To Gordon R. Carey
Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr.
Date: January 10, 1961
Location: Atlanta, Ga.?
Genre: Letter
Details
King responds to a 31 October 1960 letter from Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) field director Gordon R. Carey, who heard that King was “not pleased with some of the recent activities and/or attitudes of CORE.”1 In his reply, King admits that there were issues; however, he sees “no basis for conflict between CORE and SCLC.”
Mr. Gordon R. Carey
459 West 44th Street
New York 36, New York
Dear Gordon:
I have just realized that I have not answered your letter of October 31. For some strange reason the letter was misplaced and left in the file of answered mail. It was just two days ago that I came across it again. I can assure you that this was not done though sheer negligence but as a result of the human errors that occur in an office receiving a flood of mail.
I regret that time will not permit me to write a long letter in answer to some of the questions you raise. It may be possible for us to talk these things over when I am in New York again. Suffice it to say, I am still intensely interested in the work of CORE and will support it wherever it is humanly possible. There are some minor things that I have been concerned about, but I think they have been cleared up now. I have never felt that my dissatisfaction with some developments in CORE were of major proportions so I could well leave the matter where it is and say that I see no basis for conflict between CORE and SCLC. I think we can work together very well and indeed we must.
Just a few days ago I had a most rewarding discussion with Charles Oldham, Gladys Harrington and Val Coleman.2 I believe we came up with some good ideas concerning coordination and possible points of cooperation. I am sure that they will share some of the ideas we discussed with you and other staff members.
I will call you when I am in New York and may be we can take a few minutes to discuss some of the things that concern me a great deal. I am sure that the new administration will find some of these matters of value.3
Very sincerely yours,
[signed]
Martin
MLK.m
1. While speaking with CORE executive secretary James R. Robinson at CORE’s Action Institute in Miami in August 1960, King expressed his frustrations with “organizational interrelationships” (Robinson to King, 7 September 1960). In his letter to King, Carey advised that King should “feel free” to criticize the organization directly given his position on CORE’s advisory committee. Gordon Ray Carey (1932– ), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, began working with CORE in 1953. After serving a year in prison as a conscientious objector during the Korean War, Carey became CORE’s vice chairman in 1956 and subsequently worked with CORE in various capacities. In 1970 he began working with Floyd B. McKissick, a former national director of CORE, on Soul City, a federally funded black community in North Carolina.
2. Oldham, Harrington, and Coleman were all CORE staff members. Oldham was the national chairman, Harrington was a regional representative, and Coleman was a public relations specialist.
3. King refers to the appointment of James Farmer, who was elected national director of CORE at the end of 1960.
Source: GRCC-ICRCM, Gordon R. Carey Collection, International Civil Rights Center & Museum, Greensboro, N.C.