From Harold Edward Pinkston
Author: Pinkston, Harold Edward (Virginia Union University)
Date: September 25, 1956
Location: Richmond, Va.
Genre: Letter
Topic: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Family
Martin Luther King, Jr. - Travels
Details
Pinkston, a divinity student at Virginia Union, had known King during the early 1950s while both assisted Rev. William H. Hester at Boston’s Twelfth Baptist Church. He offers to transport King from the Richmond airport to Rev. Wyatt “Tee” Walker’s home in Petersburg, Virginia, where King would stay before giving a speech to the Virginia state NAACP convention on 5 October. W. Lester Banks, the executive secretary of the state NAACP, thanked King on 8 November for his participation.
Hello “Mike,”
Greetings to you & Coretta and family. I sincerely hope everyone is fine and enjoying the best of blessings God can offer.
Mike, I was more than happy when my home-town brother and neighbor (N. Jersey) Tee Walker told me that you were coming this way. It’ll really be good to see you again, and incline my ears to ‘greater wisdom.’
I told “Tee” (Rev Walker) I’d be very happy to meet you at the airport next week (Fri I believe) and drive you over to Petersburg where he & family resides.
This King, I consider a unique previlege.
Talking with Mr. Lester Banks via phone, I requested the honor of meeting you upon arrival. He’ll be writing you soon for your plane schedule, arrival, etc in order to inform me of immediately by phone.
I’d like to welcome you to our city again! If you have a few moments after your schedule is determined, I’d like to hear from you - you may count on my being there. I think you’ll be coming in at Byrd Airport anyway.
Mike, oh yes, among other things I have yet a “lingering problem” I hope to be able to discuss with you en our route to Petersburg.
Hope to hear from you.
Fraternally,
[signed] “Pink” Boston ’50-52
Source: MLKP-MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Boston University, Boston, Mass.