MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Also by James A. Colaiaco and published by Macmillan JAMES FITZJAMES STEPHEN AND THE CRISIS OF VICTORIAN THOUGHT

Martin Luther King,

Jr.

Apostle of Militant Nonviolence James A. Colaiaco

M

MACMILLAN PRESS

©James A. Colaiaco 1988

Softcover reprint of the hardcover lst edition 1988 978-0-333-39798-5 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended), or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 33-4 Alfred Place, London WClE 7DP. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. First published 1988 Published by THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 2XS and London Companies and representatives throughout the world Typeset by Wessex Typesetters (Division of The Eastern Press Ltd) Frome, Somerset

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Colaiaco, James A. Martin Luther King, Jr.: apostle of militant nonviolence. 1. United States. Black persons. Gvil rights movements. Non-violent action. King, Martin Luther, 1929-1968 I. Title 323.1'196073'024 ISBN 978-1-349-08225-4 DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-08223-0

ISBN 978-1-349-08223-0 (eBook)

To Nancy, my kindred spirit

Contents Acknowledgements

ix

1

Introduction 1 Montgomery: The Walking City, 1955-6

5

2 Nonviolence Spreads in the South, 1957-61

20

3 The Lessons of Albany, Georgia, 1961-2

40

4

54

Birmingham and the March on Washington, 1963

5 Interlude: King's Letter to America

77

6 The Struggle Continues, 1964

96

7 Selma and the Voting Rights Act of 1965

116

8 Interlude: The Paradox of Nonviolence

137

9 A New Direction: Chicago, 1966

149

10 King Takes a Radical Stand, 1967-8

178

11

Epilogue

199

Notes and References

204

Select Bibliography

219

Index

227

vii

Acknowledgements Anyone who studies the American civil rights movement must acknowledge the efforts of the many scholars who have contributed to our understanding of the role of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the nonviolent method. Their research and writings have assisted me in forming my own views of King, his nonviolent method and the black freedom struggle. In addition, I wish to thank my colleague Marc Crawford, who shared with me his first-hand knowledge of the civil rights movement, and gave the entire book a perceptive reading. I was privileged to have brief conversations with James Baldwin, Floyd McKissick and James Forman. I am grateful to my parents, Helen and Alfred Colaiaco, for their abiding support. My father also gave each chapter a careful reading. I wish to thank Sam Ruggeri, my computer consultant, whose expert advice saved me hours of labour. My mother-in-law, Josephine Ruggeri, provided some important articles and video tapes. The resources of the Bobst Library of New York University were of immense help to me. I also wish to express my gratitude to the General Studies Program of New York University for providing me with the time necessary to pursue my scholarly interests. My greatest debt is to my wife, Nancy Ruggeri Colaiaco, who read each draft of the book, offering many suggestions for its improvement. Over the past few years, we have engaged in continual discussion of King and the civil rights movement. I am deeply grateful for her insight, encouragement and love. Needless to say, although this book has profited from the readings and assistance of others, I alone bear responsibility for its contents. Baldwin, New York

JAMES

ix

A.

CoLAIACO

X

Acknowledgements

The author and the publisher wish to thank the following who have kindly given permission for the use of copyright material: 'The Letter from Birmingham Jail', in Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King, Jr. Copyright© 1963 by Martin Luther King, Jr. Excerpts reprinted by permission of Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., and by permission of Joan Daves. Chapters 5 and 8 in this book are expanded versions of two articles by the author published in Phylon: 'The American Dream Unfulfilled: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Letter from Birmingham Jail'. Phylon 45 (Spring 1984), pp. 1-18. 'Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Paradox of Nonviolent Direct Action'. Phylon 47 (Spring 1986), pp. 16-28. Permission to reprint excerpts granted by Phylon - The Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture.