Letter from M.J. McGrayle to MLK

Transcript

[Top center:Stamped in red iink:MS:Illegible:1967] [Top right corner:Chicago, Ill. Dec[ember] 30-1966] Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Atlanta, GA Dear Rev. King: Heard Dick Gregory last night on TV and he made me ill He got his big break in Chicago and blaming our Mayor for every thing. Chicago has done much for the colored people but they expect good jobs they are not capable of handling. New apartment Bldgs. [buildings] were built for them and did they appreciate it? No indeed they wouldn't keep any thing clean. I am white and, they live in a better building than I do. I lived in Birmingham, Ala[bama] and, took the colored people part. Asked the maid at Hotel where we lived why she didn't go North as she was such a good worker and would receive larger salary. She told me she never would go North. All the new and old friends she had who went North and when they came back for a visit they acted as tho they were too good for their old friends and acted too smart. Its strange you do nothing for those colored people in your own State and other Southern States Even in St. Petersburg Fla.[Florida] colored people are frightened of white people Its also strange you come here [to] preach peace etc and after you leave we have riots etc. You are so wrong about your marching saying it helps. It only makes the white people afraid of your race. After loud mouth Dick Gregory pops off I do nothing more for the colored people He bites the hand that really helped him. Why don't you do something about your people you need in the South [Raby?] and his Helpers make people sick. They act so darned smart but isn't. M.J. McGrayle