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Martin Luther King, Jr

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:25,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
Martin Luther King, Jr

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Auction Date:2018 Jul 11 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Exceedingly rare ALS signed “Martin,” eight pages on six sheets, 6.5 x 8, Residency Guest House, Bangalore letterhead, no date but circa February 1959. Letter to his personal secretary Maude L. Ballou, in full: “As it stands now we will be arriving in New York on Wednesday morning, March 18 at 6:45. This is a change from the original schedule. Actually it is three days earlier. I will probably spend Wed., Thurs., and Friday in New York, and arrive in Montgomery Saturday afternoon, March 21. Please do not let any of my members know that I am getting in at that time, because I do not plan to preach on Sunday, March 22. I might decide to slip in Church that Sunday without them knowing it.

There are a few things that I would like for you to get to Dr. J. T. Brooks for the Dexter Echo. (1) Tell him that I have accepted the position of one of the Editors-at-Large of the ‘Christian Century.’ You may mention that this is the most influentian [sic] and widely read interdenominational Protestant journals in America. (2) Mention that my book, Stride Toward Freedom has just been selected by the American Library Association for the list of 50 notable books of the year. Also mention that the book is still selling unusually well. Tell Ralph to be sure to stay behind Hubbard for the meetings of the hospital committee. Also tell him to add the names of Governor G. Mennen Williams and former Governor Averill Harriman to the list of requested contributors for the SCLC.

Write Rev. Tilley a note and tell him to continue to discuss the conference on non-violence with Glen Smiley, but not to make any final plans on contacts until I return. Also tell him to begin making contacts for the meeting of the conference in Tallahassee Florida. Tell him to make the dates of the meeting Wed. & Thurs., May 13 & 14. The schedule should be as follows:

Wed. morning—Board meeting, Wed. afternoon—Opening of Conference. and workshops, Wed. Evening—Mass meeting, Thurs. Morning—Workshop & business session, Thurs Afternoon—Workshop, summary and closing.

Tell him to write as many of the ministers and civil leaders of Florida as possible, inviting them to the meeting. I will probably be leaving Delhi for Karachi, Pakistan and the Middle East by the time you receive this letter. We leave on Tues., March 10. I would suggest that you send me a letter reviewing the correspondence and giving other necessary information the same day you receive this one. Send it to Jerusalem Air Mail Special, YMCA Hotel. The revised schedule calls for our being in Jerusalem on March 12, 13, 14, and 15. We will be in Cairo Egypt on the 16th and Athens Greece on the morning of the 17th. We will leave Athens for New York of the afternoon of the 17th.

I hope all is well with you. Give my regards to Lenny and all of the Ballou chain. Coretta and Reddick are doing fine and send their regards. We are having a wonderful time. The people, from governmental officials on down, have lavished us with hospitality. Give my best regards to Lillie. Tell her to compile all of the material for the quarterly financial report, but to hold it out for me to review before releasing it. Tell her that I will go over it on Monday March 23 and we will have it ready to distribute on Easter Sunday. Well I will close. I hope your two little sweet Tilley sisters have not been too much like your father since I have been away. I will call you about noon on the day we arrive in New York—Wed March 18th.” King adds a brief postscript: “Tell Ralph to be sure to urge Ella Baker to continue collecting for the book. This will help our funds.” In fine condition.

On February 3, 1959, Martin Luther King began a five-week tour of India as a means of better understanding the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, to whom King referred to as ‘the guiding light of our technique of non-violent social change.’ Accompanied by his wife Coretta Scott and historian Lawrence Reddick, King discussed his views of nonviolence with university groups, at public meetings, and with various heads of state, including Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. As he traveled throughout India, his talks with satyagrahis and his interactions with the Gandhi family continued to deepen his belief in the power of nonviolent resistance and his commitment to America’s struggle for civil rights.

On March 9th, King’s last day in New Delhi, he traveled to the Quaker Centre to record a message for broadcast on All India Radio: ‘Since being in India, I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity. In a real sense, Mahatma Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation.’

Despite his month-long absence, King remained closely involved with his affairs back home. He requests his secretary to inform J. T. brooks, the president of Alabama State College, that he has accepted a position as an editor with the Protestant journal Christian Century, and that she mention that his debut work, Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story, was selected as one of the year’s top books by the American Library Association. He also asks Ballou to write a short note requesting John Lee Tilley, executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, to continue discussions with Glenn E. Smiley (a white civil rights activist and early King adviser in the principles of nonviolence) regarding a potential conference in Tallahassee, Florida. A phenomenal missive that represents the debut instance in which we have offered a handwritten letter from Dr. King.