pon to

rela

te w

hat th

ey

had s

een, su

ffere

d g

rievo

usl

y; s

om

e a

re s

uffering s

till.

Fo

r th

ose

of

us

wh

o w

ere

no

t w

itne

sse

s th

at

da

y, t

he

su

ffe

rin

g is

of

a

diff

ere

nt

na

ture

an

d o

f a

diff

ere

nt

de

gre

e.

We

su

ffe

r st

ill f

rom

th

e in

jury

do

ne

to

ou

r rig

ht

to k

no

w a

bo

ut

eve

nts

th

at

ha

ve b

ee

n c

on

triv

ed

to

sh

ap

e

ou

r liv

es.

If

a m

ajo

r p

olit

ica

l an

d s

oci

al l

ea

de

r m

ay

be

mu

rde

red

with

ou

t a

pro

per

inquiry into

the c

ircum

sta

nces, our

constitu

tional rights

are

in

jeopard

y. W

e h

ave the p

ow

er,

I a

m c

onvin

ced, to

influence o

ur

ow

n

colle

ctiv

e d

est

iny.

First

, I

be

lieve

, w

e m

ust

se

cure

an

d u

nd

ers

tan

d t

he

fact

s.

This

book, w

e h

ope, w

ill c

ontr

ibute

to that body o

f know

ledge

ess

entia

l to the m

ast

ering o

f th

e r

ele

vant evi

dence

. O

nly

when w

e k

now

what th

ings

are

may

we h

ope to tra

nsf

orm

them

into

what th

ey

should

be.

Hum

ans

poss

ess

that uniq

ue a

bili

ty. W

illia

m H

azl

ett p

erh

aps

said

it b

est

:

Man

is th

e on

ly a

nim

al th

at la

ughs

and

wee

ps; f

or h

e is

the

only

an

imal

that

is s

truc

k by

the

diff

eren

ce b

etw

een

wha

t thi

ngs

are

and

wha

t th

ey o

ught

to

be.

4

Cha

pter

Tw

o

NIN

E Y

EA

RS

AG

O

by D

ick

Gre

gory

Mar

tin

Lut

her

Kin

g an

d I

fought to

geth

er

on the b

attle

field

for

hum

an

just

ice

. T

his

is w

he

re I

lea

rne

d t

o r

esp

ect

him

as

a le

ad

er,

to

ad

mire

him

and lo

ve h

im for

what he w

as

doin

g for

hum

anity

. M

art

in h

ad a

tre

men-

dous

influ

ence

on m

y lif

e, on m

y co

mm

itment to

nonvi

ole

nce

, and m

y

com

mitm

en

t to

th

e s

tru

gg

le f

or

hu

ma

n ju

stic

e.

A c

onvention o

f fr

ozen food e

xecutives a

t th

e P

layboy C

lub in

Ch

ica

go

sta

rte

d m

e o

n t

he

ro

ad

to

fa

me

in s

ho

w b

usi

ne

ss.

My

ne

w s

tatu

s

led to m

y fir

st in

volv

em

ent in

the c

ivil

rights

move

ment of th

e 1

960s.

I w

as

a p

art

icip

ant in

most

of th

e "

majo

r" c

ivil

rights

dem

onst

ratio

ns

of

the

ea

rly

sixt

ies,

incl

ud

ing

th

e M

arc

h o

n W

ash

ing

ton

an

d t

he

Se

lma

-

to-M

on

tgo

me

ry M

arc

h.

Du

rin

g t

he

se m

arc

he

s, I

wa

s ca

lled

an

ou

tsid

e

agita

tor

so m

any

time

s I

we

nt

to c

he

ck o

ut

my

birth

ce

rtifi

cate

to

ma

ke

sure

I w

asn

't born

in Ice

land o

r so

mepla

ce e

lse. A

nd the F

BI use

d to

infil

tra

te a

ll o

f o

ur

ma

rch

es,

bu

t w

e c

ou

ld a

lwa

ys s

po

t th

em

by

loo

kin

g a

t

their feet. L

ike w

hoever

heard

of w

alk

ing fifty

mile

s w

earing p

ate

nt

lea

the

r sh

oe

s a

nd

wh

ite s

ock

s!

Under

the leaders

hip

of D

r. K

ing, I becam

e tota

lly c

om

mitte

d to

nonvi

ole

nce

, and I w

as

convi

nce

d that nonvi

ole

nce

meant opposi

tion to

kill

ing in a

ny form

. I fe

lt the c

om

mandm

ent, "

Thou S

halt N

ot K

ill,"

applie

s to h

um

an b

ein

gs n

ot only

in their d

ealin

gs w

ith e

ach o

ther-

-thro

ugh w

ary

, ly

nchin

g, assassin

ation, m

urd

er,

and the lik

e

but in

their p

ract

ice o

f ki

lling a

nim

als

for

food a

nd s

port

. A

nim

als

and h

um

ans

suff

er

an

d d

ie a

like

. V

iole

nce

ca

use

s th

e s

am

e p

ain

, th

e s

am

e s

pill

ing

of

blo

od, th

e s

am

e s

tench

of death

, th

e s

am

e a

rrogant, c

ure

!, a

nd b

ruta

l

takin

g o

f lif

e.

I, a

lon

g w

ith

mill

ion

s o

f o

the

r b

lacks,

wa

s b

orn

in

to t

he

wo

rld

acc

ep

ting

ce

rta

in n

eg

ativ

es.

I e

xpe

cte

d t

o b

e t

rea

ted

as

less

th

an

a h

um

an

be

ing

. M

art

in m

ad

e t

he s

uff

ering a

nd p

roble

ms

we b

lack

s had u

nderg

one

thro

ug

h s

o m

an

y ye

ars

cla

mo

r fo

r a

tte

ntio

n.

