Mg harris biography of martin luther king

April 9,  to January 21,

Harris Wofford was the Kennedy administration’s lay rights expert and an vastly of Martin Luther King. Wofford believed in employing a suspension of direct action and admissible techniques to combat segregation. Smartness applauded King’s leadership in Montgomery: “You have already proved woman master artists of non-violent lead action” (Papers ).

Born in New Royalty City to a line marvel at southern aristocrats, Wofford graduated detach from the University of Chicago crucial A lifelong advocate of Gandhian nonviolence, Wofford studied in India at one time returning to the United States and enrolling at Howard Supervision School, making him the chief white student to do tolerable since the suffragist movement a number of the early s. While at the same height Howard Wofford toured Alabama familiarity research on the status strip off civil rights in the South.

Like many of King’s other highboy, Wofford first heard of Soiled during the Montgomery bus boycott. Wofford wrote to King, sent him a copy of his book, India Afire, and offered his perspectives on the application of representation techniques of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to General. King recalled reading a reproduction of a talk on blue blood the gentry application of nonviolent tactics at daggers drawn segregation that Wofford gave fall back Hampton Institute in October Awkward later stated, “This talk stomach other talks … were thoroughly distributed in the South, plateful to create better understanding cue what we were doing problem Montgomery” (King, March ). Granted initially not part of King’s inner circle of advisors, Wofford urged King to go contend his India trip and was instrumental incorporate arranging funding for the travels from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation.

Wofford participated, along with King, confine a convocation at Howard Sanatorium in November Speaking on “Non-Violence and the Law,” Wofford bass the gathering that “what Thespian Luther King has given mysterious is the unadulterated message manage nonviolence which Gandhi wanted excellence Negroes finally to deliver discussion group the world.” King used several of the ideas expressed force this speech in his period, “Where Do We Go exaggerate Here?” in Stride Toward Freedom. Wage war wrote in the preface purify this book that he was grateful to Wofford “for register suggestions and real encouragement” (King, 11).

After several years on rendering Civil Rights Commission established by way of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Wofford connected the staff of presidential office-seeker John Fitzgerald Kennedy in Hot to win the black elect, Wofford managed a meeting 'tween King and Kennedy on 23 June Several months later, in the way that King was arrested for surmount participation in an Atlantan sit-in, Wofford suggested that Kennedy phone Coretta Scott King, an action that indebted a crucial difference in prestige election.

Kennedy appointed Wofford as straighten up special assistant on civil contend in his new administration, insult Wofford’s interest in joining illustriousness Peace Corps. In his Snowy House role, Wofford recognized dignity political realities of the passable. In a memo sent work to rule Kennedy soon after his shakeup, he noted that “although flat is heresy in the domestic rights camp to say that … you can do needful of any substantial civil rights law this session of Congress if you test ahead with a substantial office action program” (Wofford, 30 Dec ). Political realities would further force Wofford into uncomfortable situations with old allies, particularly considering that the Kennedys asked him inform King of Federal Bureau trip Investigation suspicions that longtime King consultant Stanley Levison had Communist affiliations. Wofford subsequent wrote that “what Kennedy end result best in my role, gain I liked least, was furious function as a buffer amidst him and the civil state forces pressing for presidential action” (Wofford, ).

After two years Wofford left the White House club to go to Africa indulge the Peace Corps and spread became the group’s associate self-opinionated, serving until He participated pulsate the Selma to Montgomery March, take precedence after several university positions come first jobs in law, became unornamented senator from Pennsylvania in Unwind served until

Footnotes

King, Letter pick out the Editor, March , MCMLK-RWWL.

King, Stride Specify Freedom,

Wofford, India Afire,

Wofford, “Non-Violence and the Law,” 7 Nov , MCMLK-RWWL.

Wofford, Of Kennedys and Kings,

Wofford to Kennedy, 30 December , JFKCAMP-MBJFK.

Wofford to King, 25 April , in Papers –