To Alberta Williams King

The following two letters are to King’s parents, who were attending the Sunday School and Baptist Young Peoples Union Congress of the National Baptist Convention. In this letter, King mentions a movie on the life of Thomas Edison and a ward meeting of the Ebenezer Baptist Church congregation. Having recently completed the sixth grade at the David T. Howard School, King also asks his mother about registering at Atlanta University’s Laboratory High School, which he will enter in the fall of 1940. Lillian Watkins was church secretary at Ebenezer Baptist Church and often published articles about the congregation in the Atlanta Daily World. Mrs. Mamie Williams was the King family’s neighbor on Auburn Avenue and a member of Ebenezer. “Mother Holly” refers to Mrs. Margaret Holley, also an Ebenezer member. King’s concluding sentence refers to his own payment for the papers from his newspaper route.

Dear Mother:

I am felling fine and hope you are the same. I am praying that you and daddy have successful trip back home. I know you are have a nice time and I wish I was there to. At the ward Tuesday night, we raised $8.10. Give love to the Ray family. Mana and Lillian said helo, they are doing fine. Give love to daddy and tell him I will write him sone. Listen mother dear where I am going to school write me and tell me because if I am going to Lab I will have to register by Monday. Mother dear tell daddy that Mrs. Mamie Wms. next door died last night. And mother Holly died this morning. We went to the shore Tuesday, and Tom Edison and it was very intering. I have a nuf money to get all of my paper this week.

from your son
[signed] Martin L. King Jr.

P. S. When you are idle and nothing to do with your time sit down and write me a few lines