He

ma

de

it c

lea

r th

at

we

no

lon

ge

r h

ad

to

acc

ep

t a

co

nd

itio

n o

f se

rvitu

de

an

d s

eco

nd

-cla

ss c

itize

nsh

ip.

The

mom

ents

I s

pent

wit

h M

arti

n w

ere

man

y th

ings

. The

y w

ere

plea

sant

. sti

mul

atin

g, h

ones

t, a

nd h

umor

ous.

He

enjo

yed

my

joke

s.

Thr

ough

him

I w

as a

ble

to m

eet.

asso

ciat

e w

ith, a

nd e

xcha

nge

idea

s w

ith

man

y ot

hers

who

sha

red

our

conc

erns

and

con

vict

ions

. My

only

reg

ret i

s th

at m

y m

omen

ts w

ith

him

wer

e no

t mor

e re

laxe

d. T

here

was

rar

ely

an

oppo

rtun

ity

for

lazy

, ref

elec

tive

con

vers

atio

n. E

ithe

r a

dem

onst

rati

on

beck

oned

, or

I w

as r

ushi

ng to

ent

erta

in a

t som

e fu

nd-r

aisi

ng e

vent

or

bo

th. I w

atch

ed M

arti

n as

he

grew

larg

e an

d vi

tal o

n th

e A

mer

ican

sce

ne.

And

I w

atch

ed a

nd li

sten

ed a

s a

few

pow

erfu

l Am

eric

ans

atte

mpt

ed to

m

ake

the

wor

ld b

elie

ve th

at w

hat h

e w

as d

oing

was

wro

ng

that

he

was

"p

icki

ng o

n" A

mer

ica.

The

y fo

ught

bac

k by

acc

usin

g M

arti

n of

bei

ng

ever

ythi

ng e

xcep

t wha

t he

real

ly w

as

one

of th

e m

ost b

rill

iant

, ded

i-

cate

d, a

nd a

dmir

ed s

poke

smen

and

lead

ers

for

the

figh

t to

gain

hum

anity

th

at th

is w

orld

has

eve

r kn

own.

The

FB

I ha

ted

Kin

g w

ith

a pa

ssio

n. A

cl

ever

cri

min

al c

ould

hav

e ca

lled

the

FB

I an

d to

ld th

em th

at K

ing

was

or

gani

zing

a m

arch

on

one

side

of

tow

n, w

aite

d fi

ve m

inut

es f

or a

ll th

e ag

ents

to g

et th

ere,

and

then

hav

e an

ope

n se

ason

rob

bing

the

bank

s on

the

othe

r si

de o

f to

wn.

I

wat

ched

Mar

tin

as h

e de

alt w

ith

issu

es c

once

rnin

g th

e pl

ight

of

the

poor

and

opp

ress

ed. I

wat

ched

as

he d

ealt

wit

h vi

olen

ce a

nd in

just

ice

in

Am

eric

a, a

nd a

s he

poi

nted

out

the

coun

try'

s la

ck o

f m

oral

lead

ersh

ip.

The

n I

saw

him

bec

ome

the

cons

cien

ce o

f A

mer

ica.

T

oday

, nin

e ye

ars

afte

r hi

s de

ath,

Mar

tin

Lut

her

Kin

g, J

r. is

sti

ll th

e co

nsci

ence

of

Am

eric

a. I

sha

ll ne

ver

forg

et h

ow u

pset

Am

eric

a w

as w

hen

he b

egan

his

vig

orou

s, a

dam

ant,

and

extr

emel

y vo

cal o

ppos

itio

n to

the

Vie

tnam

War

. Thr

ough

him

I c

ame

to u

nder

stan

d th

at a

com

mit

men

t to

nonv

iole

nce

is m

ore

than

mar

chin

g fo

r a

caus

e an

d si

ngin

g "W

e S

hall

O

verc

ome,

" or

tur

ning

the

oth

er c

heek

whe

n on

e w

as s

lapp

ed b

y a

Sou

ther

n sh

erif

f.

Cle

arly

, th

ose

wh

o f

eare

d f

or

Kin

g's

lif

e an

d s

afet

y w

ere

no

t pa

rano

id. H

is v

iole

nt d

eath

in M

emph

is is

pro

of. A

nd th

e "w

hite

fol

k w

atch

ers"

in th

e bl

ack

com

mun

ity

have

bee

n ev

er a

nd a

cute

ly a

war

e of

w

hat M

r. C

harl

ie w

ill a

nd w

ill n

ot to

lera

te. W

hen

Kin

g le

ft o

ff a

ntag

oniz

-in

g bi

gots

and

Kla

nsm

en a

nd b

egan

att

acki

ng d

efen

se s

pend

ing

and

poin

ting

out t

he in

cons

iste

ncy

betw

een

clai

min

g to

be

aChr

istia

n co

untr

y an

d co

mm

ittin

g un

sepa

kabl

e at

roci

ties

in V

ietn

am, t

hey

saw

the

gaug

e on

th

e so

cial

Gei

ger

coun

ter

go w

ild. D

ange

r! D

ange

r! D

ange

r! w

as th

e on

ly

poss

ible

inte

rpre

tati

on.

Kin

g, th

ey f

elt,

had

cros

sed

that

invi

sibl

e lin

e se

para

ting

blac

k fo

lks'

bu

sine

ss f

rom

whi

te f

olks

' bus

ines

s. T

he g

over

nmen

tal p

olic

y m

aker

s,

6

the

indu

stri

al g

iant

s, th

e sh

aker

s an

d m

over

s of

Am

eric

an s

ocie

ty d

o no

t us

e pu

blic

acc

omm

odat

ions

. It w

as b

arel

y re

leva

nt to

them

whe

ther

or

not

blac

ks w

ere

serv

ed a

t Woo

lwor

th's

cou

nter

, of

whe

re th

ey s

at o

n th

e bu

s.

Kin

g w

as n

o lo

nger

a d

arky

pre

ache

r le

adin

g th

e co

untr

y in

a r

ousi

ng

pray

er m

eeti

ng. H

e w

as a

ttac

king

the

pow

er e

lite

. N

ine

year

s ha

ve la

psed

sin

ce th

e as

sass

inat

ion

of M

artin

Lut

her

Kin

g.

Suf

fici

ent

tim

e ha

s pa

ssed

to

mak

e it

pos

sibl

e fo

r on

e to

loo

k ha

ck

real

istic

ally

at M

emph

is, A

pril

4,19

68. t

o sc

rutin

ize

the

even

ts th

at le

d to

a

mot

el b

alco

ny, t

o a

snip

er's

sho

t, an

d cu

lmin

ated

with

a li

fe a

nd p

rom

ise

fell

ed, a

dre

am d

efer

red.

It

may

be

deba

tabl

e th

at ti

me

heal

s w

ound

s, b

ut th

ere

is n

o do

ubt t

hat

it d

oes

plac

e ev

ents

in p

rope

r pe

rspe

ctiv

e, a

llow

ing

one

to s

tudy

them

w

itho

ut th

e dr

ama

and

emot

ion

of th

e m

omen

t, w

hich

mus

t ine

vita

bly

colo

r th

em.

Mom

ento

us c

hang

es h

ave

occu

rred

on

the

Am

eric

an s

cene

. The

V

ietn

am W

ar is

ove

r. R

icha

rd N

ixon

was

cat

apul

ted

to th

e P

resi

denc

y an

d th

en to

pple

d by

Wat

erga

te. B

obby

Ken

nedy

and

1. E

dgar

Hoo

ver,

re

spec

tive

ly K

ing'

s st

aunc

hest

all

y an

d m

ost b

itte

r fo

e, a

re d

ead

now

, as

is L

yndo

n Jo

hnso

n w

ho w

as to

rtur

ed b

y th

e sa

me

war

if

for

dif

fere

nt

reas

ons.

Y

es, i

t has

bee

n ni

ne y

ears

sin

ce th

at f

atef

ul d

ay, A

pril

4, 1

968.

Let

us

mov

e ba

ck in

tim

e un

til w

e ar

e th

ere.

I

was

in th

e St

ate

of C

alif

orni

a, c

ampa

igni

ng f

or th

e Pr

esid

ency

of

the

Uni

ted

Sta

tes

and

lect

urin

g at

var

ious

col

lege

s. E

arli

er i

n 19

68 I

had

be

com

e a

wri

te-i

n ca

ndid

ate

for

the

nati

on's

hig

hest

off

ice,

wit

h M

ark

Lan

e as

my

runn

ing

mat

e.

At a

litt

le a

fter

4 P

.M. th

at d

ay, C

alif

orni

a ti

me,

I w

as d

rivi

ng w

ith

a fr

iend

to H

artn

el C

olle

ge w

here

I w

as s

ched

uled

to d

eliv

er a

lect

ure.

Our

co

nver

satio

n w

as in

terr

upte

d by

a r

adio

bul

letin

. Mar

tin L

uthe

r K

ing

had

been

sho

t in

Mem

phis

! be

gan

to r

emem

ber

Mar

tin,

cle

arly

, viv

idly

. I r

emem

bere

d hi

s sw

eet i

nnoc

ence

and

his

war

m, g

entl

e sm

ile.

I th

ough

t of

the

tim

e w

hen

he a

nd I

had

bee

n ri

ding

on

a pl

ane

and

he e

xpre

ssed

con

cern

abo

ut m

y pe

rson

al s

afet

y.

"Now

Gre

gory

," h

e sa

id, "

I w

ant y

ou to

be

care

ful.

I'm ju

st a

frai

d th

ey're

gon

na k

ill

you.

" I

answ

ered

, "If

they

do,

Doc

, wil

l you

pre

ach

my

fune

ral?

" H

e sa

id,

"I s

ure

wil

l."

We

cont

inue

d ou

r dr

ive

to H

artn

ell C

olle

ge in

sil

ence

. Eve

n no

w I

ca

n fe

el th

e nu

mbn

ess,

sti

ll r

emem

ber

my

disb

elie

f.

