Letter from Ms. Dorothy Clark to Rev. Abernathy

Transcript

[Stamp in Blue Ink: MAY 2 1968] 121 Springdale Street Decatur, Georgia 30030 April 10, 1968 Dear Reverend Abernathy, I send this small contribution to the Martin Luther King, Jr. [Junior] fund as a token of my deepest sympathy for his cause. It is with great shame and humility that I admit that it took his death to shock me out of my complacency. Although I never hated,my very inaction when I was in a position to challenge hatred and bigotry make me unworthy of the love which Dr. [Doctor] King tried to give. My personal committment [commitment] shall be to try with all my efforts to remove the destructiveness of complacency among my friends and associates by challenging them to respect and work for the freedom and dignity of all men. In addition, I shall actively campaign against those seeking public office who wish to maintain the status quo and fail to accept the urgent responsibility of providing adequate and essential legislation and recognition to the down trodden for whom Dr. [Doctor] King gave his life. The heart breaking display of love and dignity, and your earnest plea for action and unity in your hour of supreme grief commands my highest respect. With the help of God, with your continued committment [commitment], and with the newborn committment [commitment] of others like me, we shall break the vicious cycle of poverty, hatred, and bigotry[,] which has so long bound us, and we shall overcome! Please accept my apology for being a late-comer [latecomer] to the cause for dignity and freedom. Most sincerely, [Closing Signature: Dorothy Clark]