To Homer Greene
Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr. (Montgomery Improvement Association)
Date: July 10, 1956
Location: Montgomery, Ala.?
Genre: Letter
Topic: Montgomery Bus Boycott
Details
Greene, a white soldier from California, had written King a letter of support in which he expressed concern about a radio interview with Rosa Parks by Sidney Rogers, a San Francisco radio commentator who had been accused of having Communist ties by congressional and California state investigating committees.1Denied by Rogers, the allegations were never proven. Greene replied to King's letter on 18 July and apologized for associating King with Rogers.
SP2 Homer Greene, RA 32 808 912
Admin. Svc. Company
3d Division
Fort Benning, Georgia
Dear Mr. Greene:
Thanks for your very kind letter of June 25, expressing deep concern for our struggle here in Montgomery. I read your letter very carefully, and was very happy to know of your interest.
I don't know of the Mr. Rogers that you refer to in your letter. I have never spoken over any program sponsored by a Mr. Rogers. It is probable that someone else from Montgomery spoke over the program. One of the things that we have insisted on throughout the protest is that we steer clear of any Communistic infiltration and I think we have succeeded very well to this point. I only hope that we will be able to continue our struggle without anything that borders on Communism.
However, your point is well taken. We must always be on guard for possible exploitation by Communistic forces. Thanks very much for your concern. I will inquire from Mrs. Rosa Parks, the lady whose arrest precipitated the protest, whether or not she spoke on Mr. Rogers' program.
Yours very truly,
M. L. King, Jr.,
President
MLK:b
1. The interview with Rosa Parks had aired on Pacifica Radio stations earlier in 1956 (see Rosa Parks, interview by Sidney Rogers, 1956, Pacifica Radio Archive, Los Angeles).
Source: MLKP-MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Boston University, Boston, Mass.