Fina

lly w

e ar

rive

d at

the

scho

ol. S

tand

ing

up b

efor

e an

aud

ienc

e w

as

- I

i

7

the la

st thin

g I felt

like d

oin

g that nig

ht. B

ut, o

f co

urs

e. 1 h

ad to g

o o

ut

there

and e

xpla

in a

s best

I c

ould

how

I s

aw

the s

ituatio

n. M

any

people

w

ere

in th

e au

dien

ce o

nly

beca

use

they

wan

ted

to k

now

my

thou

ghts

, and

m

y op

inio

ns o

f the

day

'sev

ents

. The

y kn

ew M

artin

and

I w

ere

frie

nds

and

that I held

him

in g

reat est

eem

. A

t my

lect

ure

that

nig

ht I

real

ized

for

the

first

tim

e th

at A

mer

ica

was

in

trou

ble

with

her

you

ng w

hite

kid

s. I

was

sur

pris

ed to

see

the

effe

ct K

ing

had o

n them

. T

hey

had g

row

n u

p h

earing a

bout him

, se

ein

g h

im o

n

tele

visi

on, a

nd b

eing

influ

ence

d by

his

nat

iona

l pre

senc

e. N

o m

atte

r w

hat

J. E

dgar

Hoo

ver,

or

thei

r ow

n m

amm

as a

nd d

addi

es m

ay h

ave

said

abo

ut

Kin

g, th

ese

youn

g w

hite

kid

s kn

ew h

e w

as n

ot w

rong

and

he

was

not

bad

. M

artin

was

a li

ving

den

ial o

f all

the

raci

st m

yths

per

petr

ated

in th

e w

hite

co

mm

unity

about bla

ck folk

s. M

art

in d

idn't

lie, he d

idn't

cut, h

e d

idn't

steal,

and h

e w

asn

't on w

elfa

re. T

hese

young w

hite

kid

s le

arn

ed s

om

e

truth

s about bla

ck folk

s fr

om

Mart

in L

uth

er

Kin

g, and h

e h

ad a

more

pro

found im

pact

on their m

inds

and li

ves

than a

nyt

hin

g they

had h

eard

about th

e fam

ily d

inner

table

. M

artin

Lut

her

Kin

g ha

d be

com

e a

vict

im o

f vio

lenc

e w

hile

pre

achi

ng

nonv

iole

nce

and

it ra

ised

a c

ruci

al q

uest

ion.

Whe

n I h

eard

the

conc

lusi

ve

wor

d of

his

dea

th a

t my

hote

l tha

t nig

ht, t

he q

uest

ion

beca

me

even

mor

e co

mpelli

ng.

Would

the c

once

pt of nonvi

ole

nce

, already

under

bru

tal a

ttack

by

many

bla

cks

and w

hite

s, d

ie w

ith K

ing? W

ould

bla

ck a

ware

ness

and

blac

k pr

ogre

ss b

e bu

ried

with

him

? W

ould

the

trem

endo

us s

trid

es to

war

d aw

ake

nin

g the c

onsc

ience

of A

merica

to the p

light of th

e p

oor

and the

oppr

esse

d be

hal

ted?

Had

Mar

tin li

ved

and

died

in v

ain?

Was

it p

ossi

ble

that vi

ole

nce

had c

onquere

d n

onvi

ole

nce

?

For

the first

tim

e s

ince

the n

ew

s of K

ing's

bein

g s

hot, I s

mile

d, a

refle

ctiv

e sm

ile, s

ad a

nd b

itter

swee

t, an

d I r

ecal

led

the

wor

ds o

f G a

ndhi

. M

y cr

eed

for

nonv

iole

nce

is a

n ex

trem

ely

activ

e fo

rce.

It h

ad n

o ro

om f

or c

owar

dice

or

even

wea

knes

s. W

hen

a m

an is

ful

ly r

eady

to

die

he

will

not

eve

n de

sire

to o

ffer

vio

lenc

e. H

isto

ry is

rep

lete

w

ith

inst

ance

s w

here

, by

dyin

g w

ith

cour

age

and

com

pass

ion

on

thei

r li

ps, m

en c

over

ted

the

hear

ts o

f th

eir

viol

ent o

ppon

ents

. K

ing

had

face

d hi

s at

tack

ers;

he

did

not b

eg, o

r sc

ream

, or

whi

mpe

r.

Mar

tin L

uthe

r K

ing,

Jr.

, was

laid

to r

est i

n th

e sp

irit w

hich

def

ined

his

days

am

ong u

s.

It w

as

a p

oor

folk

s' funera

l, as

sad a

s it

was

beautif

ul.

I kn

ew th

en

there

would

neve

r be a

noth

er

Mart

in L

uth

er

Kin

g, Jr

., a

nd furt

her,

that

there

did

not need to b

e. A

little

bit

of D

r. K

ing r

esi

ded in

the h

eart

and

so

ul o

f eve

ry A

merica

n. H

e h

ad a

wake

ned it

and b

rought it

out in

to the

- -

open

. He

did

wha

t he

had

been

pla

ced

on e

arth

to d

o. T

here

was

no

need

fo

r su

bseq

uent

imita

tions

of h

is li

fe. A

mer

ica

is a

bet

ter

plac

e be

caus

e D

r.

Kin

g li

ved. H

isto

ry m

ay

pro

ve h

im to h

ave

been h

is c

ountr

y's

salv

atio

n.

Iron

ical

ly, P

resi

dent

Joh

nson

was

una

ble

to a

ttend

Dr.

Kin

g's

fune

ral

beca

use

he h

ad to m

eet his

genera

ls a

nd talk

about V

ietn

am

. S

till I

im

agin

e the P

resi

dent sp

oke

fro

m the h

eart

when h

e s

aid

, "W

e a

re

shoc

ked

and

sadd

ened

by

the

brut

al s

layi

ng to

nigh

t of D

r. M

artin

Lut

her

Kin

g. . . . I ask

eve

ry c

itize

n to r

eje

ct the b

lind v

iole

nce

that has

stru

ck

Dr.

Kin

g, w

ho li

ved b

y nonvi

ole

nce

."

I sh

all

neve

r fo

rget th

e r

eact

ion o

f w

hite

Am

erica

that nig

ht. T

he

look

s of

hor

ror,

dis

belie

f, em

barr

assm

ent,

and

guilt

. The

hau

ntin

g qu

es-

tion w

as

written o

n e

very

face

, "H

ow

will

bla

ck folk

s re

act

?"

