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TRANSCRIPT
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PRENTiCE-HALL, INC.
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632 Phone: 201-947-1000
RETURN REQUESTED YES ( X) No ( )
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
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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