To Wayne D. McMurray
Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr. (Montgomery Improvement Association)
Date: April 24, 1956
Location: Montgomery, Ala.?
Genre: Letter
Topic: Montgomery Bus Boycott
Details
McMurray (1897-1974), editor of the Asbury Park Press, had informed King on 12 April that his newspaper had “conducted a campaign to raise funds to assist you with your legal expenses.”
Mr. Wayne D. McMurray
Asbury Park Press
Asbury Park, N.J.
Dear Mr. McMurray:
First, let me apologize for being somewhat tardy in answering your letter. Absence from the city for several days delayed my reply.
Words can never adequately express my appreciation to you for your interest in my behalf. The two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) which was raised through the strong appeal of your paper will go a long, long way in helping the total situation. I assure you that this type of christian generosity gives us renewed courage to carry on. Ultimately the thing that keeps the true fires of democracy burning is the existence of people of good will who are able to keep at the forefront of their thoughts the noble and sublime affirmations of our democratic creed. Your spirit gives new hope to those of us who are forced by sectional necessity to stand under the batttering rams of segregation and discrimination. Our struggle here is not merely a struggle for Montgomery but it is really a struggle for the whole of America.
The check may be sent to our headquarters here at 530 South Union Street. Please make the check payable to The Montgomery Improvement Association. Please extend my thanks and best regards to all those noble persons who are associated with you and who made contributions through your paper.
Cordially yours,
M. L. King, Jr.,
President
MLK:b
Source: MLKP-MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Mass.