From H. Edward Whitaker
Author: Whitaker, H. (Horace) Edward (New Hope Baptist Church)
Date: May 8, 1954
Location: Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Genre: Letter
Topic: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Career in Ministry
Details
Whitaker mentions two mutual acquaintances from Crozer, Dean Charles E. Batten and Walter “Mac” McCall. Vivit and Edward are Whitaker’s wife and son.
Rev. Martin L. King Jr.
396 Northampton Street
Apt 5
Boston, Mass.
Dear Mike:
I suppose you have wondered as to what happened to me during this year. It is a long story, too long to put in a letter. But I can say that I have been struggling with the matter of trying to build a Church here in our city. It is a very slow process, but I am glad to say we are making progress. We expect to begin our construction in about two weeks now, and probably will ready to go in it around the end of the year or the first of next year. It will be a wonderful accomplishment for our people when it is completed, and I know they will be very happy.
How are you doing these days? You will probably be finishing your work there this summer. I am sure you have had a very busy and yet a most interesting stay in those parts. We are glad for you and hope for you much success in all of your endeavors. How is the Madam these days? And too how is the married man doing? It is a wonderful life.
It is interesting to note that Dean Batten is leaving the Seminary this summer. It came as somewhat a surprize to me, and yet I guess there are many changes taking place at the Seminary these days. I have not been back there but once since I left. The work here has been auful confining, but I think I can see the light and I will be moving around the country a little more after this year.
I had a letter from Mac sometime ago and he seems to be doing alright. He was here with us last summer and he met some friends of our in Buffalo, who happened to be a student at one of our colleges in the South. She arranged to have him to speak to their assembly this winter, and they tell me he did a superb job.
We hope some day to have you to come and help us in our work here, but things being what they are, I suppose they have to wait a little while until we can improve our facilities. If however, you will be passing through this way sometime, we would certainly want you to stop by and spend a few days with us, and of course to preach I would like that very much, but if such isn’t possible, when we finish with our building, we will extend a formal invitation for you to conduct a special week long preaching mission. I hope at that time you will be able to accept.
Vivit and Edward are doing quite well. Edward is now five years old, and I am beginning to be an old man. He will begin school next September. We are very proud at the way he is developing. We only hope and pray that he will continue in this way.
Let me hear from you sometimes. With kind regards and best wishes to your family in Atlanta and there, I remain
Sincerely,
[signed] Whit
H. Edward Whitaker
Source: MLKP-MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Mass.