The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
McDonald, Dora E.
b. 1925 - d. 2007
Dora Edith McDonald attended South Carolina State College. After graduation she worked as secretary for Benjamin Mays, president of Morehouse College. In 1960 Dr. King hired her as his personal secretary, a position she held until his death. Working from Ebenezer Baptist Church and then the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) office, McDonald typed King’s manuscripts and sermons, took telephone calls, organized his speaking engagements and often traveled with him. She was his confidante, sounding board and close family friend. McDonald traveled with the Kings to Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and informed Mrs. King of her husband’s assassination. From 1972 to 1977 she worked for Andrew Young in his congressional office, taking a job with IBM when Young was appointed United Nations ambassador. Her memoir Sharing the Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., the Movement, and Me was published in 2007.
Associated Archive Content : 453 results
Letter from Dora McDonald to Frank ElliottDora McDonald responded to Frank Elliott's letter regarding Dr. King's schedule. Additionally, She requested for Elliott to send out an annoucement to people who had been requesting Dr. King's book "Strength to Love." |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Fred KouryIn this letter, Dora McDonald tells Fred Koury that Dr. King cannot attend the Annual Spring Conference of the United Federation of Teachers due to prior commitments. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Geraldine FonesMs. McDonald informs Ms. Fones that Dr. King will not be able to speak to the Oxford Union Society in London due to commitments in the United States around the same time frame. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Gladys ForemanDora McDonald thanks Ms. Gladys Foreman for her contribution of stamps. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to H. BaumDora McDonald writes H. Baum requesting that he relay to Monica Wilson that Dr. King has accepted her invitation to speak at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to H. D. BollingerDora McDonald writes Dr. Bollinger accepting an invitation on Dr. King's behalf. Ms. McDonald explains that Dr. King will be able to attend the conference in Lincoln, Nebraska, but he will not be traveling alone, so they will need to prepare travel expenses for two. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to H. D. BollingerMiss McDonald sends Dr. Bollinger an expense statement for Dr. King's appearance in Lincoln, Nebraska. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to H. L. WynterMs. McDonald writes a representative of the University of the West Indies to outline details regarding Dr. King's trip to the school. She confirms that Mrs. King will be traveling with Dr. King, provides their arrival times, and requests that the university does not schedule Dr. King for any additional engagements outside of the Valedictory Sermon. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to H. L. WynterDora McDonald sends H. L. Wynter, Registrar for the University of the West Indies, an estimate on travel expenses Dr. King and Reverend Lee will require for their trip to Jamaica. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Harold E. FeyDora McDonald is requesting that Harold Fey re-new Dr. King's subscription to "The Christian Century" for one year. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Harry BelafonteHere, Dr. King's secretary, Dora McDonald, forwards a list of proposed touring cities to Mr. Harry Belafonte. She also comments on a recent special he did entitled, "Laughter." |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Harry Stern ShanisDora McDonald acknowledges Harry Shanis' earlier letter. She sends a photograph of Dr. King along with a biographical sketch. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Harry WachtelMs. McDonald sends Mr. Wachtel Dr. King's schedules for visiting Oslo, Norway. Dr. King is traveling to Norway to receive his Nobel Peace Prize. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Harry WalkerMs. McDonald writes to Mr. Walker and states that Dr. King will accept the invitation to speak at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford, New Jersey on 10/25/67. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Henry CohenMiss Dora McDonald, Dr. King's secretary, drafts this correspondence to Rabbi Henry Cohen in regards to a book he is publishing. Miss McDonald informs Rabbi Cohen that Dr. King grants permission to use excerpts from "Letter From Birmingham Jail." She also mentions the enclosure of Dr. King's reply and Dr. King wanting a copy of the book when published. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Henry R. LuceDora McDonald writes to Henry Luce, of Time & Life, in response to his prior correspondence to Dr. King. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Howard Johnson's Motor InnDespite not having received their reservation for October 19, 1967, Dora McDonald sends her appreciation to the Howard Johnson Motor Inn for making accommodations. Ms. McDonald also encloses a copy of the confirmation order to show that reservations were, in fact, made for that night. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Irvine I. TurnerDora McDonald explains to Irvine Turner that Dr. King is unable to endorse political candidates due to the "non-partisan nature" of the SCLC. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Israel M. AugustineDora McDonald forwards a letter from Jessie Owens to Attorney Israel M. Augustine concerning potential legal counsel. Owens sought help concerning money and furniture that were taken from him. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Ivor M. LissDora McDonald thanks Ivor M. Liss for his contribution, and informs him that Dr. King will be in contact upon his return from Birmingham, Alabama. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to J. SackmannMs. McDonald invites Sackmann's students on behalf of Dr. King to visit his office and speak with his executives. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Jacob BroertjesDora McDonald sends Jacob Broertjes a tentative schedule for Dr. King's upcoming speaking engagement in Amsterdam with the Baptist Federation. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to James McKee Concerning Antioch College VisitDora McDonald writes James McKee regarding the time of Dr. and Mrs. King's arrival and security arrangements for Dr. King's appearance at Antioch College. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to James PikeDora McDonald informs Dr. James A. Pike that Dr. King will be able to preach for Grace Cathedral's Consecration celebration. She suggests that Dr. Pike lists five possible dates for Dr. King to fulfill this commitment in San Francisco. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Jean BennettDora McDonald writes Jean Bennett on behalf of Dr. King expressing his regards for offering to donate a substantial portion of the royalties from the recording of "We Ain't What We Was" to an organization of his choice. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Jean TisdaleMiss McDonald informs Miss Tisdale that the information she requested may be found in Dr. King's book, Stride Toward Freedom, or Dr. Lawrence Reddick's book, Crusader Without Violence. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Jessie StephensMiss McDonald informs Jessie Stephens that Dr. King is out of the country, but she recommends that Mrs. Stephens contact Dr. King's lawyer, Chauncey Eskridge, for help. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to John Bolt CulbertsonDora McDonald informs Culbertson that Dr. King is grateful for the invitation to speak at a South Carolina fundraiser for the families of Medgar Evers and the children killed in the Birmingham church bombing, but will be unable to attend. Miss McDonald refers Culbertson to contact Roy Wilkins of the NAACP to be a possible keynote speaker. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to John LangoneMs. McDonald informs Mr. Langone due to other writing commitments for the next several months, Dr. King is unable to accept his invitation to write an article for his journal, Psychiatric Opinion. |
Letter from Dora McDonald to Julia SmithDora McDonald responds to Julia Smith's letter on behalf of Dr. King and informs Smith that they hope she accomplishes her dream of becoming a nurse. Miss McDonald also tells Smith that they will remember her in their prayers. |