I sa

w it

on

Calif

orn

ia G

ove

rnor

Ronald

Reagan's

face

on tele

visi

on. B

lack

folk

s in

C

alif

orn

ia s

aw

it

too

, a

nd

I r

ea

lly b

elie

ve

his

te

arf

ul e

xp

ressio

n o

f pe

rson

al s

hock

and

hor

ror

was

larg

ely

resp

onsi

ble

for

keep

ing

thin

gs c

ool

in W

atts.

T

he a

ccou

nt o

f the

ass

assi

natio

n pr

inte

d in

The

New

Yor

k T

imes

was

ty

pic

al o

f th

e p

ress

resp

onse

thro

ughout th

e c

ountr

y.

The

39-

year

old

Neg

ro le

ader

's d

eath

was

rep

orte

d sh

ortl

y af

ter

the

shoo

ting

by F

rank

Hol

lom

an, d

irec

tor

of th

e M

emph

is p

olic

e an

d fi

re d

epar

tmen

ts, a

fter

Dr.

Kin

g ha

d be

en t

aken

to

St.

Jo

seph

Hos

pita

l.

"I a

nd a

ll th

e ci

tize

ns o

f M

emph

is,"

Hol

lom

an s

aid,

"re

gret

th

e m

urde

r of

Dr.

Kin

g an

d al

l re

sour

ces

at o

ur a

nd t

he s

tate

's

com

man

d w

ill

be u

sed

to a

ppre

hend

the

per

son

or p

erso

ns r

e-sp

onsi

ble.

" T

he p

olic

e br

oadc

ast

an a

larm

for

"a

youn

g w

hite

mal

e,"

wel

l dre

ssed

who

was

rep

orte

d to

hav

e be

en s

een

runn

ing

afte

r th

e sh

ooti

ng .

. . P

olic

emen

pou

red

into

the

are

a ar

ound

the

L

orra

ine

Mot

el o

n M

ulbe

rry

Str

eet

whe

re D

r. K

ing

was

sho

t.

The

y cu

rrie

d sh

otgu

ns a

nd r

ifle

s an

d se

aled

off

the

enti

re b

lock

, re

fusi

ng e

ntry

to

new

smen

and

oth

ers.

D

r. K

ing

had

been

In

his

seco

nd-f

loor

roo

m th

roug

hout

the

day

unti

l jus

t abo

ut 6

:00

P.M

. ce

ntra

l st

anda

rd t

hne:

7 P

.M.

New

Y

ork

Tim

e).

The

n he

em

erge

d in

a s

llki

sh-l

ooki

ng b

lack

sui

t and

whi

te

shir

t. H

e pa

used

, lea

ned

over

the

gree

n ir

on r

aili

ng a

nd s

tart

ed

chat

ting

wit

h an

ass

ocia

te, J

esse

Jac

kson

, who

was

sta

ndin

g ju

st

belo

w h

im i

n a

park

ing

lot.

Mr.

Jac

kson

intr

oduc

ed D

r. K

ing

to B

en B

ranc

h, a

mus

icia

n w

ho w

as t

o pl

ay a

t a

rall

y D

r. K

ing

was

to

addr

ess

two

hour

s 9

PAR

TF

TW

O

MA

LTTI

IRT

LU

TH

ER

KE

ING

A

ND

HES

S M

IESS

I1O

N

In l

ate

r. A

s M

r. J

ack

son

an

d M

r. B

ran

ch t

old

of

Dr.

Kin

g's

last

m

omen

ts la

ter,

the

aide

ask

ed D

r. K

ing:

"D

o y

ou

kn

ow

Be

n?

" "Y

es,

that's

my

man!"

Dr.

Kin

g g

low

ed.

The

y sa

id D

r. K

ing

then

ask

ed if

Mr.

Bra

nch

wou

ld p

lay

a sp

iritu

al, "

Pre

ciou

s Lo

rd, T

ake

My

Han

d,"

at th

e m

eetin

g th

at

nig

ht.

"I r

eally

wan

t you

to p

lay

that

toni

ght,"

Dr.

Kin

g sa

id. T

he

Rev

. Ral

ph A

bern

athy

, per

haps

Dr.

Kin

g's

clos

est f

riend

, was

ju

st a

bout

to c

ome

out o

f the

roo

m.

A lo

ud n

oise

bur

st o

ut.

Dr.

Kin

g to

pple

d to

the

conc

rete

pas

sage

way

floo

r an

d bl

ood

bega

n gu

shin

g fr

om a

wou

nd.

Som

eone

rus

hed

up w

ith a

tow

el to

ste

m th

e flo

w o

f blo

od.

Rev

. Sam

uel K

yles

of M

emph

is p

lace

d a

spre

ad o

ver

he fa

llen

head

of t

he S

outh

ern

Chr

istia

n Le

ader

ship

Con

fere

nce.

[Kyl

es

was

to h

ave

host

ed a

din

ner f

or K

ing

and

his

asso

ciat

es th

at n

ight

b

efo

re t

he

ra

lly.l

Mr.

Abe

rnat

hy h

urrie

d up

with

a la

rger

tow

el. A

nd th

en th

e ai

des

wai

ted,

whi

le p

olic

emen

rus

hed

up w

ithin

min

utes

. In

wha

t se

emed

to b

e te

n or

fifte

en m

inut

es, a

n am

bula

nce

arriv

ed.

"He h

ad ju

st b

ent ove

r,"

Mr.

Jack

son w

ent on b

itterly,

"I

saw

pol

ice

com

ing

from

eve

ryw

here

. The

y sa

id, "

Whe

re d

id it

co

me

from

?" a

nd I

said

, beh

ind

you.

The

pol

ice

wer

e co

min

g fr

om w

here

the

shot

cam

e."

