Letter from Mary A. Edmonds to MLK

Transcript

[Page 1] [Text in upper right margin: October 30th 1967] To Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, [Paragraph 1] For every life lost due o riots you are to blame. You do the Negro people no good. You mislead them. Many people wonder, how much you have been paid by the Communists, to start the awful mess you have made. [Paragraph 2] Some months ago, we drove by a pasture in which there were several horses and mules. Bigots? were they?, because they were not integrated. Horses' in one group, mules in another, through mothers of each were [mares?]. [Paragraph 3] In the sparrow family there are several kinds, just a slight difference in colorizing and feather arrangement is enough to keep each kind to its own nesting area. [Paragraph 4] Your features show of past integration of white and black, hence your intelligence also your bitterness. You have sneered over such past and most certainly below white human decency. [Paragraph 5] When brought into America, the poor black victims were strictly primitive people. Where were their books and writings, cities! [Paragraph 6] [Parientals?] had high culture even before the white peoples, not so with Negro. And those dastardly whites who sold Negro[es] into slavery did not go into Africa and act [Underlined:a] cowboys in sounding up their poor frightened victims. [Paragraph 7] Their own chiefs and priests had them ready in stockades and gave them away for shining [Illegible] [Paragraph 8] The black Africans in power now are enslaving the poor black boys now and some black Africans are enjoying human flesh in this day and age. [Page 2] II [Paragraph 1] once here, some of the poor black victims did have inhuman[e] masters. Others who had good masters, were better off than white uneducated immigrants who labored twelve hours a day, for the big sum of a dollar or less. [Paragraph 2] Some of those too were kicked around by brutal bosses. Some bosses collected a fee for giving the white man a job, then fired him, to collect from [Illegible] victim. [Paragraph 3] Why don't you be honest with your black brethren and remind them of these facts, also, that they have come a long ways in the three hundred years since they were brought into civilization if we can call ourselves that. I also dare say that the poorest Negro in [the] U[nited] S[tates] is living better than [an] average black in Africa. [Paragraph 4] Quietly intelligent industrious Negroes were coming into their own, maybe things were [a] little harder for them, because of the great gluf of skin color,but they managed to have good jobs, nice homes and nice cars. Others like lazy children have not tried to advance themselves to learn or to keep their dwelling areas [Page 3] III clean hence rats and ghettos. If i'd live[d] in [a] apartment house i'd not stack garbage outside of my door, i'd carry it down to the big container. Sanitation must be taught to many whites, blacks,each of us must feel responsible for keeping our area clean humble though it may be. [Paragraph 1] This too you forget, that "Civil Rights" is also for the whites and that includes of their choice, let those who wish to integrate do so, let others live according to their choice. [Paragraph 2] In religious matters it is the same Catholics prefer their kind [of] Protestants etc their kind [sic?] The intellectuals would derive no real pleasure living among those satisfied with being dull. [Paragraph 3] Your dark skin people dont think of those things, for the same reason that when Christians persecuted the Jews and called them Christ killers[,] they overlooked the fact that Mary the Mother of Jesus was [Jew?] of the house of Abraham. Pope and Ministers never mentioned the fact to their flocks, have you[,] being a minister? No wonder some Jews are so horribly arrogant. [Paragraph 4] Humans are the smartest and also the meanest most cruel creatures on earth without exception. [Paragraph 5] You know what to say to the black people to trickle [Page 4] [Underlined:IV] their since of humor. I dont know of anyone who hated the blacks. I have not. I felt sorry for them and in few instances went out of my way to render and to them. [Paragraph 1] The good Negroes go about being just that and they do not appreciate what you have stirred up. [Paragraph 2] One thing you are forgetting and that is, That White Man, White Power[,?] White Tiger is [Underlined:not] going to tolerate riots, demonstrations, what do they demonstrate[?] let them learn and become civilized and in time if they prove their worth, [Underlined: they] will be absorbed [Underlined:into whole] community. [Paragraph 3] Minister through you may be such as you, should be jailed for [an] indefinite time. I don't believe you are [a] sinner and if you are I believe you are psychotic on the subject of integration. [Paragraph 4] If you were not, you would be realistic. The fact is that nature dictates to every living thing to stay with its own kind. Birds of a feather . And there is a big difference between with and black members of human family. [Paragraph 5] If you are sincere then urge your people to help each other in improving themselves, then demonstrate that fact. Very Truly Yours Mary A. Edmonds