March 2014 Auction Ends Thursday, March 27th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/27/2014
Truly rare Martin Luther King, Jr. autograph draft pages from Chapter 3 of his important civil rights book, ''Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story''. Dr. King's first book was published in 1958 when he was only 29 years old. The book provides a moving account of successful nonviolent resistance in the 1955-56 Montgomery, Alabama bus strike amid the burgeoning civil rights movement. Here, Dr. King puts pen to paper to powerfully document in his own words what is single-handedly one of the most important moments in civil rights history, when Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama. Handwritten manuscript reads in full, ''(I meant the paragraph in place of first sentence of sentence paragraph 12A) / Only E.D. Nixon the signer of Mrs. Parks land - and one or two other persons were aware of the arrest when it occurred early Thursday evening. Late in the evening the word got around to a few influential women of the community, mostly members of the Women's Political Council. After a series of telephone calls back and forth they agreed that the Negroes should boycott the buses. They immediately suggested the idea to Nixon and he readily convened in his usual courageous manner he agreed to spearhead the idea. Just before calling me Nixon had decided the idea with Rev. Ralph...'' 2pp. draft measures 8.5'' x 11'' in black ink, with some edits in red ink. Very minor toning, else near fine condition. From the collection of Maude Ballou, Martin Luther King Jr.'s close friend and personal secretary.
Incredible Martin Luther King Handwritten Pages For ''Stride Toward Freedom'' -- Detailing the Momentous Rosa Parks Incident -- ''...they agreed that the Negroes should boycott the buses...''
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