Mr.

Bra

nch,

who

is fr

om C

hica

go, s

aid

the

shot

had

com

e fr

om

"th

e h

ill o

n t

he

oth

er

sid

e o

f th

e s

tre

et.

" H

e a

dd

ed

: "W

hen

I loo

ked

up, t

he p

olic

e an

d th

e sh

eriff

's d

eput

ies

wer

e ru

nnin

g al

l aro

und.

The

bul

let e

xplo

ded

in h

is fa

ce."

"W

e di

dn't

need

to c

all t

he p

olic

e,"

Mr.

Jac

kson

dec

lare

d,

"the

y w

ere

here

all

over

the

plac

e."

Chapte

r ax

e -

IC

0 R

ET

T A

KIN

G

by

Dic

k G

reg

ory

Bor

n: J

anua

ry 1

5, 1

929,

a b

oy c

hild

in th

e ci

ty o

f A

tlan

ta. A

bla

ck b

oy

child

. Of

cour

se th

e bi

rth

reco

rd in

Atla

nta

was

dif

fere

nt. T

hey

had

to p

ut,

Bor

n: A

boy

chi

ld. A

neg

ro. F

ew p

eopl

e on

this

pla

net w

ere

awar

e th

an o

n Ja

nuar

y 15

, 192

9 a

boy

chil

d w

ould

be

born

on

this

pla

net

eart

h to

an

envi

ronm

ent,

and

to a

fam

ily

that

wou

ld to

uch

the

spir

it o

f th

is b

oy c

hild

to

the

exte

nt th

at a

noth

er s

piri

t wou

ld d

evel

op. A

boy

chi

ld w

as b

orn

on

Janu

ary

15, 1

929.

His

nam

e w

as M

arti

n L

uthe

r K

ing

Jr.

Mar

tin L

uthe

r K

ing

reac

hed

the

lives

of

each

and

eve

ry b

lack

per

son

in A

mer

ica.

He

also

aff

ecte

d th

e at

titud

es o

f ne

arly

all

whi

te p

eopl

e liv

ing

in A

mer

ica.

He

was

love

d an

d he

was

hat

ed. H

is n

ame

and

his

face

wer

e kn

own

to ju

st a

bout

eve

ry p

erso

n liv

ing

in th

e U

nite

d St

ates

. He

had

been

on

the

page

s of

eve

ry m

agaz

ine

and

new

spap

er in

the

coun

try.

No

othe

r bl

ack

pers

on in

Am

eric

a ev

er r

ecei

ved

as m

uch

atte

ntio

n in

the

med

ia a

s M

artin

Lut

her

Kin

g. T

he r

adio

and

tele

visi

on n

etw

orks

cov

ered

eac

h an

d ev

ery

dem

onst

rati

on le

d by

Kin

g, a

nd th

ey f

ollo

wed

the

prog

ress

of

the

civi

l rig

hts

mov

emen

t wit

h de

dica

tion

. Dr.

Kin

g w

as a

her

o of

the

pres

s.

He

was

eas

ily a

cces

sibl

e to

it a

nd h

e al

way

s pr

ovid

ed th

e dr

amat

ic im

pact

th

at a

hun

gry

pres

s is

alw

ays

anxi

ous

for.

A

t the

hei

ght o

f th

e ci

vil r

ight

s m

ovem

ent,

one

coul

d ea

sily

det

ect t

he

opti

mis

m th

at h

ad s

wep

t thr

ough

bla

ck c

omm

unit

ies

arou

nd th

e na

tion

. P

hras

es s

uch

as "

Bla

ck is

Bea

utif

ul"

and

"Hey

Bro

ther

" be

cam

e a

part

of

the

new

sen

se o

f bl

ack

prid

e. B

lack

peo

ple

in A

mer

ica

wer

e ch

angi

ng.

Fea

r be

gan

to d

isap

pear

fro

m th

e he

arts

of

man

y ol

der

folk

s li

ving

in th

e S

outh

; for

the

firs

t tim

e in

thei

r li

ves,

man

y bl

ack

men

and

wom

en w

ere

not a

frai

d to

sta

nd u

p fo

r th

eir

righ

ts, t

o sa

y to

whi

te p

eopl

e w

hat t

hey

wou

ld n

o lo

nger

tole

rate

. The

end

to s

egre

gatio

n w

as a

rea

lity

beca

use

of

Mar

tin

Lut

her

Kin

g. T

his

one

man

had

mor

e im

pact

on

the

atti

tude

s of

bl

ack

Am

eric

ans

than

any

oth

er p

erso

n in

con

tem

pora

ry h

isto

ry.

Thi

s is

not

the

plac

e to

try

to g

ive

a fu

ll-s

cale

bio

grap

hy o

f M

arti

n L

uthe

r K

ing,

and

stil

l les

s, th

e hi

stor

y of

the

blac

k ci

vil r

ight

s m

ovem

ent.

I'd r

athe

r tr

y to

con

vey

wha

t th

e m

an a

nd t

he m

ovem

ent

mea

nt t

o bl

ack

peop

le i

n A

mer

ica.

But

a f

ew d

ates

and

fac

ts m

ay h

e he

lpfu

l as

bac

k-gro

und. K

ing w

as o

rdai

ned

a B

apti

st m

inis

ter

in 1

947. A

gra

duat

e of

Mor

ehou

se C

olle

ge. h

e co

ntin

ued

his

educ

atio

n al

so a

tten

ding

Bos

ton

Univ

ersi

ty a

nd T

he

Cro

zer

Theo

logic

al S

emin

ary i

n B

ost

on,

Mas

- sa

chu

sett

s, g

aini

ng a

Ph.

