The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
Wachtel, Harry H.
b. 1917 - d. 1997
Harry Wachtel, a New York attorney, was a legal advisor and confidant of Dr. King. After earning a law degree from Columbia University, he served in the Army in World War II and returned to Manhattan to practice law. Introduced to King in 1962 by King’s lawyer Clarence Jones, he urged creation of a tax-exempt organization to provide financial support to the Civil Rights Movement and helped found the Gandhi Society for Human Rights. With Jones, he defended four ministers in a libel suit stemming from a New York Times ad soliciting funds for the Committee to Defend Martin Luther King Jr. Wachtel set up meetings for King with potential donors, advised him on FBI investigations, arranged meetings with high officials like President Lyndon Johnson, and provided advice on voter registration and social policies. He accompanied King to Norway for the Nobel Prize. After King’s death, Wachtel was Coretta Scott King’s personal lawyer and vice president and counsel for The King Center in Atlanta.
Associated Archive Content : 29 results
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Harry Wachtel, confidant and legal counsel to Dr. King, writes a note to Dora McDonald referencing an enclosure intended for Dr. King. |
American Foundation on Nonviolence Board MeetingHarry W. Wachtel reports the minutes of the American Foundation of Nonviolence Board Meeting held in New York City, New York. |
Invitation from Harry Wachtel to the Members of the Research CommitteeHarry Watchel writes to the members of the research community to inivite theim to participate in a meeting called by Dr. King. |
Letter from Clarence Jones to MLKClarence Jones writes Dr. King requesting commentary concerning "The World March Towards Human Rights: Luncheon on May 28, 1964." |
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 Harry H. Wachtel to Charles W. EnglehardHarry Wachtel writes Charles Englehard thanking him for his payment of $5,000 toward a $15,000 pledge to The American Foundation On Nonviolence. He states that his initial contribution was extremely helpful in registering African Americans in Mississippi and other southern states. |
Letter from Harry H. Wachtel to General James M. GavinHarry H. Wachtel, confidant and legal counsel to Dr. King, writes to General James M. Gavin, regarding a previously postponed meeting with Dr. King. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the necessity of Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign. |
Letter from Harry H. Wachtel to MLKMr. Wachtel informs Dr. King that a large donation made by Mrs. Ann Farnsworth is now available. Wachtel then asks Dr. King who is to send the acknowledgment. |
Letter from Harry H. Wachtel to Randolph T. BlackwellHarry Wachtel informs Randolph Blackwell that he's including $4,500 for the Southern Rural Action Project. The purpose of the project is to reduce the amount of poverty known to be prevalent in the south. |
Letter from Harry Wachtel to Abram HeschelHarry Wachtel, legal counsel to Dr. King, expresses his gratitude to leading Jewish theologian Rabbi Heschel for his great works. |
Letter from Harry Wachtel to David HunterMr. Wachtel expresses gratitude for a grant awarded by the Stern Family Fund to the American Foundation on Nonviolence and the SCLC. |
Letter from Harry Wachtel to David HunterAFON received a grant of $60,000 from the Stern Family Fund. Mr. Wachtel offers Mr. Hunter a report of progress and invites him to a conference concerning the grant. |
Letter from Harry Wachtel to MLKMr. Wachtel, Dr. King's legal counsel, provides an update on pending matters regarding the American Foundation of Non-Violence. |
Letter from Harry Wachtel to MLKHarry Wachtel gives Dr. King a monetary birthday gift that he tells Dr. King to use on a much needed vacation. |
Letter from Harry Wachtel to Owen Hungerford Regarding FinancesHarry Wachtel informs Owen Hungerford that Dr. King has approved the enclosed financial statement. Relative tax exemption material is also forwarded. |
Letter from Harry Wachtel to Premier Kosygin and President JohnsonCivil rights activist Harry Wachtel tells Soviet Premier Kosygin and President Lyndon Johnson that the world community depends on their solutions to crucial problems. He charges President Johnson with ending bombing in Vietnam and he charges Premier Kosygin with influencing Vietnam towards peaceful negotiations. Lastly, he asks both leaders to help eliminate war and poverty in the Middle East. |
Letter from Harry Wachtel to Theodore SmithMr. Wachtel informs Theodore Smith and Hosea Williams that they are in danger of breaking the terms of a loan agreement from The American Foundation on Nonviolence. |
Letter from Howard Moore, Jr. to MLKHoward Moore, a partner in the Law Offices of Ward, Moore and Alexander, informs Dr. King of the establishment of the Southern Legal Assistance Project (SLAP). Mr. Moore describes how SLAP has already achieved a victory in representing a soldier who was accused of cursing his white officers. He also asks Dr. King to consider being named as an adviser for the project. |
Letter from Joan Daves to MLK Regarding Article FeeMs. Daves encloses Dr. King's fee for his article in the "Saturday Evening Post" and discusses issues concerning future reprints of this particular work. |
Letter from L. D. Reddick to ColleaguesL. D. Reddick's colleagues received this letter pertaining to the business of Dr. King's papers and where they should be housed. |
Letter from MLK to Harry Wachtel, Esq.Dr. King updates Attorney Harry Wachtel about a nonviolence workshop that took place at the Penn Center in Frogmore, South Carolina. |
Letter from MLK to Leslie DunbarDr. King writes to Dr. Leslie Dunbar to assure her that the SCLC was indeed ready and able to administer CEP Grant Funds for that school year. |
Letter from Rachel Davis DuBois to MLKMs. Dubois writes to Dr. King regarding the strategy of the Commission on Religion and Race of the National Council of Churches. She believes that a change in attitude of whites, so that they desire to work with "Americans of darker complexion" should be a part of this strategy. |
Letter to Dora McDonald Regarding Persons Receiving Autographed BooksDora McDonald receives a list of names who are to receive autographed copies of Dr. King's book. The list consists of contributors to American Foundation on Nonviolence and SCLC. |
Memo from Barbara Moffett to MLKBarbara W. Moffett writes a memorandum to Dr. King and Harry Wachtel, commenting on a second draft statement submitted by the American Friends Service Committee to the SCLC. Ms. Moffett also sends a copy of the memo with a handwritten note to Andy Young. |
MLK's Recommendation Letter for Alan WachtelThis original letter was handwritten and initialed by Dr. King for Alan Wachtel, who he was recommending for law school. |
SCLC Annual Board Meeting AgendaThis agenda details a 1966 SCLC annual board meeting in Miami, Florida. On April 12, a review of the White House Conference on Civil Rights took place. On April 13, Andrew Young presented the Program Analysis and Future Projection. |
The Strength of the LegacyIn this New York Herald Tribune article, Dr. King refers to the recent 1964 Presidential election as a decisive repudiation of segregation and extremism. He claims the election results honored the memory of President John F. Kennedy, assassinated a year earlier. Kennedy’s greatest contribution to human rights, King says, was his televised appeal to the American people on June 19, 1963 describing equal rights and equal opportunity as a moral issue as old as the scriptures and as clear as the Constitution. |
Where Do We Go From Here Book MailingThe people listed here received an advance copy of Dr. King's "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community," which was published in 1967. |