From Walter R. McCall
Author: McCall, Walter R. (Fort Valley State College)
Date: October 29, 1956
Location: Fort Valley, Ga.
Genre: Letter
Topic: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Career in Ministry
Details
McCall thanks King for recommending him to a Savannah church and indicates that two other churches are considering him as well. Several months later Atlanta's Providence Baptist Church called him to its pulpit. McCall also praises fellow Baptist preacher and Morehouse graduate Charles Morton for his service during Fort Valley State College's Week of Prayer.1
Dear Mike,
Thanks Ole Timer for the letter of recommendation. It was good and interesting. I hope it pays off. But if not, I do hope I can land at Providence in Atlanta or in the Ebenezer in Athens. Preferably Athens. I Think it has greater promise than either of the former. I have preached at all but First AB in Savannah.
All things are going smoothly, but work seems to hit me on all sides. We have just completed our Week of Prayer here, led by Chuck Morton. Believe me when I tell you: Morton has it. He needs to be heard by our people, and the American people at-large. Mike, Morton has it! He has established himself here in immeasurable fashion!
Norma is doing fine now since we have moved from the one room to a home of our own. Time will not permit me to say too much. Will write more later.
Remember not to become confident of WHITE PEOPLE collectively. They have no love in their hearts for Negroes. Stay out of public alone. Take no chances at any time.
Norma joins me in sending a hello to the family. With all good wishes for a good year ahead, I am
Sincerely,
[signed] Mac
A Pal
{WRM}
1. Charles E. Morton (1926-) received his B.A. (1946) from Morehouse College, his B.D. (1949) from Union Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. (1958) from Columbia University. He was a professor of religion and philosophy at Knoxville College in 1956, though he left shortly thereafter to become a professor at Dillard University. In 1963 he became minister of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Detroit.
Source: MLKP-MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Boston University, Boston, Mass.