To Walter R. McCall
Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr. (Dexter Avenue Baptist Church)
Date: October 19, 1954
Location: Montgomery, Ala.
Genre: Letter
Topic: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Career in Ministry
Details
King invites McCall to preach at Dexter and urges his friend to attend the upcoming installation ceremony.
Dean Walter R. McCall
Fort Valley State College
Fort Valley, Georgia
Dear Mac,
I have been intending to write you for some time but a budy schedule has prevented it. At present I am in the process of making out my program for the coming church year. I would like to extend an invitation to you to preach the annual Youth Day sermon at the 11 o’clock service on the 2nd Sunday in March (13th) 1955. We are hoping that this will be a high day at Dexter and your presence as well as your message would add so much to the occasion.
As you have probably heard, my installation will be held on the 5th Sunday. Daddy is coming down to preach the sermon and will bring about 100 people. I was talking with T. W. Smith the other day and he wants you to come over that morning and preach for him and the two of you drive over for the afternoon service.1 It will mean a great deal to me for you to come. So I hope that you will be able to do so.
Our work here is going very well. We are getting superb cooperation. Last Sunday we had our Women’s Day and it was a tremendous success. Over $2100 was raised.
How are things going with you, and how is the marriage situation coming? Let me hear from you and be sure to let me know about this speaking invitation so I can proceed with my calendar.
Coretta is doing fine and sends her best regards.
Sincerely yours,
M. L. King, Jr.
MLK/csk
1. T. W. Smith was pastor of a church in Columbus, Georgia.
Source: MLKP, MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Mass.