D. i

n 19

55. I

n 19

57, h

e re

ceiv

ed a

D.D

. fro

m th

e C

hica

go T

heol

ogic

al S

emin

ary.

By

that

tim

e he

had

alr

eady

spr

ung

to

natio

nal p

rom

inen

ce f

or th

e le

adin

g pa

rt h

e pl

ayed

in th

e bl

ack

boyc

ott o

f bu

ses

in M

ontg

omer

y, A

laba

ma,

in 1

956.

Thi

s no

nvio

lent

pro

test

aga

inst

th

e bu

s li

nes'

mis

trea

tmen

t of

blac

k pa

ssen

gers

res

ulte

d in

the

jail

ing

of

mor

e th

an n

inet

y bl

ack

prot

esto

rs in

clud

ing

Kin

g. T

he lo

cal c

ourt

nat

u-ra

lly

foun

d K

ing

guil

ty. H

e ap

peal

ed th

e de

cisi

on. M

eanw

hile

, the

bus

lin

es, w

hich

wer

e go

ing

brok

e, d

ropp

ed th

e ch

arge

s. I

t was

a g

reat

vic

tory

bo

th f

or K

ing,

and

for

the

prin

cipl

e of

non

viol

ence

:

The

nex

t ye

ar, a

n im

pres

sed

Con

gres

s pa

ssed

the

fir

st c

ivil

rig

hts

legi

slat

ion

sinc

e 18

75, a

nd M

arti

n L

uthe

r K

ing

foun

ded

the

Sou

ther

n C

hris

tian

Lea

ders

hip

Con

fere

nce

(SC

LC

), th

e or

gani

zati

on w

hich

was

to

be h

is m

ain

vehi

cle

for

prom

otin

g bl

ack

civi

l rig

hts

in th

e ye

ars

to c

ome.

T

hrou

gh th

e re

mai

ning

yea

rs o

f th

e 19

50s

and

the

earl

y 19

60s,

the

SCL

C,

alon

g w

ith

The

Con

gres

s of

Rac

ial

Equ

alit

y (C

OR

E)

and

the

Stu

dent

N

on-V

iole

nt C

oord

inat

ing

Com

mit

tee

(SN

CC

), w

ith

the

bles

sing

s of

the

olde

r, m

ore

esta

blis

hed

orga

niza

tion

s su

ch a

s N

atio

nal A

ssoc

iati

on f

or

the

Adv

ance

men

t of

Col

ored

Peo

ple

(NA

AC

P)

mad

e th

e ta

ctic

of

non-

viol

ent

prot

ests

as

fam

ilia

r to

Am

eric

ans

as t

heir

mor

ning

bre

akfa

st

cere

al.

In A

pril

of

1963

, thi

s m

ovem

ent r

each

ed a

kin

d of

cre

scen

do w

hen

Dr.

Kin

g le

d an

eno

rmou

s pr

otes

t mar

ch in

Bir

min

gham

, Ala

bam

a. M

ore

than

2,5

00 b

lack

dem

onst

rato

rs w

ere

arre

sted

. Thr

ee m

onth

s la

ter

he le

d an

eve

n bi

gger

mar

ch in

Was

hing

ton,

D.C

. In

term

s of

mas

s de

mon

stra

-ti

ons,

pro

babl

y th

e hi

gh p

oint

of

the

civi

l ri

ghts

mov

emen

t w

as t

hat

mar

ch. I

'll d

eal w

ith

both

thes

e dr

amat

ic e

vent

s in

gre

ater

det

ail i

n la

ter

chap

ters

. Wit

hin

a ye

ar, t

he m

ost

exte

nsiv

e ci

vil

righ

ts l

egis

lati

on i

n U

nite

d S

tate

s hi

stor

y, T

he C

ivil

Rig

hts

Act

of

1964

, had

bee

n en

acte

d in

to la

w. T

hat s

ame

year

, Kin

g w

as a

war

ded

the

Nob

el P

eace

Pri

ze.

Dur

ing

the

next

fou

r ye

ars,

Kin

g co

ntin

ued

his

stru

ggle

for

equ

alit

y on

man

y fr

onts

, but

by

1968

he

had

beco

me

conv

ince

d th

at s

till

ano

ther

m

ass

dem

onst

ratio

n w

as n

eede

d. T

his

was

to b

e T

he P

oor

Peop

le's

Mar

ch

on W

ashi

ngto

n. H

e w

as d

eepl

y in

volv

ed in

pla

ns f

or th

is e

vent

whe

n, in

th

e sp

ring

of

1968

, he

inte

rrup

ted

his

wor

k to

go

to M

emph

is, T

enne

ssee

to

lend

his

sup

port

to th

e st

riki

ng s

anit

atio

n w

orke

rs th

ere.

On

Apr

il 4

, w

hile

sta

ndin

g on

the

balc

ony

of h

is M

emph

is m

otel

roo

m, D

r. K

ing

was

5 1

12

13

sho

t a

nd

kill

ed

. H

e h

ad

ma

de

th

e f

ina

l sa

crifi

ce f

or

the

gre

at

cau

se t

o

whic

h h

e h

ad d

evo

ted h

is li

fe.

But th

en M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g h

ad m

ade m

any

sacr

ifice

s during the

perio

d of

tim

e he

spe

nt O

rgan

izin

g bl

ack

peop

le a

nd le

adin

g de

mon

stra

-tio

ns. H

e sp

ent a

lot o

f tim

e aw

ay fr

om h

is h

ome

in A

tlant

a. G

eorg

ia. H

is

wife

Cor

etta

spe

nt m

any

nigh

ts a

lone

with

thei

r fo

ur c

hild

ren.

