Letter from MLK to Ray Stewart

Transcript

Dear Mr. Stewart, Thank you for your letter of Nov. 15. If I understand your letter correctly, you are asking me or the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to underwrite the ten thousand dollars cash plus $500 per month in return for the song. Neither myself nor SCLC [Southern Christian Leadership Conference] are able to bear such [Crossed Out: an expense.] [an?] [Crossed Out: great] expense. [Crossed Out: May I suggest that you approach Harry [Be?] I am appreciative of the time and effort which you took to present this opportunity to [Crossed Out: MS: illegible] me. [Crossed Out: Your support of our work is] [Inserted text: This song appears to be over ?I am sure this song is] an admirable [Crossed Out: MS: illegible] tribute [Crossed Out: to our struggle and [the?] for justice and the] to the Freedom Movement?s struggle for justice and equality. M.L.K.