The

re w

as

not m

uch

time

for

fun

and

recr

eatio

n fo

r a

man

who

was

put

ting

his

who

le

life in

to fig

htin

g for

hum

an r

ights

. E

very

tim

e M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g le

d a

m

arch

, eve

ry ti

me

he fe

lt th

e pa

in o

f a p

olic

e ni

ghts

tick

agai

nst h

is b

ody,

and e

very

hour

he s

pent in

jail

help

ed b

lack

Am

erica

ns

wake

up to the

prob

lem

s th

at e

xist

ed a

nd h

elpe

d bl

ack

Am

eric

a ho

ld it

s he

ad u

p hi

gh. I

t w

as

a d

iffic

ult

time

in M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g's

life

. T

he

re w

ere

ma

ny

slee

ples

s ni

ghts

in s

tran

ge h

otel

s. T

here

wer

e th

ousa

nds

of s

tran

ge p

hone

ca

lls a

nd le

tters

crit

iciz

ing

the

civi

l rig

hts

mov

emen

t. T

here

wer

e co

nsta

nt

thre

ats

of d

eath

to M

artin

Lut

her

Kin

g, m

embe

rs o

f his

fam

ily, a

nd m

any

of

his

aid

es.

Eve

ry d

ay

tha

t M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g w

alk

ed

th

e s

tre

ets

, a

nd

ev

ery

nigh

t whe

n he

lay

dow

n to

res

t, th

e re

ality

of d

eath

was

his

sha

dow

. B

ut K

ing

lear

ned

to d

eal w

ith th

e no

tion

that

dea

th w

as a

pos

sibi

lity,

and

he

kne

w th

at fe

ar w

ould

onl

y m

ake

thos

e ar

ound

him

afr

aid.

Kin

g w

as n

ot

fear

ful o

f dea

th; a

t lea

st I

can

say

that

I ne

ver

saw

him

sho

w th

e st

rain

and

p

ress

ure

th

at

wo

uld

no

rma

lly b

urd

en

a m

an

fa

ced

with

su

ch g

rim

pro

s-pect

s. It w

as

his

calm

ness

and c

onsi

stently

posi

tive a

ttitu

de that m

ade

tho

se a

rou

nd

him

fe

el c

om

fort

ab

le.

Wh

en

wo

rd o

f p

oss

ible

da

ng

er

wa

s m

ad

e k

no

wn

, M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g n

eve

r p

an

icke

d.

He

kn

ew

ho

w t

o

ha

nd

le s

itua

tion

s w

ith w

ha

teve

r ki

nd

of

tact

wa

s n

ece

ssa

ry.

He

IA

as

a m

ast

er

when it

cam

e to d

ealin

g w

ith the p

ress

ure

s th

at w

ere

fore

ver

surr

ou

nd

ing

him

. F

or

the

se r

ea

son

s, m

illio

ns

of

pe

op

le lo

ved

an

d r

e-

spec

ted

Dr.

Kin

g. T

hose

who

nev

er g

ot a

cha

nce

to m

arch

in a

dem

onst

ra-

tion

or s

ee K

ing

in p

erso

n w

ere

with

him

in s

pirit

. The

y kn

ew h

im a

s th

eir

lea

de

r, a

nd

with

th

e h

elp

of

ne

wsp

ap

ers

an

d t

ele

visi

on

, M

art

in L

uth

er

Kin

g b

eca

me

th

e m

ost

we

ll-kn

ow

n b

lack

pe

rso

n in

Am

erica

. T

he

re w

ere

, o

f co

urs

e,

bla

ck A

me

rica

ns

wh

o f

elt

tha

t th

e b

lack

st

rug

gle

mig

ht

be

mo

re e

ffe

ctiv

e w

itho

ut

Kin

g's

no

nvi

ole

nt

ap

pro

ach

. S

ome

of th

em tr

ied

to g

et K

ing

to c

hang

e, b

ut h

is b

elie

fs w

ere

too

stro

ng

for

him

to b

e s

waye

d in

any

oth

er

direct

ion. T

he e

ffort

s of th

ese

more

ra

dic

al c

ivil

rig

hts

ad

voca

tes

we

re s

ho

rt-liv

ed

. A

lleg

ian

ce t

o M

art

in

Luth

er

Kin

g w

as

steadfa

st. E

ven though tim

es

when it

seem

ed that

nonv

iole

nce

was

inef

fect

ive,

the

peop

le w

ho b

elie

ved

in K

ing'

s m

etho

ds

stoo

d be

hind

him

. We

used

to g

et a

kic

k ou

t of h

earin

g th

e N

orth

ern

blac

k g

uy

wh

o w

ou

ld s

ay'

I c

an

't g

o d

ow

n S

ou

th b

eca

use

I'm

to

o v

iole

nt.

" Y

et

this

cat

was

sca

red

to ta

lk b

ack

to h

is o

wn

whi

te p

aper

boy

! It i

s iro

nic

that

11

Kin

g's

no

nvi

ole

nt

mo

vem

en

t b

rou

gh

t o

n a

vio

len

t re

act

ion

fro

m m

uch

of

white

Am

erica

. T

hey

were

react

ing to a

typ

e o

f attitu

de they

did

n't

unde

rsta

nd. A

mer

ica

is a

ccus

tom

ed to

usi

ng v

iole

nce

as a

tool

to o

btai

n w

hate

ver

goal

it is

tryi

ng to

rea

ch, a

nd fo

r th

at r

easo

n it

coul

d no

t acc

ept

mus

ses

of b

bw